July 24, 2010 Sandusky, Ohio: London, Ontario’s Mark Sammut finally won his first and second winged ISMA features in 2009 after more than a decade of trying. This season however, had not gone as well. In the first five races, Mark’s best finish was sixth. That is, until Saturday night’s 33rd annual Hy-Miler Nationals at Sandusky Speedway.

Sammut took the early lead, lost it to fellow Canadian Mike Lichty and then quietly stayed with Mike until he was ready to reclaim the point. On lap 77, Sammut pulled alongside Lichty. The duo ran side-by-side until turn four when Sammut plucked the Hy-Miler prize. It was Sammut’s race to lose now and for the final 22 laps, he held on for the biggest win of his supermodified career. He also became only the second Canadian to win the prestigious Hy-Miler race after Dave McKnight in 2001.

“This is something,” Sammut said. “We had a really bad car all weekend long. We kept messing with it and messing with it. Finally, before time trials today, we thought it was coming around so we just pushed it a bit in that direction.

“We had a decent run in time trials. We had a decent run in the heat,” Mark mentioned. “I knew then that if we could stick with it, we’d have a good car at the end of 100 laps. And we did.

“I had a touch more when Mike went by me,” Sammut added. “I knew I couldn’t go that pace and have anything left at the end, so I just kind of let him go. I was just hoping I’d get some breaks and get back to him. If we didn’t, there was nothing I could do about it. As it turned out, it worked out perfect. We were right where we wanted to be at the end of the race!”

How did the Hy-Miler rank in Mark’s long career that has included three-quarter midget championships? “I was beginning to wonder if we were ever going to win another race, let alone a Classic,” he said. “To put my name on the same list as some of the guys that have won this race, whether Canadian or American, like The Shoe, Doug Heveron - the list goes on and on - is unbelievable. To be put in the same category with all those guys is amazing.

“I have to especially thank my family,” Sammut said. “They put up with this all summer long, working on the racecar, going to the races almost every weekend. And the there are my sponsors. They have been with us for what seems to be forever. Curry Steel Erecting, he’s my biggest one and has been for years and years. Wells Foundry and Mobile Striping and Sweeping, they’ve all put us here and if it wasn’t for those three guys, we wouldn’t be doing this at all. I have to thank them.”

The race concluded with a series of strange events, some of which helped Vernon, Connecticut’s Rob Summers get his second runner-up in the two races run Saturday. With six laps to go, Summers was fifth but by the checkered, he was second as several cars were running out of fuel.

“It was quite a race,” Rob stated. “I was really surprised to finish where we did. We were fighting a hanging throttle for most of the race. The throttle was giving me a real headache. The car was set up good. Eric Lewis helped us out today. He was a real big help; Brian Allegresso, Doc, Caswell, Russ Wood, JWJ, Jeff Holbrook, all those guys. Two seconds, it was a great weekend!”

Third-place Jeff Locke acquired the podium spot on the last lap when Mike Lichty began to gasp for fuel. In only his second year of competition in the big block supers, Locke was very happy. “What a great race,” Jeff said. “I’m glad the fans stuck around. This is an awesome place to come to. There’s a lot of tradition and it’s a real honor to be in the Top Three on the podium here tonight.

“I have to thank Richard Witkum,” Locke added. “He had to stay home this week and I know he’s wishing he were here right now. But we did it. I’d like to thank my father obviously. I wouldn’t be here without him. He believed in me when not a lot of people did. So that’s the reason I’m here. The car is starting to run better. R&R Competition Engines builds awesome motors with awesome horsepower. This is unbelievable. I love it.”

To say that there was a full day of racing at at Sandusky on Saturday would be an understatement. Starting with the rained out 40-lapper bright and early at 10:30am and ending with the last checkered 12 hours later, there was something for everyone. There were 28 cars taking time with several (Bob Dawson, Justin Belfiore, Kyle Edwards. Michael Barnes and Brandon Bellinger) experiencing problems prior to qualifying. For the second day, Dave Shullick Jr. claimed the top spot on the list of 18 locked into heats with a 14.493, bettering his Friday time. Heats went to Jim Paller’s first ever ISMA checkered, Lichty and four-time Hy-Miler winner Russ Wood. No consi was necessary due to several cars dropping by the wayside with blown motors or other problems.

