Oswego, N.Y. – Saturday night’s Novelis Supermodified main-event result at Oswego Speedway had been a long time coming for Otto Sitterly and the John Nicotra Racing team.
Sitterly, now a 38-time Oswego supermodified feature winner, won his first feature since 2005 in the Helena Chemical 50-lapper, driving his G&I Homes / CORR/PAK / Riccelli Northern No. 7 from the 10th-place starting position and holding off Nicotra Racing driver Dave Shullick Jr. for Nicotra’s sixth career one-two finish in an Oswego super feature.
Naturally, Otto was a very happy and relieved driver in victory lane after his first win in nearly three full calendar years.
“It’s been awhile since we’ve been here and I have an awesome group of people, so this win is for every one of the guys that works on these cars,” Sitterly said. “They come from all over the state and are really dedicated, but it’s for some other people that aren’t with us anymore, too. It’s for Roy Dewhurst. This is the first time I’ve won since we lost Roy. And also for Eddie behind me in the wheelchair. This win is for those guys. Eddie is a winner and he hasn’t missed a single race.”
For Otto, who has made winning Oswego features look easy in the past, victory lane has evaded him over the past couple seasons. Bad luck, breaks and strange turns of events in certain races have all played a role in keeping the 7 car out of the winners circle.
Sitterly had been the most consistent driver at Oswego thus far this season, and he was finally able to capitalize in the seventh main event of 2018 season.
“We had to work for it, DJ (Shullick) has a really good ride and he’s a good driver for sure,” Sitterly added. “It seems like hopping from seat to seat hasn’t done me much good lately, so we are learning this car and we still have to learn because it went away tonight and I was hanging on for everything I was worth at the end, but this is a really good piece. I’m surrounded by such great people and I’m just lucky to be able to drive these things and know that all these guys are my friends.”
While DJ had to settle for second on this night, he continued his impressive 2018 season that includes three feature wins and now four top-five results.
With five championship points races remaining, Otto is inching closer to his and Nicotra Racing’s eighth Oswego Speedway track championship. He now holds a solid 41-point lead over Keith Shampine. Michael Barnes is third, eight markers back of Shampine with Shullick in fourth, 72 points back of Sitterly. Otto has now finished in the top five in six of seven races.
John Nicotra Racing now has 38 career Oswego supermodified wins, fourth on the all-time list behind only Jim Shampine (86), Bellinger Racing (43) and Nolan Swift (41).
Next up for the Nicotra Racing team is another regular night of Oswego supermodified racing including timed warmups, heat race and a 50-lap feature this Saturday, July 14.
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 38 total Oswego feature races since their debut in 2007 – Otto Sitterly (29); DJ Shullick (8); 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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