• Happy Thanksgiving!

    SUPRS Thanksgiving graphicSUPRS Thanksgiving Break
    November 20, 2024 5pm - December 2, 2024, 8am
    NO RACING-ALL SERVERS CLOSED
    We wish all of the SUPRS Members, sponsors, friends, fans, and supporters in the sim racing and real supermodified world a very Happy Thanksgiving. Please be safe in your travels and celebrations. We'll see you all for the Wing Side Up Twin 25s on December 3, 2024 at The Salem Speedway and Winchester Speedway!

    DON'T DRINK & DRIVE!

Category: SUPRS News

News about the Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series including PR, website updates, race preview stories, and more.

Prestigious Billy Vukovich III Classic Next for SUPRS

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Fresno, CA – February 21, 2016…The Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, (SUPRS), continues their three-week long trek through the west with the 12th Annual running of the Billy Vukovich III Classic 100 presented by Supermodified Scorecard on February 23 at Mesa Marin Raceway .

2016 SUPRS Bily Vukovich III Classic sim racing posterBilly Vukovich III was a three-time starter of Indianapolis 500 Mile Race, the first third generation racer to compete in the race and like his father and grandfather before him was named the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race Rookie of the Year.

SUPRS co-founder John Davidson, of Sacramento, CA,  has sponsored this race through his Supermodified Scorecard business since it’s start. He’s also the only three-time winner of the event and would love nothing more than to be able to run this race again. “I miss the racing but most importantly the group of great guys who share and understand what SUPRS is all about ,” he explained. “The Vuky Classic is another classic race to honor a supermodified hero that left us way too early.”

When asked what it would mean to claim a Billy Vukovich III Classic victory four-time SUPRS Champion Myles Maxon said, “It would be a great honor to win this race in memory of Billy Vukovich.”  Maxon went on to explain why, “Individuals such as he were taken from his family and the racing community far too soon and it would be special to win this event that we,  (SUPRS), hold in his honor.”

About Billy Vukovich III

Billy Vukovich III was a three-time starter of Indianapolis 500 Mile Race, the first third generation racer to compete in the race and like his father and grandfather before him was named the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race Rookie of the Year.

While many in the mainstream motor sports arena will remember Billy III as a rising star of the IndyCar ranks, the supermodified community will always claim him as one of their own. Starting out just like Bill Vukovich and Bill Vukovich II, Billy got his start in midgets in his home state of California and was a champion in that division. He quickly moved through the ranks to the supermodifieds and competed for famed supermodified car builder Jim Belfiore before moving to larger, better funded teams in California’s Central Valley.

During his supermodified tenure, Vukovich III claimed the 1986-87 USAC Supermodified Championship. In 1987 alone he won an incredible 12 of 17 races with a string of seven consecutive victories. He was also a two-time winner of the prestigious Copper World Classic at Phoenix International Raceway and was a threat to win when he competed at Madera Speedway in the Vernon Reitz “Spirit of Madera” machine.

Vukovich III was also a part of the storied return of winged supermodified racing to Oswego Speedway, competing there in an exhibition race against Eddie Bellinger, Steve Gioia, Jr. and Bentley Warren. This event was the forerunner of the return of winged supermodified racing to Oswego Speedway with 1992 ISMA wing show and set the stage for ISMA’s 1992 East vs West series and ultimately the 1995 East vs West Shootout at Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Vukovich III was killed at the age of 27 while practicing for a CRA pavement sprint car race at Mesa Marin Speedway on November 25, 1990.

Each year Madera Speedway runs the Vukovich Classic in honor of all three generations of the racing Vukovich family. There is an annual Billy Vukovich III golf tournament held to raise funds for the Billy Vukovich III Scholarship Fund for students of Billy’s high school Yosemite High School where there is also a memorial honoring the 1981 graduate who loved meteorology and amateur weather forecasting.

Practice gets underway for the SUPRS 12th Annual Billy Vukovich III Classic at 8pm. Time Trials take place at 8:45pm with racing starting at 9pm.

