June 12, 2004

MORTON WINS CAREER FIRST ON PATHFINDER BANK NIGHT, SNYDER TAKES FIRST FEATURE

Oswego, NY - Three first time winners emerged Saturday at the Oswego Speedway. Gary Morton, driver of the Strong Racing owned 96 Supermodified, was just shy of taking his first victory in the first twin 30 event on Pathfinder Bank Free & Easy Night, but was able to hold off a late race challenge from Shawn Muldoon in the second event to take his first victory after years of trying. Dave Cliff, pilot of the Limited Supermodified 06, beat out Doug Reaume for his first victory after having weeks of engine trouble. Dwayne LeMay took his first ever Super Stock victory, as he outraced Bruce Stanton and put his number 12 in the winner's circle.

The first Supermodified twin 30 had Gary Morton and Tim Snyder on the front row. Snyder, who took wins last August in both twin 30 events, jumped out to the early lead, with Morton, Mike Brubaker, Bob Goutermout, and Bill Peri running in the top five spots. Coca-Cola Supermodified Point Standings leader Tim Gareau was challenged by Greg Furlong for an exciting battle for 10th in the early stages. Furlong was able to get by Gareau, and steadily move up through the field.

During Furlong's charge, Snyder and Morton pulled away from the rest of the field by a straightaway by lap 13 as Ray Graham, Jr. moved into the top five passing the number 14 of Peri. As lapped traffic soon became a significant factor in the event, Morton put the pressure on Snyder, but with nine laps to go, slid up the track and dropped out of the top five, allowing Brubaker, Goutermout, Graham, and Sitterly to move into second through fifth respectively. Those four ran nose-to-tail, along with sixth place Furlong, as Snyder led the way.

What almost was a green-to-checkered feature became a bad break for many of the front runners on the last lap. Mike Brubaker's 36 had a tire go down, and caused Goutermout to hit him from behind. The chain reaction took out Brubaker, Goutermout, Sitterly, and Furlong. Gosek and Graham spun in the accident, but were able to continue and gained their spots back. This allowed Graham to have a one-lap try on Snyder to take a feature win, but during the caution laps, he became another victim of a flat tire and was forced to put his 90 in the pits.

Now, it was Morton who once again had a shot at the win. When the green flag fell, Morton tried to get by the 0 of Snyder, but could not do so. Snyder went on to win his 3rd straight 30-lap event at Oswego Speedway, with Morton, Gosek, Muldoon, and Peri rounding out the top five. Gareau managed to record a sixth place finish to stay on top of the point standings.

Gary Morton had a second opportunity to start a feature from the outside pole, as he accompanied pole sitter Bob Bond on the front row of the second twin 30 event. When the green lights came on, the yellow lights soon followed as Todd Stowell spun his brand new 89 in turn three on lap one. The original restart saw Morton jump out into the lead. By lap 2, Morton, Bond, Muldoon, Gareau, and Goutermout rounded out the top five.

Again, Furlong attempted to drive his way through the field. Bond was passed by Muldoon early, and began trying to run down Morton. Morton continued to pull away from the rest of the field, as Goutermout passed Gareau for fourth on lap 10. At halfway, Furlong put himself in the top five, getting by Gareau.

The last ten laps for Gary Morton were plagued with uncooperative lapped traffic. allowing Muldoon to close right up on Morton's back bumper. Morton held off an inside move by the 2002 Track Champion, and in exciting fashion, took his first ever feature win after many years racing at the Oswego Speedway. Muldoon, Bond, Goutermout, and Furlong rounded out the top five.

With the first feature having a yellow on lap 30, and the second feature having a yellow on lap 1, each twin 30 event saw 29 straight green flag laps with only one caution flag.

Gareau held on to his point lead, with Muldoon jumping into second. Rayvals, Furlong, and Goutermout now place third through fifth respectively in the top five.

Heat 1:
1. Tim Snyder (0) 2. Otto Sitterly (79) 3. Ray Graham, Jr. (90) 4. Greg Furlong (72) 5. Bill Sharkey (7) 6. Hal LaTulip (56) 7. Bob Magner (40) 8. Kyle Carpenter (49) 9. Jennifer Chesbro (33) 10. Doug Kells (39)

Heat 2:
1. Gary Morton (96) 2. Mike Brubaker (36) 3. Shawn Muldoon (1) 4. Tim Gareau, Jr. (5) 5. Keith Gilliam (87) 6. Todd Stowell (89) 7. Jamie Timmons (37) 8. Vern LaFave (97) 9. Howard Page (65) 10. Gene Lee Gibson (16)

Heat 3:
1. Bill Peri (14) 2. Bob Goutermout (77) 3. Bob Bond (25) 4. Jeff Holbrook (35) 5. Joe Gosek (27) 6. Pat Lavery (99) 7. Craig Rayvals (94) 8. Dave Halstead, Jr. (34) 9. Jerry Curran (24) 10. Mike Hooper (17) 11. Dave Lair (88)

Consi:
1. Craig Rayvals (94) 2. Bob Magner (40) 3. Jennifer Chesbro (33) 4. Vern LaFave (97) 5. Howard Page (65) 6. Doug Kells (39) 7. Mike Hooper (17) 8. Jerry Curran (24) 9. Gene Lee Gibson (16) 10. Dave Lair (88) 11. Jamie Timmons (37) 12. Kyle Carpenter (49) 13. Dave Halstead, Jr. (34) - DNS

Feature 1 (30):
1. Tim Snyder (0) 2. Gary Morton (96) 3. Joe Gosek (27) 4. Shawn Muldoon (1) 5. Bill Peri (14) 6. Tim Gareau, Jr. (5) 7. Jeff Holbrook (35) 8. Bob Bond (25) 9. Craig Rayvals (94) 10. Bill Sharkey (7) 11. Jerry Curran (24) 12. Keith Gilliam (87) 13. Pat Lavery (99) 14. Bob Magner (40) 15. Doug Kells (39) 16. Vern LaFave (97) 17. Jennifer Chesbro (33) 18. Mike Brubaker (36) 19. Bob Goutermout (77) 20. Ray Graham, Jr. (90) 21. Otto Sitterly (79) 22. Greg Furlong (72) 23. Todd Stowell (89) 24. Hal LaTulip (56) 25. Howard Page (65)

Feature 2 (30):
1. Gary Morton (96) 2. Shawn Muldoon (1) 3. Bob Bond (25) 4. Bob Goutermout (77) 5. Greg Furlong (72) 6. Joe Gosek (27) 7. Tim Gareau, Jr. (5) 8. Tim Snyder (0) 9. Craig Rayvals (94) 10. Jeff Holbrook (35) 11. Bill Peri (14) 12. Keith Gilliam (87) 13. Jerry Curran (24) 14. Pat Lavery (99) 15. Bill Sharkey (7) 16. Bob Magner (40) 17. Ray Graham, Jr. (90) 18. Mike Brubaker (36) 19. Doug Kells (39) 20. Jennifer Chesbro (33) 21. Vern LaFave (97) 22. Otto Sitterly (79) 23. Hal LaTulip (56) 24. Howard Page (65) 25. Todd Stowell (89) Provisional: Jerry Curran (24)