Dave McKnight Jr. and Tim Barbeau pick up first wins of 2008 at Oswego Speedway

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Dave McKnight Jr. first visited Victory Lane at the Oswego Speedway on June 6, 1987 driving the Al and Janet Bush #6. With Al Bush in town for the July 11th and 12th Super Cruise and Old Timers Reunion, he must have brought McKnight some good luck in the Novelis Supermodified feature as McKnight picked up his most recent Oswego win for current car owner Gary Syrell. Tim Barbeau picked up his first win of the 2008 season in the PathFinder Bank SBS Series.

Rain threatened to cut short the night of racing at Oswego on WSEN 92.1 FM and Tobacco Free Network night. The rains were perfectly timed as the skies opened up after the practice session but didn’t last long and the full night of racing was finished shortly after 10 o’clock.

In the PathFinder Bank SBS 30 lap feature race, Tim Barbeau, Dave Gruel and Kevin Knopp settled into the top three positions on lap number two with Rob Pullen moving into fourth one lap later. The top four ran that way until the seventeenth lap when Knopp and Gruel swapped positions. Also on lap seventeen, Mike Bond moved into fifth place. Those four would stay that way throughout the remainder of the feature. At the finish, Barbeau, Knopp, Gruel, Pullen and Bond were followed by Larry Muroski, Brian Sobus, Barry Kingsley, Chris Proud and Stan Gates to fill out the top ten.

The Garafolo’s Heat Race winners were Dave Cliff, Dave Gruel and Tim Barbeau. The Cutro Professional Inspection Up ‘n Comer was Barry Kingsley. The Hannibal IGA Supermarket Express Lane award went to David Danzer. The Colosse Cheese Store Hard Charger was Kevin Knopp. The Butler Disposal Service Hard Luck driver was Lou LeVea Jr. The White’s Car Care Tony White 4th Place award went to Rob Pullen.

In the Novelis Supermodified 45 the race featured four different race leaders but Dave McKnight would prove to be the man to beat in his second outing in the Syrell #08. Stephen Gioia III led the first lap before a strong running Tim Snyder took over the top spot on lap number two. Jerry Curran ruuning his best race of the season moved past Snyder on lap number ten. McNight kept using the outside grove all night long and took over the feature lead from Curran on lap seventeen. A red flag stopped the action on lap number nineteen as the race track was blocked in the first turn after third place running Snyder and most of the field spun out.

The race restarted with Snyder sidelined and McKnight, Curran and Gioia in the top three positions. Otto Sitterly pressed by Gioia for third on lap number twenty seven. As the race wore on Curran kept KcNight within striking distance but could not make the pass. At the finish, McKnight picked up his eighth supermodified feature win at Oswego. Jerry Curran picked up the runner up spot. Otto Sitterly came home in third. Gioia was fourth and Shawn Muldoon was fifth. Lou LeVea, Pat Lavery, Craig Rayvals, Joey Payne and Greg Furlong rounded out the top ten.

The Burkes Home Centers Heat Race winners were Jason Spaulding and Dave McKnight. The J & K Plumbing, Heating & A/C Up ‘n Comer was Jerry Curran. The Bosco & Geers Supermarket Express Lane award went to Craig rayvals. The Jakes Automotive Hard Charger was Dave McKnight. The 2Xtreme Auto Transport & 24 Hr. Towing Hard Luck driver was Jason Spaulding.

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