Story By: CAMDEN PROUD / OSWEGO SPEEDWAY – OSWEGO, NY – In a thrilling 75-lap, $10,000-to-win Mr. Novelis Supermodified feature presented by C’s Beverage Center, nine-time Oswego Speedway champion Otto Sitterly showcased why he’s one of the all-time greats, securing his fifth career Mr. Supermodified title and his 45th Oswego Supermodified feature win.
This victory marks his first in his only full-time season at the Speedway since 2021 and adds to his impressive career in the Mr. Supermodiied race, which includes titles in 2006 with his own No. 79, and then in 2013, 2015, 2018, and now 2024 with John Nicotra. Only Mike Ordway Sr. has more Mr. Supermodified titles, with six.
The race began with Mike Bruce and Logan Rayvals on the front row, with Bruce leading the first lap. Sitterly, starting fourth, quickly moved into second by passing both Rayvals and Dave Danzer on the opening lap. The field settled in with Bruce leading over Sitterly, Rayvals, Danzer, and Dan Connors. However, Connors spun on lap 15, bringing out the first caution of the night.
On the restart, Bruce maintained the lead, but as the race progressed, the leaders began to encounter lapped traffic by lap 30 and Michael Barnes, up to fourth from his seventh starting spot, passed Rayvals for third on lap 30. Four laps later, Bruce went wide in traffic between turns 1 and 2, allowing Sitterly to seize the lead on lap 34. Barnes wasn’t far behind, slipping under Bruce for second on lap 35 and attempting a three-wide maneuver for the lead coming to lap 36, but he got sideways out of turn 4, giving Bruce an opportunity to reclaim second on the outside.
At the halfway point, Sitterly led Bruce, Barnes, Rayvals, and Danzer, but Bruce’s luck again ran out on lap 40 when he brushed wheels with a lapped car and spun, making contact with the turn 3 foam and ending his run for $10K. The restart now saw Sitterly leading Barnes, Rayvals, Danzer, and 12th starting Dave Shullick Jr., who had climbed to fifth. Shullick would make a quick move on the restart to pass Danzer for fourth on lap 41. A few laps later, Rayvals, who had shown strong speed all night, unfortunately had to pit from third place on lap 43 with mechanical issues, ending his promising run and moving Snullick into third.
With 30 laps remaining, Sitterly continued to lead with Barnes in second, Shullick in third, Danzer in fourth, and Tyler Thompson now up to fifth after starting ninth. Thompson passed Danzer for fourth on lap 50, setting his sights on the leaders. By lap 55, the intensity had really ramped up as Sitterly and Barnes were back in heavy lapped traffic. Barnes capitalized on a slip-up by Sitterly who was stuck behind a slower car, making an impressive outside pass to take the lead with 20 laps to go.
As Barnes took control, the new running order saw Sitterly second, Shullick third, Thompson fourth, and Danzer fifth. On lap 65, the race saw one more caution as Russ Wood found the wall off turn 4, ending a strong 18th to 9th run for the Pelham, NH driver.
Reverting back to 11 laps to go, the restart had Barnes leading Sitterly, Shullick, Thompson, and Danzer, but Barnes’ bid for his first Mr. Supermodified win came to an unfortunate end when his engine started smoking with eight laps to go. The engine eventually let go, causing Barnes to spin into the pits, handing the lead back to Sitterly with seven laps remaining.
Tyler Thompson, who had climbed from ninth to second, also faced heartbreak as he ran out of fuel with just two laps to go, surrendering his position to Shullick who he had previously passed for second. Meanwhile, Jeff Abold, who started 11th, charged up to third, with Danzer and Ordway rounding out the top five.
In the end, it was Sitterly who crossed the finish line first, collecting the $10,000 payday and bringing his career Mr. Supermodified winnings to $50,000. Connors, Brandon Bellinger, Thompson, Camden Proud, and Mike McVetta completed the top 10 finishers.
In victory lane, a humble Sitterly reflected on the race, saying, “Unfortunate for Barnesy. He gave me a ride from the campground to the track today and said, ‘Maybe I’ll win tonight for giving you a ride,’ and I just told him, ‘One of us will.’ I feel really bad for him. He had a better car, but we made a lot of changes coming into tonight because we’ve been struggling all year, and that is the best the car has been all season. We just didn’t have the drive off the turn that we needed to run with Barnesy, but we’ll take it. I turned up the wick as much as I could once he pulled into the pits. I’m very happy for the crew and for Johnny Nicotra; all of our sponsors—a couple of big ones here with us tonight—Onyx Hose & Tube and Flip Electronics. It’s wonderful to have all of those people here with us tonight that we could give the big win.”
