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OSWEGO, NY – Pat Dupree has been to the Oswego Speedway twice in his racing career with both times ending exactly the same, a feature victory.
“This is definitely my favorite track,” stated Dupree after winning the 25-lap DIRTcar event at the five-eighth mile oval. “I love the wide sweeping turns and the fact that it is so fast.”
Dupree, a Saranac Lake, N.Y. native, made short work of the competition as he started fourth in the event and took the lead as the field raced off the second turn on the very first lap. He had one challenge on a lap nine restart when Mike Perrotte was able to pull alongside him for almost the entire lap. Ultimately Perrotte couldn’t pull off the pass allowing Dupree to claim the victory.
Perrotte, of Elizabethtown, N.Y., came home in the runner-up spot after starting on the outside of the front row.
Airborne Speedway winner, Mike Bruno, of Bomoseen, V.T., came from the fifth starting position to finish in third.
Tom Kinsella, driving a car normally piloted by Ryan Phelps, came home in the fourth spot followed by Pierre Berthiaume of Quebec.
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TAKING THE LEAD: The initial green flag came out with Matt Woodruff and Perrotte leading the field down the front straightaway. As they battled into turn one, Perrotte got caught on the outside allowing Dupree to run through the middle of the corner. As they raced three wide off of the second turn, Dupree was able to grab the advantage in his A.C. Performance powered Teo Pro car.
“I figured Mike (Perrotte) would be faster with the Big Block,” said Dupree. “I went to follow him through the corner and it looked like he got up in the marbles. I just drove through the middle and got the lead.”
DEBRIS CAUTION: On lap 9 the caution came out for debris in turn two negating the almost full straightaway lead Dupree had amassed over Perrotte. This gave Perrotte one more opportunity to attempt to take back the top spot.
SIDE-BY-SIDE: When the race resumed, Perrotte was able to stay alongside Dupree as they raced into turns one and two. He remained next to him on the backstretch with Dupree finally gaining the advantage as they raced into turn three.
“I really didn’t think he (Perrotte) could get me on the outside,” stated Dupree. “There wasn’t much up there but Mike (Perrotte) is a pretty savvy and I was hoping that he wasn’t holding back on me.”
CHECKING OUT: With the racing action remaining green the rest of the way, Dupree again checked out on the competition to score his second consecutive Oswego Speedway victory by almost a full straightaway.
MISSING THE GROOVE: Perrotte finished second after opening the door for Dupree on the very first lap in turn two in his no. 35 and then challenging him for the lead after the restart on lap nine.
“I drove it in to hard and got messed up on the start,” said Perrotte. “Then on that restart I could stay along side him but the inside lane is really the preferred lane here. It’s really tough to run the top.”
Qualifying: A pair of heat races were held with Bruno and Berthiaume taking the wins. Dupree earned the guaranteed Syracuse 358-Modified qualifying spot.
Oswego Speedway, August 22, 2007 Big-Block/Small-Block Modified Event Summary: Patrick Dupree, Mike Perrotte, Mike Bruno, Tom Kinsella, Pierre Berthiaume, Andy Powell, Chad Phelps, Leon Gonyo, Matt Woodruff, Larry Wight, Francis McNeil, Rick Rogala
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