OSWEGO, NY (May 16, 2021) - When Max McLauglin sat in a Supermodified for the first time two weeks ago, he had high expectations, although Oswego Speedway victory lane was likely not where he was expecting to find himself this past Saturday.
But that’s exactly where he wound up.
McLaughlin started on the pole of the 50-lap Novelis Supermodified feature presented by Oswego County Media Group with Jason Simmons Racing teammate Tyler Thompson alongside.
McLaughlin was able to get out in front and lead until lap 10, when Thompson stole the top spot and went on to smoke the field in a dominating performance.
That was until the last lap that changed everything.
In one of the most dramatic Supermodified finishes in Oswego Speedway history, Thompson ran out of fuel coming out of turn four to take the checkered flag, and this miscue handed the win to McLaughlin by a margin of just 0.159 seconds.
The versatile 21 year-old talent from Mooresville, NC; a winner in the ARCA Menards Series, Big Block Modifieds, and Tour Type Mods, can now add “Oswego Speedway Supermodified feature winner” to his list of accomplishments.
“Tyler (Thompson) was the car to beat tonight, there is no question,” McLaughlin said. “I literally ran out of fuel right here (at the start-finish line). We are teammates, so we put the same fuel in, and I ran out then about lost it in turn one. I’m just glad Tyler finished second and not way back.”
A winner of a 2017 Super DIRTcar Series Triple 30 event on dirt at Oswego, McLaughlin joins Speedway pioneers Newt Ward, Chuck Kotwica, John Torrese Sr, Bob Kegebein, Charlie Barry, and Billy Blum as only the sixth driver to win on both surfaces at the Steel Palace, and the first since Blum in 1955.
He also joins father Mike, an Oswego feature winner in 1982 with the Norm Foster z8, as the seventh father-son pair to win in the Supermodified division, along with the Gibson, Shullick, Graham, Muldoon, Bellinger, and Abold Families.
“I just have to thank Jason Simmons for this opportunity,” McLaughlin added. “I have wanted to race here for a long time on asphalt. I have won here on the dirt before, so it is pretty cool to get one on asphalt too.”
Finishing in third behind the Jason Simmons Racing teammates was Dave Shullick Jr, who for the second week in a row, charged from deep in the field to a podium position with the Osetek Racing No. 95.
“We had a really, really good car,” Shullick commented. “That was a lot of fun. I got up behind Max (McLauglin), and started to get a little too tight. I probably just ran it too hard, but did not have a choice starting in twelfth. This car is a bullet. I have to thank my crew, because in two weeks, we are going to be a force to be reckoned with.”
As it turned out, there would be three original starts; with Thompson having issues firing on the first green flag.
The field was then brought to a halt for a vicious turn three crash before the first lap was even completed.
Rookie Ryan Locke got the worst of it, taking a very heavy hit into the turn three foam with the new No. 37.
Lou LeVea Sr, Michael Barnes, Chris Perley, Jack Patrick, and Keith Shampine were also involved.
After an extended red flag, the field resumed with an original start, with McLaughlin taking the race lead.
McLaughlin lead the away until lap 10, when Thompson got down to the inside and pulled away.
On the same lap, sixth starting Brandon Bellinger took third from fourth starting Alison Sload, with Dave Danzer, Doug Didero, and before long; Shullick and Otto Sitterly in tow.
It took Shullick only 18 laps to drive from twelfth to fourth, passing Didero, Sitterly, Danzer, Dan Connors, Tim Snyder, and finally Sload before chasing down Bellinger for the final podium spot.
Shullick’s next victim was Bellinger on lap 26, and when he took third, the yellow came out on the next lap for a tangle between Lou LeVea Jr. and Snyder right in front of the leaders.
On the restart, Thompson was able to run away and hide, but when Shullick went to work hard on the CraZ8 of McLaughlin, he got out of shape on the high side, allowing Bellinger to slip back underneath for third.
Meanwhile, the next driver on the charge with 20 laps to go was Jeff Abold, who had come from all the way back in fourteenth to challenge Danzer for fifth, taking the spot on lap 42.
The final yellow flag of the race for an Iosue spin strung the field together with four laps to go, allowing Shullick to get back by Bellinger for third on the restart.
Thompson had checked out to almost a straightaway lead in the final four laps, but it didn’t matter.
