Archive for May, 2010

Joe Starr Photo

by Keith Shampine

Dacono, Colo. – Sixty-one-year-old Harry Stone proved experience pays Saturday night when he drove his 1985 Masterman chassis to victory in the Englewood Supermodified Association opener at Colorado National Speedway.

Stone started sixth in the 25-lapper and caught pole-sitter Chris Sheil by lap seven.  Stone worked the bottom on Sheil’s No. 33 for a handful of laps before sticking the inside groove on lap 10.  The Denver driver pulled his black No. 40 out to a full straightaway advantage, and was never headed on his way to the triumph.

Nick Haygood started 10th and moved into fifth by the second circuit.  Haygood passed Sheil just past halfway to move into second, but needed a caution to catch Stone.  The yellow never came, and Stone maneuvered through lap traffic like an old pro to garner his first feature win since 2008. 
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Chris Perley, Winner; Mike Lichty, Rob Summers. Howie Hodge Photo

by Carol Haynes

Waterford, CT – Canadian Mike Lichty is no stranger to victory lane by any means, but when it came to winning an ISMA supermodified event, he has been stymied each time he appeared to be headed for victory lane. The chances were many over the seven-year career but always something happened to prevent the 23-year old from notching that first big one. The spoiler on many occasions was Chris Perley. Saturday night at Waterford Speedway began to look like a sequel, but the ending this time was different. Lichty, starting eighth on the field, worked his way up behind race leader Bob Magner by lap 15, and on lap 21 darted by the 41 for the lead. Within 10 laps, however, Perley had put his 11 into second and the duel began. But, this night, it all came together for Lichty and Perley would stand on the podium, outside the new winner.

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Otto Sitterly kept his track title defense on course by winning his second supermodified feature in as many weeks Saturday night at the Oswego Speedway. The Canajoharie driver chased down and bested Canada’s Dave McKnight, Jr. with 9 laps to go to earn the victory in the 45-lap event.

“I just tried to go easy at the beginning and not burn it up too much” Sitterly said. “But at the same time, you can’t wait around. They all seemed to be eager and hungry tonight, everybody.”

His competitors are certainly “eager and hungry” for a win. Sitterly has owned victory lane for three straight Oswego supermodified features, dating back to the 2009 International Classic.
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By Keith Shampine

Oswego, N.Y. – The blue G&I Homes Nicotra No. 7 is fast becoming a fixture at the front of the supermodified pack at Oswego Speedway.

Otto Sitterly drove to another convincing win Saturday at the fast five-eighths-mile speedway, this time starting from seventh and taking the lead from Canadian Dave McKnight Jr. on lap 36 of the Speedway Press / 2 Xtreme Towing 45-lap main.  After the pass, Sitterly wheeled his quick Hawk Jr. chassis to a 3.6-second lead in just nine laps to win his second feature in as many weeks.  McKnight finished second and Joey Payne third.

Including last season’s International Classic triumph, Sitterly has won three super mains in a row at Oswego.

Mike “Pinner” Johnson Photo

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Lou Cicconi & Team Stout at Lorain Victory Lane. Todd Ridgeway Photo

by Todd Ridgeway

By the end of the night it became clear that “Liquid” Lou Cicconi came to Lorain County (OH) Speedway with one thing in mind, win! Cicconi bested the 18 car Midwest Supermodified Association (MSA) field winning the 30 lap feature in convincing style. Cicconi blasted to the front from his tenth starting position and on lap seven zipped past then leader Mark Sammut never looking back until the checkered flag flew. This was the second stop of the MSA tour and Cicconi’s first MSA victory of the young season.
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by Carol Haynes

Oswego, NY – For the sixth straight year the International SuperModified Association will spend part of Memorial Day weekend at Waterford Speedbowl in Connecticut. This annual event has been the ISMA season opener for four of the six years and it’s always been exciting.

