OSWEGO, N.Y. (photos by Jim Feeney) — Otto Sitterly was a winner again Saturday night, July 1, at Oswego Speedway in the second 50-lap ISMA / MSS / Oswego Winged Super Challenge race of the year.
Sitterly’s win in the Oswego County / NBT Bank Independence Spectacular was a milestone for John Nicotra Racing as it gave the team owner 50 Oswego feature wins in winged and non-winged big block supermodified features at the famed lakeside oval.
Starting from the pole as a result of the pill draw for the second Oswego winged show in a row, Otto raced his black No. 7 Bodnar chassis out to an early lead over P2 starter Dave Danzer.
Sitterly opened his advantage to around a full straightaway in the early going while other drivers including Mike Ordway Jr. were moving through the pack. A yellow flag on lap 18 finally slowed the field. It was the first caution in 68 green flag laps of ISMA / MSS feature competition at Oswego dating back to the June 3 race.
With a double-file restart ready, Otto chose the outside lane with Danzer’s No. 52 lining up on the inside. Danzer gave Otto a good run into Turn 1 but Sitterly’s Flip Electronics / CORR/PAK Merchandising / La Parrilla on the Water / Onyx Hose & Tube winged super rose to the occasion and shot past Danzer on the outside exiting Turn 1.
Otto again opened up a formidable advantage over Danzer until Ordway Jr. took over the second position as the race moved into its second half.
A second caution slowed the field on lap 37 and with 13 circuits remaining, and Ordway would get his shot at Otto in the double-file restart.
Sitterly again chose the outside lane and similar to the restart with Danzer earlier in the race, the top two were nearly even into Turn 1 but Otto’s machine was incredible on the outside, shooting past Ordway as soon as the pair began to exit the first corner. Within a lap Otto was back out to a multiple car-length lead with his sights set on win No. 2 in 2023.
A couple of late-race cautions slowed the field again — the last for Ordway, who spun in Turn 1 with a broken wing just after taking the white flag. Ben Seitz in the Vic Miller No. 11 moved into second, and the New Englander made a run at the Nicotra super during the green-white-checkered finish, but Otto had enough to hold him off and claim his second Oswego Winged Challenge victory in as many races this year.
Sitterly has now led all 100 laps in Oswego Winged Challenge rounds this year.
“I’m pretty happy,” Otto began in victory lane. “I want to thank a great crew. We have a lot of devoted crew members and I have a core of crew guys — Joe Peri, Tom Sholl, Danny Canipe, and of course Johnny Nicotra, who owns the team. He finds all these great sponsors and works to put these races together. I also have to thank Jim Bodnar out in Ohio. He builds a hell of a racecar. He’s a behind-the-scenes type of guy, but he helps me a ton. Thanks to Jimmy D for really good power, and to all the fans for coming out. Some of them are mine and some of them aren’t, but that’s OK. I’m glad everyone is here and it was a good race night.”
Jim Feeney photos –
Win Statistics –
The win gives Sitterly 38 Oswego Speedway supermodified feature wins with Nicotra Racing and 47 overall at Oswego. Including all tracks, Otto now owns 52 career super wins — 47 at Oswego, two at Lorain, and one each at Sandusky, Jennerstown and Lee USA.
Nicotra Racing’s 50 Oswego wins (38 with Otto, 9 with Dave Shullick Jr., 2 with Alison Sload and 1 with Davey Hamilton) are second on the track’s all-time list to Jim Shampine. Including all tracks, the Nicotra team has 55 feature wins with Sitterly five triumphs outside of Oswego.
The Nicotra team is back at Oswego this Saturday, July 8 with Sload behind the wheel of the No. 39 Hawk Jr chassis in the Compass Federal Credit Union Supermodified Twin 40’s PLUS SBS, 350 Supers.
Next up on the ISMA / MSS trail is the 2nd Annual Great Lakes Classic doubleheader set for Friday and Saturday, July 14-15 at Berlin Raceway in Marne, Michigan.
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Nicotra Racing is proud to be sponsored by CORR/PAK Merchandising, Flip Electronics, Onyx Hose & Tube Inc., La Parrilla On The Water, 5 Brothers Produce, Burnac Produce and Peacefull Living Home Sales.
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