Oswego results 2003-08-30

Oswego NY -- Saturday at the Oswego Speedway the 10th annual Budweiser ISMA Super Nationals found Greg Furlong in his first victory lane of the season in the Lucas Oil Super Series. A late race crash eliminated some of the frontrunners including leader Chris Perley, who is a three-time winner of the Isma Super Natoionals since the inception of the event. In the winged midget championship, Joey Payne, Fair Lawn, NJ, drove the Gene Angelillo 45 from 25th to first in a race where the leaders, Randy Cabral and Phil DiMario tangled with two to go. Limited supermodified champion Mike Bond capped off his season with a victory in the 12th annual Budweiser Limited Nationals while Rookie of the Year Bruce Stanton made his first-ever win a sweet one by winning the Super Stock Challenge.

In the headliner of Budweiser Classic Saturday, Greg Furlong started 13th on the field and what looked to be a possible third win of 2003 for current point leader Chris Perley, turned bad for Perley and good for Furlong. When Perley's rim-riding 11 dove into some lap traffic with just 15 laps to go, Perley's day went down the tubes when the 33 of Jen Chesbro spun in front of him. While he stopped and others scattered or hit the wall like Kenny Bell, lady luck turned her back on him for the second time in two days. Perley would have gotten his lead spot back but unfortunately a radiator hose popped off and he had to take the car pitside for repairs, sending him to the rear and others also out of the action like early leader Lou Cicconi and fourth place runner Nokie Fornoro. The duo of Pat Abold and Scott Martel now sat between Furlong and a win. He made quick work of Martel and then headed for Abold. Catching the 26 in traffic, the Hannibal, NY driver stole the lead away and with it the win. Said Furlong in victory lane, "We knew we had a good car. Those guys unfortunately spun out in front of us. I thought we were faster than the 14 and I thought I was faster than Abold. I showed a wheel to Pat underneath early and he closed the hole. I thought maybe I showed my hand a little too early. So, I waited for lap traffic and I kind of muscled my way in front of him, but I had to do what I had to do. Once I got out in front, the lap traffic kind of moved over and we got him, we got him. We have been close this year. We lost one to Perley on the last lap. I really wanted to win here. Everyone asked me which I'd rather win, Saturday or Sunday. That's a tough question. I've won on Sunday, but never on Saturday in an ISMA car in front of a home crowd. Now, I can say I've done it!"

Storming back up to sixth after his pitstop, Perley described what cost him the win. "The 33 car spun. We just locked it up. We didn't hit anything. We just stopped. But the radiator hose popped off and we had to come in. We would have gotten our spot back. When it rains it pours. So then there's only 15 laps left and you get to start in the rear. I got back to sixth. You know everybody says it was good because Woody broke and we gained in the points, but I wanted to win and that's it. It's tough when it's taken away from you."

It was Aston, PA's Lou Cicconi who jumped out to the early race lead in the 50 lap ISMA feature and it was just four laps later that Russ Wood flew the yellow after a brush with another car caused his steering to break. He exited the track, losing a chance to narrow Perley's point lead margin.

Cicconi pulled away from Nokie Fornoro, in the Lichty 84, on the restart, leaving Pat Abold, Jen Chesbro and Scott Martel in pursuit. Perley was already up to fifth by lap 9 from his 12th starting spot.

Cicconi began picking off slower cars to put that cushion up between his yellow 75 and second place runner Abold. Perley moved into third past Fornoro by lap 18 and he easily looked like the man on the move. And, move he did. With the leaders now contending with heavy traffic, Perley was able to charge under Abold on lap 22 and two laps later he went outside Cicconi in a smooth move out of turn three.

With 30 down and 20 to go, Perley pulled quickly away from the rest of the field as Cicconi, Abold, Formoro, Martel, Furlong, Bentley Warren and Timmy Jedrzejek were hot on his trail.

The fateful moment came on lap 35 when the red flew for a blocked track in turn two after a spinning car set up an unfortunate chain of events down the line. When the action stopped, Ken Bell's Soule Racing 32 sat in the foam against the wall. Hooked in the melee were Cicconi, Joe Petro, Jen Chesbro, and Bell. Fornoro, after being separated from Cicconi, went pitside under his own power, as did the 97 of Bobby Santos. When the smoke had cleared, everyone had restarted except Bell and Petro.