Mark Sammut sat outside Ben Seitz to start the 33rd Hy-Miler Nationals. The sky unfortunately, was darkening and threats of rain again played a key role. Sammut wasted no time taking the initial lead and Mike Lichty soon tucked in behind. Jim Paller brought out the first of too many yellows on lap nine and joined Michael Barnes and Craig Rayvals in the pits. Jim came back but not for long. Mike Lichty tried to battle by Sammut to no avail but he got another chance three laps later when Trent Stephens brought the second flag. Dave Shullick Jr. moved to third but the two Canadians pulled away. A torrid race developed between Ben Seitz, Russ Wood, Johnny Benson Jr. and Charlie Schultz.

A scary moment for Sammut came on lap 20 when he brushed slightly with a slower car. No harm and Sammut continued as leader. On lap 23, Lichty got around Mark as they approached a slower car. Lap 26 saw a yellow for Charlie Schultz. Mike Ordway also pitted with problems in the Vic Miller machine. He did return.

The leader Lichty took off trailed by Sammut, Shullick Jr, Seitz, Benson, Wood, Randy Burch and Lou Cicconi. The race was able to maintain a fast flow until two consecutive yellows on lap 33 put Schultz, Shullick Sr. and Ordway Sr. out with mechanical ills.

On the restart of lap 33, Shullick Jr. did drive by Sammut but by lap 40, Lichty pulled away a bit until lap 41 when Jon Henes hit the wall in four to send fluid on the track. With 40 lap complete, refueling took place. Concern was now developing as to the weather. The sky began to light up in the distance. The hot, humid day was predictably going to produce more rain. The only question was “When?” Eleven more laps would complete the race according rule. Decisions as to how much fuel to load were critical.

The green flag produced some scurrying behind Lichty and Shullick as Sammut had 18th starter Randy Burch hot on his tail. Russ Wood looked to be playing the game as he moved to fifth around Seitz, Benson and Rob Summers. Cicconi and Tim Ice were right behind. Lichty and Shullick crossed at halfway several lengths ahead of the seven-car train. The race was over if the rain came now. But it held off. On lap 60, Kyle Edwards slowed and was trying to dive to the pits just as the leaders approached to create one scary moment. But everyone got by.

On the restart, it was Lichty, Shullick Jr, Sammut, Burch, Wood, Seitz, Benson, Summers, Ice, Cicconi and Locke.

Moments later, a huge gasp went up from the crowd as Shullick Jr. slowed and headed into the pits off turn four. The lower shaft in the rear end had broken. “We should have changed that after the wreck at Toledo and we didn’t,” said car owner Clyde Booth. “You change everything you think you should but just missed it. But that happens.”

Now an onslaught of yellows flew fast and furious as the sky lit up. On lap 63, fifth and sixth-place Ben Seitz and Johnny Benson collided, sending Seitz into the inner rail, a massive puddle and out of the race on the flatbed. Benson was able to pit and re-enter. Another collision occurred on the restart when Cicconi and Locke brushed in turn two. Both restarted but Randy Burch’s pass of Mark Sammut for second was negated in the process. Green fell but was followed by yellow as Edwards was pushed on the speedway but was unable to start. Finally after three attempts, the next restart stuck and Lichty led Sammut and Burch. On lap 64, Benson called it a night. Another long green streak saw Lichty and Sammut pull away while Burch held off Wood, Summers and Ice. All eyes were on the front now as lap after lap, Sammut tried to get by Lichty and finally on lap 77, Mark made the pass off turn four.

On lap 96, it appeared evident that Sammut was headed for his first Hy-Miler win. Randy Burch nailed Lichty for second when all hell broke loose. Russ Wood in fourth slowed and pitted, followed by Burch and Danny Lane, who also moved in for a gulp of fuel. By lap 97, it was Sammut, Lichty, Summers, Locke and Ice by virtue of low fuel cells. Lichty tried to hold on but could not as Summers and Locke moved in for the kill. Lichty settled for fourth as Ice claimed fifth.

