By Dan Kapuscinski
OSWEGO, NY (August 10, 2016) – The first wave of entries have been filed for the Budweiser International Classic 200 at Oswego Speedway on Sunday, September 4 with NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour veterans Ron Silk and Bobby Santos III looking to pull double duty on the weekend as they are slated to drive for the Graham Racing Supermodified stable.
Both Silk and Santos have victories on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour this season.
Silk, driving the Danny Watts Jr. owned Horton Avenue Materials Chevrolet, earned a win earlier this season in the New England Cycle Center 161 at New London-Waterford Speedbowl and currently rides ninth in the overall NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour standings with three top five and five top ten finishes.
A veteran of Modified racing, Silk does have one career Novelis Supermodified start coming at Oswego Speedway back on September 20 of last season.
Silk made a surprise visit for the Speedway’s 2015 Fall Championship 75 a year ago and promptly drove his Graham Racing entry to a solid fifth place finish in his only Oswego start.
Silk will join Davey Hamilton Jr. as currently entered Budweiser International Classic 200 rookie drivers looking to qualify for the 34-car starting field.
Santos has two NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victories under his belt this season in the Tinio Corporation-Curb Records No. 44, with a point victory at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park and an All-Star Shootout win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
A veteran of the International Classic, Santos will return to the familiar confines of the Graham Racing team this Labor Day Weekend, as he continues his quest for Classic victory.
Last year Santos qualified 14th fastest for the 200 and quickly jumped into the top ten spots before dropping out of the event with mechanical issues at lap 91.
Santos has yet to make a Supermodified start this season but has twice finished in the top five of the International Classic including a runner-up drive back in 2004.
Other drivers currently entered for the Classic include Graham Racing teammates Aric Iosue, Pat Lavery, Kody Graham, and team owner Ray Graham.
John Nicotra Racing has also filed three entries, two of which are for former Classic winners Otto Sitterly and Davey Hamilton Sr.
The third Nicotra ride will be driven by defending ISMA Supermodified champion Dave Shullick Jr.
Mike Muldoon Racing will be bringing two cars to the Classic lineup with drivers Mike Muldoon and Hamilton Jr.
Others currently entered to make an attempt to qualify are Jeff Abold, Hal LaTulip, and the returning Brian Sobus.
In all 14 drivers are currently entered, coming in from a total of seven different states.
The states of New York, Ohio, Iowa, Idaho, California, Indiana, and Connecticut are all currently spoken for with several more entries expected to be filed in the coming days.
Entries are also coming in for the Bud Light SBS Classic 75 to be contended on Sunday, September 4.
Alex Hoag, Jesse Bearup, Jon Tesoriero, former winner Cameron Rowe, defending champion Bryan Haynes, Barry Kingsley, rookie Tyler Thompson, and Jason Simmons are all currently entered to make a run at qualifying for the 75-lap Classic field.
With Haynes entered that makes for an eighth different residing state for a driver in this year’s overall lineup, as Haynes will be coming in from Maryland to compete.
This Saturday’s action at Oswego Speedway will feature a 50-lap Novelis Supermodified main event as well as Twin 20 Pathfinder Bank SBS features presented by CNY CPR, www.OswegoCountyToday.com, and KROCK.
Adult general admission will be set at $17 this Saturday with $14 Price Chopper Tickets to Go available at any Price Chopper Supermarkets locations.
Kids 16 and under will be admitted free with paid adult.
For more information on Oswego Speedway visit online at www.oswegospeedway.com, follow on Twitter @OswegoSpeedway, or like on Facebook at 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.