Fans of supermodified racing 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.

 

SUPRS Billy Vukovich III Classic 100 History

  • 2005 Billy Vukovich III Classic Champion: Bud Flath
  • 2006 Billy Vukovich III Classic Champion: John Davidson
  • 2007 Billy Vukovich III Classic Champion: Devin Gee
  • 2008 Billy Vukovich III Classic Champion: John Davidson
  • 2009 Billy Vukovich III Classic Champion: Ray Sand Jr
  • 2010 Billy Vukovich III Classic Champion: Bobby Gangwer
  • 2011 Billy Vukovich III Classic Champion: John Davidson
  • 2012 Billy Vukovich III Classic Champion: Steve Callahan
  • 2013 Billy Vukovich III Classic Champion: Steve Callahan
  • 2014 Billy Vukovich III Classic Champion: Rob Warren
  • 2015 Billy Vukovich III Classic Champion: Ray Sand, Jr.

President’s Day Special Kicks off SUPRS 3-Week Western Swing

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Goshen, IN – February 15, 2016….The Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series,(SUPRS), will embark on their three-week “Winter Western Swing” when they strike up the band on February 16 to play “Hail to the Chief”  for the President’s Day Special.

SUPRS Presidents Day Special -Veterans Day combo poster

BreezeGraphics.com is your source for patriotic posters like this!

The western adventure marks the first time the President’s Day Special will be run as a a rFactor race and will be contested for the first time other than New River Valley Speedway or New Hampshire International Speedway. The Bullring  at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will play host to the 75 lap feature and in another first, the racers will roll out their non-wing supermodifieds to go for the win in this popular race.

The very next night they will move to Madera Speedway, built in-house for SUPRS by resident track building guru, Doug “Flash” Forgue for the re-scheduled Veterans Day Special, which will also be contested using rFactor and non-wing sim racing supermodifieds.

It will be the first time the track will be used by SUPRS, and it’s release is still limited to the beta form. However, SUPRS officials believe that using the Veterans Day make-up feature will offer a good test bed for future use later in the season.

While there are a lot of unknowns heading into the two-day swing, one thing is for certain, it’s not the first time the venue or the format has been altered for the President’s Day Special .

The Presidents’ Day Special hasn’t been run every season during SUPRS 12 year history and it has varied in length from 38 to 75 laps. The race has been run at New Hampshire International Speedway as well as New River Valley Speedway.

John “Bud” Flath of New Jersey won the very first rendition of this popular race at New River Valley Speedway. From 2006 to 2009, New Hampshire International Speedway played host to the Presidents’ Day Special, then was not run from 2010 to 2013. Even so, SUPRS staged races at New River Valley including the popular Veterans’ Day Specials.

Practice for the President’s Day Special online sim supermodified race for rFactor starts at 8pm Tuesday, February 17. The non-wing sim supermodifieds will time trial, run a fast car dash, a heat and a 75 lap feature.

The next night at Madera Speedway, with time trials already having determined the feature line-up, drivers in attendance will get a 45 minute practice sessions starting at 8pm. The drivers meeting will follow at 8:45pm and the green flag will fly for the make-up 75 lap feature at 9pm. Any drivers that show and haven’t already been locked into the field will start the feature based on handicaps. Full format and details are on the SUPRS Schedule page.

The three-week western swing also includes the prestigious 12th Annual Billy Vukovich III Classic 100 at Mesa Marin Raceway presented by Supermodified Scorecard on February 23. This race will use the SUPRS NASCAR Heat wing supermodifieds.

Billy Vukovich III was a three-time starter of Indianapolis 500 Mile Race, the first third generation racer to compete in the race and like his father and grandfather before him was named the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race Rookie of the Year.

Vukovich III was killed at the age of 27 while practicing for a CRA pavement sprint car race at Mesa Marin Speedway on November 25, 1990.

