By Dan Kapuscinski
OSWEGO, NY (September 1, 2015) – Oswego Speedway’s 59th annual Budweiser International Classic Weekend will kick-off on Friday, September 4 with Corr/Pak Merchandising ‘Fast Friday’ featuring ‘Fast 14’ pole day time trials for the Budweiser International Classic 200 at 6 p.m. along with ‘Super 6’ Pathfinder Bank SBS time trials and the Race of Champions Modified Classic 100.
Unlike in previous seasons, Friday night’s ‘Fast 14’ Supermodified pole day time trials will take on a new sense of tension and importance, as only the ‘Fast 14’ times will be locked into the Budweiser International Classic 200 on Sunday, September 6. All racers timing in 15th on back on Friday night, must re-time in second round time trials on Sunday at Noon.
Adding even further intrigue is the possible return of Classic Sunday heat races, as the Budweiser International Classic 200 entry list continues to grow. Should the entry field hit 40 by second round time trials on Sunday, only 10 more cars will be taken from second round time trials for a total of 24 locking into the 200 on time. The remainder of the field will contend in one of two qualifying heat races, and potentially the Bud Light B-Main.
‘Fast 14’ pole day time trials will no doubt be exciting, with several fast racecars, and only 14 spots to fill. While starting position is not always the most important thing in the 200-lap Classic, knowing you are locked into the show come Sunday is always comforting, giving teams all of Sunday morning to work on race setups.
This year’s field is wide open as far as those with a chance at the International Classic front row. Names such as Michael Barnes, Kody Graham, David Danzer, Davey Hamilton, Bobby Santos III, Pat Lavery, Bob Bond, and Joey Moriarty have all surfaced as potential favorites.
No fewer than a dozen drivers are believed to have the speed necessary to sit on the front row, with the rest battling for ‘Fast 14’ positions and a more comfortable road to Sunday’s Classic.
Last season the pole position was claimed by Joey Payne at 15.802 seconds, a new track record, in the car that will be driven in 2015 by Santos for the Graham Racing team.
Kody Graham sat on the outside of the front row with Barnes and Danzer in row two last season.
Graham and Barnes joined Payne in 2014 as the only drivers in Speedway history to dip into the 15-second bracket in a non-wing Novelis Supermodified.
Drivers qualifying in the ‘Fast 14’ last year, not already mentioned as threats for the front row this season, include Payne, Otto Sitterly, Dave Gruel, Joe Gosek, and Brian Sobus.
Sobus set the 14th fastest time one year ago at 16.467 seconds.
The field is no doubt wide open for the pivotal front seven rows of this year’s International Classic, with another 16.4 second lap believed to be the mark to make it into the ‘Fast 14’.
Drivers such as Dave Shullick Jr., Jeff Abold, Shaun Gosselin, Brandon Bellinger, Tim Devendorf, Tim Snyder, Michael Muldoon and others have shown that they too have the speed necessary of clocking in on Friday night.
Add in the rookie competitors and other one week invaders, and again, the field is wide open.
Point being, a seat in the ‘Steel Palace’ on Friday, September 4 will be a necessity for the crucial first round of qualifying for the 59th annual Budweiser International Classic 200.
Joining the Supermodifieds on Friday night will be ‘Super 6’ time trials and heat races for the Pathfinder Bank Bud Light SBS Classic.
The top six fastest in SBS time trials will be locked into Saturday’s 75-lap main event, with the rest racing into the show through heat races.
The mighty Race of Champions Asphalt Modified Series will also return for their 100-lap Classic on Friday night with Chuck Hossfeld looking to defend his title.
Individual seating is available for all three days of Budweiser International Classic Weekend, with three day ticket packages also available.
Three day general admission seating is $105, with three day reserved seating set at $115, and three day pit passes for $125.
Kids 5 and under are free throughout all of Budweiser International Classic Weekend with three day child admission for kids 6-16 available for only $35.