Abold was now at the point with Scotty Martel right behind. Furlong moved into second moments later and the fight out front began. Perley was able to take the high road around to move up behind Bentley Warren, Timmy Jedrzejek and Randy Ritskes as the clock ticked away. While Furlong was picking off Abold on lap 47, Perley was picking off Ritskes for sixth, but time ran out as Furlong crossed under the checkered with Abold in tow. Martel, Warren and Jedrzejek filled in the top five just ahead of Perley in sixth. Eric Shirey, whose dad Jim had taken a nasty flip in his heat and was at the Oswego Hospital, finished up eighth behind Ritskes as Jamie Letcher and Cicconi topped the first ten.

Abold was content with another second. . "Second again man. You know we're consistent. We're just missing that little bit. I think that the team is starting gel and they're beginning to know what I want. It's coming. We're getting closer every time. That's the best the car has been. The stagger closed up a bit on the tires. I had trouble in traffic because I couldn't turn in the corners. We'll get it!"

Martel, in third, commented on his run. "I'm glad it was an exciting race for the fans. I finally got a top three. We had a little motor problem. If it wasn't for that I think I could have contended for the win. We came back to Oswego on Classic weekend, and kind of concentrated on the ISMA show. Coming home with a top three, I'm glad we did. This a great finish considering our problem, but we'll go to Star and see what we can do there. I'd like to thank all my crew and sponsors."

Man of few words, Bentley Warren, added, "The car was excellent. We had a little push, but it was very good. We had a lot of fun."

Defending Super Nationals champ Timmy Jedrzejek, said later, "This was a recovery race because we did so bad in our heat. We started 16th and the car kept coming and coming. The car was a lot better than it was in the heat race. We may have over adjusted a little bit but it was much improved. We got what we could. When all those cars in the top five got wrecked there, I was just counting them off. So we were able to salvage a fifth place. Not a bad day. Bentley and I had a good battle going there. Hopefully tomorrow we'll meet each other at the scales again."

MIDGET MAIN TO PAYNE In the other winged open wheel show of the day, Randy Cabral grabbed the lead from Pete Pernesiglio on lap 4 and took off as the midgets diced for spots behind. Ed Breault Sean Caisse and Mike Roselli gave chase as Cabral mastered the field. Phil DiMario, Howie Bumpus, Drew Fornoro, Ryan Dolan and soon Joey Payne, who started near the tail of the field, were all right in the hunt.

A lap 19 yellow bunched the field behind Cabral with Phil DiMario jumping by Caisse for second on the restart. Payne grabbed off third from the young driver on lap 21 as Drew Fornoro, this race's defending champion, ran fifth.

The action out front got a little too hot and heavy as the white flag was in the starter's hand, Cabral and DiMario tangled with DiMario carted off on the hook. Cabral went to the rear, leaving Payne in the catbird's seat with only two circuits remaining. Caisse and Fornoro also moved up a couple as a result of the tangle and that's how they crossed under the checkered. Howie Bumpus and Pete Pernesiglio finished up the top five.

Said Payne who had a bad day turn good said in victory lane, "We have some problems in the heat race. We broke a magneto. We came from 25th. We didn't have the car to win. We worked our butts off. I don't know if I could have gotten them or not. We were a little tight. And, those guys checked out and I got up to third. Phil and Randy Cabral were better than me on the last restart, and Randy got loose coming out of two and collected Phil. You know you have to be in it to win it. I'd rather be lucky than good any day that's for sure. That's about my sixth hard charger of the season and it's our fourth win. It's been a good year and a good weekend so far. Hopefully we'll go out and run good in the super tomorrow. I'm looking forward to running that awesome number 20 tomorrow."

Adam Cantor, Tim Heath, Kyle Carpenter, Ed Breault and Rudy Boetticher concluded the top ten.

BOND CAPS SEASON WITH LIMITED SUPER NATIONALS WIN

Fifty grinding laps faced the limited Supermodifieds as the 12th annual Limited Nationals took to the track. J.J. Andrews led the field down followed by Doug Cliff and Lou Levea.

Yellow fell on the track on lap 9 when a pileup once again affected those running near the front. The 61 of Cliff and the 93 of Andrews touched bases with others such as Rob Pullen, Star Matteson, Jeff Jones and Danny Kapuscinski. Also called to task in the interim was the 36 of Ed Watson Jr. who was sent in due to an overheating 36.

Louie LeVea was now the leader as Tony White, Kapuscinski, who was not penalized in the aforementioned incident, Michael Barnes and Steve Austin ran up front. Moving in on Austin was newly crowned champion Mike Bond from way back in the field.

