DATE

FURLONG IN VICTORY LANE AT OSWEGO

Oswego, NY - It was a night for drama Saturday at Oswego Speedway. The championship point titles were the closest in years. Misty rain fell almost all day, but Mother Nature relented and let the race go on. For some the night produced joy; for some extreme disappointment. In the supermodifieds, Howard Page, Otto Sitterly and Shawn Muldoon were just points apart going into the remaining feature. Sitterly would crash, Page would blow a motor while ahead of Muldoon and Muldoon would finish fourth for a history-making 2002 championship. Muldoon, in his rookie season never won a feature along the way to the title. He didn't have to. The rookie just finished well each week. And, meanwhile out front, Greg Furlong, not a regular at Oswego this season, showed the way around as he and Jamie Moore battled for the victory.

Furlong, prepping for a possible third Classic win this weekend, said in victory lane, "At the beginning of the race the car was really good. When the green dropped it was really fast. It started to get loose and by the end of the race it was unbelievably loose. Luckily I was in the front by that time or otherwise Jamie would have definitely beat me. I knew he was back there. It's tough not running here weekly and then coming back and have the setup. We're pretty good. I'd like to have it better going into Classic. I'd like to thank my sponsors Modular Homes by Furdi, Haylor Freyor and Coon, Johnston's Propane, Granby Pit Stop, Doug Holmes who build my motors - they are awesome, and the rest. Special thanks to my crew; they do a great job. They work really hard. And, congratulations to Shawn on winning the championship. They were consistent this year and won. Hats off to them."

Track title holder Muldoon, surrounded by crew and his famous brother-car owner Mike, was quietly pleased with huge his accomplishment. He was asked first what went through his mind when he saw Page, who was ahead of him, drop out, "I thought maybe Howard wouldn't last. Five laps before he blew he was spraying stuff. I had a feeling he might not last much longer. It's been a great year. I don't know what to say. The car is great. My brother built me a great car. Anybody could have done it with this car. I didn't count on anything until the end. I'd like to thank my sponsors Riccelli Trucking, Hough Construction, Seaboard Atlantic, Law Office of Ed Izyk, Tri-R-Karts, Sandy's Bumper Mart, - everybody. They give me the money that make it possible. I could not have done it without them and the fans. They have been great this year, especially the fourth turn."

Page, who sat atop the point standings from the fourth race event at Oswego, was understandably dejected. He finished poorly in his heat, ran the consi and started the feature 19th. He watched rival Otto Sitterly go off on a hook with five laps to go. Page had charged into fourth. His other rival, Muldoon, was one spot behind. Coming off four on a restart of lap 42, Page's 18 spewed the telltale smoke. He pitted. The championship was soon to be Muldoon's. After some time to compose himself, Howard said, "This was a huge disappointment. I don't know what to say. Motor problems were the last thing I thought we'd have. Pat Morrison has helped me with the motors and they have been awesome all year. I just can't believe it broke. We were way off in practice and in the heat we missed the setup. We just got way off. But we had it nailed in the feature. I'd like to thank all the guys. They work so hard. This is a huge disappointment for them as well. Oh well, we'll just come back and get them next week. My sponsors - Vashaw's, Front Door, Triple D, Bellinger's Auto, Ingles Performance, and Castle Chemical - thanks for supporting me."

Starting just a little late due to the wet conditions, the qualifying events on Burke's Home Centers night breezed by with every point counting to the tight races. Sitterly won his heat, Muldoon finished second in his. Page went to the consi. In the limiteds Regan finished third, Bond fourth to give Regan a point advantage.

Jamie Moore, driving the Lair 88 this week, took up the lead in the supermodified main after a couple early yellows. The race out front was watched closely but perhaps not as closely as the one farther back. Out front Greg Furlong steadily moved into second, putting Joey Hawksby in third to handle the pack.

By lap 20, Howie Page was ninth, but Muldoon was fifth and Sitterly sixth. Howard was running his heart out, but so were Otto and Shawn. Greg Furlong took over the race lead at that juncture and he and Moore would battle for the point to the end. Bob Goutermout sat comfortably in third while Hawksby continued a good run in fourth.

