July 20, 2002

MIKE ORDWAY COMES HOME WITH FOURTH MR. SUPERMODIFIED TITLE AND FOURTH WIN OF SEASON AT OSWEGO

Oswego, NY - It was a night of electricity for some at Oswego Speedway Saturday night as the Mr. Super Stock and Mr. (now Ms.) Limited crowns went to first-time winners of the event while veteran Mike Ordway took away his fourth of the season and his fourth Mr. Supermodified title event. Ordway had won the event in 1990, '91 and '93 with different car owners, so technically it was the first $10,000 payday with car owner Clyde Booth. Unfortunately, the way to the title was paved with many supermodified crashes that left many in the pits with badly mangled machines and one in the hospital. Mike Ordway pulled to the outside of another veteran, Jamie Moore, on lap 15 after having raced behind him almost ten laps and Ordway was gone. He slid through a massive red on lap 25 which put many $10,000 hopefuls out of the running.

Ordway said in victory lane, "I can't say enough for Clyde and the crew and everybody. This race car is just awesome. Number four is a good number I guess. The closest one out there tonight was on lap three when I saw Otto get loose coming off four. as I was on the inside. I thought he was going to bounce off the wall in front of me so I stayed to the high side and got by as quick as I could. The second one was behind me. The track was a little slippery tonight. It's hot today and with the rear end grease laid down back there, it was kind of off a little."

Jamie Moore took up the early lead but massive destruction would occur before Moore could get too much distance. On lap 3 the red fell as Otto Sitterly's 79 bounced off one wall, crossed the track and hit inside. he collected no less than eight supers in so doing. Todd Stowell, who took a very hard hit backwards and sideways into the first turn wall in his 89, was taken to the Oswego hospital. He was transferred to the Upstate Medical Center at 4:30 am and as of 9:30 am Sunday morning, was reported to have fractured ribs, a hole in his lung, possible damage to his collarbone. Other tests were being taken as of this writing.

Lou Cicconi, driving the Strong 99, Sitterly, Ray Graham, Jerry Curran, Keith Gilliam, Bob Goutermout, in his second car of the night, and Greg Furlong were pitside pounding on their cars while the cleanup ensued. Russ Wood, who had won a heat driving the Holbrook 00 for the first time, also pitted at this juncture.

After a lengthy delay, the race resumed without Cicconi, Sitterly, Graham and Curran, some of whom would make it back into the fray laps later. The battle out front was between Jamie Moore and Bob Bond for several laps but by lap 7 Mike Ordway had moved from tenth to second and he was knocking on Moore's door. But, Moore wasn't about to give in easily and he held his line while Ordway looked for a way around. He found it on lap 15 and in an outside move, the Fremont, NH man was by and on his way to collecting $10,000. Said Moore later in regard to his run, "From our advantage point I thought the race was pretty good. When you're out front, you get to pick the groove and for a couple weeks now, I've seen Mike's groove. I knew where I was running would make it difficult for him to get underneath me. He would had to go around and when he did I still had a good enough car to run him for a little while. That's the way Mike wants to race. Mike likes to race clean, wheel to wheel. When you get to run with veterans like that it's a riot! I'd like to congratulate Bob Bond also. I think Bob did an outstanding job running clean. I hate to see any yellows, let alone two reds. I hope Todd is okay. Our car is getting a little better. We're having a difficult time getting the tires to hookup. The last 10-15 laps I was dirt tracking it again."

Ordway was soon a half track away from Moore, Bond, Jeff Holbrook, Shawn Muldoon, Vern LaFave and others who were trying to keep up.

Just approaching halfway, another damaging incident caused the second red of the night. Holbrook's 35 got out of shape coming out of turn four with possible help, which sent his teammate Dave Trytek, hard into the fourth turn wall. Trytek went on the hook. Holbrook was pushed in as was Hal LaTulip. Tim Gareau and Vern LaFave were hooked and going into the pits on their own were Wood, Howie Page and Dave Halstead.

