by Carol D Haynes; photos by Jim Feeney
Verona, NY (Nov. 19, 2016)– The elegant Turning Stone Casino was once again the site of the annual ISMA awards banquet which honored the 2016 champion car owner Jim Bodnar, 2016 champion driver Dave Shullick Jr. and the rest of the top 15 point getters. It was the second consecutive year that the Ohio-based Bodnar-Shullick team took the title, battling the Reed-Lichty team throughout the year. The top team was rewarded with a trophy and jacket in addition to the winner's check.
By Carol D. Haynes, ISMA PR; photos by Jim Feeney
Thompson, Conn. (Oct. 16, 2016) - The run for the 2016 ISMA championship was one of ups and downs for the two main contenders, Dave Shullick Jr. and Mike Lichty. It seemed when one did well, the other would not at almost all of the events throughout the schedule. They took turns at the top of the standings and that trend continued to the season finale at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park World Series of Racing this past weekend.
By Carol D Haynes, ISMA PR
Oswego, NY (October 5, 2016) - The 2016 points chase has been between two ISMA drivers, who have basically held onto the top spot of the ISMA point standings all season despite some strange twists of fate. Both Dave Shullick Jr. and Mike Lichty are vying for their second ISMA titles. Shullick, from Ohio, is the defending titlist and Lichty, a Canadian, won in 2012. A quick review of the season shows how crazy this battle has been, which will be decided October 14-15-16 at Connecticut's Thompson Speedway during the 2016 World Series of Racing.
By Carol D Haynes, ISMA PR; photos by Jim Feeney
Epping, NH (Sept. 10, 2016) – Vickery, Ohio's Moe Lilje started out the season without a permanent supermodified ride but found seat time in the Lichty 74, subbing for Rob Summers and/or in the Jimmy Bodnar-built 76 when scheduled driver Lou Cicconi Jr. was racing elsewhere. Moe proved to be productive in either ride, but eventually he started to excel in the 76 and with Cicconi busy with his dirt ride near his home. Moe began to show in the top five with the 76, again and again in the last few months, also garnering some podium runs.
Coming off a strong fourth at Oswego's SuperNationals the previous week, Lilje time trialed a solid sixth in Star qualifying in a stellar field of 24 winged ISMA cars vying for the Star Classic crown.
Jennerstown, PA (July 16, 2016) – ISMA's return to the Jennerstown Speedway after a nine-year hiatus proved to be well worth the wait. A quick thunderstorm just prior to feature time rolled in and out but it did not dampen the excitement that proceeded it. In a seventeen minute, twenty-eight second, 50 lap feature, only one short yellow flew to slow the action. The side by side racing and lead swapping out front, left the fans who stuck with it, in awe. Early leader Dave Shullick Jr, lost his spot to Mark Sammut, got it back one lap later and then lost it again to Mike Ordway Jr., but regained it in the same lap. When Ordway Jr.'s 61 shut down on lap 32, Mike Lichty, moving up from ninth, became the challenger and he was able to take over out front on lap 33, never to give up the spot. He took the checkered 17 laps later for a $4,200 payday.
Waterford, CT (Aug. 6, 2016) - Ohio's Mike McVetta led two-thirds of the Ollie Silva Memorial 
Lee ,NH (Aug. 5, 2016) – Last season Dave Shullick won his second Ollie Silva Memorial 75 on his way to a first-ever ISMA championship. He was battling Mike Lichty for that ISMA title. In 2016 he and Lichty were again in a title battle going into Lee. Shullick, starting 10th, had to run down a high-flying duo up front in Mike McVetta and Mike Ordway Jr. to put the 95 into a position to pounce. But Lichty was also in the mix past halfway, moving by Shullick on lap 49 and then McVetta on lap 50. McVetta had a wheel break and pitted shortly thereafter leaving Lichty and Shullick to battle up front. Shullick went high and low looking for a way by the 84, finally taking the lead on lap 56. The second generation Ohio driver had control from there on in, taking the checkered with a healthy margin less than 20 laps later. Shullick had the race mapped out prior to the race, and 75 laps after the green dropped, Shoe II was right where he wanted to be - in victory lane.
