Over fifty years of the most exciting supermodified racing action has been written into the history books at various tracks all over this country and Canada. From Florida to St. Croix in Canada and from Maine to California; nowhere but Oswego Speedway has raced supers on a weekly basis for as long as Oswego.

Many great drivers have passed through the gates at Oswego and just as many started their careers at “The Steel Palace”. One of those drivers that started there and left his mark on not only Oswego, but on the class of Supermodifeds as well, is the late great Jim Shampine.

Sometime in early spring of 2008 The National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum, located in Knoxville, Iowa will put together an exhibit entitled “A Salute to Oswego Supers”. Dirt tracks were the norm in the early days of supermodified racing and Knoxville was in the midst of that hotbed. So asphalt super is a bit of a curiosity for the race fans of the Mid-West region. 

The highlight of the exhibit will be the famous Jim Shampine “Wedge Car” Supermodified. The car was built in 1969 by Shampine and modeled after the Andy Granatelli STP Turbine cars that were racing at Indianapolis at that time. Although through the years the car has taken on many different appearances. From 1970 to 1977 it has won a total of 55 feature races, 5 Oswego Track Championships and 2 International Classics as well as setting several track records along the way such as speed records and most consecutive feature wins during one racing season. The car has been painstakingly restored by its current owner local racing enthusiast Jim Paternoster to the appearance that Shampine during the 1974 racing season

Some other memorabilia making the trip to the Sprint Car Hall of Fame are the late Nolan Swift’s six International Classic trophies, Jim Shampine’s $1000 Dollar Club plaque, and his 1970 Track Championship oil painting of his car. There will be two different helmets worn by Shampine; the famous Stars & Stripes All Star Racing League helmet and one of Jimmy’s turquoise helmets among other items.

The car along with the many items of memorabilia is scheduled to leave the Oswego area sometime in March with an expected exhibit opening date of April 1st.

Special thanks goes out to Jim Paternoster and Tom Schmeh, Director of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, for working out the details of sending out the Jim Shampine supermodified, and to Tom Bliss, Jim Ferlito and Jim Liccardi for the coordination of acquiring of several pieces of memorabilia from various other drivers which are still in the working stage.

For more information about the Salute to Oswego Supers project feel free to contact Jim Liccardi at 315-342-5149