There were nine cars on the lead lap when the green dropped away and it was all Ordway's race while Jamie Moore, Bond, Muldoon, Snyder, Pat Lavery and Howie Page were top seven.

Lap 31 found Holbrook's 35 headed to the pits leaving a trail of rear end grease to be cleaned up. One more red fell. It was the last, thankfully for most.

While Ordway pulled the amazing Booth creation away from the field, Bob Bond was giving Jamie Moore a run for second and he took the spot on lap 33. Bond had finished runner-up in 2001, but hopes at catching the leader were pretty nil at this point. Still Bond was satisfied with second. "I guess we can't complain with second. We've been second in this race two years in a row. Maybe next year we can be first. Jamie ran me clean. I have to thank him for that. He could have probably cut me off, but he let me in there. I'd like to thank the crew, my mother and father, Larry Von Holtz, Ed Matteson, Mike Mullen and everybody else that helps out. Also thanks to my sponsors J&K Auto Parts, Brighton Bakery & Brighton Discount Liquors, Rogers Market and Andrew's Sales and Service."

As the flag fell on the Mr. Supermodified 50 Mike Ordway logged his name into the record books as having won a record four of the prestigious events over the 16 years span. Bond, Moore, Muldoon and Tim Snyder finished up the top five. Snyder had just caught current point leader Howie Page at the stripe on the last lap. Page, who is trying to hold onto the point lead, had been involved in a heat crash that affected five cars also. Page, Pat Lavery, Brian Sweeney, Hal LaTulip and Mike Brubaker completed the top ten.

SUPERMODIFIED HEAT #1
1. Jamie Moore (44) 2. Shawn Muldoon (1) 3. Dave Trytek (70) 4. Tim Snyder (0) 5. Greg Furlong (72) 6. Jerry Curran (24) 7. Brian Sweeney (3) 8. Mike Brubaker (36) 9. Craig Rayvals (94) 10. Robert Parrow (21)

SUPERMODIFIED HEAT #2
1. Mike Ordway (61) 2. Otto Sitterly (79) 3. Jeff Holbrook (35) 4. Vern LaFave (97) 5. Pat Lavery (96) 6. Ray Graham Jr (90) 7. Dave Halstead Jr (34) 8. Bill Peri (14) 9. Bob Goutermout (93)

SUPERMODIFIED HEAT #3
1. Russ Wood (00) 2. Lou Cicconi (99) 3. Howard Page (18) 4. Bob Bond (25) 5. Hal LaTulip (56) 6. Todd Stowell (89) 7. Keith Gilliam (87) 8. Tim Gareau Jr (5) 9. Joe Hawksby Jr (27)

SUPERMODIFIED CONSI
1. Keith Gilliam (87) 2. Bob Goutermout (93) 3. Brian Sweeney (3) 4. Dave Halstead Jr (34) 5. Mike Brubaker (36) 6. Robert Parrow (21) 7. Craig Rayvals (94) 8. Bill Peri (14) 9. Tim Gareau Jr (5) DNS 10. Joe Hawksby Jr (27) DNS

MR SUPERMODIFIED FEATURE (50)
1. Mike Ordway (61) 2. Bob Bond (25) 3. Jamie Moore (44) 4. Shawn Muldoon (1) 5. Tim Snyder (0) 6. Howard Page (18) 7. Pat Lavery (96) 8. Brian Sweeney (3) 9. Hal LaTulip (56) 10. Mike Brubaker (36) 11. Lou Cicconi (99) 12. Dave Halstead Jr (34) 13. Otto Sitterly (79) 14. Tim Gareau Jr (5) 15. Jeff Holbrook (35) 16. Vern LaFave (97) 17. Dave Trytek (70) 18. Russ Wood (00) 19. Robert Parrow (21) 20. Keith Gilliam (87) 21. Ray Graham Jr (90) 22. Greg Furlong (72) 23. Todd Stowell (89) 24. Bob Goutermout (93) 25. Jerry Curran (24)