By Dan Kapuscinski
OSWEGO, NY (July 15, 2016) – With Oswego Speedway’s highly anticipated 60th Budweiser International Classic Weekend on the horizon highlighted by the Budweiser International Classic 200 for Novelis Supermodifieds and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Toyota ‘Mod Classic 150’ presented by McDonald’s, Speedway management is excited to officially announce a Classic makeover in anticipation of the big weekend.
At the top of the list will be the introduction of an all-new 10′ x 16′ digital video screen, which will be installed between the Speedway’s scoreboard pillars, directly above the digital lap counter and lap time display unit.
The digital Jumbo-Tron will provide lap by lap coverage of events, instant replays, special driver features and interviews, sponsor & marketing packages and promotions, as well as a MyLaps timing interface to display live timing of events.
“Since taking over the Speedway in 2011, this project has been on the minds of Speedway co-owners John and Eric Torrese,” said Oswego Speedway PR Director, Dan Kapuscinski. “All of us at the Speedway are beyond excited to be able to work alongside Watchfire and Thomas Video Productions to debut this new piece for our historic 60th running of Budweiser International Classic Weekend. Several of the elements we plan to use on the screen will be built in-house and should certainly add entertainment value and excitement to the weekend and weekly race nights at the Steel Palace for many years to come.”
While entertainment and excitement are part of the plan, commitment to the future of the facility is also in the minds of ownership.
“The Torrese family is committed to the long term success and viability of Oswego Speedway,” said Kapuscinski. “These recent improvements are all a part of that effort as they look ahead to the years to come.”
Coupled with the digital video screen installation will be the restoration of an iconic Speedway landmark.
For decades Oswego Speedway has featured a neon ‘Oswego Speedway’ street display on the back side of its main grandstand facing East Albany Street – now known as Nolan Swift Memorial Drive -, which could be read from nearby Route 104 in Oswego.
In recent years the neon lights had moved to disrepair, leaving the classic street sign dormant.
However, in the past week the original light fixtures have been removed and are set to be equipped with brand new LED lights and covers, to permanently keep Nolan Swift Memorial Drive lit when the sun goes down.
“Generations of Speedway fans have told friends and family of the famous neon sign,” said Kapuscinski. “John and Eric (Torrese) did the best they could to keep up with the maintenance and repairs of the neon bulbs, but it simply became too much. The new LED lights within the original fixtures will be a perfect combination of old and new bringing back to life a Speedway landmark.”
Early indications point to the sign being ready for the Speedway’s track championship night with $5 admission on Saturday, August 20, if not sooner.
The official announcement of the digital video screen and LED light display addition comes in the wake of Thursday’s announcement that NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week XLV would officially be held at Oswego Speedway on October 5-9.
“We have been working on this process for the video screen and light display since the first of the year, before anything with Super DIRT Week became official,” said Kapuscinski. “This was a long-term investment in the Speedway that John and Eric had been talking about for several years, and the trigger was pulled in recent weeks. But – the screen and sign will sure look nice during Super DIRT Week, as well as Classic Weekend.”
Before the Speedway’s Davis Bros. Inc. $10,000 to win Mr. Novelis Supermodified on July 23, the Novelis Supermodifieds and Pathfinder Bank SBS will do battle this Saturday, July 16 in the Crop Production Services Summer Championship.
The Demolition Derby will follow Saturday night’s Summer Championship events which will feature a 50-lap Novelis Supermodified main and a 30-lap Pathfinder Bank SBS feature.
Pit gates will open at 3:15 p.m. on July 16 with practice beginning and grand stand gates opening at 4:30 p.m. The night’s first heat race will take place at 6:30 p.m.
The Demolition Derby will immediately follow the Novelis Supermodified main event.
Adult general admission on Saturday is $15 with $14 Price Chopper Tickets to Go available. Kids 16 and under are free with paid adult.
The July 23 Mr. Novelis Supermodified and Mr. Pathfinder Bank SBS will follow the same time format as this weekend’s Summer Championship.
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’.
To purchase tickets for the 2016 racing season call the Speedway box office at (315) 342-0646.
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.