“I have just missed supermodified racing,” is what “Jersey Jet” Joey Payne said as to what factors have brought him back to Oswego Speedway for the 2008 season.  “There is so much history there.  I really want to get a non winged supermodified win before I retire,” he emphasized. On the 10 year anniversary of his Oswego Super National 50 win, “The Jet” returns to the scene of one of his greatest career wins on a semi-regular basis. 

He explains on how 2008 is mapped out for the Fairlawn, New Jersey native.  “I came up a couple of weeks ago, and we hammered out a schedule.  It looks like we’re going to be doing 7 non wing races, 2 of the Oswego-MSA races, and probably 3 ISMA races this year.”

While he returns to the supermodified wars in 2008, the supermodified is not the only high horsepower, open wheel machine he will be at the keyboard of.  “The midget comes first,” Payne added.  “I drive for one of the best midget teams in the country.  We’ve had a lot of success, and I love to drive the midget, but something has been missing.  We only have about 13 races, and that’s just not enough.  You can get rusty, and we’re drivers, we want to race.  I have missed supermodified racing, and this is the time to get back into it.”

“The Jet” coming back the Big O was conceived in a conversation at the World Series at Thompson at the end of 2007.  “I talked with Pat (Strong) at Thompson.  That got the ball rolling, and things progressed from there.  I was just up in Oswego a couple of weeks ago and we got the seat and peddles moved, and we’re looking forward to going racing.”

While having a relative limited number of starts at Oswego Speedway, Joey Payne has quite a local following.  “That’s a nice feeling,” Joey said of his fan support.  “I always like to have fun with the fans.  We hang around, joke around, and just have fun with them.  Oswego fans are great supermodified fans, and it’s a great feeling to be accepted by them.”

“We can get the job done,” Payne said of his new team.  “If you have a good crew, good team, and the commitment, you can win.  There is no doubt in my mind that we can win.  If I didn’t think we could, I wouldn’t have taken the ride.  Pat and his guys have everything we need to for a successful year.  I’m looking forward to racing at the Big O this year.”

“I also have my kids growing up, and my family has given up a lot of things for me to race,” Payne added gratefully.  “They have sacrificed a lot for me, and honestly, I can see my career winding down.  Joey (17) drives a TQ midget, and Anthony is in the quarter midgets.  I want to be involved with them and help them along the way. Tiffany wants to race too, and I just may have another Erica Santos on my hands with her.  One thing nice this year is we’re going to try and run Anthony at Fulton on some of the Sunday’s we come up with his car. With Joey running the TQ midget, I'll be pit side to help him when I can as well.  Sue and the kids have been great, and I couldn’t have done any of this without the family support they have given me.”

While he has racked up wins up and down the east coast, one thing that is missing from the “Jersey Jet’s” resume is a win in a non wing Oswego supermodified race.  “We’ve been close,” he said with a bit of frustration in his voice.  “We’ve been in a non wing car something like 15 times, and we’ve been close – a lot.  It’s time.  It’s going to be a good year.  We’re going to win races.  There is nothing more I want than to be standing on that podium after a 45 lap feature on a Saturday night.”

In those limited starts, he has impressive numbers in the International Classic 200.  In just 11 starts, Joey Payne is in the top 30 of all time Classic points ahead of such supermodified superstars like Ronnie Wallace, Kempton Dates, Chuck Ciprich and Todd Gibson.  “We’ve done well in the Classic,” he reflected.  “That’s such a long race a lot of things can happen.  You just have to put yourself in a position to win, and see how it all plays out.”

He also has a personal goal he would like to achieve this year.  “I would like to win a midget, TQ midget and a supermodified race in the same year,” he added.  “I don’t think anyone has done it, and I think it would be cool.”

Joey Payne is a racer, and he will be doing a good part of his 2008 racing at Oswego Speedway.  He longs for a non wing supermodified win, and has surrounded himself with all the tools needed for that for the 2008 season.  He is one of the most determined drivers out there, and has a loyal local following, even though he is from five hours away.  He has teamed with one of the most popular local teams, and would like nothing more to stand on the victory podium taking a supermodified feature win for himself as well as owners Pat and Terry Strong.