As the calendar is ready to start off 2010, everywhere you look there are lists of “years in review”, or the “decade in review”. Looking back at Oswego Speedway, there was a lot to watch, write about, and be part of during the last year, or even decade. So, as we turn the local racing calendar, let’s add our own piece of Oswego Speedway in review.
For the decade in review, there is one story, and one story only that makes a look back at a decade list, and that is Pat Furlong and Steve Gioia purchasing Oswego Speedway from the Caruso family in 2004. Had it not been for these two families stepping up and taking ownership of the “Steel Palace”, who knows what could have become of the piece of land on East Albany Street.
Racing at Oswego Speedway was alive and well in 2009, and looking forward to 2010 thanks to the Furlong’s and Gioia’s. Sure there are other headlines such as Greg Furlong’s streak of Classic wins, Otto Sitterly becoming maybe the driver of the decade, or even the tragedy of losing Tony White. But the main story of the last ten years at Oswego Speedway hands down, was ownership changing hands at Oswego Speedway in 2004.
Looking back at 2009, we’ll give it a shot with a top ten list, David Letterman style.
10- “Mike Bonds' Wins in Big Races.” Coming off his Oswego Speedway Hall of Fame induction in 2008, Mike was known as “Big Race Mike” in ’09, as he picked up wins in the Tony White Memorial on July 4th, the SBS Classic 100 on Classic Weekend and the NORA SBS feature on Race of Champions Weekend. When the big money was on the line, Mike, Terry and the entire 26 team rose to the occasion and ended the season in style, in Victory Lane in the biggest races of the year.
9 – “King of Wings Weekend.” A new race weekend was put together for the ’09 year, in which it was hoped the biggest names in supermodified racing would converge on Oswego for a big, midseason payoff. 37 teams from Oswego, MSA, and ISMA all gave it a shot, but not before Mother Nature put her two cents in. A massive afternoon storm delayed the start of the race, as well as a shower before the feature, but this race was going to go off one way or another. And go off it did. Lorain, Ohio hot shoe Charlie Schultz worked his way to the front from his sixth row starting spot, and showed he was “King of Wings” on this race night. Charlie and the May Team showed they were the dominant team this night, as teammate Tim Ice chased Charlie across the line for the May Team sweep. Look for KoW part II in 2010, with a two day, two race event.
8- “Crowds Growing as the Year Goes On.” Crowd size at Oswego Speedway continues to grow as time progresses. A combination of great action on the track, and great promotional ideas saw attendance grow in 2009. Word is getting out throughout the CNY area that Oswego Speedway is a great entertainment value.
7- “New Winners Abound in 2009.” Andrew Schartner, Stan Gates, Ray Graham, Trent Stephens, and Charlie Schultz visited Victory Lane for the first time and Joey Payne got his first non-winged win in 2009. SBS Rookie Andrew Schartner pocketed a pair of main events wins, while Stan Gates shocked everyone, especially himself with his barnburner on Mr. SBS night. Trent Stephens won his fist ever supermodified race at the Big O on opening day, while Charlie grabbed the KoW win. Ray Graham had tried for years for that elusive Oswego Speedway supermodified feature win. Ray turned the trick, twice actually, in 2009, while “The Jet” had everyone in the joint on their feet cheering him on to victory in August in the Plum Crazy 99.
6 – “Dave Gruel Turns Great Start Into Track Title.” Dave Gruel and Tim Barbeau teamed late in ’08, and started out ’09 with a bang. They won RoC in ’08, then the first three races to start ’09 out. The Flyin’50 was fast week in and week out after that even, with Dave even getting too much out of it too early some nights. Dave ended the year with a couple of more wins, putting his win total to 5 on the year, as well as the 2009 SBS track championship.
5 – “Otto Sitterly Bags His Third Championship in Four Years.” Since teaming with John Nicotra back a few years ago, these guys have been the team to beat on pretty much a weekly basis. Otto has picked up 12 career Oswego wins, and more impressively, two consecutive track championships in the Nicotra car. Sitterly started his supermodified career behind the wheel of his own #79’s, then shifted to the Peri 14. He has really shown what he could do with Nictora, and his stable of cars. Spending countless hours in the garage during the season and off season, the cars are always immaculately prepared. Sitterly is a disciple of the Jim Shampine theory that the race is won in the garage.
