By Camden Proud
OSWEGO, NY (May 5, 2022) – Oswego Speedway officials have announced this year’s regular season handicapping procedure for the Novelis Supermodified, Pathfinder Bank SBS, and J&S Paving 350 Super divisions ahead of the track’s 71st Season Kickoff on Saturday, May 28.
For a third consecutive season, group time trials will line up heat races for the Supermodifieds, SBS, and J&S Paving 350 Supers for Opening Day on May 28, the Summer Championship on July 16, Mr. Supermodified on July 23, and Track Championship Night on August 20.
For the Supermodified Twin 35’s on June 11, SBS and 350 Super twins on June 18, the July 2 Independence Weekend Grand Prix, and ‘Retro Night’ on August 6, a random draw for starting position in heat races will be used for all divisions upon entering the Speedway.
Drivers will earn their spot in the draw by staying within one second of fast-time in warmups.
As always, all rookies will be required to start last in their heats for the first three weeks. After week three, it will be the race director’s decision on starting position.
Feature line-ups will be handicapped by taking the top four in heats or a total of twelve inverted based on the last three week’s results. For drivers who won the previous race they competed in, the best that competitor can start is 12th.
Drivers should also note that if there are only two heats run in any division, the top five in each heat, or ten total, will be inverted for the features.
Oswego Speedway’s 71st season will begin on Saturday, May 28 with the return of the historic ‘Port City 150’ presented by Barlow’s Concessions, and headlined by the 75-lap Jim Shampine Memorial for the Novelis Supermodifieds. An Open Practice will be held Saturday, May 21.
2021 track champions Dave Shullick Jr, Dan Kapuscinski, and Mike Bruce will be honored at the Speedway Season Kickoff Party and Celebration of Champions at Bayshore Grove, Oswego on Friday, May 20 from 6 to 10pm.
Tickets for the kickoff party and every event for the Speedway’s 2022 season are now available at OswegoSpeedway.customsoftwarecreations.com.
For more information on the Speedway, you can LIKE Oswego Speedway on Facebook by visiting Facebook.com/OswegoSpeedway, or FOLLOW on Twitter @OswegoSpeedway or Instagram @OfficialOswegoSpeedway.
About Oswego Speedway: Oswego Speedway is a 5/8 mile semi-banked pavement racing oval located off the shores of Lake Ontario in scenic Oswego, NY. The 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 the Oswego Speedway making it the only weekly Supermodified racing venue in the world. The Small Block Supermodifieds and 350 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, two-time Indy 500 champion Gordon Johncock, and former International Classic Champions Bentley Warren, Joe Gosek, and Davey Hamilton.
GROUP TIME TRIALS (ALL DIVISIONS):
May 28 – 71st Season Kickoff
July 16 – Summer Championship
July 23 – 35th Mr. Novelis Supermodified
August 20 – Track Championship Night
DRAW FOR HEAT RACE STARTING SPOT (ALL DIVISIONS):
June 11 – Novelis Supermodified Twin 35’s
June 18 – Pathfinder Bank SBS Twin 20’s, J&S Paving 350 Super Twin 25’s
July 2 – Independence Weekend Grand Prix
August 6 – Retro Night