Aric Iosue Dominates on Retro Night for Second Career Supermodified Win
Oswego, NY (August 7, 2016) – Just one month after winning his first career Novelis Supermodified main event at Oswego Speedway, “The Flying Pharmacist” Aric Iosue recalled the script needed to drive to Turning Stone Resort Casino Victory Lane at the ‘Steel Palace’ and promptly walked away from the competition Saturday night in the Speedway’s retro 45-lap feature presented by RJ Caruso Tax & Accounting and JP Jewelers.
Second year supermodified racer Aric Iosue won his second career feature at Oswego Speedway and second of career on Retro Night. (Bill Taylor)
Iosue started from pole position and was never seriously challenged on his way to the wire to wire win, earning a two and a half second victory over Kody Graham.
The second career win for Iosue places him in a tie with several Oswego Speedway shoes to have earned two victories including the likes of Gene Lee Gibson, Jim Cheney, Gordon Dukes, Davey Hamilton, and Danny Soule.
With the win, Iosue joins Dave Danzer and Pat Lavery as the third driver to have scored more than one victory in 2016.
Chasing Iosue and Graham across the stripe on Saturday were Otto Sitterly, Joe Gosek, and Jeff Abold in the front five positions.
“I want to dedicate this win to my dad,” said Iosue. “I believe he is the best mechanic in these pits and he has stuck by me. I’m far from the best driver here but he continues to put this car back together when I wad it up and always gives me a good piece. The car was hooked tonight and I drove the wheels off of it.”
Championship leaders coming into the night – Dave Gruel, Michael Barnes, and Mike Muldoon finished in positions six through eight with Danzer and Lavery finishing the top ten positions.
Iosue and Speedway veteran Jerry Curran brought the Novelis Supermodified field to the Cam’s Pizzeria green flag on Saturday with Iosue launching to the lead in the No. 11 with Curran and Graham tucking in line behind.
The Graham No. 21 was rolling early on making a low side move on Curran at lap 3 in turn three to take the runner-up position with Gosek, Abold, and Sitterly all able to take advantage as well.
A handful of laps later it was Gruel now venturing by Curran on the top side of the track to take the eighth position as he looked to reel in front-runners Iosue, Graham, Gosek, Abold, Sitterly, Barnes, and Muldoon.
Sitterly, who started eighth, was on a mission early on as he was weeks prior in the Mr. Supermodified event, this time however he was able to make it stick as he drove by Abold for the fourth position on the outside in turn four on lap 8.
The races only caution flag of the night would wave at lap 11 for a spinning Lou LeVea Jr., who would catch the wall in turn two. LeVea was OK, but the car was hooked to the infield.
When the field came back to green Iosue led Graham, Gosek, Sitterly, Abold, Barnes, Muldoon, Gruel, Curran, and Snyder to the Pole Position Raceway Firing Point.
As the pack came to full song it was clear that Iosue was the class of the field, pulling out to a comfortable margin. His lead left a tremendous battle behind between Graham, Gosek, Sitterly and the rest with Sitterly and Gosek hot on Graham’s heels.
Further behind Gruel continued his march in the No. 50, racing with championship combatants Muldoon and Barnes.
Gruel took advantage of Muldoon on the restart to snag seventh then stalked Barnes for several laps before he was able to use an outside slingshot pass for the sixth position at lap 38.
With the laps quickly ticking away to the lap 45 deadline, Iosue eventually found lapped traffic but it was too little too late as the No. 11 was well out in front and could back the throttle down on his way to win number two of the season.
As Iosue flew under the checkered flag with Graham in tow, Sitterly was finally able to gas it up and drive by Gosek for third off the races last corner to earn a podium position by a mere tenth of a second with Abold another three seconds behind in fifth.
After essentially being on the sidelines the last couple of races, Graham said he would take second.
“I had surgery recently so we’ve been out of it the last couple races,” said Graham. “With that I guess we’ll take second. This is really only the second race this car has finished, so we still have a long way to go with it.”
Sitterly talked about his podium run.
“That’s a wily veteran right there,” Sitterly said of Gosek. “He made it tough on me but I was able to beat him to the apex there that last time and make it stick. The track was obviously a bit different tonight. They’re trying something and we are all in the same boat. I think with some adjusting it’ll work out. We’ve been able to get to guys this year, just unable to pass. We’ll see how it goes.”
