June 14, 2003

JOE GOSEK TOPS OSWEGO SUPER FIELD

Oswego, NY - Oswegonian Joe Gosek led only the last lap enroute to victory in the supermodified 45 lap race at Oswego Speedway Saturday night. Gosek, driving the Mike Muldoon built 50, passed leader Brian Sweeney coming through lapped traffic in the third turn for the win. Sweeney, who has never won as Oswego feature event, led the first 44 laps, of the race. Dave Trytek got by Sweeney at the line for second place.

Mike Brubaker and Sweeney brought the 23 car field down for the green flag in the 45 lap main event. Before a lap was completed, the steering rack on the Doug Kells car broke, forcing a total restart. Sweeney shot out to the lead, with the rest of the field searching for racing room behind. Jerry Curran, Joe Gosek and Tim Snyder went to the inside, while Tim Gareau and Todd Stowell went outside to get through early race traffic.
Sweeney, Brubaker, Curran. Bob Bond, Dave Trytek, Ray Graham, Keith Gilliam, Jeff Holbrook. Tim Gareau and Todd Stowell filled out the top ten early in the race.

Sweeney began to put some distance between himself and the rest of the field quickly, as he clocked early laps in the 17.7 area. Gareau and Gosek were the cars on the charge first, as they worked their way forward. Gareau's march brought him by Gilliam on lap 4, then by Graham two laps later. He then began to chop the distance to fifth running Trytek.

Gosek patently waited out the start, then one by one worked his way by the field on his way forward. He made his first appearance in the top ten as he passed Otto Sitterly on the inside.

There was now a six car race for the lead as Sweeney had Brubaker, Curran, Bond, Trytek and Gareau. Ten lengths behind that group, Gilliam, Holbrook, Stowell and Gosek were nose to tail for position. Sweeney turned up the race pace as he now stopped clocks at 17.59. Gareau went to the low side of the track as he worked on Trytek for position.

Sweeney opened a 5 car-length lead in the next few laps as Curran began to work on Brubaker. Bond had his hands full as he had Gareau on the inside and Trytek on the outside as the three raced for laps for fourth place. Gosek kept moving forward as he grabbed a spot from Stowell in lap 11. He then maneuvered his way by Holbrook for eighth, and chased down Gilliam for another spot a few laps later.

The leaders came into slower cars for the first time on lap 14, which they handled with ease as they went to the outside of the slower machines. Gareau finally gained the spot by Trytek on lap 14 and stayed on the inside working on Bond. Sweeney turned in consistent laps of 17.6, as he built a lead of 1.74 seconds.

Gosek began to chase down Ray Graham in sixth place. Lap 22, Curran made a move stick as he took second spot from Brubaker. At the halfway point of the still caution-free race, Sweeney turned in a 17.63 lap and held a lead of almost two seconds ahead of Curran, and Brubaker. Bond, Gareau and Trytek still battled inside and out for fourth, with Graham, Gosek and Holbrook racing for seventh. Gosek grabbed the spot from Graham and began to close up to the 25, 5 and 70 cars.

The next lap the caution flag appeared for the first time, as the fourth place battle between Gareau and Trytek got too close. As they raced for position, they touched, sending the Gareau 5 out of the race. Trytek was able to continue on without losing his spot.

Sweeney remained in control of the race on the restart as the top three raced away again. Gosek picked off another spot, as he got by Trytek on the restart. Two laps later the yellow came out again, this time for second place Jerry Curran's spin in turn 1. Brubaker , right behind the second place car, did a nice job to spin and miss the 24. Fourth running Bond pulled the 25 to the pits during this yellow. These cautions changed the complexion of the race as the second, fourth and fifth place cars were involved in these caution periods.

On this restart, Sweeney now had Brubaker, Gosek and Trytek in tow, as the top four pulled away. Gosek kept moving to the front, as he pulled the white #50 to the outside of the race track, and shot by Brubaker on the front straightaway on lap 29 for second place, right behind the 3 of Sweeney. The leaders circled the track at 17.85, as Sweeney now had one of the craftiest drivers to race at Oswego to hold off if he were to get the win.

Sweeney remained in control of the race, with Gosek not being able to make a move. Further back, Sitterly, Graham and Holbrook diced for spots. The lead duo circled the 5/8's at 17.63, with Sweeney leading by a couple of lengths. Trytek was in third, right in Gosek's tire tracks. With less than five laps to go, traffic was approaching, and it was evident the slower cars were going to play a hand in deciding this race.

As they took the white flag, Sweeney had Gosek and Trytek on his bumper. At they raced into the first turn, Sweeney chose the inside lane, and Gosek and Trytek went to the outside. Sweeney was caught in behind the slower car, and Gosek pulled alongside. The 50 inched ahead, and as they raced out of the third turn, Gosek was in the lead heading for the checkers. Trytek stayed on the outside and passed the 3 car just off the fourth turn. Gosek claimed career win #27, while Sweeney was so close to his first ever win.

"The car was strong the whole race, " Gosek said after his win. "Mike made some changes to it after the heat race, and they really worked. We were in second behind Brian with one to go, and came into the traffic, he went to the inside, and I went outside. He got caught inside. The 50 is a good race car, it was strong right from the start of the race."

"I knew it was coming with them," Sweeney said of his run. "I didn't slow down at all. Bobby got out of shape coming of two and I thought he was coming around. I hesitated, just enough for Joe to get a wheel on me. The car is good. The car felt good, but I just couldn't get anymore speed.

Trytek was happy with his second place run. "We have had a good car right from the start this year. I feel bad for Brian. My heart goes out to him. He had the race won, we couldn't get by him. He got hung up behind lapped cars."

SUPERMODIFIED HEAT #1
1. Dave Trytek (70) 2. Ray Graham Jr (90) 3. Todd Stowell (89) 4. Mike Brubaker (36) 5. Pat Lavery (99) 6. Dennis Wilson (20) 7. Bob Goutermout (77) 8. Joe Chillemi (41) DNS

SUPERMODIFIED HEAT #2
1. Brian Sweeney (3) 2. Jerry Curran (24) 3. Jeff Holbrook (35) 4. Tim Snyder (0) 5. Joe Gosek (50) 6. Bill Peri (14) 7. Doug Kells (39) 8. Dan Connors (96) DNS

SUPERMODIFIED HEAT #3
1. Bob Bond (25) 2. Tim Gareau Jr (5) 3. Keith Gilliam (87) 4. Bob Magner (40) 5. Dave Halstead Jr (34) 6. Otto Sitterly (79) 7. Craig Rayvals (94) 8. Hal LaTulip (56)

SUPERMODIFIED FEATURE (45)
1. Joe Gosek (50) 2. Dave Trytek (70) 3. Brian Sweeney (3) 4. Mike Brubaker (36) 5. Otto Sitterly (79) 6. Jeff Holbrook (35) 7. Ray Graham Jr (90) 8. Bob Goutermout (77) 9. Tim Snyder (0) 10. Pat Lavery (99) 11. Jerry Curran (24) 12. Keith Gilliam (87) 13. Hal LaTulip (56) 14. Dennis Wilson (20) 15. Bob Magner (40) 16. Bill Peri (14) 17. Craig Rayvals (94) 18. Todd Stowell (89) 19. Bob Bond (25) 20. Tim Gareau Jr (5) 21. Dave Halstead Jr (34) 22. Doug Kells (39) 23. Joe Chillemi (41) DNS 24. Dan Connors (96) DNS