Starting From Row Twelve, Otto Sitterly Claims Seventh Jim Shampine Memorial
OSWEGO, NY (May 24, 2015) – The number seven wears well on Otto Sitterly. The seven-time Oswego Speedway Novelis Supermodified track champion became a seven-time champion of the coveted Jim Shampine Memorial on Saturday night which was as a part of the Port City 160 ‘Super Spectacle’ presented by Shea Concrete and Corr/Pak Merchandising.
The triumph was Sitterly’s fourth consecutive in the crown jewel event at Oswego.
Even more impressive was the fashion in which Sitterly took the victory. After breaking a torque arm before his qualifying heat, Sitterly was forced to start the 75-lap main from the twelfth and last row in the field, charging by long-time rival Ray Graham to steal the top spot on lap 48.
From there Sitterly cruised untouched to his 31st career supermodified win at Oswego over Brian Sobus, Bob Bond, Kody Graham, and Brandon Bellinger in the front five positions.
“We have a great group of guys,” said Sitterly in Turning Stone Resort and Casino Victory Lane. “The outside lane is working well here in the early season so we just bided our time there early and took it as it came to us.”
Sitterly later commented on his pass for the lead, coming over his storied on track rival, Graham.
“You know, Ray and I have a history,” said Sitterly. “I got a good run in traffic there going into three and took it. Ray and I are good off the track, but on the track I am going to give him everything I have.”
Dave Danzer, Tim Devendorf, Keith Shampine, Jeff Abold, and Shaun Gosselin filled the top ten.
Devendorf and Ray Graham brought the full field of 24 Novelis Supermodifieds to green, with Sitterly mired all the way back in the twelfth and last row.
Trouble at the Start-
At the green Devendorf edged to the lead in the No. 5, but before a lap could be completed, several cars came together in the first corner including Michael Muldoon, Dave Shullick Jr. in the Nicotra No. 6, Joe Gosek in the Nicotra No. 00, Dave Gruel, and Hal LaTulip.
Shullick, Gosek, and Gruel all eventually retired from the event as a result of damage incurred.
On the restart it was Graham that took advantage, driving the No. 91 piloted by Bobby Santos in the season opener on May 9 with Devendorf, Tim Snyder, Sobus, and Shampine settling into the top five.
Graham set a comfortable pace in the lead early while Danzer, Bond, and Sitterly began to march their way through the pack.
By lap 12 Sitterly had managed to drive from the last row to the tenth position in the No. 7, and in only eight more laps would take advantage of Snyder to dive into the top five with Danzer following him through.
Brian Sobus Has a Great Run-
With all eyes on Sitterly, some may have missed the tremendous early drive being put on by Sobus in his home owned No. 79 machine.
Debuting his racer in August of 2014, Sobus had yet to finish a main event in the machine, despite showing great speed.
Saturday, Sobus started sixth and on lap 21 made a high side move on Devendorf to snag the runner-up spot, putting on a great drive trying to give chase now to Graham out front.
A Crash and a Battle-
On lap 24 the caution flag would again wave, this time for Muldoon and rookie Aric Iosue as the two collided going into the first corner. Each sustained heavy front end damage, knocking them out of the event.
On the restart the order showed Graham, Sobus, Bond, Sitterly, Danzer, Devendorf, Snyder, Shampine, Kody Graham, and Bellinger.
With green lights back on Sitterly quickly pounced on both Bond and Sobus to clear his way to second, and now the race was on once again between Graham and Sitterly and both were turning laps in the 16.6 bracket. Now lapped traffic would play a key role in the outcome of their battle.
For nearly 11 laps, Graham and Sitterly daringly diced through lapped machines and on lap 48 Sitterly finally found the outside lane down the backstretch, pinning Graham behind a lapper to steal the lead.
No more than a half track after Sitterly took the lead; Graham attempted to clear the lap machine of Howard Page on the front straight. But, the two came together at the start finish line with each car ending its night in the turn one foam.
After a tremendous early drive, Graham was out of it on lap 48.
