Story By: CAMDEN PROUD / OSWEGO SPEEDWAY – OSWEGO, NY – The stage was set for the second Novelis Supermodified Twin 40 presented by JP Jewelers as Tim Snyder drew the pole position with Mike Bruce to his outside. Bruce took the lead from the high road, leading 39 of 40 laps until running out of fuel on a green-checkered restart with half a lap remaining. This opened the door for Dan Connors Jr. to seize the race lead and secure his second career feature win at Oswego Speedway.
At the start, Bruce took the lead with Snyder settling into second. Fourth-starting Connors slipped ahead of third-starting Joe Gosek for third. Gosek then got under Snyder for third as they completed the third lap. Further back, sixth-starting Otto Sitterly and eighth-starting Michael Barnes had a great battle for sixth, with Barnes eventually taking the spot from Sitterly and then getting under the Snyder zero for fifth as they completed lap five.
Meanwhile, Dave Shullick Jr. moved to the outside of both Sitterly and Barnes on his way to fifth on a hard charge from ninth. However, the 95 and 68 brushed wheels, and Barnes got a flat tire, dropping out of fifth on lap 9. The leaders Bruce, Connors, and Gosek had a clean restart and getaway until lap 19 when Lou LeVea Jr., who had won the first Twin, spun in turn three and collected Shullick, causing severe damage to both cars. Fortunately, both drivers were okay.
At halfway, Bruce still led, followed by Connors, Gosek, Sitterly, and Logan Rayvals, who had made an incredible charge from last to fifth. Dave Danzer, Tyler Thompson, Tim Snyder, rookie Bobby Holmes, who was having a fine run in his first Oswego Novelis Supermodified start, and Barnes were already back in the top 10. The field strung out as the laps wound down, but with four laps to go, Bruce caught heavy traffic, allowing Connors to close in.
On the white flag lap, Bruce got way high in turns one and two, giving Connors an avenue to the inside, but Bruce managed to slam the door shut. As the field came to take the checkered flag though, the yellow lights came on before the 22 crossed the start/finish line for Sitterly, who had spun out of fourth place. This now led to a green-checkered finish with Bruce leading Connors, Gosek, Thompson, and now Danzer, as Rayvals’ phenomenal run ended when he ran out of fuel under caution.
On the restart, it was heartbreak for Bruce as he fired off well and led the field through turn two until running out of fuel and getting passed down low on the backstretch by Connors. Gosek, who was having his best run of the year, dove under Bruce out of turn four to take over the runner-up spot, but Connors crossed the line first, with Gosek in second. Bruce barely held on for third, followed by Thompson in fourth, Danzer in fifth, Barnes with a nice recovery for sixth, Snyder with his best run of the year in seventh, Jeff Abold in eighth, Holmes in ninth, and Brandon Bellinger in tenth.
In victory lane, Connors said, “The car was definitely better than the first feature. I was just trying to hang on. It’s very unfortunate for Mike. I’m guessing he ran out of fuel. It was his race to win, so I kind of fell into it, but I’ll take it. Thanks to Paul’s Big M, PJ’s Ice Cream, Oswego Quality Carpet who helped me out a couple of weeks ago, everybody on the crew, and my whole family.”
The Novelis Supermodifieds return to action this Saturday, August 10, with $10,000 on the line for the 37th running of the Mr. Novelis Supermodified presented by C’s Beverage Center, also featuring Challenge Race #4. There are two points races left before the Classic.
RESULTS
JP Jewelers Retro Night
Novelis Supermodified Twin 40 #2
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Oswego Speedway
Oswego, NY
Feature (40-laps): 1. 01 DAN CONNORS JR, 2. 00 Joe Gosek, 3. 22 Mike Bruce, 4. 98T Tyler Thompson, 5. 52 Dave Danzer, 6. 68 Michael Barnes, 7. 0 Tim Snyder, 8. 05 Jeff Abold, 9. 19 ® Bobby Holmes, 10. 02 Brandon Bellinger, 11. 14 Joey Payne, 12. 7 Otto Sitterly, 13. 94 Logan Rayvals, 14. 27 Aric Iosue, 15. 04 Camden Proud, 16. 75 Brian Osetek, 17. 66 Lou LeVea Sr, 18. 95 Dave Shullick Jr, 19. 83 Lou LeVea Jr, 20. 25 ® Ryan Zitzka, 21. 90 Jack Patrick DNS 20 ® Nick Snyder
Heat 1 (12-laps): 1. 01 Dan Connors Jr, 2. 95 Dave Shullick Jr, 3. 02 Brandon Bellinger, 4. 27 Aric Iosue, 5. 04 Camden Proud, 6. 19 ® Bobby Holmes, 7. 90 Jack Patrick, 8. 68 Michael Barnes
Heat 2 (12-laps): 1. 52 Dave Danzer, 2. 98T Tyler Thompson, 3. 75 Brian Osetek, 4. 22 Mike Bruce, 5. 0 Tim Snyder, 6. 66 Lou LeVea Sr, 7. 25 ® Ryan Zitzka
Heat 3 (12-laps): 1. 83 Lou LeVea Jr, 2. 7 Otto Sitterly, 3. 05 Jeff Abold, 4. 20 ® Nick Snyder, 5. 00 Joe Gosek, 6. 14 Joey Payne, 7. 94 Logan Rayvals
Lighthouse Lanes Up & Comer ($100 bonus to the highest finishing driver who has never won a feature at Oswego Speedway): #19 ® Bobby Holmes
D&S Landscaping Hard Charger ($25 bonus to the driver advancing the most positions): #98T Tyler Thompson