June 12, 1999

GREG FURLONG PREVAILS ON WET PAINT NIGHT

Oswego, NY - Greg Furlong survived three early race yellows Saturday at Oswego to come out the leader on lap 4 of the Wet Paint Company 45. He never relinquished the spot, claiming his first victory of 1999. For Furlong, it was his third career-victory as he held off Tim Gareau and Mike Muldoon until the finish.

In the Limited Spring Championship, Eddie Horne, also in his second race season at Oswego, was an elated first-time winner after holding off a persistent Keith Gilliam for at least 20 of the 30 lap go in exciting fashion. Todd Smith of Henrietta, held off David Bock to claim his first-ever Super Stock victory.. The Cup Lite victor was a repeat winner as John Price of Colden, NY, claimed the 25 lap win.

Amidst the wild victory lane ceremony feature winner Furlong commented, "It was great. The car was on rails. The crew did a great job. I'm happy to be here. I would have rather started a little farther back, but it was a good win and I enjoyed it. A lot of the big guys were right there behind me, but I hated to see caution after caution like that in the early part of the race. I didn't know who went out, but a knew that Timmy, Mike and Goutermout were back there because I saw it on the board. I knew if I slouched off one of them would get me, so I just kept the hammer down and tried to be smooth and consistent and run as fast and clean as I could. I want to thank all my sponsors too, for helping me get here."



The supermodified feature didn't start out the way one would have wanted on a perfect race night weather-wise. An immediate yellow flew as Doug Boisvert and Hal LaTulip led the field down. Jennifer Chesbro, Scott Eldred and Jack Carr were in the foam in between three and four. Chesbro was hooked and Eldred and Carr continued.

Boisvert took up the point with Furlong quickly challenging from his fourth starting spot, but yellow flew again on lap 3 as Mike Bond had planted the 22 just past where Chesbro had hit. The Proud 22 was hooked with much rear end damage.

Boisvert and Furlong were almost side by side with Jeff West pressuring as the trio came around three to finish lap 4, when West, losing steering, tapped Bosvert's wheel with everyone piling in. West, Howard Page, Bob Bond, Mike Douglas and Todd Stowell were done. Tim Snyder, Dan Connors, and Dan Soule were in the pits with crews pounding on sheet metal, while others like Joe Gosek were able to be pushed away.

Furlong was the leader as the race straightened into green flag action with Bob Goutermout, Joe Gosek,Mike Muldoon and Hal LaTulip a very close top five.

Furlong put the pedal down as the race approached lap 20, but Goutermout, Gosek, Muldoon and now Gareau, were nose to tail, wheel to wheel, looking to gain positions.

On lap 24, the wheels got a little close for Gosek and Muldoon as the pair barely touched coming off four. Both veteran drivers kept their heads and the cars slid sideways down the front straight in unison, never making contact with anything else. Both restarted at the tail of the field.

By lap 31, Furlong held a commanding lead with Goutermout holding off Gareau, Muldoon, Boisvert and Gosek. Gareau tromped on it and finally got by Muldoon for second shortly thereafter.

With no further incidents to mar the going, Furlong had a comfortable margin when he crossed under the checkered. Gareau, Muldoon, Goutermout and Gosek were much closer together as they completed the 45 in the top five. Boisvert, Soule, LaTulip, Eldred and Snyder finished up the top ten.

Heat 1: Mike Muldoon, Jeff West, Tim Snyder, Hal LaTulip, Mike Bond, Scott Eldred, Jennifer Chesbro, Dave Halstead

Heat 2: Howie Page, Greg Furlong, Tim Gareau, Mike Douglas, Bob Bond, Jack Carr, Jerry Curran

Heat 3: Todd Stowell, Joe Gosek, Bob Goutermout, Doug Boisvert, Ray Graham, Dan Soule, Dan Connors