Timmy J All The Way In MSA Race At Oswego
Independence, Ohio’s Timmy Jedrzejek and Oswego’s Kevin Knopp each won main events in the open wheel doubleheader at Oswego Speedway Saturday night. Jedrzejek took the lead from fellow Buckeye on lap 32, and drove away with the popular victory in the 40lap supermodified feature race. Kevin Knopp shot by Dave Gruel nine laps from the end of the 30 lapper for the SBS series machines.
Jack Smith and Tim Snyder brought 26 sleek MSA supermodifieds to the green flag for the second winged supermodified race of the year at Oswego. Smith grabbed the early lead, as the field scattered behind looking for racing room. Dave Shullick Jr and Greg Furlong went to the low side to get through early race traffic, while Bobby Bond, Charlie Schultz and Timmy Jedrzejek went to the high side.
Smith began top distance himself from the pack, as he stopped watches early in the race at 16.89. Schultz found the outside groove to his liking, as he picked his way from his fifth row starting position to fourth in the first few laps. He kept the 7 in the money groove as he breezed by Jerry Curran then Tim Snyder on consecutive laps in turn four to move to second spot, behind the high flying Smith.
Schultz reeled in Smith, as the top two now raced bumper to bumper for the lead. Snyder, Bob Magner and Randy Burch held a three car duel for third, while Timmy J, Shullick, Furlong, Bond and Jason Spalding rounded out the top ten early.
Lap 22 saw the leader’s huge lead disappear as the first yellow flag of the race came out, as Bobby Magner looped the Double Deuce machine in turn two. On the restart, Schultz went back to the outside groove, and nabbed the lead away from Smith. His first lap up front was clocked in at 16.46, as Schultz began to pull out. Jedrzejek made his presence felt as he wheeled by Burch for his appearance in the top five. Next time around, he zipped by Snyder and the top three now were Schultz, Smith and Jedrzejek.
Charlotte, North Carolina driver AJ Russell slowed in the Gary Morton owned 70 on lap 29, bringing out the next yellow flag. Once racing, Timmy J shot by Smith for second, and immediately chased down Schultz up front.
Lap 32, Jedrzejek made the move for the lead, as he shot the yellow 8 to the inside of Schultz’ red 7, and came away with the top spot. Jedrzejek quickened the race pace and showed he was the man to beat as he clocked in a 16.52 lap, as he was off to the lead. Within a few laps, the advantage grew to 1.39 seconds, as he kept pulling away.
As the checkered flag flew, Jedrzejek flew across the line .98 seconds ahead of Schultz, with Smith in third. “I love racing at this place,” the happy winner said. “It was exciting out there tonight. The first five laps I was worried as we were awefully loose, I just found a groove around the rail on the bottom, and that’s where my car wanted to run.”
Krieg Heroth and Ricky Zeigler led the SBS parade or the start of the 30 lap main event. Heroth shot out the advantage when the green flag came out, as the field scattered behind. Heroth, Gruel, and Zeigler pulled away early as Jason Simmons, Brian Sobus, Larry Muroski, Knopp, Ken Pierce, Jack Patrick and Mike bond followed.
A lap 5 caution slowed the race pace. Knopp kept his charge going on the restart, as he shot by Muroski, and Simmons and stayed in contact with the leaders. Knopp found the high side to wheel by Sobus for fourth, then stayed there by Zeigler to move the 04 up the show spot.
Mike Bond tried to keep in contact, we he pulled the 26 behind Knopp up to sixth just before lap 10. Lap 11, Heroth’s 46 car slid up the groove in turn four, and Gruel pounced on the opening for the lead. Knopp followed him through for second, and tried to chase down the 18 car. Just after Gruel took the top spot, a three car jam up on he back straightaway stopped the action for a blocked track by the cars of Dave Cliff, Jason Simmons and Bill Moore.
Knopp stayed in Gruel’s tracks as laps wound down. He finally got the opening on lap 21, as Knopp slid the 04 to the inside in turn four, and raced down the front straightaway with the lead. Bond got by Sobus one laps later for fourth, then chased down Heroth for the last podium position.
Knopp ran consistent laps in the end, and stayed comfortably ahead and finished .86 seconds ahead of Gruel at the end. “We’ve been working at it and have been close, and it’s great to finally get the win tonight,” the winner said. “The guys gave me a good car, and the breaks just fell our way tonight.”
News and Notes….21 SBS cars and 29 MSA supermodifieds were pitside. Brian Sobus, Josh Larochelle and Kevin Knopp won SBS heats, with Bobby Magner, Tim Snyder and Jerry Curran taking MSA heat race wins. For the second consecutive winged race, Timmy Jedrzejek set fast time in qualifying, this time with a lap of 16.141. Joey Payne destroyed the Plum Crazy 99 in a practice crash after the throttle linkage broke on the car. The car slammed the first turn wall with great force, totally damaging the race car. Payne pulled himself from the car, and was aided for a few minutes by track safety officials. Otto Sitterly and Kevin Knopp are current point leaders at Oswego Speedway. There is no racing at Oswego Speedway this weekend. Saturday June 21 racing resumes with autograph night. Gates open at 4:30pm with racing starting at 6:30pm.
Finish MSA 40 laps
1)Timmy Jedrzejek 8, 2)Charlie Schultz 7, 3)Jack Smith 09, 4)Dave Shullick Jr 49, 5)Bob Bond 25, 6)Tim Snyder 0, 7)Randy Burch 52, 8)Denny Fisher 81, 9)Greg Furlong 72, 10)Kelly Miller 16, 11)Moe Lilje 19, 12)Jeff Abold 05, 13)Jason Spalding 23, 14)Keith Gilliam 87, 15)Pat Lavery 2, 16)Bobby Dawson 28, 17)AJ Russell 70, 18)Terry Gibson 00, 19)Bobby Magner 22, 20)Lou Levea 03, 21)Jerry Curran 24, 22)Brandon Fisher 12, 23)Otto Sitterly 7, 24)Mike Casey 47
Finish SBS 30
1)Kevin Knopp 04, 2)Dave Gruel 18, 3)Mike Bond 26, 4)Krieg Heroth 46, 5)Brian Sobus 79, 6)Rick Zeigler 25, 7)Rob Pullen 2, 8)Larry Muroski 38, 9)Josh LaRochelle 10, 10)Shawn Walker 68, 11)Dave Danzer 52, 12)Tim Barbeau 50, 13)Guard Nearbin 1, 14)Jack Patrick 9, 15)Barry Kingsley 23, 16)Dave Cliff 06, 17)Jason Simmons 91, 18)Bill Moore 7, 19)Ken Pierce 67, 20)Lou Levea Jr 95, 21)Stan Gates 28