White took over from Levea just one lap after the restart with Levea taking up second. Third place runner Danny Kapuscinski had his hopes of a good finish go up in flames on lap 18 when his car erupted in flames, bringing out the yellow. Second place runner Levea also pulled in while the cleanup ensued. It was now White, Barnes, Austin, Bond and Kevin Knopp as the race approached halfway.

During a lengthy green span, White built up a healthy lead as Bond moved into second ahead of Austin, Barnes, Knopp, Bob Bogwicz, Gregg Davis and Kris Meyn.

As White approached a battered Guard Nearbin to put him a lap down, Bond caught up with White as he was making the move. They two brushed slightly with White receiving the yellow flag and facing the tail of the field with 17 to go.

Bond took command until a second fiery incident took place out back with Chip Wood and the 29, being driven by Chris Proud, the victims this time. It was almost clear sailing to victory for Bond on this restart, but on lap 47, yellow flew for the last time for the 50 of Tim Barbeau with smoke spewing from all sides.

Mike easily took charge on the restart and crossed under the checkered the victor with Austin, Knopp, Davis and Barnes the top five. Davis was awarded the Stan and Grace Bogwicz Memorial Hard Charger award and got to celebrate with his teammate in victory lane. Said Bond after he and Davis did twin burnouts. "The car was awesome tonight. Mike and Mike did a hell of a job. They worked the car all over and it ran good. I hope Tony (White) isn't too upset with me. He came down there and I just barely touched him. He's probably mad at me, but that's racing. This has been an unreal season. I'd like to thank Mike O'Connor - he owns the car and Greg Davis who talked me into driving it. It was his back up car and he didn't have to do it. I just want to thank all these crew guys - every one of them. They put a lot of work into this car and Gregg's car and Louie's car. They're all in the same garage, and one will help the other one if they need it. They're a bunch of real good guys."

ROOKIE OF YEAR STANTON TAKES FIRST IN SUPER STOCK CHALLENGE The super stocks completed the full day of racing with Bruce Stanton going wire to wire for the win. Yellow flew on lap 2 when the 20 of JJ Courcy broke an axle coming down the front straight.

On the restart, Stanton tried to shake Doug Reaume as a quick moving newcomer Robert Geiger of New Jersey, was making some moves toward the front. As quickly as he moved forward, he moved backwards with a flat left front.

A classic battle developed between Stanton, Doug Reaume and Dave Fetterly was the pair bore down on the 93 from all angles. From lap 17 to lap 24, four yellows allowed the field to bunch even closer behind Stanton, but he didn't relent. Crossing for his first-ever super stock win, and a big one at that, it was Stanton followed ever so closely by Fetterly and Reaume until Reaume fell back in the last two laps leaving Bobby Newman and Chris Lupa ahead of him at the end.

In a most jubilant victory lane ceremony of the night Bruce Stanton declared, "How can you top off a year any better. I've had a couple seconds. They were calling me Mr. Second in the pits and I was getting razzed in the garage, but no more! Dave Fetterly was right there but he raced me clean and so did Doug Reaume. I saw them both on the board and knew there weren't two better guys to have behind me. It was a good race. I'd like to thank my wife, my car owner, my pit crew, Joe, Greg, Art - I had a couple of them who couldn't make it tonight. Boy will they be mad. And, all my sponsors - Bombadil Tavern, J-J Collision, Armstrong Custom Woodwork, Graphics Warehouse, A&D Embroidery, Crown Chem-Dry, and Econocut Tree Service."

RACE NOTES...Two bad accidents marred the qualifiers. In the Limited Super heats, Dan Ferlito of Oswego took a hard hit into the first turn wall and was taken to Oswego Hospital for a check up. He was reportedly alert and talking with medical personnel in transit. Jim Shirey was injured in a scary crash in the first ISMA supermodified heat. He returned to the speedway late in the evening. Said the Oberlin, OH veteran driver, "It was just one of those racing deals. I think Dave just tried to get up on the outside of me. I didn't see him. I got turned and it was a full bore hit. I just had to ride it out. It's probably one of the worst situations you have in a super when somebody's trying to get a run on the outside. I broke the fifth rib in two places. My right eye's screwed up at the moment and a bolt punctured a hole in my elbow down to the bone... A moment of silence was taken for a Canadian couple that were severely burned in a camping accident on Friday morning. Taken to a Syracuse hospital, the husband had passed away during the night, while the wife was still in serious condition in the late afternoon Saturday... Legendary Oswego driver, Eddie Bellinger was in attendance as a spectator and hid youngest son Jared was drawn as the winner of the Lucas Oil -- Doyle's Bikes ISMA Haro bike which is given away at each ISMA event...Racing action continues Sunday at Oswego Speedway with the 47th Budweiser Int'l. Classic

