By – Chris Porter
Photos – Oswego Speedway PR
Capping off Oswego Speedway’s celebration of its 65th season of racing in the Port City, Baldwinsville’s Michael Muldoon and Mexico’s Mike Bond earned feature wins on Saturday night at the storied lakeside oval. As did Bond in the Pathfinder Bank small block main, Muldoon would lead every lap in front of a packed house en route to taking top honors in the Novelis supermodified feature event.
Starting from pole, Muldoon would quickly sprint out to an early lead over Fulton’s Brandon Bellinger and Granby’s Brian Sobus. Muldoon would cruise unchallenged until lapped traffic put both Bellinger and Sobus on his tail. In the midst of lapped traffic, Bellinger would pull alongside the race leader and make an inside bid. However, racing off of the fourth turn, the two would touch and Bellinger would be sent reeling out of the top 10.
Though Sobus would keep Muldoon in his sights, he wouldn’t be able to mount a serious challenge the rest of the way. Muldoon would cruise on to collect career-feature win No. 2.
Listen to – Michael Muldoon
In SBS action, Bond would simply drive under the two front-row starters and never look back. His closest challenger, 2014 defending track champ, Andrew Schartner, could only watch Bond walk away on restarts and continue to pull away under long green flag runs. Traffic would be Bond’s fiercest competition, as Schartner was able to reel him in with just a few trips to go. However, just before Schartner’s No. 18 was able to mount any kind of challenge in traffic, the caution flag waved. The field would be reset, clearing the way for Bond to sail on to victory.
Listen to – Mike Bond
Muldoon would lead Bellinger, Sobus, Joe Gosek and Tim Devendorf across the line to complete the first of 45 laps in the big block super main. All was well until Shaun Gosselin spun his No. 26 in the second turn.
Multiple cars would spin to avoid making contact. The red flag would end up flying as the racetrack became completely blocked. While most were able to just be pushed away, weekly favorites Otto Sitterly and Michael Barnes headed to the pits for repairs, joining Gosselin and Lou LeVea, Jr. Minus Sitterly, all were able to return. The DNF would end up costing the defending track champ the points lead he’d just retaken last weekend.
With three rounds in the books, Muldoon led Bellinger, Sobus, Gosek and Devendorf. Bob Bond, Jeff Abold, Dave Gruel, Dave Danzer and Tim Snyder rounded out the top 10. Muldoon would be solid on the restart. Two laps into racing, Kody Graham would pull his lightning quick No. 21 pitside, out for the night, as well.
By lap No. 10, Muldoon led by a dozen lengths. Four laps later, he would come upon the tail-end of the field. Bellinger and Sobus began to close the gap while the race leader navigated his way around the first group of lapped cars. He would come out the other side unchallenged, but soon venture upon another group.
Having drawn him in, Bellinger made a bid for the lead as the trio dove into the third turn on the 22nd lap. Nosing under Muldoon’s No. 20, the duo would race out of the fourth turn side-by-side. The two would touch and Bellinger’s No. 02 broke traction. He would skate low and out of the groove as he tried to regain control. Still in traffic, Sobus wouldn’t be able to take advantage and steal the lead.
Muldoon would escape the scene with his lead intact. By the 30th lap, he would begin to slowly creep away from Sobus’ No. 79. Some 15 lengths back, Gosek continued to lead a tightly sewn train of Devendorf, Bond. Abold and Danzer.
With 10 to go, Muldoon held an eight-car length lead over the No. 79. Gosek’s train had fallen a full straightaway behind.
With five to go, Muldoon would find himself closing in on heavy traffic. Again, Sobus would begin to close the gap, but time was on the race leader’s side. Muldoon would make the final few trips around Oswegos fast five-eighth’s to secure the win.
Coming back to score a runner-up finish after motor problems parked his super the previous time out, Sobus was pleased with his run.
Listen to – Brian Sobus
Hopping back into the seat of his own team’s supermodified, Gosek would hold off a hungry pack to score himself a third-place finish.
Listen to – Joe Gosek
Picking up his third top-five finish of the season, Devendorf raced his new supermodified to a fourth-place showing.
