August 4, 2001

FURLONG AGAIN ON A FULL MOON NIGHT

Oswego, NY - A full moon rising over a race track is seldom a good sign. It certainly wasn't at Oswego Speedway Saturday night as a number of mishaps marred the four-division race card. Added to the regular Oswego mix were the Sunoco Race of Champions modifieds, who brought in 40 top notch machines to add to the supers, limited supers and super stocks.. When the night was finally over, Greg Furlong had taken the supermodified win with a guaranteed spot in the Budweiser International Classic; Billy Woods, his first-ever Oswego main and with it a guaranteed spot in the Sunoco Race of Champions, Mark Regan the limited feature and Tony White, the super stock 20, which also earned him a spot in the Sunoco RoC event for that division.

In the supermodified main, Greg Furlong stole the show from Canadian Shannon Groves on the last turn of the last lap. It would have been a career-first for Groves, who led from lap 12 until not quite the end. Greg Furlong was a gracious winner in post-race ceremonies, saying, "I'll tell you what. Shannon ran an awesome race. I had all I could do to get around. I was trying everything. It came down, obviously, to the last lap. I had nothing for him before that. On the last lap, I gave it all I had to get by on the outside. He was pushing a little bit. I just got a little bit better bite off the corner. Shannon just ran a great race. I hate to beat someone like him. He deserves a win. He's been running really good. Bobby Bond ran a great race too. If it wasn't for the caution, I wouldn't have gotten him. And, the 87, I'm glad he didn't wreck. He ran good too. On that restart, I got underneath him and I got into him. I thought for sure that the caution would come out, but he saved it thank god. The crew just did a good job. A lot of cars dropped out of the race, but that's racing. It was a crazy night tonight - a full moon. We crashed in the heat race. We had a good car. This is the back up. The other one is a little bit better. I didn't want to pile it up on the first lap, so I just took it easy, took my time and when that caution came out, I decided to go. We just worked our way to the front."

Groves, who was the first to congratulate Furlong, was content with second, albeit a bit disappointed. "A straightaway away," said Groves "But oh well. The car was awesome all night when we'd get a long run going, and then a yellow and the car would loosen up really bad and it would take five or six laps to get back in the rhythm again. On that last caution near the end, there just wasn't enough time to get the car back. I knew Greg was there. It was an awesome race for us. It was a lot of fun. We're all together. The car is in one piece. It was fun racing with these guys and hopefully we can come back next week and win."

The supermodified night started badly for Furlong who crashed with Bill Peri in the first heat, sending both to the pits. Furlong jumped in his backup car and got back into things starting at the tail of the feature field. Peri did restart.

Keith Gilliam took up the early lead in the supermod main with Groves sticking to his tail as things sorted out. Groves grabbed the lead from Gilliam on the front stretch on lap 12. Things began to sour just one lap after that.

On lap 14, Tim Snyder caught a tire from Vern LaFave as fourth through sixth place spots were being contested. Snyder's 0 went airborne and he landed heavily in the foam in between three and four. Snyder was okay - he quipped later that he had taken harder hits in hockey - but his 0 was badly damaged. Otto Sitterly parked the 79 with heating problems at this time.

A yellow, then red flew on the restart of lap 14 with a multi-car tangle occurring in turn four. Half the cars behind leader Groves were in a mess behind. When the track was cleared, Ray Graham Jr. was on the hook. Vern LaFave was on the hook. Others were pushed away. Graham did not restart, while LaFave did.

Groves led a couple more laps before yellow flew again for LaFave, who was hooked for good this time. Vern had won a heat earlier in what he called his "old" car, after switching from the one he has been running, and that too, now was gone.

Running behind Groves at this point were Keith Gilliam, Furlong, Bob Bond and Todd Stowell. On the restart, Furlong and Gilliam brushed, got somewhat sideways and then straightened things out.

Things settled in to a green spell for Groves, with Bond, Furlong and Gilliam fending off Stowell, Dave Trytek and Jamie Moore.

Furlong took over second on lap 36 and set sail for Groves. He didn't have to wait long to close the gap.

On lap 38 Todd Stowell and Jamie Moore were around in turn one. Both restarted, but yellow flew again before a lap was done. This time it was for Stowell, Moore, Scott Eldred, Sharkey, Hal LaTulip and Pat Lavery among others, who had come together on the green. LaTulip was a no-show on that restart. A refueling took place during the cleanup.

