August 16, 2022 – Oswego, NY…They say that “Opportunity often comes disguised in the form of misfortune, or temporary defeat.” For Bob Gangwer, his opportunity for a win in the Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, (SUPRS), SUPRSNationals 50 for the Empire State Super Series Regional Tour, came in the misfortune of Ryan Cloonan. After leading 47 of the 50 laps for the final ESS race of the season Monday night at Oswego Speedway, Cloonan had a computer glitch during the lone caution of the race which led to his defeat and handed Gangwer the win.
Cloonan was able to salvage a third place when it was all said and done, coming home behind second place finisher Anthony Corsoniti. The top three were the only cars on the lead lap.
And while he didn’t make the race, owing to the fact that he’s on vacation, 2019 and 2021 SUPRSNationals winner Brad Keysor, had a large enough points lead to hang on for his third Empire State Super Series Regional Tour Championship. Keysor now joins Rob Warren and Ray Sand, Jr. as just the third driver in the history of the tour to win three straight ESS championships.
Gangwer Good with Lucky Win
Bob Gangwer battled with Cloonan in the early stages of the race until getting caught up behind lapped traffic then falling behind by nearly a straight away before the caution came out on lap 47 for a spinning Steven Vincent. Knowing that it’s often as good to be lucky as it is to be good, Gangwer was OK with lucking into the win. “First off, I want to say that my prayers are with the Henes family. They recently lost matriarch Nancy and I know their hearts are hurting,” said Gangwer. “It’s not the way I want to win a race,” he continued. “Ryan had this one in the bag after I got caught up with some lapped traffic, so he deserves the win, but I’ll take it because I’ve been on his side of the fence enough times in the past and sometimes it’s OK to be lucky and snatch one away.”
It was Gangwer’s first win at the SUPRSNationals event, and first time fans had seen the RW Woodworking #25 in Oswego’s victory lane after a feature in over three years, a fact which wasn’t lost on the winner. “This is pretty foreign territory sitting here,” Gangwer remarked from the front stretch at Oswego. “I can’t remember the last time I was here. This is just a tough group of great racersm, and to get a win at the Big O, regardless of how it panned out for Ryan, it’s really cool.
“I really have to thank RW Woodworking, WAG’s Machine Shop for giving me a great hot rod tonight, Ma and Pa and the WSU Crew for standing behind me,” he stated. “There’s a lot more people too, all the guys at SUPRS, the admins that let me race, BreezeGraphics.com, 1st to Finish Race Servers, Icings on Top, Hairbag Studios, B&G Racing photos, the list is huge because I don’t often find myself in this position.”
Cloonan Philosophical About Third
While Gangwer celebrated in muted tones, Cloonan was philosophical as he thought about what could have been. “Even though it was a frustrating night i just want to start off thanking 1st to Finish Race Servers, Hairbag Studios, BreezeGraphics.com, Icings on Top and a shout out to HeatFinder.net and The Mod Squad,” he said.
I had a technical issue after the caution came out,” explained the Simibility.com driver. “I mean computers sometimes do computer things, and we don’t know why, and it crashed my game to the desktop. I had to claim it. I couldn’t see where I was going and I hit the inside wall. I stopped on the track. Sometimes those things happen. You just have to pack up and move to the next one.”
While disappointed, Cloonan thinks he will be able to reset for tomorrow night and the run for the 18th Annual Topless! 200 Pole. “I know I have a fast car underneath me,” he said. “But I’m up against a lot of fast guys and it’s a really long race on Wednesday, so I’ll take it one day at a time.”
Corsoniti Calmly Comes Home Second
It was another consistent and calm race for second place finishing Anthony Corsoniti of N. Syracuse, NY. “It was a good race, I just rode around in third,” he said. Corsoniti knew what he had, but thought there may have been a shot to get to the top two had there been a yellow flag sooner. “I was surprised it went green, I was hoping for a yellow but I just kind of rode around just trying to be careful not to spin it out,” said the driver of the TsForecast.com #12.
