June 19, 1999

MIKE MULDOON ON TOP AT OSWEGO

Oswego, NY - Mike Muldoon became the first repeat winner at Oswego Speedway in the supermodified class this season as he picked up the checkered flag in the 45 lap main event. Muldoon started the night out driving his own car #50, but a broken torque arm before his heat race sidelined that car. The team then rolled out car 35, which Muldoon sold to Davey Hamilton during the offseason. Muldoon went out and won his heat race, and came from eleventh starting spot to take the lead from Todd Stowell and went on to capture his second win of the young season.

Brothers Bob and Mike Bond started the feature event from the front row, with Mike getting the jump when the race started in his bright green #22. Todd Stowell, Jeff West and Tim Gareau used the outside lane to come through early race traffic, while Muldoon used the inside. Just as Stowell took the lead from Bond on lap four, the caution lights flashed for the first time in the race with a third turn wreck. Tim Gareau and Doug Boisvert spun their cars, with Ray Graham and Bob Goutermout also involved. The Graham 90 was hooked off with right front damage, and the Goutermout 93 suffered left from damage from the accident. Gareau and Boisvert were given their spots back in line.

The top ten on the restart were Mike Bond, Stowell, Gareau, Jeff West, Boisvert, Greg Furlong, Bob Bond, Muldoon, Howie Page, and Hal Latulip. Stowell turned his #89 to the outside of the Bond 22 in the third turn,and grabbed the lead as they raced off the fourth turn. West and Gareau followed him through, and the top three began to pull away from the field. Another yellow flag on lap six bunched the cars again.

When racing resumed, Stowell, West and Gareau picked their battle back up, but soon they had a fourth car to contend with. Muldoon shot by Boisvert on lap 8 for fifth place, and chased down Furlong to move into fourth five laps later. Muldoon chased down the lead trio, and they raced hard for the lead. Stowell turned laps at 17.41 and 17.44 as he kept the back 01 and 5 cars behind. West kept trying to make an inside move for the lead out of the fourth turn, but Stowell kept his charges at bay.

The yellow flag brought a break in the action as the third and fifth running cars of Gareau and Furlong spun again. This time Gareau wasnt as lucky as he was brought to the pits on the back of a tow truck, while Furlong pitted for some fine tuning on the 72.

Stowell was still in command of the field, with West, Muldoon, Page and Boisvert on his heels. The top three broke away on the restart, with Muldoon making an inside move on West along the back stretch on lap 22 for second place. As Stowell stopped watched at 17.47 in the lead, Muldoon tried for the top spot on the inside. The 89 staved off that challenge, but Muldoon wasnt giving up.

Lap 26, he pulled the Hamilton owned 35 to the inside of the fourth turn, and powered down the front straightaway. This was a drag race for the lead, with less than 20 laps to go, whoever got to the first turn first would be in the lead. Muldoon got the grip he needed, and took the top spot. His first lap up front, he clocked in a 17.21 lap.

By lap 30, Muldoon gained a four car length lead, and began to come into race traffic. He handled that with ease, and kept his advantage. Once clear of the slower cars, he turned in consistent 17.41 laps,and built up a 1.38 second lead. That advantage was wiped out on lap 40, as Furlong looped the 72 car once again. On the restart, the caution immediately came out as Timmy Snyder did a long slide and spin in the 0 car in front of the crowd.

Stowell couldnt mount a challenge on Muldoon the last five laps, and Muldoon cruised the last lap at 17.59, as he drove under the checkered flag .69 second ahead of the 89. West and Page finished third and fourth, with Furlong nipping Doug Boisvert for fifth place at the line.

"This is great!, Muldoon said after his victory. The car was good. I was impressed by the spec motor. It was a great accomplishment on Doug Holmes, he did a great job on the motor. My crew worked real hard this week, and I think we're getting her dialed in. This car has had a couple of laps here and there. We havent touched it since we rebuilt it last year. Im really proud of the car and crew."

News and Notes....There were 19 supermodifeds, 36 limiteds, 12 late models and 6 street stocks in the pits. Supermodified heat races went to Todd Stowell and Mike Muldoon, while Otto Sitterly, Brian Nappa, and Shawn Muldoon won limited heats. Todd Gordon and Andy Loden took checkered flag in the two late model heats, with Patsy Catalano winning the street stock heat race.Mark Regan and Mike Gardner won the limited consolation races. Both Muldoon and Sitterly started eleventh in the feature races. Muldoon;s win was his 20th career win, tying him with Kenny Andrews for 11th on the all-time win list at Oswego.

Heat 1: Stowell, West, Furlong, Graham, Bob Bond, Latulip, Chesbro, Carr, Van Luven

Heat 2: Muldoon, Gareau, Boisvert, Goutermout, page, Mike Bond, Devendorf, Snyder, Connors, Curran