Then on March 3, the SUPRS begin their trek back east when they roll into Phoenix International Raceway for the SUPRS Copper World Classic XII presented by Kern Motorsports. In what is sure to be one of the toughest runs of the season, drivers will have to excel in both wing and non-wing sim racing supermodifieds as well as both NASCAR Heat and rFactor.

25 lap features for each type of car will be used to determine an overall SUPRS Copper World Classic champion.

Fans of supermodified racing 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.

SUPRS President’s Day Special History

  • 2005 President’s Day Special Winner: John “Bud” Flath(New River Valley Speedway-NH-Wing-38 laps)
  • 2006 President’s Day Special Winner: John Davidson(New Hampshire International Speedway-NH-Wing-25 laps)
  • 2007 President’s Day Special Winner: JP Curry(New Hampshire International Speedway-NH-Wing-25 laps)
  • 2008 President’s Day Special Winner: Myles Maxon(New Hampshire International Speedway-NH-Wing-25 laps)
  • 2009 President’s Day Special Winner: Ray Sand, Jr.(New Hampshire International Speedway-NH-Wing-25 laps)
  • 2010 President’s Day Special Winner: No Race
  • 2011 President’s Day Special Winner: No Race
  • 2012 President’s Day Special Winner: No Race
  • 2013 President’s Day Special Winner: No Race
  • 2014 President’s Day Special Winner: Steve Callahan(New River Valley Speedway-NH-Wing-75 laps)
  • 2015 President’s Day Special Winner: Ray Sand, Jr.(New River Valley Speedway-NH-Wing-75 laps)

Learn More About Presidents’ Day at History.com

Florida Speedweeks, Five Nights, Intense Sim Racing

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SUPRS Florida Speedweeks Championship Tough to Win

Goshen, IN – February 4, 2016…The Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series heads to the Sunshine State this week to test man and supermodified sim racing machine in the challenging SUPRS Florida Speedweeks.The SUPRS racers will showcase their talents as they compete over the course of five grueling nights at five unique and challenging tracks.

SUPRS Florida Speedweeks 2016 poster

Promotional posters like this are as comforting as a Florida breeze with BreezeGraphics.com

Each track varies in size, grip level and configuration. The drivers will time trial each night, then the Elite 8 qualifiers will be handicapped into the top eight starting places of the feature making for unpredictable finishes each night.

Through the years there have been many memorable happenings during the Florida Speedweeks. In all there have been nine different tracks to host SUPRS Florida Speedweeks races and 20 different drivers have sat in victory lane through the years. Nine drivers have multiple wins. Of those Ray Sand, Jr. has the most Speedweeks wins overall with six. John Davidson has five, then Myles Maxon four.

Kris Heveron and Bob Gangwer have three wins total, while Sean O’Kane, Chris Myers, Dave Biro III and Steve Callahan each have two apiece. Of the multiple winners, only Davidson has won more than two features during a five night swing, picking up three the first year of SUPRS Florida Speedweeks in 2005.

The 2007 version of Speedweeks is remembered by some as the best racing ever and featured 25 drivers hailing from NH, NY, NJ, IN, MI, OH, MO, AL, PA, FL, and Canada, two first time winners, five new track records, and exceptionally tough contests over the course of five nights.

2006_suprs_orlando_speedworld_fla_speedweeks

JP Curry(33), “Mighty” Myles Maxon(79), and Larry Russell(04) go three wide at Orlando during Florida Speedweeks. It looks like Tommy Goudge(76) in the RaceChasers.com car follows.

JP Curry of Otisville, PA was as hot as the Florida sun. He had two wins, one second and one-third and set four of the five new track records.  He was simply the class of the field every night except one and a DNF at Sunrise Raceway kept him from winning the Florida Oranges while Ray Sand, Jr. used his consistent top five finishes to win his first Florida Speedweeks Championship.

There was a three year break to Speedweeks but when it returned in 2014, the racing was nothing short of fantastic with five different winners, (including first time feature winner Kevin Timmins), broken track records, and a battle for the overall Florida Speedweeks Championship that went right down the last night with only 15 points separating the top three racers.