Keith Powell came home fourth with Bobby Hayduk finishing in the top five, both a lap down. Every driver that started the 50 lap feature finished the race. Powell and Cloonan won the two heat races.
Full Throttle into Tuesday for Topless! 200 Pole
There’s no time to rest for the SUPRS racers as they head full throttle into Tuesday with their sights set on making a run for the 18th Annual Topless! 200 Pole. With just the two fastest drivers locked into the iconic sim racing event, tensions will be high as drivers try to secure a good starting spot. Practice speeds have been up again this year, leading to speculation that Brad Keysor’s one year old track record of 15.645 could be lowered.
The speed and thrill of Pole Night begins at 7:30pm with the Qualifying Order Draw followed by Hot Laps. Qualifications are expected to get underway soon after.
The previously scheduled Rising Star, a special invitation only event for drivers that have never won a feature in a non-wing supermodified at Oswego Speedway, and which was to preceed time trials, has been cancelled due to a lack of entries.
Time to Go Topless! on Wednesday
On Wednesday, August 17 the excitement of the season reaches it’s final crescendo with the running of the 18th Annual Topless! 200 at Oswego Speedway. Drivers will have to be fast, smooth and lucky to make it to the end of the 200 lap grind where pit stops are rare, and attrition high.
Follow your favorite SUPRS driver through the 18th Annual Topless! 200 week with live in-car video, track telemetry, scoring and timing, and commentary, as you make new friends in our chat room on www.Twitch.tv/SUPRSOnline and see it all on www.SUPRS.net/site/live.
Fans can learn more about all of these races by visiting the schedule page at SUPRS.net.
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SUPRS RACE RESULTS:
- SUPRSNationals
- Empire Super Series Regional Tour Race 6 of 6
- August 15, 2022
- SUPRS Oswego Speedway
- Oswego, NY
- Race 13a of 13
- SUPRS rF NW v1.3 modification
- 50 Laps
Supermodified Heat Race – 10 Laps (showing result, car number, driver name, hometown, sponsors, top 2 eligible for feature invert)
- 41-Keith Powell; Crestline, OH; CPR Motorsports, Icings on Top
- 25-Bob Gangwer; Goshen, IN; B&G Racing Photos, RW Woodworking
- 12-Anthony Corsoniti; N. Syracuse, NY; TsForecast.com
- 14-Bobby Hayduk; Brook Park, OH; Gannon Auto Sales, Bronx Country
Time of Race: 4:01.915
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Supermodified Heat Race – 10 Laps (showing result, car number, driver name, hometown, sponsors, top 2 eligible for feature invert)
- 13-Ryan Cloonan; Oswego, NY; Simability
- 28-Steven Vincent; Cicero, NY; Creative Assistant
- 08-Danny Ray; Goshen, IN; Smokie Bone’s Downhome Kitchen, White Lightening Transportation
- 42-Carl Becker; Lansing, MI; Wholesale Diamond Exchange, Michigan Hill Gang
Time of Race: 2:45.126
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SUPRSNationals Empire State Super Series Regional Tour Feature 50 Laps (showing car number, driver name, starting place, bonus, fastest lap, distance behind winner)
- 25-Bob Gangwer; P1 | ! | * | 16.183
- 12-Anthony Corsoniti; P7 | 16.382 | +2.469
- 13-Ryan Cloonan; P3 | ** | * | 16.207 | +2.548
- 41-Keith Powell; P1 | 16.510 | +1 Lap
- 14-Bobby Hayduk P9 | 16.494 | +1 Lap
- 28-Steven Vincent; P4 | 16.335 | +1 Lap
- 08-Danny Ray; P8 | 16.828 | +2 Laps
- 42-Carl Becker; P10 | 17.259 | +4 Laps
Time of Race: 17:04.281
Key:
* Denotes Lap Led
** Denotes Most Laps Led
! Denotes Fastest Lap of Race
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