Alex Hoag Awarded 32nd Annual Mr. Pathfinder Bank SBS Title
In Saturday’s 35-lap, $1,500 to win Mr. Pathfinder Bank SBS feature at Oswego Speedway presented by C’s Beverage Center, former Supermodified feature winner Shaun Gosselin made a surprise appearance in the GO Racing No. 29. Gosselin crossed the finish line first, but his victory was short-lived as he was deemed light at the scales, handing the win to high point man Alex Hoag. This marked Hoag’s third victory of the season and the fourth of his career at Oswego Speedway.
The race began with a chaotic turn 1 pileup as the front row of DJ Shuman and Brad Haynes brought the field to the green. Shuman spun, triggering a multi-car incident that collected Gosselin, Greg O’Connor, Hoag, Cameron Rowe, Noah Ratcliff, Drew Pascuzzi, Jake Brown, Carter Gates, Matt Matteson, Dan Kapuscinski, AJ Larkin, and Robbie Wirth. Despite the chaos, only Pascuzzi, Gates, and Kapuscinski were forced to retire for the evening.
On the original restart, Haynes, the new polesitter, and O’Connor lined up on the front row, with Gosselin and Hoag in row two, and DeStevens and Rowe in row three. Haynes edged out O’Connor on lap 1, but O’Connor was quickly shuffled back as Gosselin, Hoag, DeStevens, and Rowe moved into the top five. The yellow flag returned on lap 2 for spins by Ratcliff and Matteson.
When racing resumed with a choose restart, Gosselin took the lead on the outside from Haynes, with Hoag, DeStevens, and Rowe in pursuit. By lap 8, Hoag had moved into second place under Haynes, with DeStevens following suit five laps later, dropping Haynes to fourth. The caution came out again on lap 14 for Ratcliff, setting up another crucial restart.
Gosselin was able to maintain his lead over Hoag as DeStevens and Haynes settled into third and fourth. At the halfway point, Gosselin, Hoag, and DeStevens had separated themselves from the pack, leaving the battle for the win between Gosselin and Hoag. While Gosselin managed to hold off Hoag on the track, it was Hoag who ultimately claimed the victory and his first-ever Mr. Pathfinder Bank SBS title after Gosselin’s disqualification.
DeStevens was credited with second place, followed by Haynes in third, Wirth in fourth, and Shuman in fifth. Matteson, Larkin, Ratcliff, Darrick Hilton, and O’Connor completed the top ten.
Josh Sokolic Dominates for Second Straight $2,000 Mr. J&S Paving 350 Supermodified Title
In a commanding performance at Oswego Speedway last night, points leader Josh Sokolic claimed his third feature win of the season and the seventh of his career in the 30-lap $2,000-to-win Mr. J&S Paving 350 Supermodified feature. With this victory, Sokolic not only solidified his position at the top of the standings but also surpassed Jeffrey Battle to become the all-time wins leader in the 350 Supermodified division.
The race began with Noah Ratcliff and Kyle Perry bringing the field to the green flag. Ratcliff edged out Perry for the early lead, while Sokolic wasted no time moving up the ranks. He swiftly slipped underneath Talen Hawksby and Nick Barzee, advancing from fifth to third in the opening lap.
Perry’s car began to falter on lap 2, as Sokolic, Barzee and Hawksby took advantage, pushing him back to fifth. Sokolic then made his move to the front on lap 3, overtaking Ratcliff for the lead. Unfortunately, Perry’s night came to an early end when his car broke while running in fifth on lap 6, bringing out the caution and slowing the field.
On the restart, Sokolic maintained his lead, with Barzee settling into second and Ratcliff in third, but Ratcliff spun on lap 12, triggering another caution and reshuffling the top five. The new running order for the restart was Sokolic, Barzee, Hawksby, Vern LaFave, and Brendan Young.
From that point on, Sokolic was unstoppable, holding the lead to the checkered flag. Barzee secured a solid second-place finish, while Hawksby completed the podium in third. Young made an impressive run to finish fourth, with LaFave rounding out the top five.
Reflecting on his victory, Sokolic credited his team for the turnaround: “My Dad figured this out over the week. We had a couple of things on the car—rookie stuff—that we should have been checking on every week. Now that we’ve learned from it, we will be checking on it every week. I can definitely say we’ve got this car back. We’ve been struggling since week one, but we’ve got our stride back from last year.”
