May 4, 2004

Ordway Unstoppable In Supermodified Opener

Oswego, NY - Mike Ordway's winning streak at Oswego Speedway continues. The last race Ordway started at Oswego Speedway and didn't win was the 2001 International Classic. Since then Ordway has taken a victory in his last nine consecutive feature event starts, including Saturday's Jake's Automotive / Coca-Cola / Speedway Press Kickoff. Freemont, New Hampshire's Mike Ordway took the lead on lap 21, and was uncontested from then on. Kris Meyn took the Limited Supermodified opener, while Joe Miller captured the Super Stock kickoff event.

The Supermodified feature began with Fulton, NY driver Dave Halstead and Marathon, NY driver Bill Peri on the front row. Halstead, who finished third in his heat earlier in the day, jumped out to an early lead. Peri slowed down immediately, as a tire began going flat. The caution lights came on just before he spun his 14 Supermodified going into turn one completing the first lap. Greg Furlong was collected in the spin, and both drivers grazed the foam barriers. Furlong would pit, but was able to continue. Peri's night came to an early end.

On the restart, Jeff Holbrook blasted by Halstead for the top spot. Halstead was shuffled out of the lead pack, allowing Keith Gilliam, Bob Magner, Bob Goutermout, and Brian Sweeney to grab spots two through five respectively. Mike Ordway began to charge through the top ten as the caution lights came on once again, this time for Gary Morton. "Mort" slammed the outside wall out of turn two, ending his chances of winning in the Terry Strong owned 96.

A lap 6 restart saw Goutermout take second place from Keith Gilliam out of turn four. Goutermout, who had a heavy impact with the turn two wall during practice earlier in the night, drove around the 35 of Holbrook by lap 8 to take command of the 45-lap feature. Simultaneously, Mike Ordway continued to charge through the field. Starting eleventh, Ordway was all the way up to third by lap 13. Also charging through the field was Greg Furlong, who had to come from the tail-end of the field after his early race incident.

Craig Rayvals of Brockville, Ontario, took a scary ride into the third turn wall on lap 13 in an accident that also collected 2001 International Classic Champion Tim Snyder. The Oswego Speedway Safety Crew rushed to a shook-up Rayvals, but he was awake and alert. Both Rayvals and Snyder were out for the evening. The top five for the next restart was Goutermout, Holbrook, Ordway, Gilliam, and Magner.

When the green flag fell once again, Mike Ordway and Greg Furlong were receiving most of the fans' attention. Ordway completed his journey to the point on lap 20, by passing Bob Goutermout. Furlong had just captured third place from Holbrook as Ordway took command. The leaders hit lapped traffic around lap 30, which ended up being a negative for Bob Goutermout. Goutermout tangled with a lapped car, jumped a wheel, and mangled the front of his 77 Supermodified for the second time of the night.

After the lap 33 restart, Ordway was not about to give up his winning streak. He pulled away from Furlong and the rest of the field to take the win. Furlong crossed the line second, with Jerry Curran, Jeff Holbrook, and Tim Gareau rounding out the top five.

Heat 1:
1. Bob Magner (40) 2. Greg Furlong (72) 3. Dave Halstead (34) 4. Brian Sweeney (3) 5. Bob Bond (25) 6. Otto Sitterly (79) 7. Mike Brubaker (36)

Heat 2:
1. Mike Ordway (61) 2. Todd Stowell (89) 3. Keith Gilliam (87) 4. Jerry Curran (24) 5. Tim Snyder (0) 6. Pat Lavery (99) 7. Shawn Muldoon (1)

Heat 3:
1. Bob Goutermout (77) 2. Jeff Holbrook (35) 3. Gary Morton (96) 4. Bill Peri (14) 5. Vern LaFave (97) 6. Tim Gareau (5) 7. Craig Rayvals (94) 8. Bill Sharkey - DNS

Feature:
1. Mike Ordway (61) 2. Greg Furlong (72) 3. Jerry Curran (24) 4. Jeff Holbrook (35) 5. Tim Gareau, Jr. (5) 6. Bob Magner (40) 7. Brian Sweeney (3) 8. Todd Stowell (89) 9. Bob Bond (25) 10. Keith Gilliam (87) 11. Dave Halstead, Jr. (34) 12. Pat Lavery (99) 13. Bill Sharkey (7) 14. Bob Goutermout (77) 15. Vern LaFave (97) 16. Otto Sitterly (79) 17. Tim Snyder (0) 18. Craig Rayvals (94) 19. Gary Morton (96) 20. Bill Peri (14) 21. Shawn Muldoon (1)