Cloce Wins Late Model Race of Champions Feature
Saturday afternoon and early evening at the Oswego Speedway four drivers
carved their names into the winners book for the 59th Sunoco Race of
Champions.
In the featured TJ Toyota / Waite Toyota 125 lap Late Model feature Tommy
Cloce ended years of frustration at the Oswego Speedway by winning the
$4,000 to win event as he held off Will Thomas, Todd Hoddick, George Skora,
III and Bob Weber.
The TJ Toyota / Waite Toyota Race of Champions Dart Asphalt Modified All
– Star 30 lapper worth $2,000 was won by Earl Paules over Wilbur Hebing,
Pete Brittain, Rowan Pennink, and Jan Leaty.
After the feature Paules after discussing his options with the other top
five finishers drew pill number six. Meaning the top five will be starting
in positions six through ten tomorrow afternoon in the 59th Sunoco Race of
Champions Modified 200.
The 35 lap NORA Small Block Super feature saw Mike Bond in victory lane
over Steve Abt, Dave Danzer, Stan Gates, and Tim Barbeau.
The SST Modifieds who did not qualify Friday night ran a 10 lap feature
and Jody Buckley came home the winner over Jason Simmons, Dave Tedesco, Pat
Verwys, and Zach Curren.
Scott Wylie and Bob Weber brought the Late Model feature to green with
Wylie grabbing the lead over Weber, Tommy Cloce, George Skora, III, and Todd
Hoddick just before the yellow flew.
On the restart Weber got the jump on Wylie to grab the lead and the top
five running order stayed the same until the yellow came out on lap 19.
On the lap 20 restart Cloce glued himself to the rear bumper of Weber to
take second from Wylie and at the same time Hoddick who was fifth was able
to get past Skora for fourth.
On a lap 33 restart Weber and Cloce raced side by side for three
consecutive laps before Cloce got far enough ahead to grab the lead. Hoddick
at the same time moved into third and Ron Nurmi moved into fifth.
The complexion of the race changed on lap 42 as Nurmi broke loose exiting
turn two and got into the back stretch outside wall. Thomas was left no
place to go and made contact with the right front and he was forced to pit
with right front body and suspension damage. Thomas pitted for repairs and
returned to the race on the lead lap.
Back up front a three car battle for the lead emerged with Cloce, Weber,
and Hoddick all racing hard for the lead. Thomas meanwhile was making his
way back to the front after his pit stop.
Thomas raced his way back into fifth on lap 89 and on lap 95 the car of
Weber started to become loose and this allowed Hoddick to move into second.
Two laps later Thomas powerfully moved into fourth and four laps later
entered third. Weber continued to slip back through the field as Skora
passed him for fourth on lap 107.
The final yellow of the race came out on lap 108 and everyone knew the
way Thomas, now in third was running that a 17 lap battle was going to take
place for the win.
Thomas made his move into second on lap 113 as the Hoddick machine got
loose. Over the final 12 laps Thomas and Cloce pulled away from the rest of
the field and many thought that Thomas would take a shot at the win. However
with four laps to go the Thomas machine almost spun out exiting turn two and
the advantage gained by his mistake allowed Cloce to go on and take the very
popular win in a race sponsored by his sponsors.
Qualifying for the 22 car field saw Thomas set fast time in time trials with
a quick lap of 18.811 and Travis Fisher won the heat race.
Sixteen top Modified pilots were up next in a 30 lap $2,000 to win TJ
Toyota / Waite Toyota sponsored All – Star feature. Pete Brittain and Wilbur
Hebing brought the star studded field to green with Pistol Pete leading the
first lap over Chuck Hossfeld who was driving the Bob Reis owned car in this
event, Hebing, Earl Paules, and Jan Leaty.
Passing was plentiful early in the race as Hebing motored into second on
lap two while Leaty took fourth on lap three and Paules moved back into
fourth on lap four and at the same time Rowan Pennink moved into fifth.
Paules proved between laps six and eight that he was in this race to win it
as he took third on lap six. Exiting turn two on lap seven Paules pulled off
a pure horsepower move as he drove under Hebing to grab second and slipped
under Brittain by driving deep into the corner to grab the lead that he
would never give back.