During ISMA’s tenure at Waterford, the feature wins have been divided between four different drivers. Liquid Lou Cicconi took home the inaugural event in 2005 in his basically new 75 super. Cicconi had to evade a six-car pileup and a challenge by Pat Abold in the 26. Randy Ritskes, driving the Budnick 88, Joe Petro and Justin Belfiore rounded out the top five.
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by Keith Shampine

Oswego, N.Y. – Otto Sitterly continued his reign over the non-winged supermodified division at Oswego Speedway Saturday night with a convincing victory in the Burritt Motors / Syracuse Post-Standard 60th season opener on a cold night in Central New York.  

Sitterly and his G&I Homes John Nicotra-owned No. 7 started the 60-lapper in fifth position and made an inside pass of Keith Shampine on lap 23 to take the lead.  Sitterly pulled away from there and drove unchallenged to his 13th career supermodified victory at the lakeside oval.

“The car was good,” Otto said after his first victory of the new season. “The track, it’s still early and there’s not a ton of grip off the bottom groove.  So pretty much anything you could get, you had to try and get it on the bottom.  A couple of times I saw guys try on the top in the heat race and a couple of times I just tried rolling around out there. There just wasn’t really a lot of grip there, so you had to get right down on the bottom.”
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After a chilly-season opener at Sandusky Speedway, the cars and stars of the Midwest Supermodified Association are gearing up for Lorain County Speedway on Saturday, May 22nd. The 3/8’s mile located off State Route 58 in South Amherst, Ohio always is a sure bet for exciting side by side racing. Lorain County Speedway’s Terry Adams is awaiting the return of the supers. He states, “I am really looking forward to seeing the supermodifieds return to Lorain County Speedway. We are expecting a good car count and a great crowd. The super drivers always put on a great race for the fans. The fans will have the opportunity to talk to the supermodified drivers and get autographs before the races.”

Drivers expected to compete in the event include veterans Timmy Jedrzejek, Charlie Schultz, “Liquid” Lou Cicconi, Jon Henes, Tim Ice, Jack Smith, Randy Burch, Rich Reid, and Bobby Dawson. Young guns such as Trent Stephens, Brandon Fisher, Matt Palmer, and Zach Gibson are expected to compete as well. Last season Randy Burch and Gene Lee Gibson each picked up a feature win at the track while mother nature claimed the other two events including the season-championship.

Gates will open at 2:30 pm, practice will start at 3:30 pm, qualifying will take place at 4:45 pm, and the first race begins at 7pm. Other divisions racing on the evening include the E-mods, Pure Stocks, Street Stocks, Enduros, and Hobby Stocks. Adult general admission is $17, $5 for kids ages 6-12 and kids ages 5 and younger are admitted free. Members will get into the pits for $25 while it will cost non-members $30. Check out the official MSA website at http://www.midwestsupers.com for all the latest news, stats, and pictures. For more information on Lorain County Speedway visit http://www.loraincountyspeedway.com

Cornelius, N.C. – When Oswego Speedway swings its gates open for the Burritt Motors / Syracuse Post-Standard 60^th season opener this Saturday, it will be without a devoted supermodified fan from Oshawa, Ontario, Canada.

Longtime Oswego fan Mancel Davis (1933-2010) passed away on Sunday, May 2, not long after he and his wife, Betty, traveled to Oswego to purchase their 2010 season tickets.  Shortly after purchasing the tickets, while still in the states, Davis became ill and was flown home to Ontario before passing away.

Former Oswego track manager Dick O’Brien says Davis saw every International Classic from 1960 to 2009 and that Mancel and his wife rarely missed a weekly Oswego race.  The couple also spent their honeymoon at the lakeside oval some years back.

Davis’s obituary read that “he enjoyed traveling to Oswego, New York, and many other places to watch car racing.”

Mancel’s many friends who sat around him near Oswego’s start/finish line will surely miss their fellow supermodified devotee when the new season kicks off this Saturday.

Press written by Keith Shampine. Contact Keith at 315-657-2207 or e-mail theracerwriter@gmail.com.