“X”tremely Good – Didero Wins Big at Oswego

by Contributor | August 10, 2009 10:34 am

By – Chris Porter[1]
Photo – Pinner Johnson[2]

North Carolina’s Doug Didero pocketed his second feature win of the season Saturday night at the Oswego Speedway, leading all 45 laps in his Xtreme Chassis No. 3. Out-dragging fellow front row starter Tim Snyder at the drop of the green, Didero never needed to pass another competitor, nor fend off a single challenger.

[3]

Oswego’s Joe Gosek was able to work his Xtreme Chassis No. 00 into second place early on. However, with Didero running two-tenths faster and out in front, Gosek could only watch his fellow supermodified veteran walk away. It was the first one-two finish for Xtreme Chassis since the aforementioned duo finished first and second in the 2008 International Classic.

Listen to – Doug Didero on his feature win[4]

Snyder and Didero led the 20-car field to the green to begin the Just The Right Stuff/Fleet Pride-sponsored main event. Didero jumped into the lead and never looked back. By his third trip around Oswego’s fast 5/8 mile, he held a 20-car length advantage.

Having started sixth, Gosek maneuvered his way under Pat Lavery on the second lap to move into fourth place. He bettered Keith Gilliam on the inside to take away the third position two laps later. Before he could mount a challenge on Snyder, Lou LeVea slid the Osetek/Buske re-numbered No. 61 up and into the fourth turn wall.

With four laps in the books, Didero led Snyder, Gosek, Gilliam and Lavery. Jason Spaulding, Stephen Gioia, III, Otto Sitterly, Keith Shampine and Joey Payne completed the top 10. Bob Magner, Jerry Curran, Todd Stowell, Dan Connors, Jr. and Lou LeVea, Jr. filled out the top 15.

On the restart, Gosek dove under Snyder to move into the runner-up spot. However, in just one lap’s time, Didero had already gained a 10-car length advantage on the field.

By the 10th lap, Didero was holding a 15-car length advantage on the No. 00. In turn, Gosek was holding a 20-car advantage over the dueling Snyder and Lavery-driven supermodifieds. Five lengths in back of them, Gilliam was holding off Sitterly for fifth place.

On the 12th lap, Sitterly was able to get under Gilliam’s No. 87 to break into the top five. Three trips later, he caught and joined the Snyder/Lavery battle for third.

Having been fighting a very loose No. 24 car all evening, Jerry Curran’s night came to an end on the 16th lap after slapping the outside wall in turn No. 4.

Also fighting handling problems all evening night, Payne and Magner pitted under caution for better solutions. Both rejoined at the rear of the field.

Going back to green, Didero led Gosek, Snyder, Lavery and Sitterly. With an early jump, Didero sprinted out to big advantage. A mid-pack jam at the drop of the green saw many bumpers bang together.

On the 18th lap, Lavery shot under Snyder’s No. 0 in turn three, but slid high between the corners. Snyder returned the favor and Sitterly took the welcomed opportunity to advance himself into fourth. Two laps later, Sitterly worked his way under Snyder for third.

During this run, Didero clocked the fastest lap of the race, 16.879 seconds. The entire field was spread out at the halfway mark, but LeVea, Jr. gathered them all together after spinning his No. 04 between turns three and four on the 25 time around the speedway.

Again, Didero drove away from Gosek on the restart. With the leaders in reach, Sitterly had his chance to see if his No. 7 had anything for the lead duo. But after a few laps it became apparent that the defending champ would be doing no better than third.

With its handling problems unresolved, Magner’s No. 22 spun up against the outside wall on the 33rd lap. It was parked for the evening.

Before the field could round the fourth turn on the ensuing restart, seventh-place running Shampine lost the right-front wheel off of his No. 88 and slid into the foam. After careening off a billboard, the liberated wheel came to rest just off the fourth turn. A broken axle was the likely culprit.

Listen to – Keith Shampine on his early exit[5]

With 12 laps to go, Didero sped away on the restart. Sitterly stayed well ahead of the race-long Snyder/Lavery battle for fourth, but he could not run with second-place holder Gosek.

With five laps to go Didero commanded a 15-car length advantage. He held it the final few laps to secure the feature win.

Finishing his first race of the season, Gosek crossed the line in second.

Listen to – Joe Gosek[6]

Still holding on to his championship points lead, Sitterly finished in third.

Listen to – Otto Sitterly[7]

Snyder ran a solid race all night, bringing his No. 0 home in fourth.

Listen to – Tim Snyder[8]

Lavery picked up the Super Racing News Up & Comer award, landing his No. 2 in fifth place.

Listen to – Pat Lavery[9]

Gilliam, Stowell, Spaulding, Payne and Connors completed the top 10.

Listen to – Keith Gilliam[10]

Listen to – Todd Stowell[11]

Listen to – Jason Spaulding[12]

Listen to – Joey Payne[13]

Listen to – Dan Connors, Jr.[14]

Just The Right Stuff/Fleet Pride 45:
1. Doug Didero (3), 2. Joe Gosek (00), 3. Otto Sitterly (7), 4. Tim Snyder (0), 5. Pat Lavery (2), 6. Keith Gilliam (87), 7. Todd Stowell (89), 8. Jason Spaulding (23), 9. Joey Payne (99), 10. Dan Connors, Jr. (01), 11. Lou LeVea, Jr. (04), 12. Keith Shampine (88), 13. Bob Magner (22), 14. Stephen Gioia, III (9), 15. Jerry Curran (24), 16. Hal LaTulip (56), 17. Lou LeVea (61), 18. Dave Ioso (90), 19. BJ Ingersoll (72), 20. DNS – Craig Rayvals (94)

Lavery, Gosek and Didero won the 12-lap preliminaries race.

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