Ray  “The Sandman” Sand, Jr. is the only currently active SUPRS Florida Speedweeks Champion and he’ll be seeking his third overall Speedweeks championship this year. A feat that will tie him with last year’s champion, Myles Maxon.

suprs-florida-speedweeks-2014-orlando-l45

The action is always intense at Orlando Speedworld.

Orlando Speedworld is a 3/8ths mile high banked track, built by Doug “Flash” Forgue, will be the site of the first race of Speedweeks. Steve Callahan is the defending race winner. The four times that Orlando has been run during Speedweeks, dating back to 2005 there has never been a repeat winner.

Night two will be held at the big 3/4 mile of Black Creek Raceway. This is one of two tracks that has hosted a race every year of Speedweeks. In those eight earlier shows, only Bob Gangwer has been a repeat winner doing it back to back in 2010, then in 2014 when Speedweeks picked back up. Myles Maxon is the defending Black Creek winner.

The SUPRS racers move on to New Smyrna Speedway on Wednesday for night three of the swing. Doug “Flash” Forgue also built this track for NASCAR Heat. New Smyrna has hosted just two SUPRS Florida Speedweeks races and Dave Brigandi is the defending winner there.

suprs-florida-speedweeks-2014-sunrise-callahan-a

Steve Callahan has a rough day at Sunrise Raceway. Steve lost control and climbed the sand hill in the backstretch ending a great run in 2014.

Night four finds SUPRS pulling into Sunrise Raceway. This slick 4/10ths mile egg-shaped oval has hosted six Speedweeks races and has also seen it’s fair share of drivers hit and launch off of the sand mounds in the backstretch. Rob Warren used finesse and good luck to win here last year.

The last night of racing takes place at another big 3/4 mile track where good brakes are as important as top speed. Along with Black Creek Raceway, USA International Speedway has hosted a race all eight years that SUPRS has run the Florida Speedweeks. Ray Sand, Jr. is the only driver besides Myles Maxon to have won here more than once, and will be looking for his third victory in a row.

Practice begins each night at 8pm. Time Trials will take place at 8:30 and the feature race is set to take the green flag at 9pm every night. The winner of the overall Florida Speedweeks Championship will receive a five pound bag of Florida Oranges.

Fans of supermodified racing 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

Monday 02/08/2016

SUPRS Florida Speedweeks Race 1

  • Orlando Speedworld-50 laps 3/8 Mile
  • 8:00pm Practice
  • 8:15pm Drivers Meeting
  • 8:30pm Time Trials
  • 9:00pm Racing
  • Current Track Record: Orlando Speedworld: Ray Sand, Jr.; 11.582 sec.; Set: 02/24/2014-Defending Race Winner:Steve Callahan

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Tuesday 02/09/2016

SUPRS Florida Speedweeks Race 2

  • Black Creek Raceway-25 laps-3/4 Mile
  • 8:00pm Practice
  • 8:15pm Drivers Meeting
  • 8:30pm Time Trials
  • 9:00pm Racing
  • Current Track Record: Black Creek Raceway: Ray Sand, Jr.; 17.016 sec. Set: 02/10/2009-Defending Race Winner: Myles Maxon

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Wednesday 02/10/2016

SUPRS Florida Speedweeks Race 3

  • New Smyrna Speedway -50 Laps-½ Mile
  • 8:00pm Practice
  • 8:15pm Drivers Meeting
  • 8:30pm Time Trials
  • 9:00pm Racing
  • Current Track Record: New Smyrna Speedway: Myles Maxon; 14.042; Set: 02/11/15-Defending Race Winner: Dave Brigandi

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Thursday 02/11/2016

SUPRS Florida Speedweeks Race 4

  • Sunrise Raceway-50 laps-4/10 Mile
  • 8:00pm Practice
  • 8:15pm Drivers Meeting
  • 8:30pm Time Trials
  • 9:00pm Racing
  • Current Track Record: Sunrise Raceway: Ray Sand, Jr; 11.355 sec. Set: 02/11/2008-Defending Race Winner: Rob Warren

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Friday 02/12/2016

SUPRS Florida Speedweeks Race 5

  • USA International Speedway-25 laps-3/4 Mile
  • 8:00pm Practice
  • 8:15pm Drivers Meeting
  • 8:30pm Time Trials
  • 9:00pm Racing
  • Current Track Record: USA International Speedway: Myles Maxon; 19.397 sec. Set: 02/13/2015-Defending Race Winner: Ray Sand, Jr.

