Bluegrass 50 is First Race Back at Redball Raceway for SUPRS Since 2016
October 5, 2018…The Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, (SUPRS), return to Redball Raceway on October 9, 2018 for the Bluegrass 50 marks the first time since 2016 that the sim racing sanction has raced at this high-banked, very fast, and very abrasive 5/8ths mile located in Coyote Junction, KY.
The sounds of supermodified racing invade the Bluegrass state on October 9 at Redball Raceway.
Abrasive Surface Leads to Concerns About Tire Wear
The highly abrasive track surface, coupled with the sustained high-speed, full fuel loads, and raised suspensions due to bumps, has several drivers concerned about their tires lasting in the 50 lap feature. The last time the supermodified sim racing sanction raced at Redball, Keith Powell of Carrollton, OH was the winner after a nerve-wracking race and he’s one of those drivers.
“I gave up worrying about the tire so to speak,” said Powell recently after a test session. “No matter what I’ve done, they’re shot.” He added that he is hoping for a caution to help keep the tires cool, then asked, “Does anyone think we are going to go without one, (a caution), here?”
Cautions Could Factor in Again
Powell, who won the season opener at LaPorte Speedway last week, probably isn’t that far off in his assumption of the race having cautions. The 2016 Black Kat Klassic had a total of seven cautions and the drivers ran under pace speed for 30 extra laps, with seven of the 12 drivers competing that night involved in a spin or crash in some way.
At the end of the night only the top four drivers remained on the lead lap in the 25:33 minute race won by Powell. Rob Warren and Bob Gangwer were able to come home in second and third.
Don’t Miss This Race
Circle October 9, 2018 on your calendar and get ready to be thrilled by sub 11 second laps on the fast 5/8ths of Redball Raceway. The drivers take to the track at 8:00pm for Hot Laps and then take part in the mandatory Drivers Meeting at 8:30pm. Racing starts at 9:05pm with the Fast Car Dash followed by two 10 lap Heat Races.
Fans can enjoy the rFactor feature of SUPRS 15th Anniversary Season via SUPRS LIVE! at 9pm est. Scoring, timing, track telemetry and multiple camera views puts you right in the action for all the night’s events.
SUPRS Harvest of Speed at LaPorte Speedway Kicks Off Historic 15th Supermodified Sim Racing Season
September 25, 2018 – Goshen, IN…For the fifteenth consecutive year, Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, (SUPRS), begins with the Harvest of Speed on October 2, 2018 at LaPorte Speedway using the NASCAR Heat sim racing platform.
BreezeGraphics.com helps SUPRS promote the Harvest of Speed with promotional items like this poster.
Harvest Rooted in History
Throughout the history of the Harvest of Speed, the NASCAR Heat sim racing platform has always been used. While SUPRS has stayed true to their roots, using the same game platform, several different changes of the game have seen action, with the first being the Mike Jackson built “PSTM” mod. After that, all the mods used were built “in-house” for SUPRS all the way up to the latest SUPRS W v6.0 which is now available publicly.
LaPorte Speedway is one of the first NASCAR Heat tracks built by the NASCAR Heat community outside of the original tracks for the HASBRO Interactive game released 18 years ago. As such, it’s the perfect place to host the first race of SUPRS 14 event NASCAR Heat Supermodified Challenge which is open to the public ,with the only requirement being that a driver register his intent to compete as a Silver Crest division driver using the SUPRS join form. One driver, Jeff “Grumpy” Bivens, a former SUPRS member in 2016, has already filled out that form and has indicated his intent to return to supermodified competition for the Harvest.
Original and Still Unique
The ‘in-house’ SUPRS W v6.0 mod built by Quesnell Designs was originally released in 2010. The unique and original mod was the first in the sim racing world not only to feature multiple supermodified chassis in one game, but also articulating top wings. The mod, which is now considered very old by some in the sim racing community, is now considered new again by others NASCAR Heat community thanks to the SUPRS sanctioned public release by The Mod Squad.
Reaping Victory Not Easy at LaPorte
LaPorte Speedway is a fictional, tight, high-banked 3/8th mile track in Northern Indiana has hosted the Harvest of Speed since the beginning of SUPRS and is second only to Oswego Speedway for the amount of races contested. But even with that many races run, to win on the challenging, old track at LaPorte is one of the greatest challenges the SUPRS racers will face in all the season.
