Shullick wins at Sandusky Speedway

SANDUSKY — Dave Shullick Jr. captured his fifth career ISMA-MSS Supermodified Series Hy-Miler Nationals 100 victory Saturday night at Sandusky Speedway and the first for Osetek Racing Technologies Shullick took command on lap 65 after race leader Michael Barnes dropped out with a broken torque arm bracket on the Vic Miller No. 11. Shullick's latest Hy-Miler victory brought him even with his father, Dave Shullick Sr., with five career wins. Trent Stephens and Barnes led the 15-car field to the green flag in what may have been the 48th — and possibly final — running of the prestigious Ohio supermodified event, following a July announcement that Sandusky Speedway is up for sale. Barnes, making his first appearance of the year in the Massachusetts-based Miller No. 11, moved into a commanding early lead and would proceed to pace the field until the first caution waved on lap 38 for Brandon Bellinger. The New York driver would be done for the night as well as defending series champion and Hy-Miler 100 winner Otto Sitterly, who retired his John Nicotra Racing No. 7 during the caution. Barnes led Mike Ordway Jr., Stephens, Dave Shullick Jr. and Mike McVetta to the restart and again pulled away out front as he looked for his first career Hy-Miler victory. The Oswego Speedway regular continued to lead past halfway and appeared in control with 35 laps remaining until his No. 11 went up in smoke on the front stretch. Barnes stopped on the track, resulting in the contest's second yellow, and was pushed pitside. He'd be done for the night in another disappointment at Sandusky after he'd been close to Hy-Miler glory multiple times in the past. Ordway and Shullick Jr. led the field to the green for the race's second restart, with Shullick's Chris Osetek-built and owned No. 95 powering past the Clyde Booth Racing No. 61 to take command. The move proved decisive, as the Ohio native and multi-time ISMA and Oswego Speedway champion began to pull away from the field. Lap 83 marked the beginning of a flurry of cautions that disrupted the race's closing stages. The first yellow came when Kyle Edwards' No. 11E came to a stop on track. He was pushed pit side for adjustments but returned to the race. Shullick maintained control until lap 89, when Stephens slowed on the backstretch with a broken rear end on the ACME Racing No. 19, ending his night. The multi-time ISMA-MSS winner and former MSS champion saw another shot at a first Hy-Miler win in his home state slip away. One lap later, the caution returned for AJ Lesiecki, who spun his family-owned No. 14 but was able to rejoin the field. As the 100-lapper wound down, Ordway brought out the sixth and final yellow when his No. 61 ran out of fuel. Jeff Abold, surging into the top five in the late stages, spun to avoid contact and clipped the frontstretch wall, ending his night. A red flag was displayed for refueling, and Ordway managed to continue. With just four laps remaining, Shullick led Friday night winner Mike Lichty, Tyler Shullick, Mark Sammut, and Johnny Benson Jr. to the final restart. The closing laps ran clean, and Dave Shullick Jr. fended off Lichty at the line to secure his fifth Hy-Miler Nationals victory.