Budweiser ISMA Super Nationals
FINAL RACE RESULTS
Race Date: Saturday, August 30, 2003 Race Time: 2:00pm
Event: Budweiser ISMA Super Nat'ls 50 / Limited 50 / Midget 25 / Super Stock
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FINAL RACE RESULTS 8/30/03 Updated 10:50 pm

SUPER STOCK HEAT #1-1. Doug Reaume (99) 2. Bruce Stanton (93) 3. Joe Miller (9) 4. Robert Greiger (28) 5. Bobby Newman (77) 6. Chris Smiedy (71) 7. Joe Skilinski (4)

SUPER STOCK HEAT #2-1. David Fetterly (21) 2. Jason Spaulding (34) 3. George Knight (38) 4. Randy Storms 5. JJ Courcy 6. Chris Lupa (46)

SUPER STOCK CHALLENGE (25)-1. Bruce Stanton (93) 2. David Fetterly (21) 3. Bobby Newman (77) 4. Chris Lupa (46) 5. Doug Reaume (99) 6. Joe Skilinski (4) 7. George Knight (38) 8. Joe Miller (9) 9. Chris Smiedy (71) 10. Randy Storms (22) 11. Jason Spaulding (34) 12. Robert Greiger (28) 13. JJ Courcy (20)

LIMITED HEAT #1-1. Mark Regan (69) 2. Bob Bogwicz (99) 3. Tim Burdick (0) 4. Guard Nearbin (78) 5. Kevin Knopp (94) 6. Kris Meyn (86) 7. Mike Bozzuto (8) 8. Kevin Battelle (29) 9. Dave Cliff (06) 10. John Ketcham Jr (11) 11. Dan Ferlito (55)

LIMITED HEAT #2-1. Rob Pullen (2) 2. Star Matteson (82) 3. Jeff Jones (02) 4. JJ Andrews (93) 5. Jack Patrick (9) 6. Cameron Rowe (76) 7. Jason Cliff (60) 8. Ryan Coleman (09) 9. Andy Noto (19) 10. Gordon Smallidge (52) 11. Doug Reaume (95)

LIMITED HEAT #3-1. Steve Austin (66) 2. Ed Watson Jr (36) 3. Lou LeVea (96) 4. Michael Barnes (43) 5. Bill Moore (7) 6. Tim Barbeau (50) 7. Wayne Wideman (15) 8. Stanley Gates (12) 9. Jim Guyle (20) 10. Chris Proud (3) LIMITED HEAT #4-1. Dan Kapuscinski (00) 2. Tony White (4) 3. Doug Cliff (61) 4. Dave Gruel (18) 5. Shawn Walker (68) 6. Mike Bond (90) 7. Steve Abt (85) 8. Gregg Davis (89) 9. Chip Wood (5) 10. Pat Mullen (32)

LIMITED CONSI #1-1. Kris Meyn (86) 2. Tim Barbeau (50) 3. Andy Noto (19) 4. Wayne Wideman (15) 5. Chip Wood (5) 6. Dave Cliff (06) 7. Kevin Battelle (29) 8. Mike Bozzuto (8) 9. Stanley Gates (12) 10. Gordon Smallidge (52)

LIMITED CONSI #2-1. Mike Bond (90) 2. Steve Abt (85) 3. Gregg Davis (89) 4. Doug Reaume (95) 5. John Ketcham Jr (11) 6. Jason Cliff (60) 7. Jim Guyle (20) 8. Ryan Coleman (09) 9. Cameron Rowe (76)

LIMITED SUPER NATIONALS (50) - 1. Mike Bond (90) 2. Steve Austin (66) 3. Kevin Knopp (94) 4. Gregg Davis (89) 5. Michael Barnes (43) 6. Bob Bogwicz (99) 7. Kris Meyn (86) 8. Shawn Walker (68) 9. Andy Noto (19) 10. JJ Andrews (93) 11. Doug Cliff (61) 12. Dave Gruel (18) 13. Lou LeVea (96) 14. Steve Abt (85) 15. Tony White (4) 16. Jack Patrick (9) 17. Mark Regan (69) 18. Tim Burdick (0) 19. Doug Reaume (95) 20. Bill Moore (7) 21. Wayne Wideman (15) 22. Guard Nearbin (78) 23. Tim Barbeau (50) 24. Chip Wood (5) 25. Chris Proud (29) 26. Dan Kapuscinski (00) 27. Jeff Jones (02) 28. Rob Pullen (2) 29. Star Matteson (82) 30. Ed Watson Jr (36)