Coming back to green Sitterly led Sobus, Danzer, Bond, Kody Graham, Devendorf, Shampine, Bellinger, Dan Connors Jr., and Gosselin.
The Race for Second-
From that point on Sitterly was well in command, leaving the battle behind between Sobus, Bond, and Danzer.
Danzer would eventually steal a podium position from Bond, but on lap 72 with only three laps remaining the No. 52 spun on the back stretch, setting up one final restart with Sitterly, Sobus, Bond, Kody Graham, and Bellinger the top five.
With only seven cars on the lead lap at the last restart, Danzer recovered to pass Devendorf to claim a top six position.
Out front it was all Sitterly, driving to his second consecutive win of the season.
Sobus and Bond Interviews-
While Sitterly was the victor, you may have thought the win went to the Sobus No. 79, as the former SBS feature winner spoke to Keith Zehr amidst a large gathering of well-wishers.
“We are a low buck team, racing week to week,” said Sobus. “We’re just trying to do what we can. This is the first race we have even finished with this car. I told myself I just wanted to finish; I didn’t care if it was in 15th. We were riding about 5th or 6th, taking our time, and everything just came to us. I am elated, this is fantastic.”
Bond, driving the Four Sevens No. 47, once again came home with a top finish.
“Otto had us all again tonight,” said Bond. “I thought I may have had something there for him around halfway, but not tonight.”
Shell Shock Custom Helmet Paint Heat Race Challenge wins went to Devendorf, Ray Graham, and Kody Graham.
Racing at Oswego Speedway continues on Saturday, May 30 with the Spring Championship featuring the Novelis Supermodifieds and Pathfinder Bank SBS with $15 admission.
For more information on Oswego Speedway visit online atwww.oswegospeedway.com or call (315) 342-0646. Visit the Speedway on social media @OswegoSpeedway or on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/OswegoSpeedway.
Port City 160 ‘Super Spectacle”
presented by Corr/Pak Merchandising and Shea Concrete
Jim Shampine Memorial 75
- Oswego Speedway
- Oswego, NY
- Saturday, May 23rd, 2015
BOX SCORE:
Novelis Supermodified Jim Shampine Memorial (75-laps): 1. 7 – Otto Sitterly, 2. 79 – Brian Sobus, 3. 47 – Bob Bond, 4. 21 – Kody Graham, 5. 02 – Brandon Bellinger, 6. 52 – Dave Danzer, 7. 5 – Tim Devendorf, 8. 55 – Keith Shampine, 9. 05 – Jeff Abold, 10. 26 – Shaun Gosselin, 11. 9 – Stephen Gioia III, 12. 0 – Tim Snyder, 13. 96 – Lou LeVea Sr, 14. 83 – Lou LeVea Jr, 15. 01 – Dan Connors, 16. 91 – Ray Graham, 17. 18 – Howard Page, 18. 22 – Pat Lavery, 19. 51 – Michael Muldoon, 20. 11 – Aric Iosue, 21. 56 – Hal LaTulip, 22. 50 – David Gruel, 23. 00 – Joe Gosek, 24. 6 – Dave Shullick Jr
- Lighthouse Lanes Hard Charger: #7 – Otto Sitterly
- Lighthouse Lanes Up and Comer: #79 – Brian Sobus
- Radical Racegear Lap Leader: #91 – Ray Graham
Heat #1 (12-laps): 1. 5 – Tim Devendorf, 2. 50 – Dave Gruel, 3. 02 – Brandon Bellinger, 4. 26 – Shaun Gosselin, 5. 52 – Dave Danzer, 6. 96 – Lou LeVea Sr, 7. 6 – Dave Shullick Jr, 8. 56 – Hal LaTulip
Heat #2 (12-laps): 1. 91 – Ray Graham, 2. 0 – Tim Snyder, 3. 55 – Keith Shampine, 4. 47 – Bob Bond, 5. 05 – Jeff Abold, 6. 18 – Howard Page, 7. 51 – Michael Muldoon
(This story originally appeared on WingSideUp.wordpress.com and is used with permission)
