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BRIGHAM, PULLEN, JANKOWIAK, NICHOLS, AND THOMAS WIN SUPPORT DIVISION RACES AT THE 57TH SUNOCO RACE OF CHAMPIONS

BY JR KENNERUP ( RoC MEDIA )

            Oswego, NY… The 57th Sunoco Race of Champions at the Oswego Speedway saw five winners claiming the famous RoC Silver Bowls with their feature wins during the two day racing marathon.

            On Friday night Jason Brigham won the Mini Stocks, Rob Pullen won the NORA Small Block Super Modifieds, and Andy Jankowiak won the Factory / Pure Stocks. While on Saturday afternoon Mike Nichols won the Super Stock feature and Will Thomas won the crash filled Late Model feature.

            The Mini Stock 20 lap feature saw Mike Stringer and Jody Buckley bring the field down for green. Stringer representing the Mahoning Valley Speedway jumped out to the lead over Buckley, Jason Brigham, John Smith, and Scott Shaffer.

            Buckley quickly moved into the lead on lap two from his fifth place starting spot and opened up a huge lead. Shaffer meanwhile was making his own noise as he moved into second by lap four.

            Tim Dunn was the show during the middle portions of the feature as he moved from his ninth place starting spot into the top five by lap six. The charge of Dunn continued as he moved into fourth on lap seven and into third on lap 11.

            After the second and final yellow of the race on lap 12 many observers thought that Shaffer would have a shot at passing the high flying Brigham for the lead. Those observers were wrong as Brigham bolted out to the lead after the lap 12 restart and never looked back

            Meanwhile Shaffer and Dunn battled for second with Dunn taking over second with one lap to go. Chasing the top three across the stripe was three time and defending race winner Andre Roggie in fourth and Rudy Widrick in fifth.

            The Mini Stocks have a race within a race with three different types of cars all racing together. Brigham won the Front Wheel Asphalt division, Shaffer won the Rear Wheel Asphalt division, and Ryan Purvis won the Dirt division.

            Qualifying for the 24 Mini Stocks on hand saw heat wins go to Brigham, Shaffer, and Chuck Powelczyk.

            The 35 lap NORA SBS feature had a rough time starting as three yellows would slow the pace before one official lap could be completed. When racing finally got a lap in Jason Simmons led Brian Sobus, David Cliff, Josh LaRochelle, and Rob Pullen.

            LaRochelle in the car that Russ Brown normally races moved into third on lap two and into second on lap four. After getting into second Jason immediately started to challenge Simmons for the lead

            With the next 29 laps going caution free the action was hot and heavy up front with the top seven cars all bunched together.  Coming down to complete lap 30 Sobus in second spun out in turn four ending his great run after the field bunched up and contact between the front seven cars were made.

            On the restart LaRochelle made a daring outside move in an attempt to take the lead and left the bottom groove open for Pullen who snuck under to grab second. The entire complexion of the race changed in turn two on lap 30 when contact once again between the top six cars resulted in the lead car of Simmons spinning out ending his chances of a win.

            Pullen inherited the lead at this point and was never seriously challenged for the remaining five laps as he went on to record the popular win. Mike Bond snuck past LaRochelle on the final lap to grab second with LaRochelle settling for third. Lou Levea ended up fourth with Super Modified driver Michael Barnes driving the LaRochelle ride to a fifth place finish.

            Qualifying for the 26 cars on hand saw heat wins go to Alan Barker, Pullen, and Stan Gates.

            The 25 lap Factory / Pure Stock feature wrapped up the racing action on Friday night. Tim Garlock led the first three laps before spinning out and handing the lead over to Andy Jankowiak.

            That was the only break the second generation driver needed as the son of the late Asphalt Modified star Tony Jankowiak led the final 21 laps with ease to claim the win.

            Ricky Ross, Jr. was second with Mark Spencer in third, Howard Bott in fourth, and defending race winner Richard Petey in fifth.

            The division also had a race within a race as there were cars that competed with racing tires and cars that competed with D. O. T.  tires. Jankowiak won the racing tire division while Bott won the D. O. T. tire division.

            Qualifying for the 10 cars on hand saw heat wins go to Spencer and Ross.

            On Saturday afternoon Amy Catalano and Todd Stone brought the Super Stocks down to the start of their 75 lap feature. Catalano would grab the lead over David Johnston, Jay Mudra, Stone, and defending race winner Jeff Merritt.

            Johnston would move into the lead on lap five with an inside turn three pass. But his lead would be short lived as on the lap ten restart he would strike the inside turn one guardrail flattening his left front tire. Catalano would inherit the lead with Mudra now in second.

            Mudra would take his turn at leading the race as he took the lead on lap 15 with an inside turn two pass. Meanwhile in the back of the pack Mike Nichols was making his way to the front in a hurry.