 

Punxsutawney Phil Decides Format for SUPRS Groundhog Day Derby

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SUPRS Racers Waiting on Punxsutawney Phil to Determine Their Fate

Goshen, IN – January 29, 2016…The world’s most famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, will not only decide if spring is coming soon or not, but will also decide the fate of the The Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, (SUPRS), racers when they head to Derry Raceway Park in Maine to run the 12th Annual Groundhog Day Derby.

SUPRS Groundhog Day Derby with Punxsutawney Phil

We think the Punxsutawney Phil is perfect in this poster thanks to BreezeGraphics.com!

The SUPRS Groundhog Day Derby has always been one of the most interesting and unpredictable races on the schedule and the race format is decided by a weather forecasting groundhog. Letting Punxsutawney Phil determine the format for the night may sound a bit odd,  but SUPRS likes to keep the sim racing fun and letting a groundhog decide the race format always keeps things as dubious as trying to judge what the weather will do, even for Phil!

The racing at Derry Raceway Park is  so unpredictable in fact, that it took 11 years for a driver to win the race more than once. Last year three former winners battled each other in trying to become the first two-time winner. Ray Sand, Jr. , Myles Maxon and Steve Callahan lapped the rest of the 11 car field but it was Sand, Jr. who drove across the finish line first with Maxon latched his rear nerf bar a scant 0.064 seconds behind. Callahan finished in third, nearly six seconds back, after being caught in lapped traffic in a 50 lap race that took just over 10 and a half minutes to run.

Part of the challenge of winning this race lies in the unusual layout of the racetrack. Derry Raceway Park features two completely different ends with turn one and two having a good deal of banking and turn three and four being almost off-camber creating a great challenge to racers lap by lap.

Some are better on the banking and can sling-shot under another driver off turn two, but often find it hard to get a good line through the flats of turn three and four. Other drivers are better suited to making a pass coming from turn four and racing down the wide front stretch hoping that they don’t slide too far up the banking in turn one when they get there.

The fun and unpredictable Groundhog Day Derby begins on February 2, 2016 with the cars taking to the track at 8:00pm for practice. Depending on whether Phil sees his shadow, Time Trials could start at 8:30pm. Racing is always at 9:00pm.

Here’s a look at the Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series Groundhog Day Derby History:

  • 2005 Groundhog Day Derby Winner: 71jr.-Bud Flath (No TT)
  • 2006 Groundhog Day Derby Winner: 2-Sean Gibbs (TT)
  • 2007 Groundhog Day Derby Winner: 54j-Mike Jackson (TT)
  • 2008 Groundhog Day Derby Winner: 66-Tom Heveron (No TT)
  • 2009 Groundhog Day Derby Winner: 79-Myles Maxon (N/A)
  • 2010 Groundhog Day Derby Winner: 58-Keith Powell (N/A)
  • 2011 Groundhog Day Derby Winner: 37-Dave Biro III (TT)
  • 2012 Groundhog Day Derby Winner: 55-Steve Callahan (No TT)
  • 2013 Groundhog Day Derby Winner: 23-Chris Meyers (TT)
  • 2014 Groundhog Day Derby Winner: 18-Ray Sand, Jr. (No TT)
  • 2015 Groundhog Day Derby Winner: 18-Ray Sand, Jr. (No TT)

Current Track Record: Derry Raceway Park: Steve Callahan 12.459 sec. Set 02/02/11

See the full format and schedule of events on the SUPRS SCHEDULE page.

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