With seven to go, it was Furlong against Groves and he looked as if Groves would have his day, but it did not happen. On several occasions, Furlong swung to the outside of Groves. Groves closed the door. But coming off the fourth turn of the checkered flag lap, Furlong made the move once more. Groves slid a little and this gave Furlong the chance he sought and he took it. Furlong crossed moments later in first, while Groves, Bond, Gilliam and Dave Trytek finished in fifth. Moore, Stowell, Eldred, Lavery and Sharkey rounded out the top ten.

CAR COUNT: Supermodifieds (25) / Limiteds (37) / Super Stocks (16) / Modifieds (40)

SUPER STOCK HEAT #1
1. Lou LeVea (96) 2. Tony White (4) 3. Bill Moore (5) 4. Rob Pullen (2) 5. Bruce Long (97) 6. Erik Cupernall (61) 7. Lonnie Mills (43) 8. Doug Reaume (99)

SUPER STOCK HEAT #2
1. Joe Miller (9) 2. Kelly Miller (8) 3. Rich Palmer (21) 4. Bobby Newman (77) 5. David Bock (85) 6. Eric Connors (10) 7. Chris Lupa (46) 8. Butch Coon (95)

SUPER STOCK FEATURE (20)
1. Tony White (4) 2. Kelly Miller (8) 3. Bill Moore (5) 4. Lou LeVea (96) 5. Rich Palmer (21) 6. David Bock (85) 7. Rob Pullen (2) 8. Butch Coon (95) 9. Eric Connors (10) 10. Bobby Newman (77) 11. Erik Cupernall (61) 12. Chris Lupa (46) 13. Bruce Long (97) 14. Joe Miller (9) dns

MODIFIEDS
MODIFIED HEAT #1
1. TJ Potrzebowski (72) 2. Ken Woolley Jr (14) 3. Bobby Osgood (09) 4. Todd Smith (52) 5. Jim Long Jr (20) 6. Dick Kluth (27) 7. Tommy Cloce (69) 8. Kenny Troyer (16)

MODIFIED HEAT #2
1. Billy Putney (88) 2. Rusty Smith (34) 3. Carl Hehr (59) 4. Larry Havens (43) 5. JR Swansbrough (6) 6. Chris Finocchario (8) 7. Steve Whitt (15A) 8. Tommy Zacharias (71)

MODIFIED HEAT #3
1. Jeff Ulrich (15) 2. Randall Richard (0) 3. Mike Ordway (66) 4. George Kent (26) 5. Chuck Hossfeld (1X) 6. Chris Ferguson (28) 7. Dan Chimera (41) 8. Erik Cupernall (62)

MODIFIED HEAT #4
1. Brad Confer (30) 2. Rod Aton (12A) 3. John DeMinck (1) 4. Pete Brittain (99) 5. Ricky Kluth (44) 6. Justin Ely (38) 7. Sege Fidanza (77) 8. Kevin Timmerman (17)

MODIFIED HEAT #5
1. Bill Woods (51) 2. Daryl Lewis (10) 3. Zane Zainer (76) 4. Don Staubitz (99Z) 5. Tim Mangus (93) 6. Tom McGrath (12) 7. Tommy Farrell (78) 8. John Barber (01)

MODIFIED "B" MAIN
1. Tim Mangus (93) 2. JR Swansborough (6) 3. Chuck Hossfeld (1X) 4. Rick Kluth (44) 5. Chris Finocchario (8) 6. Tommy Farrell (78) 7. Tommy Cloce (69) 8. Chris Ferguson (28) 9. John Barber (01) 10. Dick Kluth (27) 11. Justin Ely (38) 12. Erik Cupernall (62) 13. Jim Long Jr (20) 14. Tom McGrath (12) 15. Dan Chimera (41) 16. Kenny Troyer (16) 17. Steve Whitt (15A) 18. Tommy Zacharias (71) 19. Sege Fidanza (77) DNS 20. Kevin Timmerman (17) DNS

MODIFIED FEATURE (50)
1. Bill Woods (51) 2. Ken Woolley (14) 3. George Kent (26) 4. Zane Zainer (76) 5. Larry Haven (43) 6. Tim Mangus (93) 7. Billy Putney (88) 8. Jeff Ulrich (15) 9. Rusty Smith (34) 10. Bobby Osgood (09) 11. TJ Potrzebowski (72) 12. Rick Kluth (44) 13. Rodney Aton (12A) 14. Tommy Farrell (78) 15. Tom McGrath (12) 16. Brad Confer (30) 17. John DeMinck (1) 18. Chris Finocchario (8) 19. Randall Richard (0) 20. Pete Brittian (99) 21. Chuck Hossfeld (1X) 22. Daryl Lewis (10) 23. Todd Smith (52) 24. JR Swansborough (6) 25. Karl Hehr (59) 26. Mike Ordway (66) 27. Don Staubitz (99Z)