            Nichols who started 15th moved into fifth on lap 18 and after a restart on lap 29 moved into third. Nichols continued his charge toward the front by moving into second on lap 34. Nichols caught Mudra for the lead on lap 37 and for the next 12 laps Nichols tried just about every move in the book to try and get the lead.

            Finally just after the leading duo completed lap 49 Nichols got enough of a run and his car stuck on the inside of turn one to get under Mudra for the lead. Nichols still had one challenger left and it was Frank Reakes who moved into second on lap 58.

            Reakes made several attempts to get the lead only to see Nichols hold him off each time. Nichols in for the win over Reakes, Mudra, Merritt, and Kyle Sharpe.

            Qualifying for the 36 cars in attendance saw heat wins go to Bobby Lippa, Jr., Mudra, Wayne Bernhard, and Reakes.

            Don Holland and Will Thomas brought the Late Models to green for the start of their 50 lap feature. The rash of yellow flag fever that has hampered this race through years would rear its ugly head on this day.

            Thomas would lead lap one over Holland, John Papin, Bob Weber, and Earl Paules. The field went under a drastic change in the running order after a lap six turn three accident that blocked the track for nearly ten minutes.

            When the race resumed Thomas was still in front with Weber in second, Jim Lameroux in third, Tom Spencer, Jr. in fourth and former dirt racer Lee Gill in fifth. Gill moved into fourth on lap 14 and into third on lap 17 and finally into second on lap 21.

            Despite having five restart opportunities Gill had nothing to challenge Thomas for the lead and win. Thomas in for the dominating win followed by Gill, Todd Hoddick, Tommy Cloce, and George Skora, III.

            Qualifying for the 32 Late Models on hand saw heat wins go to Lameroux, Cloce, Thomas, and Scott Nurmi.

MINI STOCK FINISH; Jason Brigham, Tim Dunn, Scott Shaffer, Andre Roggie, Rudy Widrick, Bob Curren, Gene Purvis, Barry Christman, Chuck Powelczyk, Ryan Purvis, Chris Kuronya, Kevin Rex, John Smith, Zake Petrie, Mike Stringer, Casey Creyer, Eric Brown, Otis Bradshaw, Lorraine Powelczyk, Margaret McDonald, Lynn Morey, Tom DuBach, Jody Buckley.

DNS; Victor Quinones.

NORA SBS FINISH; Rob Pullen, Mike Bond, Josh LaRochelle, Lou Levea, Michael Barnes, Tim Barbeau, Jack Patrick, David Danzer, Rick Ziegler, Guard Nearbin, Brian Sobus, Jason Simmons, Star Matteson, Alan Barker, Bill Moore, Chris Smidey, David Cliff, Dave Gruel, Kraig Heroth, Lou Levea, Jr., Stan Gates, Ken Pierce, Larry Muroski, Shawn Walker.

DNS; Kevin Knopp, Dennis Rupert, Jr.

FACTORY / PURE STOCK FINISH; Andy Jankowiak, Ricky Ross, Jr., Mark Spencer, Howard Bott, Richard Petey, Mike Maggiore, Justin Serfass, Dan Cascioli, Josh Oswald, Tim Garlock.

INTERSTATE AUTO PARTS SUPER STOCK FINISH; Mike Nichols, Frank Reakes, Jay Mudra, Jeff Merritt, Kyle Sharpe, Rodney Gruber, Wayne Bernhard, Chris Daugherty, Chip Wanamaker, Lee Sharpsteen, Todd Stone, John Turnure, Willie Strusz, Henry Brown, Kristy Morone, Amy Catalano, Glenn Lippolis, David Johnston, Chris Cunningham, Bill Chandler, Jr., Frank Batista, Jr., RJ Zacharias, Ron Babula, Dan Cascioli, Brad Kline, Brad Haynes, Derrick Tarbox, JR Roth, Kris Hillegear, Bobby Newman, Jeff Goodwin, Robert Fink, Bobby Lippa, Jr., Jim House.

DNS; Jay Llewellyn, Shawn Stitarchyk

DART MACHINERY LATE MODEL FINISH; Will Thomas, Lee Gill, Todd Hoddick, Tommy Cloce, George Skora, III, Tom Spencer, Jr., Mike Sweeney, Loren Arthofer, II, John Papin, David Reagan, Tommy Flanagan, Roland Teed, Scott Nurmi, Barry Christman, Erik Cupernall, Joe Money, Bob Weber, Jim Lameroux, Joe Berretta, Patrick Hargan, Earl Paules, Joey Brainard, George Swansbrough, Zane Zeiner, Don Holland, Ron Nurmi, Rick Zacharias, Spencer MacPherson, David Silvernail, Brian Bowen, Justin Petcosky.

DNS; Bill Ellison.