May 29, 2004

Johnny Payne Captures First Career ISMA Feature and Craig Rayvals Wins First Career Supermodified Feature!

Oswego, NY - Two drivers captured career firsts at the A&P Automotive / PBS Inc. / Furdi's Jim Shampine Memorial on Saturday. Craig Rayvals from Brockville, ONT, overcame a hard crash two weeks ago to hold off Tim Gareau, Jr. in the Supermodified feature event, while Hawthorne, NJ's Johnny Payne was too much for Timmy Jedrzejek in the ISMA main event.

Craig Rayvals shared the front row of the Oswego Supermodified feature with Doug Kells (who picked up a heat race victory earlier in the evening) as the green flag fell. Rayvals powered his 94 into the lead early, but yellow lights fell a lap later as Todd Stowell's 89 spun around, causing about ten Supermodifieds to spin in turn one. Collected in the mess was Mike Ordway behind the wheel of the Clyde Booth 61. Front-end damage to the 61 forced the Booth team to retire for the evening, while Goutermout also went off on the hook. Greg Furlong and Tim Snyder were also involved, but were able to continue with no damage. Goutermout was able to make it out of the pits before racing resumed.

With Ordway out of the action, all eyes were on Greg Furlong. Furlong moved through the top ten rapidly, and was challenged aggressively by Jerry Curran, Tim Snyder, and Doug Kells while Tim Gareau was knocking on Rayvals' back door for the top spot. Furlong was able to grab third place before Jerry Curran spun his "Nuclear Banana" number 24 in turn one on his own on lap 18. The Supermodifieds were stuck on lap 18 for a while, as two more cautions fell immediately after restarts. One was for Bob Bond after hitting the turn three wall, while the other was for Jerry Curran and Gene Lee Gibson spinning in the back straightaway.

Once the green stayed out for a full lap, Furlong laid the hammer down in his Furdi's 72. He screamed by Gareau and Rayvals, and opened up a respectable lead quickly. Furlong gained a straightaway lead before his motor began showing smoke. Furlong was issued the black flag as Jerry Curran spun around once again on lap 36. Without an alternative, Greg pulled his 72 into the pits for repairs, surrendering his lead to Rayvals.

On the restart, Gareau was able to dive under Rayvals for the race lead. However, yellow lights for a Tim Snyder accident put Rayvals back at the point. Rayvals maintained the lead on the next restart, while Shawn Muldoon suddenly appeared in third place by passing Pat Lavery. Also on the move was Bob Goutermout, who earlier in the race needed assistance getting to the pits by a tow-truck. Goutermout worked his way into the top five, as Rayvals fought off Gareau. Gareau gave it his all, but Rayvals was able to hold off Gareau to capture his first career Supermodified victory. Goutermout managed to get by Muldoon for third before the lap counter hit 50. Otto Sitterly rounded out the top five.

ISMA Feature
Rick Wentworth and Johnny Payne set the pace for the ISMA 50-lap feature. Payne was able to take the early lead, and rapidly pulled away from the field. On lap 10, Timmy Jedrzejek, who turned blazing times in his heat winning performance, found himself in the top five as Payne gained a lead of 5 seconds over Wentworth. The top five was Payne, Wentworth, Jedrzejek, Mark Sammut, and Randy Ritskes when Jamie Timmons spun around in turn four bringing out the first caution of the event. Timmons was out for the night.

With a lapped car between himself and second-place, Payne had no problem pulling away from the field once again. Timmy Jedrzejek continued his charge, and ran side-by-side with Wentworth for several laps before finally powering by on lap 23. Right away, "Timmy J" began to reel in Payne. Lapped traffic became a major factor around lap 30, and Jedrzejek was able to put his 7 right on the back bumper of Payne's 88. Jedrzejek challenged Payne, but could not pass him before he broke free from traffic. Once again, Payne opened up a large lead before Jon Gambuti spun bringing out the yellow flag on lap 44.

When the green lights were turned back on, Payne and Jedrzejek pulled away from the rest of the field, and began a two-car dash to the finish. Payne was not to be denied of his first ISMA victory, and held on with Timmy J coming across the line second. Wentworth, Chris Perley, and Sammut rounded out the top five.

