Canadian Mike Lichty opened up the International Super Modified Association’s (ISMA) 2016 season on Saturday night, winning the 50-lap Jack Murphy Memorial at the Oswego Speedway. It was the 10th-career win on the ISMA circuit for the Innerkip, Ontario resident – his fourth at the lakeside oval. Having started eighth on the grid, Lichty and his Reed’s Salvage No. 84 would take the lead away from Ohio’s Trent Stephens on the 17th lap and leave his chasers to tussle for second place. Unlike last year’s heartbreaking defeat – losing the lead on the final stretch of the last lap, Lichty would hold strong throughout, never being seriously challenged.
The 2012 series champ and runner-up in last season’s title hunt, took full advantage of an open practice session on Friday evening to ready the car for Saturday’s racing. While doing so, he laid down an “unofficial” new track record time. He backed up the performance during Saturday’s time trial session with an even faster and official lap time of 14.730 seconds.
Listen to – Mike Lichty
Dan Bowes would snag the lead away from Tim Ice at the drop of the green to start the Shea Concrete and Corr/Pak Merchandising sponsored event. Stephens, Ice, Mike McVetta and Chris Perley would chase Bowes across the checkered stripe to complete their maiden lap. Lichty would break into the top five on the third lap, besting Perley’s No. 11. Just three trips later, he would cruise around the outside of McVetta’s No. 22 to take over fourth.
Up front, Bowes would continue to set the pace until Dave Duggan’s No. 51 popped the wall between the third and fourth turns on the 12th lap. With 11 laps in the books, Bowes led Stephens, Ice, Lichty, McVetta and Dave McKnight. Perley, Dave Shullick, Jr., Mark Sammut, Alison Cumens Kyle Edwards and Ray Graham, Jr. filled out the first dozen.
An action-packed restart saw Stephens put his No. 19 around the outside of the race leader and take command. Just behind him, Lichty would first sail around Ice before conquering Bowes to move into second. McKnight would first enter the top five, besting McVetta for fifth. Three laps later he would then take fourth away from Ice.
Lichty would put an end to Stephens’ five-lap reign atop the field on the race’s 17th round, putting himself there for keeps. Behind him, McKnight would slip under Bowes for third in turn No. 3 and take aim at the two front runners. Though, Lichty would soon begin to pull away from both Stephens’ No. 19 and the McKnight No. 70.
At the halfway mark, the No. 84 commanded a 15-car advantage over Stephens and McKnight. Further behind, Ice and Shullick ran fourth and fifth. All was well with the race leader until lapped traffic began to allow his two nearest chasers to cut into his lead. Coupled with occasional smoke puffing from Lichty’s engine his stronghold on the field appeared to be threatened.
Just as Stephens and McKnight had erased the advantage and readied themselves to pounce on the race leader, Eddie Witkum, Jr. looped his No. 21 on the front straightaway. The field would reset, but more importantly for Lichty, his pathway would clear.
With only 13 rounds around Oswego’s fast five-eighths mile remaining, Shullick and Ice filled out the top five behind Lichty, Stephens and McKnight. Perley, Sammut, McVetta, Edwards and Danny Shirey commanded the top 10.
Lichty quickly put five lengths on Stephens on the ensuing restart. Shullick would begin applying pressure to McKnight, who continued to hound the runner-up, Stephens. The trio would battle for second until McKnight and Stephens touched wheels heading out of turn No. 2 on the 43rd lap. Stephens would end up spinning his No. 19, while McKnight would escape unharmed. The yellow would fly for the final time.
Pulling away on the restart, Lichty immediately answered the question as to whether McKnight would have anything for him. As he galloped away, McKnight would instead find himself on the defense. With five to go, Shullick’s No. 95 darted underneath the No. 70 on the back straightaway to seize second place. 15 lengths behind and with only a handful of laps to go, Shullick could only hope for a caution flag to have a shot at the race leader. However, none would fall. Lichty would cross the line on the 50th lap to earn the win.
North Ridgeville, Ohio’s Shullick would land in second. In his initial podium interview, Shullick would call out what he believed to be some overly aggressive driving by McKnight, even drawing a negative reaction from the crowd when suggesting that it may be time for the Canadian veteran to retire. Later in the evening, Shullick would draw back a bit from those comments.
Listen to – Dave Shullick, Jr.
After revamping the Gary Morton-owned No. 70 during the off season, McKnight would find the podium, finishing third.
Listen to – Dave McKnight
After a rocky off-season that put his return to racing in question, Ice was more than pleased with a fourth-place finish in his 2016 debut.
Listen to – Tim Ice
Running a partial season, Perley landed the Vic Miller-owned No. 11 in fifth.
Listen to – Chris Perley
Not quite ready to debut his new car, defending race winner, Sammut, piloted his No. 78 to a sixth-place finish.
Listen to – Mark Sammut
Having not finished a race at Oswego in three years, McVetta’s seventh-place finish was a refreshing start to his 2016.
Listen to – Mike McVetta
Lichty’s win also puts him atop the standings of the Shea Concrete Super Series, a three-race series carrying its own point fund that pays out to the top five drivers following the final leg.
Jack Murphy Memorial 50: 1. Mike Lichty (84), 2. Dave Shullick, Jr. (95), 3. Dave McKnight (70), 4. Tim Ice (65), 5. Chris Perley (11), 6. Mark Sammut (78), 7. Mike McVetta (22), 8. Kyle Edwards (1), 9. Danny Shirey (49), 10. Alison Cumens (39), 11. Ben Seitz (17), 12. Timmy Jedrzejek (97), 13. Trent Stephens (19), 14. Eddie Witkum, Jr. (21), 15. Dan Bowes (25), 16. Ray Graham, Jr. (90), 17. Dave Duggan (51), 18. Dave Gruel (76), 19. Mike Ordway, Jr. (61) DNS – 20. Lou LeVea, Sr. (96)
Heat #1: 1. Dave McKnight (70), 2. Mark Sammut (78), 3. Kyle Edwards (1), 4. Mike McVetta (22), 5. Alison Cumens (39), 6. Dave Gruel (76), 7. Lou LeVea, Sr. (96)
Heat #2: 1. Ray Graham, Jr. (90), 2. Ben Seitz (17), 3. Chris Perley (11), 4. Trent Stephens (19), 5. Tim Jedrzejek (97), 6. Dave Duggan (51)
Heat #3: 1. Mike Lichty (84), 2. Tim Ice (65), 3. Dave Shullick, Jr. (95), 4. Dan Bowes (25), 5. Danny Shirey (49), 6. Eddie Witkum, Jr. (21), 7. Mike Ordway, Jr. (61)
*KDP Townhouses Fast Time Trialer – In Memory of Steve May: Mike Lichty (NTR) 14.730
*Ted Pittsley, Push Truck Driver Heat Race Winner Bonus ($50): McKnight, Graham & Lichty
*Radical Race Gear Lap Leader: Mike Lichty (33 laps)
*Marsha Gadzera ISMA Hard Charger Award ($100): Dave Shullick, Jr.
*Coyote Construction Last Running Car: Eddie Witkum, Jr.
missing or outdated ad config