Native Hoosier Bob Gangwer is going for his third Harvest of Speed in a row.
Since the first Harvest of Speed in 2004, just seven drivers have ever won it. Many of the 13 different drivers that have managed to see the checkered flag first at LaPorte have never won a second race there. But there are several exceptions to that rule, including defending winner Bob Gangwer who looks to join the ranks of Ray Sand, Jr. and Myles Maxon as drivers that have at least three Harvest of Speed victories.
Sandman, Might Myles and SFJ LaPorte Masters
Seven-Time SUPRS Gold Crest Wing Supermodified Champion Ray “The Sandman” Sand, Jr. has a total of six feature wins at LaPorte including the 2011 and 2013 Harvest of Speed races and only “Mighty” Myles Maxon and John “SFJ” Davidson have more total wins at LaPorte. Maxon’s four Harvest of Speed victories at LaPorte make up the bulk of his seven total wins here . Three of those wins came in a row from 2007-2009. Davidson made an incredible run of eight straight checkered flags at LaPorte from February 2005 to April 2006, with one of those being the very first Harvest of Speed.
Sean O’Kane (2006), Gary Waldron (2010), and Chris Meyers (2012) are the only other drivers to have won the Harvest of Speed. Steve Callahan, Jim Crannell, Josh Crannell, Doug Heveron, and Jesse Kennedy have also etched their names into the SUPRS record book as one-time LaPorte Speedway race winners, although none of them brought in the Harvest.
Indyana Supermod Challenges Starts with Harvest
The 2018 Harvest of Speed is, again, the first race of the Indyana Supermod Challenge, (ISC), which is a season-long, multi-race regional tour through the state of Indiana. This tour pays bonus points to the overall points man and includes a double-header at Indianapolis Raceway Park, as well as a thirty lap race at Anderson Speedway. The overall Indyana Supermod Challenge Champion receives a five-pound bag of award-winning Yoder’s Indiana Popcorn.
Open the Season with SUPRS
SUPRS 15th Anniversary season of supermodified sim racing begins with the Harvest of Speed at LaPorte Speedway on October 2, 2018. Practice begins at 8:00pm, with the Drivers Meeting taking place at 8:30. Time Trials follow at 8:45pm and Racing begins with the Fast Car Dash at 9:05pm. The full race format and schedule of events is available on the SUPRS schedule page.
Watch the Harvest of Speed Live
Follow your favorite SUPRS racers while you view timing, scoring, and live streaming video of all the NASCAR Heat sim racing from the SUPRS 15th Annual Harvest of Speed at LaPorte Speedway “Live @ 9pm est via the SUPRS LIVE! page.
The SUPRS LIVE! experience includes in-car camera views as well as the main video screen and it’s a great place to spend the first Tuesday evening in October while learning more about supermodifieds and the original supermodified sim racing sanction.
SUPRS 15th Anniversary Gold Crest Wing Supermodified Season Will Use NASCAR Heat, rFactor for 46 Race Schedule Goshen, IN – September 18, 2018… The Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, (SUPRS), embarks on its 15th Anniversary season and has officially released its 2018-19 Gold Crest Wing Supermodified Schedule featuring a wide variety in sim racing platforms and track styles. The season schedule begins in October and has 46 races in 18 states and Canada over the course… Keep Reading
SUPRS, The Mod Squad, HeatFinder Work Together for NASCAR Heat Sim Racing Community September 18, 2018 – Goshen, IN…After 15 years of being one of the best kept secrets in the NASCAR Heat sim racing community, the Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, (SUPRS), has joined forces with HeatFinder, (HeatFinder.net) and The Mod Squad, (TMS), for their 15th Anniversary season to allow more people to use SUPRS NASCAR Heat based tracks and cars. “Seeing SUPRS going… Keep Reading
Real Supermodified Racing Videos
Our Real Supermodified Racing YouTube Playlist contains over 900 videos like this. Featuring wing, non-wing, 360/350 small-block, and vintage supermodified videos! If you've never seen, or heard a real supermodified, this is a good place to learn more about "The Ultimate Short Track Race Car" and understand why we love them and support them!