Supermodifieds:
Heat 1: 1. Greg Furlong (72) 2. Craig Rayvals (94) 3. Pat Lavery (99) 4. Todd Stowell (89) 5. Ray Graham, Jr. (90) 6. Bill Sharkey (7) 7. Jeff Holbrook (35) 8. Joe Gosek (27) 9. Hal LaTulip (56) 10. Mike Brubaker (36)

Heat 2: 1. Doug Kells (39) 2. Tim Gareau (5) 3. Otto Sitterly (79) 4. Bob Goutermout (77) 5. Bill Peri (14) 6. Bob Bond (25) 7. Brian Sweeney (3) 8. Bobby Santos III (88) 9. Gene Lee Gibson (16) 10. Jennifer Chesbro (33)

Heat 3: 1. Mike Ordway (61) 2. Jerry Curran (24) 3. Tim Snyder (0) 4. Keith Gilliam (87) 5. Shawn Muldoon (1) 6. Dave Halstead (34) 7. Gary Morton (96) 8. George Groves (38) 9. Vern LaFave (97) - DNS

Consi: 1. Brian Sweeney (3) 2. Joe Gosek (27) 3. Gary Morton (96) 4. Jeff Holbrook (35) 5. Bobby Santos III (88) 6. Hal LaTulip (56) 7. Vern LaFave (97) 8. Gene Lee Gibson (16) 9. Jennifer Chesbro (33) 10. George Groves (38) 11. Mike Brubaker (36) - DNS

Feature: 1. Craig Rayvals (94) 2. Tim Gareau (5) 3. Bob Goutermout (77) 4. Shawn Muldoon (1) 5. Otto Sitterly (79) 6. Pat Lavery (99) 7. Greg Furlong (72) 8. Todd Stowell (89) 9. Ray Graham, Jr. (90) 10. Doug Kells (39) 11. Bill Sharkey (7) 12. Jeff Holbrook (35) 13. Jerry Curran (24) 14. Bill Peri (14) 15. Keith Gilliam (87) 16. Tim Snyder (0) 17. Bob Bond (25) 18. Gene Lee Gibson (16) 19. Vern LaFave (97) 20. Brian Sweeney (3) 21. Bobby Santos III (88) 22. Hal LaTulip (56) 23. Dave Halstead, Jr. (34) 24. Mike Ordway (61) 25. Bob Magner (33)



ISMA:
Heat 1: 1. Timmy Jedrzejek (7) 2. Rick Wentworth (10) 3. Joe Gosek (9) 4. Russ Wood (29) 5. Brad Lichty (84) 6. Scott Martel (14) 7. Ray Graham, Jr. (90) 8. AJ Davis (19) 9. Jon Gambuti (85)

Heat 2: 1. Dave McKnight (94) 2. Nokie Fornoro (32) 3. Mark Sammut (78) 4. Randy Ritskes (97) 5. Greg Furlong (72) 6. Dan Osmeloski (01) 7. Mike Brubaker (36) 8. Jennifer Chesbro (33)

Heat 3: 1. Pat Abold (26) 2. Chris Perley (11) 3. Lou Cicconi (75) 4. Johnny Payne (88) 5. Jamie Timmons (27) 6. Joe Petro (99) 7. Gary Morton (70) 8. TJ Potrzebowski (59) 9. Billy Buyck (5) 10. Keith Gilliam (87)

Consi: 1. Ray Graham, Jr. (90) 2. AJ Davis (19) 3. Mike Brubaker (36) 4. Gary Morton (70) 5. Jon Gambuti (85) 6. Keith Gilliam (87) 7. Jennifer Chesbro (33) 8. Billy Buyck (5) 9. TJ Potrzebowski (59)

Feature: 1. Johnny Payne (88) 2. Timmy Jedrzejek (7) 3. Rick Wentworth (10) 4. Chris Perley (11) 5. Mark Sammut (78) 6. Nokie Fornoro (32) 7. Randy Ritskes (97) 8. Pat Abold (26) 9. Scott Martel (14) 10. Joe Gosek (9) 11. Russ Wood (29) 12. Mike Lichty (84) 13. Joe Petro (99) 14. Jon Gambuti (85) 15. Ray Graham, Jr. (90) 16. Mike Brubaker (36) 17. Keith Gilliam (87) 18. Jennifer Chesbro (33) 19. Greg Furlong (72) 20. Dave McKnight (94) 21. Lou Cicconi (75) 22. AJ Davis (19) 23. Dan Osmeloski (01) 24. Gary Morton (70) 25. Jamie Timmons (27)