Dave Shullick Jr. drove the John Nicotra Racing / Futuri Media / G&I Homes No. 2 to his fourth Novelis Supermodified feature win of the 2018 season Saturday, July 14 in the Summer Championship 50.
Shullick, who started fifth in the 20-car field, again won in convincing fashion, slicing through the top-four starters in the opening laps and driving around Aric Iosue on lap 3 to take the lead. The North Ridgeville, Ohio, driver would never look back, lapping up to the seventh-place finisher and crossing the finish stripe 2.8 seconds ahead of runner-up Keith Shampine.
“The car was really good tonight. We fought a tight piece all day and didn’t know how much to tighten it for the feature race, but we got it good,” Shullick said in victory lane. “I played with some brakes under the caution and then it was pretty damn good after that. I didn’t know where they were at, I saw the 55 (Shampine) on the board and I don’t know what happened to Otto (Sitterly), so hopefully he can get back here next week.”
In the G&I Homes / Riccelli Northern / Corr/Pak No. 7 Nicotra Racing machine, Otto Sitterly started 12th and was on a tear during the opening laps of the race. Otto passed cars at ease to move from 12th to third by lap 6. Otto would settle into the third position behind Shullick and Shampine until he closed the gap on Shampine while battling through lap traffic.
Working lap 28, Otto moved low on Shampine’s No. 55 in turn four. At the same time Shampine cut low in an attempt to pass a pair of lap cars. Sitterly bumped the inside hubrail as the 7 and 55 brushed wheels. The contact sent Otto into the outside wall and out of the action. While his march was over, his moves and speed up until lap 27 showed the 7 is again a major force to be reckoned with at the Oswego as the season moves into its second half. He would be credited with a 16th-place finish.
Group time trials saw Sitterly crack the 15-second bracket for the first time in his great Oswego Speedway career. Otto would time second fastest with a quick lap of 15.952. Normally easily good enough for the pole, a few minutes later Shampine would also crack the 15-second bracket for the first time in his career, stopping clocks at 15.910. Shullick, battling a slightly tight car, would time third fastest with a 16.030.
Both Otto and DJ won their 12-lap heat races.
Otto is still ahead in the standings but the DNF in the Summer Championship feature brings his competition closer. Otto is now 11 markers ahead of Shampine with four points races remaining. DJ continues his points rebound after a couple DNFs early in the season. His latest win brings him into a tie for third with Michael Barnes, 35 points out of the lead.
Next up is one of the biggest races of the year Saturday, July 21 with the running of the 32nd Annual $10,000-To-Win Mr. Supermodifed 75. Davey Hamilton will be back in action in the Nicotra Racing No. 6, joining Otto and DJ to gun for the $10,000 prize.
John Nicotra Racing is a Supermodified race team owned by John Nicotra with drivers Otto Sitterly, Dave Shullick Jr. and Davey Hamilton. Since our team’s debut in 2007, Nicotra Racing and has won five Budweiser International Classic 200s, seven Oswego Supermodified track championships and currently 39 total Oswego feature races since their debut in 2007 – Otto Sitterly (29); DJ Shullick (9); Davey Hamilton (1).
Nicotra Racing is proud to be sponsored by G&I Homes, Riccelli Northern, CORR/PAK Merchandising, 5 Brothers Produce, Burnac Produce Limited, Provincial Fruit Co., Flavor First, Georgia Crate & Basket, Rite-Pak Produce, Quality First Produce, Sam Accursio Farms, Ritz-Craft Homes, Torbert Farms, Elite Harvesting, Futuri Media and Sunrise Growers.
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