97aug30

August 30th, 1997

IRL'S DAVEY HAMILTON TOPS OSWEGO SPEEDWAY INTERNATIONAL CLASSIC 200 FIELD

Oswego, NY - Boise, Idaho's Davey Hamilton and driver of the A.J. Foyt Power Team 14 in IRL competition, returned to his roots long enough this past weekend to cop the most coveted prize for supermodifieds , the Budweiser International Classic. Hamilton, whose supermodified achievements include four Copper World Classic wins and several SMRA championships before heading to the Indy Racing League, has tried on several occasions to add the Oswego Classic jewel to his crown. Sunday he took over the lead very late in the race when his car owner Mike Muldoon and Fulton, NY's Eddie Bellinger, brushed wheels, sending them out of the top two spots. Hamilton took over the lead as the race went green-white-checkered, holding off Oswego, NY's Jeff West at the finish.

Over $30,000 in prize money and contingencies also fit nicely into the picture. "I want to thank Mike Muldoon for giving me such a great car. I want to also thank Budweiser and the Caruso's for having us here. This race is to supermodifieds what Indy or Knoxville is to their divisions. It's the important one and it holds a lot of history. I have wanted to win it for a long time. Today, I had a good feeling about the middle of the race that I was going to win this thing. Unfortunately, Mike's misfortune when he and Eddie touched, was my fortune. I was right behind them and hunting them down when they touched ever so slightly. I was figuring on Mike and I finishing in the top three until that incident. When I saw them brush, I stayed low and slid by. I had a fast car at that point but to have a fast car on this track and getting around someone are two different things. That late in the race, I probably wouldn't have gotten by either Eddie or Mike. I caught up to them, but to get by would have been another story. They've run many laps here and they know how to use the lanes and to protect them."

Hamilton took a gamble and pitted for a tire on lap 143, working his way up through a lot of traffic and a couple other scary incidents on his way to the front. "I felt that I couldn't win the race without that fresh tire, so I came in. We did it and it worked out for the best. It was fun working through the traffic. I had a great time. It's been a long time since I've been able to get in a supermodified and come up through the pack. I was having a blast out there."

Hamilton was asked how this win ranked with his Copper World Classic wins. "This is a great win for me. My Copper World Classic wins were important because it was my first major supermodified victory and that helped me meet A.J. Foyt, but this is very special. It means a lot to win the Classic. It's been going on so long and it's got such a great history. It's right up there with that first Copper World supermodified victory. I think A.J. will be happy that I won. He was a little hesitant to let me come as we're locked in the battle for IRL points and PowerTeam and A.J. Foyt have a lot invested in me, and they want me in one piece. But A.J. knew it meant a lot, so he said go ahead. I have to thank them as well for giving the shot."

The 35-car Budweiser International Classic field came down to the green late in the afternoon with threats of sporadic rain on the minds of all the teams. Doug Didero and Mike Muldoon, the top time trialers, were on the front row. Doug Didero led the initial laps, with an major pileup occurring on lap 6 of the event which affected no less than ten cars. The multi-car tangle was set up with a sideways car blocking the oncoming field. As cars scattered all over, Jamie Moore caught a wheel sending the Lair 17 rolling up and over the 31 of Ken Bell.

Other cars affected included Dave McKnight, Mike Ordway, Todd Stowell, Shannon Groves, Gene Lee Gibson, Justin Belfiore, Bob Goutermout, and Doug Saunier in the Boldman 38. Five of the ten ended their Classic very early. When the green finally came back out, Mike Muldoon grabbed the lead from Doug Didero and opened up a healthy lead as the race began to sort itself out and things settled down. Didero was pacing himself, but didn't loose sight of Muldon's 50 as Hamilton, Eddie Bellinger, Pat Abold and Steve Gioia also kept the leaders within striking distance. Randy Ritskes' blown motor on lap 34 brought out the next slowdown of the race with the Canadian doing a great job in keeping the 27 off the wall.

A red was brought out for track cleanup and some confusion in commands. Several cars used the time to make pitstops for repairs or tires, such as Dan Soule, Andy Powell and Shannon Groves. Dave Simard's spin slowed the race once again before the race went green again on lap 40 with Muldoon still the leader. Almost 20 laps were in the books before yet another slowdown occurred when Dan Soule's 32 slid sideways down the track with everyone getting by. Soule was able to continue. By lap 75, Muldoon was once again well out front with Didero, Hamilton, Abold and Bellinger the top five. Steve Gioia, Russ Wood, Joe Gosek, Jeff West and Howard Page were vying for top spots.

