(SANDUSKY, OHIO, Monday, July 25th, 2016)- A silent force is building in the ranks of the International SuperModified Association. While it has not had the finishes it deserves, the #76 Jimmy Bodnar Jr. owned car has taken the ISMA sanctioning body by storm. In just the car's fourth start and it's second start with veteran wheelman Lou Cicconi Jr. handling the driving duties, the car led 82 laps in the first 100 lap supermodified feature event contested at Lorain County Speedway on June 25th, 2016 before breaking a bolt in the rear suspension and forcing Cicconi out of the race lead.
However, the car did not start out designed for winged competition. This car is the former Nicotra Racing car that Otto Sitterly drove and was also owned and driven by Mike Lichty in Oswego Speedway non-wing competition. The car finished second in the 2011 Oswego Budweiser International Classic 200.
So the stage was set in November of 2015 when Jimmy Bodnar Jr. and Cicconi entered into an agreement that Cicconi would drive Bodnar's car when he was not running his dirt modified. In order to see if the duo would work well together, Bodnar helped Cicconi on his indoor TQ midgets this offseason and according to Bodnar, they just clicked. "In my opinion, Lou is one of the best drivers out there. I knew I needed an experienced driver if I was going to have a successful season. His experience as a car owner is also a big plus," says Bodnar.
However, as was already mentioned, Cicconi also has a very busy dirt schedule and as such, Moe Lilje is on standby for whenever Cicconi is not available. Bodnar says, "Moe only got a few hot laps in at Delaware before we had problems with the car that parked us for the night, but I could already tell he's smart and fast. I look forward to running with Moe, but both Lou and I would be supportive of him taking a full time ride with another team if the opportunity presented itself. He's got a lot of talent."
Look for Lilje in action this weekend as the International SuperModified Association invades the Sandusky Speedway for the 39th Annual HyMiler Supermodified Nationals on Friday and Saturday, July 29th and 30th! For more information, visit www.sanduskyspeedway.com or like us on Facebook!
- Douglas Dock on Jul 27, 2016
- Article Date: 7/27/2016 by Jarrett Emmerich