OSWEGO, NY (August 28) – Budweiser International Classic Weekend moves into full swing this Friday, August 31 with Bud Select 55 night at Oswego Speedway. Novelis Supermodified Top 14 Time Trials for the International Classic 200, the 602 crate dirt Sportsman Classic, and Pathfinder Bank SBS Bud Light Classic qualifying will all be a part of the agenda on Friday.
Pit gates will open on Friday at 10am with warm-ups beginning at Noon. The hot lap sessions will rotate until 4:30pm with Novelis Supermodifieds, Pathfinder Bank SBS, Sportsman, and ISMA Supermodifieds all taking part. During this time the grandstands will be open and FREE to spectators. At the conclusion of hot laps, the grandstands will be cleared and be reopened for patrons at approximately 5pm.
The rear grandstand will be open on Friday, August 31.
First round International Classic 200 Time Trials for Novelis Supermodifieds will be first on the night’s agenda starting at approximately 6:15pm. At the end of the session Friday, fourteen cars will be locked into the International Classic field, with the rest relegated to second round qualifying on Sunday.
Based on the time trial session held on opening day, and times throughout the season, the 2012 Classic field has the potential to be the fastest in history.
The 2011 International Classic time trial session saw thirteen Supermodifieds make their way under the 17-second bracket, the most in Classic history. Of the 36 cars to take time last season, 35 of those competitors made their way into the 17-second range. Randy Ritskes set fast time in 2011 with a lap of 16.459 seconds.
During opening day time trials this season fifteen Novelis Supermodifieds dipped under 17-seconds, with Pat Lavery setting the quick lap at 16.445 seconds. Otto Sitterly and Ray Graham have joined Lavery this season with official laps in the 16.4 second range, while each have also un-officially clocked laps as low as 16.2.
Joe Gosek and Ritskes have clocked official laps this season in the 16.5 second bracket, with Dave Danzer blistering the Speedway at 16.5 during track championship night hot laps. Shaun Gosselin and Mike Barnes join the list of drivers to have been at 16.6 or lower during 2012.
With the speeds shown so far this season, the thirteen car mark of 16.9 seconds or lower appears as though it could fall at this year’s Classic. Meaning it is entirely possible that all fourteen qualifiers on Friday evening could be under the 17-second bracket, another potential first in Speedway history, making Friday night’s qualifying session a can’t miss event.
Davis Bros. Inc. will once again sponsor the front row challenge of the International Classic, with $1,000 going to the pole sitter and $500 to the outside pole.
The non-wing Supermodified track record was set by Doug Didero during the 2009 running of the International Classic with a lap of 16.212 seconds.
Joining Supermodified time trials on Friday night will be the 602 crate dirt Sportsman Classic 30, a first in Classic Weekend history. A quality list of drivers will be on hand including Dave Marcuccilli, Jeremy Pitcher, Justin Henderson, Bob Reis, Rob Humphreys, Geoff Carner, Earl Rudy and more. The event will pay $1,500 to the winner, with $100 to start.
Perhaps nearly as lucrative as the cold hard cash up for grabs on Friday night will be the special Super DIRT Week XLI contingency bonus added on just weeks ago. The highest finishing Sportsman in the field on Friday night running Hoosier Racing Tires will earn a preferred starting spot in the prestigious Sportsman Championship at the New York State Fairgrounds ‘Moody Mile’ during Super DIRT Week.
A Sportsman test session held at the Speedway on Sunday, August 19 saw ten cars take advantage of the open track time. During that session Humphreys, Carner, Pitcher, and Justin Thompson all turned times under 20-seconds with Humphreys and Carner sharing the fastest lap with a time of 19.864 seconds at an average speed of 113.270mph.
The Sportsman field will draw for heat race starting positions, with a twelve car re-draw to line up the feature event. The 602 crate dirt Sportsman Classic will take to the ‘Steel Palace’ for 30-laps of main event racing on Friday night.
Also on tap Friday will be qualifying action for the ultra-competitive Pathfinder Bank SBS Series. With 30+ SBS teams registered for the Bud Light Classic 60, the qualifying events set for Friday night will prove pivotal.
At the end of warm-ups the teams will run a group qualifying session to set heat race line-ups. From there, the drivers will duel to finish in the top four of their respective qualifying heat races, to guarantee themselves a top twelve starting position for the 21st annual Bud Light SBS Classic on Saturday night. The front twelve positions for the SBS Classic will be lined-up based on yearlong handicapping at the Speedway.
Tickets are on sale now for Budweiser International Classic Weekend through the Oswego Speedway box office, located just outside of the main pit gate at the Speedway. To order tickets over the phone be sure to call (315) 342-0646. Box office hours are Monday through Friday from 9am-4pm.
Three day adult general admission passes are $104, while reserved three day admissions are $115. Three day kids’ admission, ages 6-16, is $35, while children ages 5 and under are FREE for the weekend.
Individual day general admission prices are as follows: Friday - $25, Saturday - $42, and Sunday - $52.
Oswego Speedway events run May through September on most Saturday nights, culminating with the Fall Championship 75 on September 15th.
For more information on Oswego Speedway be sure to visit www.oswegospeedway.com. You can also LIKE the (Official) Oswego Speedway page at facebook.com/OswegoSpeedway, or FOLLOW on Twitter @OswegoSpeedway. To purchase tickets or order merchandise please call the Speedway box office at (315) 342-0646.