4 – “Spectacular Crashes.” Shawn Muldoon, Jerry Curran, and Stephen Gioia all suffered through horrific crashes in 2009. Shawn slammed the first turn wall at great force early in the 2009 season, with the #1. Shawn’s car hit the wall full force, flipping over. Track safety officials removed Shawn from the car, and he was transported to the hospital with numerous leg injuries. Shawn’s season was over, but he hopes to return in 2010. Jerry Curran flipped wildly along the front straightaway, almost going over the wall in turn one just before Classic. Longtime observers said it was as bad a flip as they have ever seen at Oswego. Jerry walked away, but the Nuclear Banana was a write off. Stephen Gioia was involved in a freak mishap in the early laps of the Classic, which saw his legs badly injured. Stephen was rushed to the hospital, and had a lengthy stay first in the hospital, then a rehab center. He is home now, but still going through rehab and therapy, in hopes to resume his racing career.
3 – “Otto Sitterly Wins His First Classic.” In his 11th International Classic, everything came together perfectly for Otto Sitterly and the #7 team. He time trialed second fast, to start outside pole. When the race started, Sitterly placed his #7 on the back bumper of leader Doug Didero. It was apparent Didero wanted to dominate the race and lead all 200 laps, but Sitterly had his own game plan playing out. He pressured the leader from time to time, trying to get Didero to work the car harder than he wanted to. Just after halfway, the #3 began to push up in the corners. Near the ¾ point of the race, Sitterly made his move. He pulled the #7 alongside the #3 on the front straightaway, and took the lead which he never gave up. Otto Sitterly drove away from the field for a convincing win, his first Classic victory. Everything came together this race day for the Canajoharie pilot, as he had his finest hour ever in a race car. Otto Sitterly is now in the conversation with the all time greats at Oswego Speedway such as conversations with the names of Shampine, Swift, Warren, Bellinger, Furlong, Muldoon, Heveron, Gioia, and Coniam
2 – “Kasey Kahne’s Steel Palace Classic is a Success.” Cautious optimism came about when everyone saw this race on the schedule, a Thursday night event leading up to a the Watkins Glen’s Cup race. What happened was this event hit it out of the park. Kasey Kahne and Ryan Newman came to town as well as the rest of the USAC Silver Crown stars, and they played to the biggest crowd Oswego Speedway has seen in years. Fans bunched together, as there was not an open seat in the main grandstand. Kasey Kahne played the part perfect. He did every interview, signed every autograph, kissed every baby, just played the part of promoter perfectly. The race was pretty good too, as USAC stalwart Brian Tyler won the 100 lapper. Everyone walked away from this Thursday night special with a huge smile, knowing they just experienced something really special. The topper of the night was a supermodified exhibition put on by Kahne and Otto Sitterly. It wasn’t just a ride around either, as both drivers stopped clocks at the 17.3 area, fast enough to run upfront weekly at Oswego Speedway.
1 – “Oswego Speedway Track Safety Crew Goes Above and Beyond the Call of Duty.” Anyone familiar with Oswego Speedway knows how legendary the track safety crew is. It is a well earned, and a long earned title. Going out on routine clean ups, or even driver injuries, these guys are the best in the business. Each is at least a trained paramedic, and experienced in the health care field. Anytime there is an injury, or bad accident, it is very common to hear, “At least it happened at Oswego.” What these guys did Classic Weekend may have topped anything they have ever done though. As SBS Classic winner Mike Bond was pulling into Victory Lane, fresh off his biggest win of the year, well wishers were descending on the scene as well. Don Flack, Mike’s father-in-law, came down to congratulate his son in law on his win, but something seriously went wrong. Mr. Flack went into cardiac arrest right on the speedway surface, right in front of the Classic Weekend crowd in attendance. Instantly, the safety crew noticed something was very wrong and shot into action. They went from getting ready for the next race, to work mode instantly, and preformed a miracle. The safety crew revived Mr. Flack not just once, but twice. It was something nobody can ever prepare for. If it was ever going to happen, it happened at the right place. It may sound cliché to say someone or some team is the best in the business, but after what they did that Saturday night, there is no way anyone can doubt that the Oswego Speedway track safety crew is “The Best in the Business”.
I’m sure you may have other highlights or headlines from 2009. Here’s how I saw the year play out. Here’s hoping for a safe and successful 2010 for all the officials, teams, workers, and fans of Oswego Speedway.
Happy New Year!!!