August 23, 2003

AUGUST PROVES KIND TO GOUTERMOUT AS HE TAKES HIS SECOND WIN AT OSWEGO

Oswego, NY - The month of August has been extremely kind to Fulton, NY's Bob Goutermout, unlike in previous years. Bob, after two second place finishes in the Twin 30's and a win on August 9, was able to catch leader Todd Stowell on a restart to take win number two for the month. Stowell, not exactly large in the luck department, had led from the initial green, losing what would have been his first of the year with just five laps to go. In the limited supers, a bizarre chain of events gave Kris Meyn, of Williamson, NY, the win, and the championship to Mike Bond in a close point battle. George Knight was credited with the super stock victory after Bobby Newman was disqualified in tech.

Bob Goutermout and Otto Sitterly used a late race caution to charge by Todd Stowell on the restart. Goutermout was all smiles in victory lane. Said the seven-year supermodified veteran, "The car was going great tonight. I have to start up for apologizing to Joe. I me almost spinning out there caused him to spin out to avoid me. But, my car is going good. I want to race clean and I don't want to get into anybody to get by him. We're ready for Classic. We just have to get it ready to go the long distance next week. What momentum going into next week.. two wins, two seconds. After the last two years, this is the way we want to go into Classic.. I'd like to thank the whole crew and my sponsors - Darcey's Collision, Light's Auto Parts (NAPA), Amerigas, and Babcock Highway Supply."

Following Goutermout past Stowell on that last restart was Otto Sitterly who took over second. The man of few words commented afterwards, "Second place...one short. We were tight in the middle. If I ran into something, I don't know. I don't race that way. We're looking forward to the Classic next week."

Coming up for third on the final circuit, Brian Sweeney was not exactly ecstatic about his run. "I quit...buy my car. You can print that. The car was probably the worst the car has been in the feature in the last month. It had a real bad push coming out and I couldn't get on the throttle. I got alongside Todd a couple times and he took me out to the wall. What are you going to do, that's racing I guess. Next week is the one we want anyway."

With Joe Gosek already clinching the 2003 Supermodified track title, this was a night for thinking a week ahead to Classic time for many drivers, although some spots behind Joe were up for grabs. Todd Stowell took off from his outside pole spot and easily put some distance on the field, but Brian Sweeney soon closed up that gap.

A lap 13 yellow slowed things which saw Dave Tryek, the second place man in points, saw his second possibly down the drain when he was hooked off the track. Keith Gilliam was able to resume the race. Dave's teammate Jeff Holbrook, who sat in fourth in points, ironically pulled pitside from some adjustments to the 35 as the 70 was towed in.

Stowell pulled away from the field and set a torrid pace out front as Sweeney, Goutermout, Joe Gosek, Otto Sitterly, Tim Snyder, Tim Gareau, Jerry Curran and Shawn Muldoon looked for racing room.

The next yellow fell for the new track champion Gosek when Goutermout got a little loose. Joe checked up and Otto tagged him from behind. Gosek had to go to the rear after being turned around. It was not a big deal said Joe later. "I think I had a bullseye on my butt coming off two. Otto was racing hard, Goutermout might have checked up in front of me and I got spun around. It was no big deal. It's tough racing out there. To get another top five going into next week...we'll be all right."

Another flag flew before a lap was done when Tim Gareau's 5 broke a radius rod and he went off on the hook.

Behind Stowell on this restart a battle developed between Sweeney, Snyder and Goutermout using all the grooves in attempts to gain spots and catch Stowell. Pat Abold parked the Hawksby 22 soon thereafter as he was onboard preparing for his upcoming Classic run.

Snyder almost got alongside Stowell on lap 25 when Bobby Santos III had a tire going down on the 44. While in the pits, Santos was held for a leaking overflow which lost him a lap.