The No 98T chugged to nearly a complete halt down the frontstretch, with McLaughlin closing in seconds to steal the win.
Thompson hung onto second over Shullick, Bellinger, and Abold in the top five.
Danzer, Sitterly, Connors, Joe Gosek, and Lou LeVea Jr. completed the top ten.
Oswego Speedway is off on Saturday, May 22, and will return for the rescheduled 64th running of Budweiser International Classic Weekend on Memorial Day Weekend.
Classic main events for the Novelis Supermodifieds, Pathfinder Bank SBS, and J&S Paving 350 Supers will be held on Saturday, May 29.
Time trials for all three divisions plus racing for the Sunoco New York Super Stocks and New York State Compact Tour will be held on Friday, May 28.
For more information, visit the Speedway online at OswegoSpeedway.com, LIKE on Facebook at Facebook.com/OswegoSpeedway, or FOLLOW on Twitter @OswegoSpeedwa
QUICK RESULTS
Oswego County Media Group Classic Tune-Up
Oswego Speedway
Oswego, NY
Saturday, May 15, 2021
Novelis Supermodifieds
Feature (50-laps): 1. CraZ8 ® MAX MCLAUGHLIN, 2. 98T Tyler Thompson, 3. 95 Dave Shullick Jr, 4. 02 Brandon Bellinger, 5. 05 Jeff Abold, 6. 52 Dave Danzer, 7. 7 Otto Sitterly, 8. 01 Dan Connors Jr, 9. 00 Joe Gosek, 10. 83 Lou LeVea Jr, 11. 39 Alison Sload, 12. 11 Aric Iosue, 13. 3 Doug Didero, 14. 0 Tim Snyder, 15. 99 Jerry Curran, 16. 55 Keith Shampine, 17. 22 ® Mike Bruce, 18. 66 Lou LeVea Sr, 19. 44 Chris Perley, 20. 54 Camden Proud, 21. 37 ® Ryan Locke, 22. 68 Michael Barnes, 23. 90 Jack Patrick
Heat 1 (12-laps): 1. CraZ8 ® Max McLaughlin, 2. 52 Dave Danzer, 3. 95 Dave Shullick Jr, 4. 98T Tyler Thompson, 5. 83 Lou LeVea Jr, 6. 99 Jerry Curran, DNS - 55 Keith Shampine
Heat 2 (12-laps): 1. 0 Tim Snyder, 2. 02 Brandon Bellinger, 3. 7 Otto SItterly, 4. 39 ® Alison Sload, 5. 05 Jeff Abold, 6. 44 Chris Perley, 7. 90 Jack Patrick, DNS - 22 ® Mike Bruce
Heat 3 (12-laps): 1. 3 Doug Didero, 2. 11 Aric Iosue, 3. 00 Joe Gosek, 4. 01 Dan Connors Jr, 5. 66 Lou LeVea Sr, 6. 54 Camden Proud, 7. 37 ® Ryan Locke, 8. 68 Michael Barnes
Group Time Trials: 1. 7 Otto Sitterly - 16.066, 2. 98T Tyler Thompson - 16.157, 3. 01 Dan Connors Jr. - 16.188, 4. 05 Jeff Abold - 16.188, 5. 95 Dave Shullick Jr. - 16.194, 6. 3 Doug Didero - 16.241, 7. 02 Brandon Bellinger - 16.315, 8. 52 Dave Danzer - 16.324, 9. 11 Aric Iosue - 16.373, 10. 44 Chris Perley - 16.509, 11. 00 Joe Gosek - 16.552, 12. 39 ® Alison Sload - 16.624, 13. 37 ® Ryan Locke - 16.633, 14. CraZ8 ® Max McLaughlin - 16.648, 15. 83 Lou LeVea Jr. - 16.670, 16. 54 Camden Proud - 16.691, 17. 0 Tim Snyder - 16.692, 18. 55 Keith Shampine - 16.789, 19. 66 Lou LeVea Sr. - 16.898, 20. 99 Jerry Curran - 17.334, 21. 90 Jack Patrick - 17.888, 22. 68 Michael Barnes - NT, 23. 22 Mike Bruce - NT
D&S Landscaping Hard Charger: #05 Jeff Abold
Lighthouse Lanes Up and Comer: #01 Dan Connors Jr.
- CAMDEN PROUD on May 16, 2021
- Article Date: 5/16/2021