Sokolic also expressed his gratitude to those who support him: “Thanks to All Weather Power Equipment, Lakeland Auto, Lamptiques, Universal Windows Direct, Rugged Trailers, and everybody that makes the car go fast—my sister, Dad, David, Mom, Grandpa, cousin Mikey, Aunt Stacy, and everyone that supports me every week.”
The 2024 Oswego Speedway championship season wraps up this Saturday night, August 17, with TEAL Palace Championship Night, presented by Best Western PLUS, Clarion Hotel & Suites Riverfront, and Splash Indoor Waterpark Resort of Oswego. Track titles will be crowned in the Novelis Supermodifieds, Pathfinder Bank SBS, and J&S Paving 350 Supers, with fireworks capping off the night. General admission is $20, with kids 16 and under admitted free for the big show.
RESULTS
C’s Beverage Center 37th Annual $10,000 to Win Mr. Supermodified
Novelis Supermodified 75
Saturday, August 10, 2024
Oswego Speedway
Oswego, NY
Mr. Supermodified Feature (75-laps): 1. 7 OTTO SITTERLY, 2. 95 Dave Shullick Jr, 3. 05 Jeff Abold, 4. 52 Dave Danzer, 5. 61 Mike Ordway Jr, 6. 01 Dan Connors Jr, 7. 02 Brandon Bellinger, 8. 98T Tyler Thompson, 9. 54 Camden Proud, 10. 29 Mike McVetta, 11. 55 ® Mike Netishen, 12. 90 Jack Patrick, 13. 19 ® Bobby Holmes, 14. 20 ® Nick Snyder, 15. 68 Michael Barnes, 16. 14 Joey Payne, 17. 0 Tim Snyder, 18. 41 Russ Wood, 19. 75 Brian Osetek, 20. 94 Logan Rayvals, 21. 22 Mike Bruce, 22. 00 Joe Gosek, 23. 66 Lou LeVea Sr, 24. 99 Jerry Curran, 25. 83 Lou LeVea Jr, 26. 27 Aric Iosue DNS 11 Ben Seitz
Heat 1 (12-laps): 1 52 Dave Danzer, 2. 01 Dan Connors Jr, 3. 95 Dave Shullick Jr, 4. 02 Brandon Bellinger, 5. 54 Camden Proud, 6. 19 ® Bobby Holmes, 7. 75 Brian Osetek, 8. 55 ® Mike Netishen, 9. 20 ® Nick Snyder
Heat 2 (12-laps): 1. 00 Joe Gosek, 2. 7 Otto Sitterly, 3. 05 Jeff Abold, 4. 94 Logan Rayvals, 5. 29 Mike McVetta, 6. 90 Jack Patrick, 7. 14 Joey Payne, 8. 66 Lou LeVea Sr, 9. 99 Jerry Curran
Heat 3 (12-laps): 1. 98T Tyler Thompson, 2. 22 Mike Bruce, 3. 68 Michael Barnes, 4. 61 Mike Ordway Jr, 5. 0 Tim Snyder, 6. 41 Russ Wood, 7. 27 Aric Iosue, 8. 83 Lou LeVea Jr.
Time Trials: 1. 68 Michael Barnes – 16.039, 2. 7 Otto Sitterly – 16.149, 3. 95 Dave Shullick Jr. – 16.206, 4. 61 Mike Ordway Jr. – 16.317, 5. 94 Logan Rayvals – 16.347, 6. 22 Mike Bruce – 16.450, 7. 02 Brandon Bellinger – 16.450, 8. 00 Joe Gosek – 16.537, 9. 01 Dan Connors Jr. – 16.585, 10. 98T Tyler Thompson – 16.586, 11. 05 Jeff Abold – 16.623, 12. 52 Dave Danzer – 16.723, 13. 54 Camden Proud – 16.809, 14. 90 Jack Patrick – 16.901, 15. 27 Aric Iosue – 16.908, 16. 75 Brian Osetek – 16.970, 17. 29 Mike McVetta – 16.993, 18. 0 Tim Snyder – 17.010, 19. 19 ® Bobby Holmes – 17.011, 20. 14 Joey Payne – 17.071, 21. 83 Lou LeVea Jr. – 17.163, 22. 55 ® Mike Netishen – 17.221, 23. 66 Lou LeVea Sr. – 17.291, 24. 41 Russ Wood – 17.323, 25. 20 ® Nick Snyder – 17.419
Random Pill Draw Sponsor Bonus ($1,000): Looking Good Produce
Random Car 11th to 20th Bonus ($500): #14 Joey Payne
Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux Fast Timer ($200): #68 Michael Barnes
Motivated Creations Move of the Race ($100): #68 Michael Barnes
Lighthouse Lanes Up & Comer ($100 bonus to the highest finishing driver who has never won a feature at Oswego Speedway): #61 Mike Ordway Jr.
