OSWEGO, NY (July 3, 2021) - Mike Bruce etched his name into Oswego Speedway’s history books yet again this past Saturday, becoming the first driver ever to win feature events in each of the three divisions; Supermodified, Small Block Supermodified, and 350 Supermodified.
Bruce, a 6-time winner in the SBS class, won his first ever Novelis Supermodified feature as a rookie just last month before sweeping the Independence Weekend 350 Super features driving the RBI Racing Bodnar Chassis.
“I had a lot of fun racing with David (Cliff) early on,” Bruce said in victory lane. “Any time you can run side by side with a multi-champion like that, who you know will run you clean, it’s a lot of fun, especially in this class. I have to thank Rich (Wirth) and Dan Dennie. The 350 has not been as good as we have wanted this year, but this is the best it has been all year long. This car wasn’t running as well as the other one, but the guys thrashed, and I’m pretty lucky to get to drive great pieces.”
Oswego newcomer Kyle Perry earned his third 350 Supermodified top five finish of the season; the most amongst all drivers in regular events, and his first career podium finish with a solid runner-up effort in the Eddie Bellinger built No. 20.
“We started off pretty good,” Perry commented. “As the race went on, we just kept getting tighter and tighter, but it is what it is. I’m very happy with the second. This was a pretty strong run for us and now we just have to look to finish one spot better.”
Dalton Doyle has continued to make strides with his new Hawk Chassis 350 Supermodified in every race thus far, and found himself back on the podium in each of last weekend’s features.
“I was just trying to see what the car was going to do in this feature and come up with a game plan for the rest of the night,” Doyle offered. “I went across the line and I didn’t realize that the 50 had pulled in and I finished third. I probably could have muscled (Kyle) Perry a little harder, but all our cars still have four wheels on them, so that’s a good thing.”
Dave Cliff and Bruce brought the first 25-lap feature to green and battled side by side for a full lap until a Kali Spaulding spin in the third corner led to an original restart.
On the second original start, Bruce got a much better jump going into turns one and two, and took over the lead, with Cliff and Perry second and third as the first lap was put into the books.
Bruce immediately opened up a big advantage on the field, and took off way out in front in the No. 22 while Cliff and Perry attempted to give chase.
Doyle, who started in fifth, got by third starting Barry Kingsley in the early going, and then picked off Jon Tesoriero to move into fourth with 7 laps complete.
After running in the number two position all race long, Cliff’s best effort of the season went down the tubes on lap 15 when mechanical issues forced the Barbeau Racing No. 50 pitside.
This moved the entire top five up one position with Bruce in front over Perry now second, Doyle in third, Tesoriero fourth, and Tyler Thompson fifth.
Thompson, who started in seventh, and his Top Quality Motorsports teammate Kreig Heroth, who started in ninth, were next to go to work on Tesoriero.
Making his first career 350 Supermodified start, Thompson found himself solidly in the top five, and made his way to the inside of Tesoriero for fourth on lap 17.
Heroth was next to make the move, finding a way by Tesoriero just two laps later to take over the fifth position.
Back in front, Bruce had built an enormous nine second lead on the field and went on to a very dominant win in the Rich Wirth owned No. 22.
Doyle and Perry were left to battle it out for second, with Perry winning that battle over Doyle, Thompson, and Heroth in the top five.
Tesoriero, Kingsley, Ralph Clark, Spaulding, and Vern LaFave completed the top ten.
Heroth was awarded the D&S Landscaping Hard Charger honors for advancing four positions, while Perry was the Lighthouse Lanes Up & Comer for his runner-up finish.
The 350 Supermodifieds are off this Saturday, July 10, but return for a 30-lap special alongside Mr. Novelis Supermodified and Mr. Pathfinder Bank SBS on Saturday, July 17.
RESULTS
Burke’s Do It Best Home Centers and Compass Credit Union
RESCHEDULED J&S Paving 350 Super 25
Saturday, July 3, 2021
Oswego Speedway
Oswego, NY
Feature (25-laps): 1. 22 MIKE BRUCE, 2. 20 ® Kyle Perry, 3. 08 Dalton Doyle, 4. 98 ® Tyler Thompson, 5. 45 ® Kreig Heroth, 6. 47 ® Jon Tesoriero, 7. 06 Barry Kingsley, 8. 5 ® Ralph Clark, 9. 23 ® Kali Spaulding, 10. 97 Vern LaFave, 11. 50 ® Dave Cliff, 12. 7 ® Nick Kinney, 13. 32 ® Tom MacLeod
Heat 1 (8-laps): 1. 98 ® Tyler Thompson. 2. 7 ® Nick Kinney, 3. 06 Barry Kingsley, 4. 08 Dalton Doyle, 5. 97 Vern LaFave, 6. 45 ® Kreig Heroth, 7. 23 ® Kali Spaulding
Heat 2 (8-laps): 1. 12 John Leonard, 2. 22 Mike Bruce, 3. 20 ® Kyle Perry, 4. 50 ® Dave Cliff, 5. 47 ® Jon Tesoriero, 6. 5 ® Ralph Clark, 7. 32 ® Tom MacLeod
Group Time Trials: 1. 45 ® Kreig Heroth - 17.054, 2. 22 ® Mike Bruce - 17.109, 3. 7 ® Nick Kinney - 17.237, 4. ® 50 Dave Cliff - 17.252, 5. 08 Dalton Doyle - 17.314, 6. 12 John Leonard - 17.479, 7. 98 ® Tyler Thompson - 17.679, 8. 20 ® Kyle Perry - 17.702, 9. 06 Barry Kingsley - 17.806, 10. 47 ® Jon Tesoriero - 18.160, 11. 97 Vern LaFave - 18.440, 12. 32 ® Tom MacLeod - 18.600, 13. 23 ® Kali Spaulding - 23.565, 14. 5 ® Ralph Clark - DNS
D&S Landscaping Hard Charger: #45 ® Kreig Heroth
Lighthouse Lanes Up & Comer: #20 ® Kyle Perry
- CAMDEN PROUD on Jul 03, 2021
- Article Date: 7/3/2021