Budweiser International Classic Weekend will kick-off on Friday, September 4 with Corr/Pak Merchandising ‘Fast Friday’ featuring Budweiser International Classic ‘Fast 14’ Novelis Supermodified time trials, Bud Light SBS Classic ‘Super 6’ Pathfinder Bank Small Block Super time trials, and the RoC Modified 100.
Friday’s front grandstand will be open for free admission beginning at noon for the day’s practice sessions. The grandstand will then be cleared at 4:30 p.m. and reopened for ticket holders.
The rear grandstand will open for the first time at 4:30 p.m. on Friday.
Classic Weekend’s Bud Light ‘Super Saturday’ will feature the final round of the ‘Steel Palace’ ISMA Super Series with the Bud Light ISMA Super Nationals, as well as the Bud Light SBS Classic 75, and the ATQMRA TQ Midget Classic.
Grandstands open at 3 p.m. on Saturday with qualifying getting underway at 5 p.m.
Budweiser International ‘Classic Sunday’ will see grandstand gates open at 9:30 a.m. and second round Supermodified time trials take to the Speedway at noon.
To purchase tickets for Budweiser International Classic Weekend and the 59th annual Budweiser International Classic 200, call the Speedway’s box office today at (315) 342-0646.
For more information on Oswego Speedway visit online at www.oswegospeedway.com or LIKE on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OswegoSpeedway or FOLLOW on Twitter @OswegoSpeedway. Those interested in Speedway video programming online can subscribe to the Speedway’s YouTube Channel, ‘OswegoSpeedwayOnline’.
International Classic Pole Award Winners (1961 – 2014)
1961 – Gordon Johncock: 21.04
1962 – Dave Paul: 20.63
1963 – Ken Bartholomew: 20.72
1964 – Sam Sessions: 20.41
1965 – Nolan Swift: 20.44
1966 – Johnny Benson: 19.81
1967 – Bentley Warren: 19.96
1968 – Todd Gibson: 19.47
1969 – Bentley Warren: 19.29
1970 – Jim Shampine: 18.73
1971 – Ken Andrews: 18.79
1972 – Jim Shampine: 18.561
1973 – Jim Shampine: 18.592
1974 – Jim Winks: 18.575
1975 – Fred Graves: 18.247
1976 – Fred Graves: 18.228
1977 – Jim Shampine: 17.928
1978 – Chuck Ciprich: 17.919
1979 – Jim Shampine: 17.914
1980 – Ed Bellinger Jr.: 17.646
1981 – Doug Heveron: 17.687
1982 – Dave Shullick Sr.: 17.919
1983 – Warren Coniam: 17.648
1984 – Ed Bellinger Jr.: 17.607
1985 – Dave Shullick Sr.: 17.336
1986 – Bentley Warren: 17.454
1987 – Doug Heveron: 17.402
1988 – Bentley Warren: 17.391
1989 – Bentley Warren: 16.861
1990 – Bentley Warren: 17.050
1991 – Joe Gosek: 17.243
1992 – Gary Morton: 17.037
1993 – Dave Shullick Sr.: 17.002
1994 – Pat Abold: 16.931
1995 – Russ Wood: 16.775
1996 – Doug Didero: 16.681
1997 – Doug Didero: 17.061
1998 – Mike Ordway: 16.981
1999 – Pat Abold: 17.093
2000 – Greg Furlong: 16.650
2001 – Dave McKnight: 16.966
2002 – Russ Wood: 16.926
2003 – Mike Ordway: 16.673
2004 – Mike Ordway: 16.642
2005 – Greg Furlong: 16.601
2006 – Greg Furlong: 16.377
2007 – Doug Didero: 16.508
2008 – Joe Gosek: 16.865
2009 – Doug Didero: 16.212
2010 – Pat Lavery: 16.523
2011 – Randy Ritskes: 16.459
2012 – Pat Lavery: 16.242
2013 – Pat Lavery: 16.223
2014 – Joey Payne: 15.802 NTR
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.