2/28/11
Nicotra eager to start season with trio of supermodifieds
By Keith Shampine
Nicotra eager to start season with trio of supermodifieds
By Keith Shampine
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Nicotra Racing, led by four-time defending Oswego Speedway track
champion and chief mechanic Otto Sitterly, has another full slate of supermodified racing on
tap for the 2011 season.
Owner John Nicotra says the team plans for Sitterly to return to Oswego in May to attempt to
win four track championships in a row and his fifth overall. Indy car ace Davey Hamilton will
return to run “a handful of Oswego shows,” Nicotra says, while Sitterly will look to make
select ISMA shows throughout the Northeast, as he’s done for the past few seasons.
Which car Sitterly will field at Oswego this year is the question.
Headlining the offseason news for the team is the purchase of a brand new Hawk Jr. super,
which gives Nicotra three nearly identical Hawk-built chassis in the team’s stable. Sitterly
picked up the frame from Joe Hawksby Jr.’s Oswego, N.Y., shop in the fall, and he and his
crew have worked all winter to build the new mount.
The car will hit the track this spring, although Nicotra says he hopes Otto continues to field
the reliable G&I Homes blue No. 7 with which he’s won seven Oswego features in the last
two years, including the 2009 Budweiser International Classic 200.
champion and chief mechanic Otto Sitterly, has another full slate of supermodified racing on
tap for the 2011 season.
Owner John Nicotra says the team plans for Sitterly to return to Oswego in May to attempt to
win four track championships in a row and his fifth overall. Indy car ace Davey Hamilton will
return to run “a handful of Oswego shows,” Nicotra says, while Sitterly will look to make
select ISMA shows throughout the Northeast, as he’s done for the past few seasons.
Which car Sitterly will field at Oswego this year is the question.
Headlining the offseason news for the team is the purchase of a brand new Hawk Jr. super,
which gives Nicotra three nearly identical Hawk-built chassis in the team’s stable. Sitterly
picked up the frame from Joe Hawksby Jr.’s Oswego, N.Y., shop in the fall, and he and his
crew have worked all winter to build the new mount.
The car will hit the track this spring, although Nicotra says he hopes Otto continues to field
the reliable G&I Homes blue No. 7 with which he’s won seven Oswego features in the last
two years, including the 2009 Budweiser International Classic 200.
| A shot from Otto’s Canajoharie, N.Y., shop |
“I told Otto, ‘why change something that doesn’t need fixing?’” Nicotra said from his
Homestead, Fla., winter residence. “I think Davey will probably start with the new car, and I
hope Otto chooses to stay with the current one. I’d be very surprised if (Sitterly) decides to
start with anything other than the car he’s won with. It’s like riding a horse, and he’s very
comfortable with that car.”
Nicotra went on to stress that other than the new car, very little will change in 2011.
“Otto’s doing the same thing he always does: working hard in the shop and going over
everything meticulously. I thought about changing the paint scheme, but we don’t even
want to touch that. The cars will come back with the same paint, fresh motors and we’ll give
100-percent effort like we’ve been doing. We’ll take it one lap at a time and let the chips fall,”
Nicotra added.
The three-car team will once again give Nicotra an opportunity to enter a trio of supers in
September’s International Classic. This occurred in 2009, when Sitterly, Hamilton and
Bobby Santos III wheeled Nicotra-owned cars in the 200-lap grind, which Sitterly won.
Nicotra says he would like to enter all three cars in Oswego’s season-ending race.
“We like to stick with what we know with the Oswego stuff, and we’d like to give someone a
shot in one of our cars. I have someone in mind, and we’re trying to work a deal that would
be a big story in supermodified racing if it happened. I hope it can work out because it’d be
good for non-wing and winged super racing,” said Nicotra, who wouldn’t reveal any further
details about the potential deal.
Oswego’s season kicks off with an ISMA-sanctioned 50-lapper on May 7. The Oswego non-
wing season gets the green flag with the Jim Shampine Memorial 75 on May 28.
About Nicotra Racing
Nicotra Racing is owned by longtime supermodified fan John Nicotra, a Central New York
native who makes his living as a produce broker in Homestead, Fla. The team, led by top
driver and mechanic Otto Sitterly, debuted in 2007 and since has won three Oswego
supermodified championships and eight Oswego features, including the 2009 International
Classic. Nicotra Racing operates out of Sitterly’s shop in Canajoharie, N.Y.
Nicotra Racing is sponsored by G&I Homes Inc., 5 Brothers Produce, S&L Beans, Florida
Vegetable, Flavor First Produce, V.L. Walker Co, Georgia Crate & Basket, Rite-Pak Produce,
Quality First Produce, Magnolia Packing, Beaver River Distribution, N&N Corporation,
Burnac Produce Limited and Provincial Fruit Co.
For more information, visit www.NicotraRacing.com. To contact Nicotra Racing, call John
Nicotra at 305-345-2437 or e-mail John@NicotraRacing.com.
Press written by New Concept Race Media. For more information, contact Keith Shampine
at 315-657-2207 or e-mail keith@newconceptracemedia.com.
Homestead, Fla., winter residence. “I think Davey will probably start with the new car, and I
hope Otto chooses to stay with the current one. I’d be very surprised if (Sitterly) decides to
start with anything other than the car he’s won with. It’s like riding a horse, and he’s very
comfortable with that car.”
Nicotra went on to stress that other than the new car, very little will change in 2011.
“Otto’s doing the same thing he always does: working hard in the shop and going over
everything meticulously. I thought about changing the paint scheme, but we don’t even
want to touch that. The cars will come back with the same paint, fresh motors and we’ll give
100-percent effort like we’ve been doing. We’ll take it one lap at a time and let the chips fall,”
Nicotra added.
The three-car team will once again give Nicotra an opportunity to enter a trio of supers in
September’s International Classic. This occurred in 2009, when Sitterly, Hamilton and
Bobby Santos III wheeled Nicotra-owned cars in the 200-lap grind, which Sitterly won.
Nicotra says he would like to enter all three cars in Oswego’s season-ending race.
“We like to stick with what we know with the Oswego stuff, and we’d like to give someone a
shot in one of our cars. I have someone in mind, and we’re trying to work a deal that would
be a big story in supermodified racing if it happened. I hope it can work out because it’d be
good for non-wing and winged super racing,” said Nicotra, who wouldn’t reveal any further
details about the potential deal.
Oswego’s season kicks off with an ISMA-sanctioned 50-lapper on May 7. The Oswego non-
wing season gets the green flag with the Jim Shampine Memorial 75 on May 28.
About Nicotra Racing
Nicotra Racing is owned by longtime supermodified fan John Nicotra, a Central New York
native who makes his living as a produce broker in Homestead, Fla. The team, led by top
driver and mechanic Otto Sitterly, debuted in 2007 and since has won three Oswego
supermodified championships and eight Oswego features, including the 2009 International
Classic. Nicotra Racing operates out of Sitterly’s shop in Canajoharie, N.Y.
Nicotra Racing is sponsored by G&I Homes Inc., 5 Brothers Produce, S&L Beans, Florida
Vegetable, Flavor First Produce, V.L. Walker Co, Georgia Crate & Basket, Rite-Pak Produce,
Quality First Produce, Magnolia Packing, Beaver River Distribution, N&N Corporation,
Burnac Produce Limited and Provincial Fruit Co.
For more information, visit www.NicotraRacing.com. To contact Nicotra Racing, call John
Nicotra at 305-345-2437 or e-mail John@NicotraRacing.com.
Press written by New Concept Race Media. For more information, contact Keith Shampine
at 315-657-2207 or e-mail keith@newconceptracemedia.com.