MIDGET HEAT #1-1. Phil DiMario (12W) 2. Pete Pernesiglio (50) 3. Bobby Santos III (29) 4. Sean Caisse (10C) 5. Nokie Fornoro (5) 6. Rudy Boetticher (46) 7. Matt O'Brien (16) 8. Joey Payne (45) 9. Shane Hammond (35) 10. Lee Bundy (11)

MIDGET HEAT #2-1. Ed Breault (44) 2. Drew Fornoro (91) 3. Kyle Carpenter (12) 4. Tim Heath (81) 5. Adam Cantor (7NY) 6. Erica Santos (8) 7. Robert Boetticher (56) 8. Doug Cleveland (22) 9. Gary Halteman (61)

MIDGET HEAT #3-1. Mike Roselli (98) 2. Howie Bumpus (2) 3. Randy Cabral (36) 4. Ryan Dolan (15) 5. Ben Seitz (17) 6. Fred Schell (75) 7. Chuck Welling (69) 8. Bob Bradbury (57) 9. Mike Luggelle (33)

MIDGET FEATURE (25)-1. Joey Payne (45) 2. Sean Caisse (10C) 3. Drew Fornoro (91) 4. Howie Bumpus (2) 5. Pete Pernesiglio (50) 6. Adam Cantor (7NY) 7. Tim Heath (81) 8. Kyle Carpenter (12) 9. Ed Breault (44) 10. Rudy Boetticher (46) 11. Randy Cabral (36) 12. Fred Schell (75) 13. Robert Boetticher (56) 14. Doug Cleveland (22) 15. Gary Halteman (61) 16. Matt O'Brien (16) 17. Chuck Welling (69) 18. Phil DiMario (12W) 19. Nokie Fornoro (5) 20. Ryan Dolan (15) 21. Mike Roselli (98) 22. Ben Seitz (17) 23. Erica Santos (8) 24. Bob Bradbury (57) 25. Shane Hammond (35) 26. Bobby Santos III (29) 27. Lee Bundy (11)

ISMA SUPERMODIFIED HEAT #1-1. Lou Cicconi (75) 2. Justin Belfiore (8) 3. Eric Shirey (V2) 4. Bentley Warren (25) 5. Greg Furlong (72) 6. Tim Jedrzejek (7) 7. Jon Gambuti (85) 8. Jim Shirey (16) 9. Dave McKnight (94)

ISMA SUPERMODIFIED HEAT #2-1. Rick Wentworth (10) 2. Russ Wood (29) 3. Randy Ritskes (9) 4. Jennifer Chesbro (33) 5. Johnny Payne (88) 6. Joe Petro (99) 7. Ken Bell (32) 8. Howard Page (18) 9. Tim Snyder (0)

ISMA SUPERMODIFIED HEAT #3-1. Chris Perley (11) 2. Pat Abold (26) 3. Nokie Fornoro (84) 4. Scott Martel (14) 5. Jamie Letcher (58) 6. Bobby Santos III (97) 7. Joey Payne (07) 8. Mark Sammut (78)

ISMA SUPER NATIONALS FEATURE (50)-1. Greg Furlong (72) 2. Pat Abold (26) 3. Scott Martel (14) 4. Bentley Warren (25) 5. Tim Jedrzejek (7) 6. Chris Perley (11) 7. Randy Ritskes (9) 8. Eric Shirey (V2) 9. Jamie Letcher (58) 10. Lou Cicconi (75) 11. Mark Sammut (78) 12. Nokie Fornoro (84) 13. Howard Page (18) 14. Justin Belfiore (8) 15. Jon Gambuti (85) 16. Joey Payne (07) 17. Tim Snyder (0) 18. Bobby Santos III (97) 19. Dave McKnight (94) 20. Jennifer Chesbro (33) 21. Joe Petro (99) 22. Ken Bell (32) 23. Rick Wentworth (10) 24. Johnny Payne (88) 25. Russ Wood (29) 26. Jim Shirey (16) DNS

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