CLASSIC WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday, August 31 – Budweiser International Classic 200 Novelis Supermodified Top14 Time Trials; Bud Light Classic 60 Pathfinder Bank SBS Qualifying Heats; 602 Crate Dirt Sportsman Classic 30
Saturday, September 1 – ATQMRA TQ Midget 25; 21st Annual Bud Light Classic 60 for Pathfinder Bank SBS; ISMA Supermodified Supernationals 60
Sunday, September 2 – Budweiser International Classic 200 Novelis Supermodified 15-28 Time Trials; Novelis Supermodified Bud Light B-Main; 56th Annual Budweiser International Classic 200 for Novelis Supermodifieds
Oswego Speedway Classic Time Trial Pole Award Winners (1961-2011):
1961 - Gordon Johncock
1962 - Dave Paul
1963 - Ken Bartholomew
1964 - Sam Sessions
1965 - Nolan Swift
1966 - Johnny Benson Sr.
1967 - Bentley Warren
1968 - Todd Gibson
1969 - Bentley Warren
1970 - Jim Shampine
1971 - Ken Andrews
1972 - Jim Shampine
1973 - Jim Shampine
1974 - Jim Winks
1975 - Fred Graves
1976 - Fred Graves
1977 - Jim Shampine
1978 - Chuck Ciprich
1979 - Jim Shampine
1980 - Ed Bellinger Jr.
1981 - Doug Heveron
1982 - Dave Shullick Sr.
1983 - Warren Coniam
1984 - Ed Bellinger Jr.
1985 - Dave Shullick Sr.
1986 - Bentley Warren
1987 - Doug Heveron
1988 - Bentley Warren
1989 - Bentley Warren
1990 - Bentley Warren
1991 - Joe Gosek
1992 - Gary Morton
1993 - Dave Shullick Sr.
1994 - Pat Abold
1995 - Russ Wood
1996 - Doug Didero
1997 - Doug Didero
1998 - Mike Ordway
1999 - Pat Abold
2000 - Greg Furlong
2001 - Dave McKnight
2002 - Russ Wood
2003 - Mike Ordway
2004 - Mike Ordway
2005 - Greg Furlong
2006 - Greg Furlong
2007 - Doug Didero
2008 - Joe Gosek
2009 - Doug Didero
2010 - Pat Lavery
2011 - Randy Ritskes
About Oswego Speedway: Oswego Speedway, a sports entertainment company, is a 5/8 mile semi-banked pavement racing oval located off the shores of Lake Ontario in scenic Oswego, NY. Oswego Speedway has been a continuously run weekly racing venue since August, 1951. The premier open-wheel pavement short track cars in the world, Supermodifieds, run weekly at Oswego Speedway making Oswego the only weekly Supermodified racing venue in the world. The Small Block Supermodifieds accompany the full blown Supers on a weekly Saturday night schedule which runs from May through September. Oswego Speedway is mentioned in racing circles as the “Indy of the East,” as no fewer than a dozen past and present competitors have competed at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway including Mario Andretti, arguably the greatest driver of all time, two-time Indy 500 champion Gordon Johncock, along with former International Classic Champions Bentley Warren, Joe Gosek, and Davey Hamilton.
Oswego Speedway is honored to recognize several sponsors and corporate partners that help to bring the racing action to you each Saturday night (listed alphabetically): All Seasons Inn, Alliance Bank, Bacc Off, Best Western/Quality Inn, Blue Bowl Sanitation, Bonded Motor Sales, Bosco & Geers, Bracy’s Transmission Services, Bridge Street Jewelers, Brioschi Pharmaceuticals International LLC, Burke’s Home Centers, Burritt Motors, Butler Disposal, Canales Restaurant, Canales Insurance, Century 21 Galloway Realty, Chris Nelson Insurance, Cleaning for a Reason, City Electric, CNY CPR, Coca-Cola, Compass Federal Credit Union, Constellation Energy, Corr-Pak, CPS Electric, C’s Beverage Center, Davis Bros. Meats, Days Inn/Travelodge, Dufore’s Jewelers, Dunkin Donuts, Eagle Beverage, Ellsworth Heating and Cooling, Entergy Northeast, Ferris Industries, Gater Racing News, Green & Seifter CPA, G&I Homes, H. Lee White Marine Museum, Hofmann’s, GMAC Insurance, Gioia Signs, Hoosier Racing Tire, Hudson Dairy, Jerome Fire Equipment, Johnston’s Propane, John Costello & Associates, K&G Lodge, Lighthouse Lanes, Longley Dodge, Marollo Racing Engines, May’s Country Store, McCaffrey Chiropractic, Mickey’s Magical Vacation, Munski’s Auto and Marine, Novelis, Ontario Orchards, Oswego County Federal Credit Union, Oswego Health, Oswego Inn, OTB/Western Region, Oswego Quality Carpet, The Palladium-Times, Par-K Enterprises, Pathfinder Bank, Outdoor Power West, Performance Harley Davidson, Pizza Villa, Ponderosa, The Post-Standard, Precision Balancing, Press Box, Price Chopper, Pullen’s Plumbing, RE Davis and Son, RJ Caruso Tax & Accounting, Rudy’s Lakeside, S&S Tractor, Scriba Electric, Scriba Meats, Shapiro Motor Sales, Sharon’s Hair Gallery, Speedway Press, Steve Abt Auto, Stop DWI – Oswego County, Sunset RV Park, Supercuts, Terrell’s Potato Chips, Thunder Road Bar and Grill, Turning Stone Resort and Casino, Universal Metal Works, Vashaw’s Collision Service, Yogi Bear’s Jelly Stone Park