Listen to – Tim Devendorf
Retaking the points lead that Sitterly had taken back the week before, Bond scored his Denise Merrill-owned No. 47 its seventh top-five finish of the year.
Listen to – Bob Bond
Jason Simmons and Josh Kerr would lead the 24-car small block supermodified field to the green flag to begin its 30-lap venture. However, it would be Mike Bond’s No. 74 leading the way as the racers stormed to the line to complete lap No. 1.
On lap No. 2, Schartner would best Simmons on the high side to move into second place. Points leader, Dalton Doyle would move under Kerr’s No. 8 to claim fourth on lap No. 3. Jack Patrick would end up bouncing Kerr back to sixth on lap No. 4. After five laps had been completed, Bond led Schartner, Simmons, Doyle and Patrick. This is exactly how they would end up finishing.
Bond was in domination mode early, leading Schartner by three quarters of a straightaway by the 10th lap. In turn, Schartner commanded a the same lead over Simmons, Doyle and Patrick. Anthony Losurdo, Matt Magner, Dave Cliff, Tyler Shullick and Mike Bruce filled out the top 10.
The caution flag would fly on the 12th lap after Dennis Rupert’s No. 99 and Dennis Richmond’s No. 24 tangled on the backstretch.
Schartner would offer no challenge to Bond on the ensuing restart, as the No .74 simply walked away. Five laps into the green flag stretch, Bond’s lead had grown to 15 lengths.
On the 24th lap, Bond would encounter lapped traffic. Schartner would slowly begin to eat away at Bond’s lead as the race leader searched for a safe way around the tail-end of the field. On the 27th lap, Bond was still searching for a way around traffic when Schartner found himself just a few lengths off the rear bumper of Bond’s No. 74.
However, the caution flag would fly for Matt Magner’s turned No. 87. This would reset the field and clear the way for Bond to sail his way to the checkered flag. Racing two to three-tenths faster in open track, Bond would take the green flag and pull away on the final restart. Four laps later, he would claim his third feature win of the 2015 season.
Keeping himself in range of the title hunt, Schartner would earn his fourth top-five finish of the season.
Listen to – Andrew Schartner
After a trip into the outside wall during practice, Simmons’ No. 98 team wasn’t only able to get his car rolling enough to make the show, they rolled it onto the podium for a third-place finish.
Listen to – Jason Simmons
Novelis Supermodified Feature 45: 1. Michael Muldoon (20), 2. Brian Sobus (79), 3. Joe Gosek (00), 4. Tim Devendorf (5), 5. Bob Bond (47), 6. Dave Danzer (52), 7. Michael Barnes (68), 8. Jeff Abold (05), 9. Pat Lavery (22), 10. Tim Snyder (0), 11. Brandon Bellinger (02), 12. Stephen Gioia, III (9), 13. Dave Cliff (06), 14. Aric Iosue (11), 15. Shaun Gosselin (26), 16. Dave Gruel (50), 17. Lou LeVea, Jr, (83) 18. Hal LaTulip (56), 19. Jack Patrick (96), 20. Kody Graham (21), 21. Otto Sitterly (7)
Heat races were won by Michael Muldoon, Shaun Gosselin and Brian Sobus. Two, 15-lap semi-features were won by Muldoon and Brandon Bellinger.
Pathfinder Bank SBS Feature 30: 1. Mike Bond (74), 2. Andrew Schartner (18), 3. Jason Simmons (98), 4. Dalton Doyle (01), 5. Jack Patrick (9), 6. Anthony Losurdo (1), 7. Dave Cliff (50), 8. Tyler Shullick (67), 9. Mike Bruce (22), 10. Camden Proud (54), 11. JJ Andrews (93), 12. Barry Kingsley (91), 13. Kreig Heroth (04), 14. Josh Kerr (8), 15. Matt Magner (87), 16. Jesse Bearup (02), 17. James Babcock (15), 18. Cameron Rowe (69), 19. Alex Mcrae (14), 20. Greg O’Connor (90), 21. Dennis Rupert (99), 22. Dennis Richmond (24), 23. Jeremy Pitcher (97), 24. Scott Shafer (76)
Heat races were won by Mike Bruce, Dalton Doyle and Mike Bond.
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