Local auto racing: ISMA awards celebration comes to Sitterly | Pro Sports

Otto Sitterly celebrated his to start with career ISMA Winged Supermodified racing championship in the very same environment where the perform begun every single 7 days to reach it.

Sitterly, his crew of fellow mechanics, and owner John Nicotra of the No. 7 automobile ended up recently offered their ISMA yr-finish awards in the distinguished Oswego Speedway driver’s private garage in Canajoharie to account for the absence of a conventional banquet.

Sitterly gained the collection points title very last September and hosted new ISMA president Dan Soule on March 26 to accept the slew of awards swept up by the crew in its to start with entire period on the circuit.

“I’ve got a seriously good bunch of guys that adhere to me and travel, and it was pleasant for most people, not just myself but all all those men are pretty thrilled about it,” Sitterly claimed of the honors.

“I assume to most people that was included, to carry it to the store was a very awesome detail,” he included. “It was rather awesome to have everybody over to the shop to do that appropriate exactly where it all requires put.”

Sitterly, who has gained a document 9 keep track of championships at Oswego considering the fact that pairing with Nicotra in 2007, was officially topped ISMA driver champion and picked as Mechanic of the Year for the 2021 season.

His team was named Crew of the 12 months, while Nicotra claimed Car Operator of the Yr and the Jim Soule Award. Sitterly and Nicotra had been every offered trophies although the crew customers that involve Joe Peri, Tom Shoull, Dan Knipe Sr. and Danny Knipe, all been given jackets.

They approved the haul though surrounded by keepsakes and other awards from Sitterly’s decorated racing profession with banners, plaques, massive paper checks, and trophies scattered in the course of alongside with race parts and frames of autos currently being tweaked for the future period.

“It was genuinely cool simply because you search about and all those accomplishments are on the wall, the distinct points that Otto has gained together the way, championships and Common wins at Oswego, there are a lot of recollections out of that garage so to have it performed there is pretty amazing,” Nicotra stated.

Sitterly, who beforehand ran occasional spot exhibits for ISMA prior to making the entire-time jump past 12 months, credited Jim Bodnar for making a sturdy automobile and aiding guideline his accomplishment along the way.

“The motor vehicle has notes, and each and every keep track of I would go to, I would be ready to simply call Jim and he was like a notebook for that motor vehicle and the different tracks, so that in no way secures anything, but that was a genuinely nice matter to have that source just a connect with absent each individual week,” Sitterly mentioned. “The vehicle experienced a good record.”

Sitterly edged out next-area Ben Seitz and Chris Perley in third to assert the top rated location in the driver standings with 1,647 factors.

He gained two of the remaining four races in the sequence past drop to claim the elusive title, stating he produced the transition searching for a new obstacle to conquer.

“It arrived down to Otto’s never ever give-up mind-set as considerably as working on the vehicle from the minute we strike the monitor right up until the moment we load up to go home,” Nicotra said. “Him and his crew are consistently tweaking on it, seeking to normally get it far better and far better.”

Sitterly and Nicotra confirmed their intentions to focus on defending the ISMA title for the approaching season that begins in June. Sitterly explained that he views the envisioned return of Canadian opponents limited by COVID-19 travel restrictions final calendar year as a new examination in his 2nd full year on the tour.

Sitterly and Nicotra intend to continue working on the No. 39 car for teammate Alison Sload to contend with a minimal program at Oswego Speedway.

Nicotra reported that they will also keep a vehicle completely ready for Oswego in situation programs alter for Sitterly or he decides to enter the once-a-year Oswego Typical, which he has gained five occasions, most not long ago in 2018.

“If he needs to go up there and run alongside the way, we’ll have a motor vehicle, but at this stage we’re having it a single 7 days at a time and right now we’re concentrating on the (ISMA) offer with Otto,” Nicotra stated.

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