SUPRS Goes Old School with 1st to Finish Race Servers “IrReGuLaR 45”
Goshen, IN June 17, 2017…This week the Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, (SUPRS), goes back to the roots of supermodified racing at Oswego Speedway with the 1st to Finish Race Servers “IrReGuLaR 45.”
This supermodified sim racing race is a throwback to the greatest days of racing at the Oswego Speedway. Oswego is known around the world as “The Home of the Supermodifieds,” Until the 1990s, a driver had to work his way through a heat, a semi-feature and sometimes a consolation race. And all that racing was just to make the feature!
If he had a high handicap, a driver would have to start deep in the field of each race. Watching drivers race through the pack to make the transfer, always made for a thrilling show. With large weekly car counts, making the starting field of 24 supermodifieds took a lot of skill and a fair amount of luck.
In 2012 SUPRS member Rob Warren suggested that qualifying format as a way to pay homage to the good old days. His idea was quickly adapted for one race a year by SUPRS officials.
“I remember being a kid at Oswego Speedway,” began Warren. “Back then a driver really had to work his tail off to make the feature.” Warren remembers nights were even the acknowledged “greats” of supermodified racing struggled. “There were some nights when the greats like Bellinger, Shampine, Gioia and Ciprich had a hard time getting out of their heats.”
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“I thought it would be cool to try something along those lines for SUPRS,” he continued. “For people who remember how it used to be at “The Big O,” the race brings back some fond memories like mine.
“For people who have never been there or seen a real supermodified show, we can help teach them about what made Oswego Speedway one of the greatest short tracks in the country,” Warren explained.
To his credit, Warren has sponsored the race that was his idea from the beginning. “It was my idea so I thought I should put some money where my mouth is and sponsor the race,” he mused. “I thought we’d call it “IrReGuLaR” because neither Oswego or SUPRS runs a show that way anymore. Plus it just sounded fun!”
Only One Repeat Winner
Until last year, there had never been a repeat winner of the race . Ray Sand, Jr. broke that record when he made a daring pass under leader Keith Powell on a restart with just three laps left. Sand, Jr. also won the first one, while Domenic Gioia brought home the win in 2013. Like Sand, Jr. in 2016, Joe Achzet won a thriller in 2015 also with a pass late in the race. 2014 is the only year the race hasn’t been run.
Don’t miss the 1st to Finish Race Servers “IrReGuLaR 45” on Tuesday June 27, 2017. The SUPRS Race Server will open at 7pm for Systems Checks, with Official Practice starting at 8pm. The driver’s meeting takes place at 8:30pm and the first heat race starts at 9pm.
Watch, Listen, Enjoy
Be a part of the worldwide audience for the 1st to Finish Race Servers “IrReGuLar 45″with SUPRS LIVE! Follow your favorite SUPRS driver all night long with live video, track telemetry and scoring and timing.
For fans that have a Twitch.tv account, the SUPRS Chat is a great place to make new friends, talk sim racing, or real supermodified racing and enjoy the broadcast all on one page!
If you miss the live stream, the full replay is available within minutes on the SUPRS Twitch channel and stays there for up to 14 days while the edited version is posted to the SUPRS YouTube Channel within 72 hours of each event.
Supermodified racing fans and online sim racers alike can learn more about the Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series by visiting www.SUPRS.net, “Liking” SUPRS on Facebook, Circling SUPRS on Google+, Following @SUPRSOnline on Twitter, and Viewing SUPRS videos on YouTube.
Defending Race Winner: Ray Sand, Jr.
1st to Finish Race Servers IrReGuLaR 45 History:
2012-Ray Sand, Jr. (50 laps-NASCAR Heat)
2013-Domenic Gioia (NASCAR Heat)
2014-No Race
2015-Joe Achzet (rFactor)
2016-Ray Sand, Jr. (rFactor)