By Dan Kapuscinski
OSWEGO, NY (April 13, 2016) – When Oswego Speedway opens the ‘Steel Palace’ gates on Saturday, May 14, time trials will be utilized to set lineups for the Novelis Supermodifieds and Pathfinder Bank SBS, with track records once again up for grabs and time trial points on the line.
Beginning at 4 p.m. on May 14 the Pathfinder Bank SBS will first hit the track for qualification runs, followed immediately by the Novelis Supermodifieds.
The time trial results for each class will then see a 12-car inversion for the night’s heat race action, which will begin at 5 p.m.
With the inversion the 10th, 11th, and 12th fastest qualifiers will start on pole position for their heat races, with the three fastest qualifiers starting in the fourth position. The 13th fastest qualifier on back will start fifth on down in each heat race, straight-up from time trials.
The top four finishers from each heat race will then retain their time trial position for the initial feature line-up, with the order then inverted as the slowest of the 12 qualifiers will start on pole position for the main event, with the fastest starting 12th.
The opening night time trial inversion was put in to place several years ago as a way to clean the slate for the new season, opting to use handicap starts beginning in week number two.
This inversion will give invading part-time Supermodified runners such as Tim Jedrzejek and Joey Moriarty a fair shake at a prime starting position for the first 50-lap main event of the season on May 14.
Current Oswego Speedway track record holders are Joey Payne in the Novelis Supermodified division with a lap of 15.802 seconds set on August 29, 2014 as well as Russ Brown in the Pathfinder Bank SBS with a lap of 18.554 seconds, set on the same afternoon as Payne.
Kids 16 and under will again be admitted free at all Speedway events in 2016 with the exception of Budweiser International Classic Weekend and Race of Champions Weekend.
On track activity beings at Oswego Speedway on Saturday, May 7 with the annual open test session for all racing divisions. Testing will run from 1-5pm on May 7 and is free for spectators to sit in the main grandstand.
Racing action at the Speedway begins on Saturday, May 14 featuring the Speedway’s 66th consecutive opening night highlighted by the Race of Champions Modified Richie Evans Memorial 61 as well as kick-off events for the Novelis Supermodifieds and Pathfinder Bank SBS.
Presented by Mitchell’s Speedway Press the day will see pit gates open at 11:30 a.m. with hot laps going green from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The Speedway’s second event of the season will follow the next week on Saturday, May 21 with the first fan appreciation event of the season featuring just $10 general admission seating with the Novelis Supermodified and Pathfinder Bank SBS in action. Racing will start at 6:30 p.m. on May 21.
For more information on Oswego Speedway be sure to visit www.oswegospeedway.com. You can also FOLLOW on Twitter @OswegoSpeedway and LIKE on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OswegoSpeedway.
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.