During victory ceremonies, rain began to fall, too late for some, but not enough to dampen Mark Sammut’s parade! Fourth-place Lichty was first to admit he was praying for drops to fall earlier.

“First off, hats off to Sammut,” Mike credited. “That’s awesome for him to win. We were so good right from the get-go to probably lap 60 right when Sammut started closing in and got by us.

“Caution after caution after caution,” Lichty lamented. “I don’t know what happened to the tire but right after the last restart, we just got so loose and we junked the tire. There is nothing left of the right rear.

“Man, I wanted to win this one so bad,” Mike admitted. “And we had the car for it. We ran out of fuel coming down for the line and Jeff Locke got us for third there. I don’t know. We’ll just try it again next year.

“I was thinking after halfway, seeing the lightning and saying, ‘Rain! Rain!’ The bugs were so bad I lost tear offs,” Lichty added. “I couldn’t see. It was a complete disaster for us but we’ll take it: a fourth this morning and a fourth tonight.

“There was something definitely weird with the track,” Mike mentioned. “Usually, we never get loose here. When I got by Sammut at the beginning, I noticed he set the car up tight. It definitely paid off for him. We’ll have to go back to the drawing board and see what we have heading for Delaware.”

Tim Ice had a bittersweet description of fifth-place. “I thought I was pretty decent but on that last restart, I got jumped before the green and then he (Locke) ran into my left front wheel on the way by. No one seemed to see that. It was on the rim the last lap. I lost a spot on that. I was lucky to finish. I guess you take your chances. Maybe I’ll have to do that someday. Earlier in the race when somebody jumped, they put him to the tail. That’s where the 37 should have gone.

“I still don’t think the track conditions were very good this weekend,” Tim continued. “This just isn’t what we used to have here normally. I think all and all it was a pretty good race. There was a lot of hard racing. It was hard to pass so you saw a few get together out there. I don’t think anything was deliberate, just hard racing. My thing was I got the nose wing bent up early and I got a little tight. I was still able to get in the Top Five and pull away.”

Randy Burch, Russ Wood and Bob Magner were last on the lead lap sixth, seventh and eighth as Dave Duggan and Lou Cicconi rounded out the Top Ten, one lap down.

Qualifications (1/2p) Dave Shullick Jr 14.493

Heat 1) Jim Paller, Benson Jr, Lou Cicconi, Trent Stephens, Rob Summers, Bob Magner, Jon Henes, Danny Lane, Barnes, Belfiore

Heat 2) Mike Lichty, Ben Seitz, Dave Shullick, Ordway, Charlie Schultz, Kyle Edwards, Craig Rayvals, Jack Smith, Dave Duggan

Heat 3) Russ Wood, Shullick Jr, Mark Sammut, Tim Ice, Locke, Randy Burch, Haynes Jr, Gene Lee Gibson, Brandon Bellinger

Hy-Miler Nationals (100 laps) 1 Mark Sammut 78, 2 Rob Summers (Holbrook 35), 3 Jeff Locke 37, 4 Mike Lichty 84, 5 Tim Ice (May 77), 6 Randy Burch 52, 7 Russ Wood 29, 8 Bob Magner (Holbrook 41), 9 Dave Duggan 51, 10 Lou Cicconi (Stout 49), 11 Danny Lane 97. DNF Johnny Benson Jr (Lichty 74), Ben Seitz 17, Kyle Edwards 08, D.J Shullick (Booth 61), Bobby Haynes Jr 44, Gene Lee Gibson 0, Trent Stephens (Stout 19), Jon Henes 36, Jack Smith 09, Dave Shullick (Reed 8), Charlie Schultz (May 7), Mike Ordway (Miller 11), Jim Paller 64, Craig Rayvals 04, Brandon Bellinger 02, Michael Barnes (Holbrook 70) ISMA 470w