August 10, 2002

TIM GAREAU BACK IN SUPERMODIFIED VICTORY LANE AT OSWEGO

Oswego, NY - It had been almost exactly two years since Tim Gareau of Fulton, NY, stood in Oswego Speedway's victory lane. Saturday night put some confidence back in the 33-year old supermodified veteran of seven years Saturday's Nice n Easy/Labatt Anniversary Night win made it career win number 11 for Gareau. He was a little surprised to be in the winner's circle.

"I was having my doubts as to whether I'd ever be here again," said Gareau,. "The last year and a half has been awful. We've been struggling so much. These guys (the crew) have stuck by me all the way. I'll tell you I had to get this old car out and now I'm mad at myself for ever putting it away. I'd like to especially thank Pat Morrison and the guys back in the machine shop for getting this motor done on time so we could be here this weekend.

"I'd like to thank all my sponsors - Burger King, Darcey's Collision, Fran's Riverfront, Lube Express, Nana's Pizza Shack, Sunshine Produce, Duplessis Excavating and Trail of Terror - they've stayed with me through these struggles also. I kind of gave up on the new car. I seemed liked I was going backwards every week. We had two or three good years there and I finally just got sick of going backwards the last couple. So, I said we have to get the old car out. This isn't working. I was beginning to lose my confidence but the car tonight handled terrific. We had a little trouble in the heat race, but thanks to Joe Paeno who came over and straightened us out on that. I'd just like to thank everybody. I'm so glad to be back in victory lane here."

Tim Gareau started the 25-car supermodified feature in fourth by virtue of some poor finishes of late, including a dnf on August 3. It didn't take the determined driver very long to get into first. He passed Jerry Curran and Vern LaFave quickly and was in the lead by lap 4. Several minor yellows dotted the way as mechanical attrition seemed the norm this warm August night.

Yellow flew on lap 5 for a bounce off the foam by Jerry Curran who was able to continued. Joe Gosek, piloting his newly named Classic ride, the Muldoon 50, pulled pitside with a broken steering arm. He had a third place heat finish the first time racing the potent machine. Craig Rayvals also pulled in the 94 with a broken panhard bar.

The restart allowed Jeff Holbrook to catch up to Gareau and Holbrook stuck with the Fultonian for many laps as the two pretty much sat out front alone. Dave Trytek held third in the Holbrook 00 while rookie Shawn Muldoon, who is chasing history with the possibility of a rookie winning the point title, closed in on Holbrook. Vern LaFave, Tim Snyder, Jamie Moore and others tried to invade the top five as well. The current point leader Howard Page, moved up steadily from his fourteenth starting spot.

In the interim, Bob Goutermout, who had suffered a damaging blow to his 77 in the heat and who used a provisional to get into the race, dropped by the wayside as did Dan Connors, Hal LaTulip and eventually Bob Magner.

Out front Holbrook looked to be a real threat to Gareau, but just past halfway, Holbrook had a threat of his own in Muldoon. As those two began to battle, Gareau put the pedal down and eased the 5 away.

By lap 30, Gareau had a healthy lead, but Muldoon was now second and moving in. A spin by Brian Sweeney slowed the fast pace on that same lap, putting the field back in line.

Muldoon made a couple attempts at Gareau after the restart, but couldn't get alongside. Tim Snyder made his move to pick off Holbrook on lap 36 while Otto Sitterly and Howie Page also moved by the 35. Jamie Moore, Trytek, Mike Brubaker and Jerry Curran fought for top ten spots.

On lap 45, Gareau crossed under the flag several car lengths ahead of Muldoon while Snyder, Sitterly and Page finished top five. Page, Sitterly and Muldoon are in a nip and tuck battle for the 2002 track title. Said Muldoon later, after his second place charge. "We're getting closer. Timmy ran a great race. He ran a little bit better than me. He started up front a little bit closer. We'll get one here sooner or later."

Defending Classic champion Tim Snyder, got also one step closer to a regular feature win. He said, "We finally got the motor in now we just have to get it dialed in. We were running the same speeds of the two leaders tonight, but we didn't have enough just to catch up to them in the last five laps after I got by the 35 of Holbrook. But, the big engine is finally in and everything is running good. I can't say enough for the crew and the sponsors again. Without them and everybody from Alcan who supported the night. Oswego Quality Carpets night is a goal for us. It's the Twin 30's and they are pretty hectic, but we've got to win one of these short races as well as those big ones too."

Jamie Moore, Jeff Holbrook, Dave Trytek, Mike Brubaker and Jerry Curran settled for top ten finishes. Gareau, a stranger to victory lane the past few years, did a Polish victory lap around the 5/8's much to the delight of the back grandstand crowd.

CAR COUNT: Supermodifieds (27) / Limiteds (30) / Super Stocks (18)

SUPERMODIFIED HEAT #1
1. Otto Sitterly (79) 2. Vern LaFave (79) 3. Dave Trytek (00) 4. Tim Snyder (0) 5. Dave Lair (88) 6. Bob Bond (25) 7. Robert Parrow (21) 8. Joe Hawksby Jr (27) 9. Dave Halstead Jr (34) DNS

SUPERMODIFIED HEAT #2
1.Jerry Curran (24) 2. Jeff Holbrook (35) 3. Joe Gosek (50) 4. Mike Brubaker (36) 5. Howard Page (18) 6. Brian Sweeney (3) 7. Pat Lavery (99) 8. Bill Sharkey (52) 9. Bill Peri (14)

SUPERMODIFIED HEAT #3
1. Tim Gareau Jr (5) 2. Keith Gilliam (87) 3. Shawn Muldoon (1) 4. Jamie Moore (44) 5. Craig Rayvals (94) 6. Hal LaTulip (56) 7. Bob Magner (70) 8. Dan Connors (96) 9. Bob Goutermout (77)

SUPERMODIFIED CONSI
1. Bill Sharkey (52) 2. Pat Lavery (99) 3. Dave Halstead Jr (34) 4. Bob Magner (70) 5. Joe Hawksby Jr (27) 6. Dan Connors (96) 7. Bill Peri (14) 8. Bob Goutermout (77) DNS

SUPERMODIFIED FEATURE (45)
1. Tim Gareau Jr (5) 2. Shawn Muldoon (1) 3. Tim Snyder (0) 4. Otto Sitterly (79) 5. Howard Page (18) 6. Jamie Moore (44) 7. Jeff Holbrook (35) 8. Dave Trytek (00) 9. Mike Brubaker (36) 10. Jerry Curran (24) 11. Pat Lavery (99) 12. Keith Gilliam (87) 13. Dave Lair (88) 14. Vern LaFave (97) 15. Hal LaTulip (56) 16. Brian Sweeney (3) 17. Bob Bond (25) 18. Dave Halstead Jr (34) 19. Bob Magner (70) 20. Dan Connors (96) 21. Joe Gosek (50) 22. Craig Rayvals (94) 23. Bob Goutermout (77) 24. Bill Sharkey (52) 25. Joe Hawksby Jr (27)