Another hectic restart for Stowell had Sweeney, Goutermout, Snyder and Sitterly bearing down on him again, but he was able to hold his lead and keep it while the race went green. Behind him Sweeney and Goutermout dueled as Snyder ran alongside Sitterly lap after lap - until lap 37. Snyder had been reported to be having some fluid emanating from his 0 and possibly onto his tire. The black flag flew for the winner of the Twin 30's, but before he could pull in, his car quit high off turn four with an overheating problem.

Stowell really felt the pressure this time as Goutermout got alongside him on the restart green. Right behind Sweeney and Sitterly were two abreast as Gosek had worked back into fifth ahead of Howie Page, Jerry Curran and a way back, Gary Morton, prepping for Classic in the Strong 96.

One lap later, Goutermout and Sitterly were able to make the pass as the tires faded on Stowell.With one to go, Sweeney got by Stowell for third. Fourth was where the leader of the first 40 laps would end up. Todd said while walking back from the track scales, "Would of, could of, should of. If Timmy had come in when he got blackflagged, I might have had it. My tires went away on the last caution. The car got loose and burned the right rear. I few guys got by. But, going into Classic a top five is good. We'll adjust the car a little bit more and what we are shooting for is next week. We weren't really coming into tonight to get a win, just a good setup for Classic. I'd like to thank all my sponsors for sticking with me, my crew for all the hours they put in trying to get this car here and competitive, my family, friends and fans...thank you all!" And, finishing fifth, after having to make his way through the field twice was Joe Gosek, who, in a ceremony during intermission, had been lauded for achieving his first-ever track title by Oswego Mayor John Gosek (his cousin).

CAR COUNT: Supermodifieds (27) / Limiteds (34) / Super Stocks (17)

SUPERMODIFIED HEAT #1
1. Tim Gareau Jr (5) 2. Otto Sitterly (79) 3. Tim Snyder (0) 4. Shawn Muldoon (1) 5. Pat Lavery (99) 6. Pat Abold (22) 7. Bob Magner (40) 8. Jon Gambuti (85) 9. Bill Sharkey (7)

SUPERMODIFIED HEAT #2
1. Bob Goutermout (77) 2. Joe Gosek (50) 3. Todd Stowell (89) 4. Brian Sweeney (3) 5. Keith Gilliam (87) 6. Bobby Santos III (44) 7. Bill Peri (14) 8. Jamie Timmons (52) 9. Jeff Holbrook (35)

SUPERMODIFIED HEAT #3
1. Jerry Curran (24) 2. Howard Page (18) 3. Dave Trytek (70) 4. Gary Morton (96) 5. Dave Halstead Jr (34) 6. Hal LaTulip (56) 7. Bob Bond (25) 8. Craig Rayvals (94) 9. Johnny Payne (27)

SUPERMODIFIED CONSI
1. Bob Magner (40) 2. Bill Peri (14) 3. Jeff Holbrook (35) 4. Jon Gambuti (85) 5. Johnny Payne (27) 6. Jamie Timmons (52) 7. Craig Rayvals (94) 8. Bob Bond (25) DNS 9. Bill Sharkey (7) DNS

SUPERMODIFIED FEATURE (45)
1. Bob Goutermout (77) 2. Otto Sitterly (79) 3. Brian Sweeney (3) 4. Todd Stowell (89) 5. Joe Gosek (50) 6. Howard Page (18) 7. Jerry Curran (24) 8. Gary Morton (96) 9. Shawn Muldoon (1) 10. Bob Magner (40) 11. Pat Lavery (99) 12. Dave Halstead Jr (34) 13. Craig Rayvals (94) 14. Jeff Holbrook (35) 15. Keith Gilliam (87) 16. Jon Gambuti (85) 17. Bill Peri (14) 18. Jamie Timmons (52) 19. Bobby Santos III (44) 20. Tim Snyder (0) 21. Hal LaTulip (56) 22. Pat Abold (22) 23. Tim Gareau Jr (5) 24. Dave Trytek (70) 25. Johnny Payne (27)