LIMITEDS
LIMITED HEAT #1
1. Mark Regan (69) 2. JJ Andrews (93) 3. Mike Gardner (6) 4. Andy Noto (19) 5. Matt Wheeler (96) 6. Craig Rayvals (94) 7. Mike Bond (7) 8. Chip Wood (5)

LIMITED HEAT #2
1. Shawn Walker (68) 2. Bob Rundell (33) 3. Guard Nearbin (78) 4. Steve Austin (66) 5. John Ketcham Jr (11) 6. Russ Bartlett (26) 7. Wayne Wideman (15) 8. Dick Woodley (8) 9. Shawn Muldoon (80)

LIMITED HEAT #3
1. Jack Patrick (9) 2. Gregg Davis (89) 3. Jim Guyle (20) 4. Russ Brown (18) 5. Ed Watson Jr (42) 6. Star Matteson (82) 7. Francis Rowe (59) 8. Dana Cunningham (95) 9. BJ Bocyck (51)

LIMITED HEAT #4
1. Chris Proud (3) 2. Bill Izyk (1) 3. Eddie Horne (98) 4. Dan Ferlito (55) 5. Scott Richmond (02) 6. Cameron Rowe (76) 7. Danny Kapuscinski (00) 8. Lou LeVea (61) 9. Jeff Bartlett (24)

LIMITED CONSI #1
1. Craig Rayvals (94) 2. Mike Bond (7) 3. Star Matteson (82) 4. Chip Wood (5) 5. Dana Cunningham (95) 6. Francis Rowe (59) 7. BJ Bocyck (51)

LIMITED CONSI #2
1. Shawn Muldoon (80) 2. Danny Kapuscinski (00) 3. Jeff Bartlett (24) 4. Wayne Wideman (15) 5. Russ Bartlett (26) 6. Bob Bogwicz (99) 7. Dick Woodley (8) 8. Cameron Rowe (76)

LIMITED FEATURE (25)
1. Mark Regan (69) 2. Shawn Muldoon (80) 3. Chris Proud (3) 4. Mike Gardner (6) 5. JJ Andrews (93) 6. Dan Ferlito (55) 7. Steve Austin (66) 8. Gregg Davis (89) 9. Matt Wheeler (96) 10. Eddie Horne (98) 11. Andy Noto (19) 12. Danny Kapuscinski (00) 13. Bob Rundell (33) 14. Russ Brown (18) 15. Guard Nearbin (78) 16. John Ketcham Jr (11) 17. Craig Rayvals (94) 18. Jim Guyle (20) 19. Jack Patrick (9) 20. Bill Izyk (1) 21. Shawn Walker (68) 22. Jeff Bartlett (24) 23. Scott Richmond (02) 24. Star Matteson (82) 25. Mike Bond (7) 26. Ed Watson Jr (42)

SUPERMODIFIED HEAT #1
1. Vern LaFave (97) 2. Ray Graham Jr (90) 3. Dave Trytek (70) 4. Gary Syrell (08) 5. Brian Sweeney (3) 6. Dave Halstead Jr (34) 7. Bill Peri (14) 8. Greg Furlong (72)

SUPERMODIFIED HEAT #2
1. Shannon Groves (07) 2. Tim Snyder (0) 3. Jeff Holbrook (35) 4. Keith Gilliam (87) 5. Hal LaTulip (56) 6. Tim Devendorf (20) 7. Bill Sharkey (52) 8. Tim Gareau Jr (75)

SUPERMODIFIED HEAT #3
1. Jamie Moore (88) 2. Todd Stowell (89) 3. Otto Sitterly (79) 4. Jamie Letcher (58) 5. Scott Eldred (15) 6. Pat Lavery (99) 7. Bob Bond (25)

SUPERMODIFIED FEATURE (45)
1. Greg Furlong (72) 2. Shannon Groves (07) 3. Bob Bond (25) 4. Keith Gilliam (87) 5. Dave Trytek (70) 6. Jamie Moore (88) 7. Todd Stowell (89) 8. Scott Eldred (15) 9. Pat Lavery (99) 10. Bill Sharkey (52) 11. Hal LaTulip (56) 12. Jamie Letcher (58) 13. Brian Sweeney (3) 14. Vern LaFave (97) 15. Jeff Holbrook (35) 16. Tim Snyder (0) 17. Ray Graham Jr (90) 18. Tim Devendorf (20) 19. Otto Sitterly (79) 20. Dave Halstead Jr (34) 21. Tim Gareau Jr (75) 22. Gary Syrell (08) DNS 23. Bill Peri (14) DNS