Pennink took fourth on lap eight with Hebing getting by Brittain on lap
nine and one lap later Leaty moved back into fifth.
The final 15 laps saw Paules impressively open up his lead and Hebing
trying his best to chase him down to no avail.
After the feature winning ceremonies the top five drivers who became
guaranteed starters for the 200 lap Modified feature the following afternoon
got together in a huddle to determine their options. Whether not to draw
which would mean everyone would go on their times tomorrow or draw one of
three chips. The chip numbers were one, six, and eleven; following many
tense moments the decision was made to draw a chip. This meant that these
top five wouldn’t run time trials tomorrow and their feature starting
position would be locked in. Paules drew chip number six meaning he would
start six, Hebing seventh, Brittain eighth, Pennink, ninth and Leaty tenth
tomorrow afternoon.
Steve Abt and Craig Heroth brought the NORA Small Block Super field to
green with Abt taking the lead over Dave Danzer, Dave Gruel, Mike Bond, and
Stan Gates.
Gruel moved into second on lap four while Bond moved into third on lap
eight. They started to dog Abt for the lead over the next ten laps with
Gruel up top and Bond on the bottom behind Abt who was running the middle of
the track.
Gruel and Bond exchanged second place between laps 14 and 16 before Bond
made a veteran move getting under Abt exiting turn two on lap 17 to get the
lead.
The great run of Gruel ended three laps later with an overheating engine.
Qualifying for the 19 car field saw heat wins captured by Heroth and Bond.
The SST Modifieds had five non – qualified cars show up to run in a Non –
Qualifier race. Jody Buckley and Dave Tedesco brought the field to green
with Buckley taking the lead over Jason Simmons, Tedesco, Pat Verwys, and
Zack Curren. The running order wouldn’t change for the entire distance of
the event.
NOTES; The new shorter Saturday schedule that was promised to be fan
friendly was indeed that as all racing was completed by 7:30 Saturday
evening. Kevin Miller wrecked his SST in hot laps ending his day. Joe
Berretta and his crew won the Gater Racing News Best Appearing Car and Crew
Award. Billy Putney was the only Modified not to run who was in the pits as
he was first alternate. Otto Sitterly picked up a ride for the All – Star
race in the second Earl Paules entry. Mike Bruce blew his NORA Small Block
Super engine in hot laps ending his day.
59TH SUNOCO RACE OF CHAMPIONS OFFICIAL TJ TOYOTA / WAITE TOYOTA LATE
MODEL FINISH; Tommy Cloce, Will Thomas, Todd Hoddick, George Skora, III, Bob
Weber, Chris Ross, Scott Wylie, Mike Fiebelkorn, Jr. Mike Sweeney, Jeremy
Dineen, James Southard, Josh Lloyd, Andre Roggie, Patrick Hargan, Travis
Fisher, Rich Skora, Scott Nurmi, David Macomber, Scott Nurmi, Brandon Kidd,
Joe Berretta, Todd Geist.
59TH SUNOCO RACE OF CHAMPIONS TJ TOYOTA / WAITE TOYOTA ALL – STAR
MODIFIED FINISH; Earl Paules, Wilbur Hebing, Pete Brittain, Rowan Pennink,
Jan Leaty, Chuck Hossfeld, Matt Hirschman, Tony Hirschman, Ted Christopher,
Rusty Smith, TJ Potrzebowski, Jim Storace, Daren Scherer, Mike Leaty, Eric
Beers, Otto Sitterly.
59TH SUNOCO RACE OF CHAMPIONS NORA SMALL BLOCK SUPER FINISH; Mike Bond,
Steve Abt, Dave Danzer, Stan Gates, Tim Barbeau, Rob Pullen, Craig Heroth,
Shawn Walker, Guard Nearbin, Jason Simmons, Bob Andrews, Chris Natoli, Dave
Gruel, Barry Kingsley, Bill Moore, Dennis Richmond.
DNS; Chip Wood, Mike Bruce, Cameron Rowe.
59TH SUNOCO RACE OF CHAMPIONS SST MODIFIED NON – QUALIFIER FINISH; Jody
Buckley, Jason Simmons, Dave Tedesco, Pat Verwys, Zack Curren.
DNS; Kevin Miller.