A yellow on lap 79 saw Page make a planned stop for rubber, sending him to the tail of the field. Again the race settled into a steady pace and as the halfway mark approached, and the $1,000 bonus, the top four of Muldoon, Didero, Hamilton and Abold were nose to tail. Just shy of the lap 100 mark, Didero dove around Muldoon as traffic played a role with Didero the leader just in time to pick up the Universal Joint Sales Halfway leader bonus. Now, with the race officially complete if the rain did come, pitting strategy came into play.

On a lap 110 caution for Bob Goutermout's 93, Eddie Bellinger's 02 dove into the pits for a tire. Unfortunately, the crew couldn't remove the tire they wanted to change and when Bellinger's crew chief saw that they might loose a lap, he sent Bellinger back out with no loss, but no new tire. Didero was out for a Sunday drive by now with a good distance on Muldoon, Hamilton, Abold, Gioia and Gosek. Unfortunately for Gosek, his day would end on lap 118 when he dropped a valve in the 00. Bellinger, who very much wanted to win his sixth Classic, got another chance to make good on that tire change when on lap 123, yellow had flown for the 40 of Dave Trytek. This time the crew made the change and Bellinger had fresh rubber and 75 laps to get back up through the field. His run to the front had a huge throng of Bellinger fans on the edge of their seat.

On lap 140, Howard Page, who had been talked about as a dark horse to win the event, found his 18 on the hook and out of the action. This caution was where Davey Hamilton made his decision to come in. He and Bentley Warren, driving the Matczak 3, both were in and out in of the pits and looking at a long line of cars between them and the front spot. There were only 55 laps now left in the race. At the lap 150 mark, it was Didero, Muldoon, Abold, Gioia and West with a fast-moving Eddie Bellinger moving in on Russ Wood in sixth. Wood said later, "Bellinger just flew by me. He was moving." With 25 to go, Didero was lost in a field of lapped cars as at least a half dozen slower cars sat in between he and Muldoon.

To say he was in a comfortable position would be an understatement at that point. On lap 176, a jumble occurred in turn 4 between Pat Abold, Steve Gioia, and Dave McKnight which also found Bellinger, who was right behind Gioia, coming out of the smoke with a bent nose wing. Abold came in to change a flat, loosing a lap in the process. Time was winding down, now as Didero still maintained his strong lead, Muldoon found a charging 02 right alongside. All eyes were on the 50 and 02 as Eddie and Mike wove through traffic.

Suddenly, the two cars running for second would be running for first as the Didero 4 was slowing down. The car was sputtering out of fuel. With seven laps to go, the race became a new ballgame for Muldoon, Bellinger and Hamilton as Jeff West, Pat Abold and Russ Wood rode a distance back in the top six spots. With Didero fading quietly out of the picture, Muldoon and Bellinger launched a "classic" duel for the point. With Bellinger announcing his retirement from full-time racing, the air was electric with sentiment. Could Bellinger get by Muldoon to pull off the win, possibly his last?

The question went unanswered as the 50 and 02 pulled off the fourth turn heading for the start of the last lap. Neither gave an inch as a lap car sat just off Muldoon's bow. Hamilton was alert, watching where his teammate and Bellinger were going. Suddenly, the two brushed, sending both sideways down the front straight as the clocked ticked to lap 199. Instead of one of the pair winning the prestigious event, both were very disappointed and on the hook. What might have been a great three-way shootout for the win, ended for two of the combatants. As the rules state the race can not end under yellow, Hamilton, the new leader, had to wait until lap 206 to win his first ever Classic, but he managed. "I haven't lost too many races that ended in a green-white-checkered," Hamilton said later.