D&S Landscaping Hard Charger ($25 bonus to the driver advancing the most positions): #20 ® Nick Snyder
C’s Beverage Center 32nd Annual $1,500 to Win Mr. SBS
Pathfinder Bank SBS 35
Mr. SBS Feature (35-laps): 1. 41 ALEX HOAG, 2. 24 Tony DeStevens, 3. 88 Brad Haynes, 4. 04 Robbie Wirth, 5. 62 DJ Shuman, 6. 47 ® Matt Matteson, 7. 35 AJ Larkin, 8. 73 Noah Ratcliff, 9. 66 Darrick Hilton, 10. 90 Greg O’Connor, 11. 26 Jake Brown, 12. 77 Cameron Rowe, 13. 72 Drew Pascuzzi, 14. 55 Carter Gates, 15. 23 Dan Kapuscinski DQ: 29 Shaun Gosselin DNS: 20 ® Tessa Crawford
Heat 1 (10-laps): 1. 88 Brad Haynes, 2. 29 Shaun Gosselin, 3. 24 Tony DeStevens, 4. 73 Noah Ratcliff, 5. 72 Drew Pascuzzi, 6. 35 AJ Larkin, 7. 47 ® Matt Matteson, 8. 23 Dan Kapuscinski
Heat 2 (10-laps): 1. 41 Alex Hoag, 2. 62 DJ Shuman, 3. 90 Greg O’Connor, 4. 77 Cameron Rowe, 5. 55 Carter Gates, 6. 26 Jake Brown, 7. 66 Darrick Hilton, 8. 04 Robbie Wirth
Group Time Trials: 1. 73 Noah Ratcliff – 18.740, 2. 77 Cameron Rowe – 18.748, 3. 24 Tony DeStevens – 18.797, 4. 41 Alex Hoag – 18.857, 5. 29 Shaun Gosselin – 18.976, 6. 04 Robbie Wirth – 18.999, 7. 23 Dan Kapuscisnki – 19.003, 8. 90 Greg O’Connor – 19.015, 9. 88 Brad Haynes – 19.155, 10. 62 DJ Shuman – 19.174, 11. 35 AJ Larkin – 18.188, 12. 66 Darrick Hilton – 19.288, 13. 47 ® Matt Matteson – 19.289, 14. 55 Carter Gates – 19.318, 15. 72 Drew Pascuzzi – 19.505, 16. 26 Jake Brown – 19.587, 17. 20 ® Tessa Crawford – 19.969
Lighthouse Lanes Up & Comer ($100 bonus to the highest finishing driver who has never won a feature at Oswego Speedway): #04 Robbie Wirth
D&S Landscaping Hard Charger ($25 bonus to the driver advancing the most positions): #04 Robbie Wirth
C’s Beverage Center 4th Annual $2,000 to Win Mr. 350 Super
J&S Paving 350 Super 25
Mr. 350 Super Feature (25-laps): 1. 6 JOSH SOKOLIC, 2. 31 Nick Barzee, 3. 79 Talen Hawksby, 4. 75 ® Brendan Young, 5. 97 Vern LaFave, 6. 73 ® Noah Ratcliff, 7. 91 Barry Kingsley, 8. 19 ® Bailey Groves, 9. 20 Kyle Perry
Heat 1 (10-laps): 1. 6 Josh Sokolic, 2. 20 Kyle Perry, 3. 73 ® Noah Ratcliff, 4. 91 Barry Kingsley, 5. 75 ® Brendan Young
Heat 2 (10-laps): 1. 79 Talen Hawksby, 2. 31 Nick Barzee, 3. ® 19 Bailey Groves, 4. 97 Vern LaFave, 5. 12 John Leonard
Group Time Trials: 1. 6 Josh Sokolic – 16.707, 2. 31 Nick Barzee – 16.803, 3. 75 ® Brendan Young – 17.017, 4. 79 Talen Hawksby – 17.054, 5. 20 Kyle Perry – 17.175, 6. 97 Vern LaFave – 17.835, 7. 91 Barry Kingsley – 17.962, 8. 19 ® Bailey Groves – 18.371, 9. 73 ® Noah Ratcliff – 19.487 DNS 12 John Leonard
Lighthouse Lanes Up & Comer ($100 bonus to the highest finishing driver who has never won a feature at Oswego Speedway): #75 ® Brendan Young
D&S Landscaping Hard Charger ($25 bonus to the driver advancing the most positions): #75 ® Brendan Young