The something different Sitterly referred to on Saturday was a new traction compound on the outside of the track to help promote outside, two lane passing.
Ultimately the compound was laid too high in the first and second corners, rendering it practically useless.
However, the compound was much closer from the apex of turns three and four to the exit of the fourth turn, with a handful of drivers utilizing the top lane with some success.
Track officials have indicated that the compound will be used again for next week’s action, with the material laid a bit lower in the corners and earlier in corner entry.
Shell Shock Custom Helmet Paint heat race victories went to Gruel, Keith Shampine, and Brandon Bellinger.
The night’s Semi-Final wins went to Graham and Muldoon.
Jack Patrick won the companion Pathfinder SBS feature.
Racing at Oswego Speedway continues on Saturday, August 13 with Twin 20 Pathfinder Bank SBS features and a 50-lap Novelis Supermodified main.
Racing will get underway at 6:30 p.m.
Kids 16 and under with paid adult and active military with I.D. are free.
For more information on Oswego Speedway visit online at www.oswegospeedway.com or call (315) 342-0646. Visit the Speedway on social media @OswegoSpeedway or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OswegoSpeedway.
Oswego Speedway
Oswego, NY
Saturday, August 6th, 2016
Retro Night pres. by RJ Caruso Tax & Accounting and JP Jewelers
BOX SCORE:
Novelis Supermodified (45-laps): 1. 11 – Aric Iosue, 2. 21 – Kody Graham, 3. 7 – Otto Sitterly, 4. 00 – Joe Gosek, 5. 05 – Jeff Abold, 6. 50 – Dave Gruel, 7. 68 – Michael Barnes, 8. 15 – Michael Muldoon, 9. 52 – Dave Danzer, 10. 12 – Pat Lavery, 11. 01 – Dan Connors, 12. 0 – Tim Snyder, 13. 70 – Dave McKnight, 14. 24 – Jerry Curran, 15. 56 – Hal LaTulip, 16. 83 – Lou LeVea Jr, 17. 55 – Keith Shampine, 18. 14 – Kreig Heroth
- Lighthouse Lanes Hard Charger: #7 – Otto Sitterly
- Lighthouse Lanes Up and Comer: #01 – Dan Connors
- Radical Race Gear Lap Leader: #11 – Aric Iosue
- Xtreme Sim Racing Series Last Car on the Lead Lap: #01 – Dan Connors
Heat #1 (12-laps): 1. 50 – Dave Gruel, 2. 7 – Otto Sitterly, 3. 70 – Dave McKnight, 4. 05 – Jeff Abold, 5. 01 – Dan Connors, 6. 14 – Kreig Heroth, 7. 83 – Lou LeVea Jr
Heat #2 (12-laps): 1. 55 – Keith Shampine, 2. 68 – Michael Barnes, 3. 0 – Tim Snyder, 4. 21 – Kody Graham, 5. 52 – Dave Danzer, 6. 11 – Aric Iosue
Heat #3 (12-laps): 1. 02 – Brandon Bellinger, 2. 15 – Michael Muldoon, 3. 12 – Pat Lavery, 4. 00 – Joe Gosek, 5. 24 – Jerry Curran, 6. 56 – Hal LaTulip
Semi-Final #1 (15-laps): 1. 21 – Kody Graham, 2. 00 – Joe Gosek, 3. 05 – Jeff Abold, 4. 7 – Otto Sitterly, 5. 68 – Michael Barnes, 6. 24 – Jerry Curran, 7. 01 – Dan Connors, 8. 55 – Keith Shampine, 9. 56 – Hal LaTulip
Semi-Final #2 (15-laps): 1. 15 – Michael Muldoon, 2. 0 – Tim Snyder, 3. 50 – Dave Gruel, 4. 12 – Pat Lavery, 5. 52 – Dave Danzer, 6. 11 – Aric Iosue, 7. 83 – Lou LeVea jr, 8. 70 – Dave McKnight, 9. 14 – Kreig Heroth
About Oswego Speedway: Oswego Speedway, a sports entertainment company, is a 5/8 mile semi-banked pavement racing oval located off the shores of Lake Ontario in scenic Oswego, NY. Oswego Speedway has been a continuously run weekly racing venue since August, 1951. The premier open-wheel pavement short track cars in the world, Supermodifieds, run weekly at Oswego Speedway.
