OSWEGO, N.Y. — Mike Lichty continued a familiar recent trend in ISMA winged supermodified competition during Saturday night’s 24th annual Bud Light ISMA Supernationals, leading every lap from the pole en route to victory.
Lichty, who had not won an ISMA feature since Aug. 19, 2016 at Delaware Speedway, held off every advance that May Oswego winner Chris Perley made over the course of the 60-lap feature and took the checkered flag half a second ahead of Perley in the end.
In 10 series races this season, there have been 10 different winners, and the winner has come out of the top four starting spots in every event.
Saturday night marked Lichty’s 12th career series win, tying him for 11th all-time with Warren Coniam.
However, despite hoisting the trophy at the end of the night, Lichty was less than pleased with the quality of racing around the five-eighths-mile oval.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been here in victory lane. I haven’t won a more boring race in my life,” Lichty said bluntly. “That’s just a testament to these tires that we’re on. I’m not knocking Hoosier, because they build fantastic tires, but it’s just what ISMA has brought to the race track.”
“Looking at the finishing positions tonight, I don’t think one car moved more than two spots. We’ve got to get back to putting on a show for these fans. I think the fans should voice their opinions to ISMA and see what we can do (to spark some change). I’m done racing for the rest of the year. … You won’t see this car out again until something changes.”
Only a red flag at lap 19, brought out when Dave McKnight made heavy contact with the Turn 1 foam blocks in the Morton Racing No. 70, slowed Lichty’s roll during the main event.
Perley was able to stay within a second of Lichty for much of the feature, but began fading somewhat as the lead battle worked through heavier lap traffic inside of 15 laps to go.
However, with five to go Lichty became hung up trying to work around another car, allowing Perley to close mightily and nearly have a shot at the win on the final lap.
The best efforts of the 73-time ISMA winner and six-time champion weren’t quite enough, though, and he had to settle for second in the end.
“I’m happy with our showing tonight,” said Perley. “This car hasn’t seen this place in three years, so I’m happy that the wheels stayed on it.”
“It was a good run. I kept Mike honest, I feel like … I just couldn’t close on him without losing the nose. I needed the (clean) air. If lap traffic had really screwed (Mike) up, then we might have had a good shot, but otherwise I was just chasing him tonight.”
A gutsy, three-wide maneuver through traffic ultimately gave Trent Stephens the final spot on the podium in third.
Stephens was followed to the checkered flag by Jon McKennedy and Mark Sammut, who rounded out the top five.
The ISMA Supermodified Tour returns to action Saturday, Sept. 9 with the running of the Star Classic 150 at New Hampshire’s Star Speedway.
RESULTS: ISMA Supermodified Tour; Bud Light ISMA SuperNationals; Oswego Speedway; Sept. 2, 2017
A-Feature (60 laps): 1. Mike Lichty, 2. Chris Perley, 3. Trent Stephens, 4. Jon McKennedy, 5. Mark Sammut, 6. Mike McVetta, 7. Tim Jedzrejek, 8. Kyle Edwards, 9. AJ Lesiecki, 10. Jason Spaulding, 11. Lou LeVea Sr., 12. Dan Bowes, 13. Dave McKnight, 14. Moe Lilje, 15. Tim Snyder, 16. Rich Reid, 17. Michael Muldoon.
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network.
Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.
The 23-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
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