July 19th, 1997

DIDERO IN VICTORY LANE AT OSWEGO

Oswego, NY - A strong field of cars treated the large crowd on hand to some great racing as Doug Didero, Russ Stoehr and Tom Jodway took wins Saturday night at Oswego Speedway. For Didero, win number 4 on the season was even more important as the $3,000 to win, 50-lap Hershey's-Reeses victory also garnered him double points, something he needed to keep sight of point leader Mike Muldoon in the points chase. Carver, MA's Russ Stoehr topped the competitive field of NEMA midgets on hand, winning his third career National Parts Peddler feature handily over Drew Fornoro. The win was worth $2,000 to Stoehr. Tom Jodway took the limited win after leader Bob Rundell's 33 overheated with two laps to go, sending him pitside.

Doug Didero was happy to be back in victory lane after the supermodified feature, but it wasn't an easy run for him as he had to chase the high-flying Jamie Moore in the Muldoon 50, for most of the event. "It was a good race tonight," said Didero in victory lane, "It was just too bad we had so many oil spills. We had a real good race going - fast and clean, everyone was running good. We had to work for every inch that we got out there. Hopefully we finally found the setup on the car now and can keep it."

Moore grabbed the early lead from the pole, but a crash on lap 3 slowed things when Jamie Letcher's 53 piled into the foam off turn three. Letcher said a rack broke causing him to veer into the wall.

Moore was off and running after the cleanup and a strong running Shannon Groves held second ahead of Bob Goutermout, Andy Powell, Jeff West, Kenny Bell and Howard Page.

Yellow number two flew on lap 11 when grease was laid down around the track. Tim Gareau's 5 appeared the culprit and he went pitside for a check, going down several laps before returning.

Moore got in a few race laps before yellow flew for the 12 of Powell who had to exit the track. After another short yellow on lap 18, the race got back underway with Moore at the helm. Back in the pack Groves, Bell, Page and now Didero were the top five with Todd Stowell, West, Pat Abold and Joe Gosek chomping at the bit.

Dave Lair's 17 was next to unfurl the yellow on lap 21, and he too, had to end his night.

Near the halfway mark, yellow, then red flew for Todd Stowell as he came into the pits with a trail of oil emanating from his car. Several cars on the track were affected by the oil such as Pat Abold, Eddie Bellinger and Kenny Bell, but no one was penalized because of the track conditions. The crews were allowed to top off their fuel while the track was cleaned up.

Moore was away on the green but he now had to contend with Didero, who had worked his way up to third, then to second when he passed Groves. By lap 28, Didero was knocking on Moore's door, but it took him until lap 33 to get by the crafty veteran. Mike Muldoon, who had started deep in the pack, caught up to the leaders and with fifteen to go, he was second.

Didero lengthened his lead over Muldoon and Moore, while Greg Furlong, now held fourth after Bob Goutermout's motor expired. Page, Tim Snyder, Joe Gosek, Groves, Steve Gioia and Ken Bell were the top ten as Didero began to lap the tail of the field.

As the clock ticked to 44, the leaders were weaving through the slower cars and as Jamie Moore tried the high side of Gary Syrell, the two tangled with Moore pinched to the wall. Syrell got up on his side heading into the first turn, hitting the foam blocks a ton. The 08 and 50 were hooked with severe damage. Dan Soule and Jeff West made pitstops in the interim.

When the race resumed, Muldoon just couldn't get a bite and the 3 sailed away to victory. Muldoon indicated that "The red flag killed us. The tires got cold and we couldn't get going. But it was a good race." Furlong who had started last in the field, Page and Snyder finished in the top five while Gosek, Gioia, Groves, Heitzhaus and Bell rounded out the top ten.

Heat 1: Mike Muldoon, Pat Abold, Bob Goutermout, Jamie Letcher, Andy Powell, Tim Snyder, Dave Mazzoni, Tim Gareau, Roger Clark

Heat 2: Jamie Moore, Kenny Bell, Todd Stowell, Dan Soule, Dave Heitzhaus, Doug Didero, Eddie Bellinger, Gary Syrell, Frank Ferguson(52)

Heat 3: Howard Page, Steve Gioia, Shannon Groves, Jeff West, Joe Gosek, Dave Trytek, Joe Hawksby, Dave Lair, Greg Furlong

Consi: Eddie Bellinger, Tim Gareau, Dave Lair, Gary Syrell, Joe Hawksby Jr., Greg Furlong, Frank Ferguson, Dave Mazzoni