An elated Jeff West was the runner-up and a surprised Russ Wood had his third top three finish in five years. For West, it was his career high in the 200-lapper. "We're real happy. Everything we wanted just unfolded for us. I played the game plan, and that's exactly the way we wanted to run it. We weren't planning on pitting so I wanted to save tires as long as I could. About lap 125, I decided to go racing. I got up to fifth. If those crashes didn't happen, I probably wouldn't have been quite so fortunate, but that's the Classic and that's the way the deals go. I've been in them before. You've got to credit Davey, a guy who only comes here once a year and gets the job done. He's a wonderful driver. Another thing, people just don't recognize the crews on these cars. We had a car that was completely trashed three weeks ago, and look what the crew did. Drivers get in and drive. Without a crew you have nothing. They deserve the utmost respect, all of them. My crew gave me a car that was absolutely flawless. It ran 200 laps and never missed a beat. The guys deserve as much credit as anyone. They don't get paid. Nobody gives them the credit most of the time. My thanks to all the guys who donate their time - from the winning car to the losing car. I'm very happy for my crew. A second in the Classic. We can't complain." Said Wood later, "We got lucky tonight. We had a tenth place car but due to attrition, we finished third. The guys did a lot of work, but the car just wasn't right. We weren't strong today, but we just hung in there and got third. We finished second last night, so it wasn't a bad weekend at all, especially money-wise for Paul (Dunigan)."

Classic qualifiers were won by Todd Stowell, Tim Snyder and Mike Ordway with the 19-car B Main taken by Bob Goutermout. A red flag situation was set up in this 20-lapper "last chance" event when Jack Smith and Gary Syrell tangled with Smith somewhat shaken in the incident. Both cars were out for the day.

55 supermodifieds took time, Top two time trialers:
Doug Didero(17.061)
Mike Muldoon(17.139)

Heat 1: Todd Stowell, Ken Bell, Dave Heitzhaus, Mike Douglas, Willie Stutzman, Jamie Letcher, Ralph Clark, Bill Sharkey, Joe Petro, Hal LaTulip.(top two qualified)

Heat 2: Tim Snyder, Joey Payne, Jamie Moore, Joe Hawksby, Chris Perley, Scott Martel, Frank Ferguson, Denny Fisher, Joey Moriarty, Dave Mazzoni (top three qualified)

Heat 3: Mike Ordway, Dave Simard, Shannon Groves, Bob Goutermout, Don Little, Gary Syrell, Joe Chillemi, Roger Clark, Jack Smith, Joe Grunda(top three qualified)

B-Main: Bob Goutermout, Joe Hawksby, Chris Perley, Don Little, Hal LaTulip, Joe Petro, Jamie Letcher, Mike Douglas, Frank Ferguson, Denny Fisher, Ralph Clark, Joe Chillemi, Roger Clark, Willie Stutzman, Gary Syrell, Jack Smith, Joey Moriarty, Scott Martel, Dave Mazzoni. Dave Heitzhaus started 35th using provisional spot for top 20 in points.

41st ANNUAL BUDWEISER CLASSIC 200
1. Davey Hamilton(35), Boise, Idaho
2. Jeff West(01), Oswego, NY
3. Russ Wood(29), Pelham, NH
4. Pat Abold(05), Oswego, NY
5. Dave Shullick(33), Amherst, OH
6. Dave Heitzhaus(11), Strykersville, NY
7. Gary Morton(99), Stouffville, Ont.
8. Doug Didero(4), Mooresville, NC
9. Steve Gioia(9), Oswego, NY
10. Todd Stowell(89), Brewerton, NY
11. Joey Payne(14), Hawthorne, NJ
12. Dan Soule(32), Clay, NY
13. Lou Cicconi(98), Aston, PA
14. Bob Bond(39), Mexico, NY
15. Tim Gareau(5), Fulton, NY
16. Dave Simard(37), Plaistow, NH
17. Mike Muldoon(50), Fulton, NY
18. Eddie Bellinger(02), Fulton, NY
19. Dave McKnight(94), Brampton, Ont.
20. Bentley Warren(3), Kennebunkport, ME
21. Dave Trytek(40), Syracuse, NY
22. Howard Page(18), Hannibal, NY
23. Justin Belfiore(03), Haverhill, MA
24. Tim Snyder(0), Alexandria, VA
25. Joe Gosek(00), Oswego, NY
26. Bob Goutermout(93), Fulton, NY
27. Shannon Groves(07), Russell, Ont.
28. Andy Powell(12), Fulton, NY
29. Randy Ritskes(27), Athens, Ont.
30. Greg Furlong(72), Fulton, NY
31. Mike Ordway(26), Fremont, NH
32. Gene Lee Gibson(16), Richwood, OH
33. Doug Saunier(38), Navarre, OH
34. Jamie Moore(17), Auburn, NY
35. Kenny Bell(31), Pennellville, NY