Otto Sitterly, continued full bore and he picked off Hawksby on lap 26. Muldoon had Page right behind him by now with Hawksby separating them from the 79.

Howard pulled the 18 by the 27 on lap 33. Muldoon was one spot back now. There were only 12 laps remaining. Out front Furlong, Moore and Goutermout were now challenged by a driving Sitterly. On lap 40, it was Furlong, Moore, Goutermout, Sitterly, Page and Muldoon. The crowd was on their feet.

Suddenly, Sitterly's 79 slapped the inner wall on lap 41. He tried to correct and hit again in two. This time he needed a hook. Not for major damage, but the effects were enormous as to the track championship. Otto said later he was trying to get under some lap cars and just got too low.

One circuit was in when a yellow fell again for Jerry Curran, Tim Gareau and Brian Sweeney.

The drama reached crescendo on the next restart. Coming off four, Page, in fourth, Muldoon in fifth; smoke suddenly puffing from the 18. Yellow flies now for Page, whose first-ever championship hopes were up in smoke.

Moore pressured Furlong on the next restart, but yellow fell one more time for the 25 of Bob Bond and the 27 of Hawksby, both of whom required hooks.

Furlong was able to fend off Moore for the win while Goutermout, Muldoon and Jeff Holbrook settled into top fives. The chase and the race was over. Muldon was champ. Sitterly and Page sat in the pits, although Otto had tried to run those last couple laps to salvage second place in the points.

Said second place runner Moore, in his first ride in the 88 of late, "It's fun running up front. The 88 ran really well tonight. It was very smooth. Running with Greg was fun. I actually thought I had an opportunity to get by him at the end. His tires were running out. But, he's an excellent driver. That's why he's won a few championships. We had an opportunity to get him and I just didn't. I'm real happy with second. And, I don't know which car I'll be in for Classic. Everybody is asking. We don't have a second driver lined up for the second car. We've talked to a couple people. I think the 44 is faster but the 88 is more consistent. We'll decide next Friday."

SUPERMODIFIED HEAT #1
1. Otto Sitterly (79) 2. Tim Gareau Jr (5) 3. Joe Hawksby Jr (27) 4. Bob Bond (25) 5. Jeff Holbrook (70) 6. Pat Lavery (99) 7. Randy Ritskes (86) 8. Hal LaTulip (56)

SUPERMODIFIED HEAT #2
1. Jamie Moore (88) 2. Bob Goutermout (77) 3. Russ Wood (35) 4. Tim Snyder (0) 5. Vern LaFave (97) 6. Brian Sweeney (3) 7. Howard Page (18) 8. Justin Belfiore (28) 9. Dave Halstead Jr (34)

SUPERMODIFIED HEAT #3
1. Greg Furlong (72) 2. Shawn Muldoon (1) 3. Keith Gilliam (87) 4. Mike Brubaker (36) 5. Craig Rayvals (94) 6. Dave Trytek (00) 7. Bill Sharkey (52) 8. Jerry Curran (24) 9. Bobby Smith (50)

SUPERMODIFIED CONSI
1. Howard Page (18) 2. Randy Ritskes (86) 3. Justin Belfiore (28) 4. Jerry Curran (24) 5. Hal LaTulip (56) 6. Bill Sharkey (52) 7. Dave Halstead Jr (34) 8. Bobby Smith (50) DNS

SUPERMODIFIED FEATURE (45)
1. Greg Furlong (72) 2. Jamie Moore (88) 3. Bob Goutermout (77) 4. Shawn Muldoon (1) 5. Jeff Holbrook (70) 6. Russ Wood (35) 7. Tim Snyder (0) 8. Tim Gareau Jr (5) 9. Keith Gilliam (87) 10. Vern LaFave (97) 11. Dave Trytek (00) 12. Hal LaTulip (56) 13. Mike Brubaker (36) 14. Craig Rayvals (94) 15. Otto Sitterly (79) 16. Joe Hawksby Jr (27) 17. Bob Bond (25) 18. Howard Page (18) 19. Jeff Bartlett (24) 20. Pat Lavery (99) 21. Brian Sweeney (3) 22. Justin Belfiore (28) 23. Randy Ritskes (86) 24. Bill Sharkey (52)