St. Patrick’s Day Grab o’ the Green at New Bremen is Last Race of Ohio State 500 Series

March 10, 2023 – Goshen, IN…For the fourth year in a row the Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, (SUPRS), will visit a new track for the popular St. Patrick’s Day Grab o’ the Green on March 14, 2023, and is also the last race of the Ohio State 500 Series. This year, for the first time in SUPRS history, the drivers will try their luck at the famed, but long defunct New Bremen Speedway. And because the race is part of the five race Ohio State 500 Series, the feature event will be 100 laps, the most since a 75 lap affair at Buckley Speedway in 2010 won by Canadian Jamie Hartley.

Storied History at New Bremen

With a history dating back to 1926 as a dirt track, the venue had a storied history even before being paved in 1966, then returning to dirt in the late 70s. The track was even the scene of a riot that broke out after drivers wanted more money then refused to finish the day’s racing events.

The track was one of the mainstays of the USAC circuit, with Lee Kunzman, Jud Larson, AJ Foyt, Larry Dickson, Bill Vukovich II, Mike Mosley and Sammy Sessions, amongst others, etching their name in the New Bremen winners column as USAC victors. Gary Bettenhausen and Don Branson were two of the best that ever ran at New Bremen.

New Bremen Speedway, while relatively flat, and mostly single groove, was sometimes as treacherous as the more banked ovals that the supermodifieds raced on. The wide sweeping corners, and relatively short chutes of the fast ½ mile oval always kept the drivers on their toes wondering if their right rear tire would hold up. The shape and fast lane of New Bremen have led some to liken it to a smaller version of the famed Langhorne Speedway in PA or Flemington Fairgrounds Speedway in NJ.

SUPRS Race Nod to Real Supermodifieds

The SUPRS 2023 St. Patrick’s Day Grab o’ the Green is a nod to the great track that was when it hosted the Ohio State 500 series for real supermodifieds. While only two editions of the series were ever contested at the track, it produced two different winners from two different states. In 1976 John McLaren of Texas won the 100 lap feature. Then in 1977, at the end of New Bremen’s paved era, Michigan supermodified racer Bill Davis took home the win, his second of the 1977 Ohio State 500.

The SUPRS Ohio State 500 Series format of time trials, and a 100 lap rFactor supermodified sim racing feature is sure to be a challenge at the fast, flat half-mile of New Bremen Speedway.

Up until 2019 no driver had ever repeated as a St. Patrick’s Day Grab o’ the Green winner. Dave Ohh has shattered that statistic, winning every Grab O’ the Green since 2019. Ohh is also the current Ohio State 500 points leader sitting 30 markers ahead of Ryan Cloonan who is tied with Bob Gangwer in second.

Follow Your Favorite with SUPRS LIVE!

Enjoy the St. Patrick’s Day Grab o’ the Green supermodified sim racing event, and the final race of the SUPRS 2022-23 Ohio State 500 Series on our SUPRS LIVE! page. While there will be no official SUPRS stream, we’ll still have up to the second Timing and Scoring, and track telemetry. SUPRS LIVE! is the perfect place to cheer on your favorite SUPRS racers by visiting www.SUPRS.net/site/Live.

Race Night Times and Schedule of Events

Tuesday, March 14, 2023 – (ALL TIMES EASTERN)

• Official Practice (All-Skate-Open Pits): 8:00pm
• MANDATORY Drivers’ Meeting: 8:10pm
• Time Trials: 8:20pm
• Break: to follow
• Driver Introductions: To follow
• Green Flag Feature 100 laps: 8:35pm (approximately)
  
• ALL SERVERS CLOSED: 10:00pm

Race Contest History and Statistics

Current Track Record: N/A 

Defending Race Winner: 

• Dave Ohh; ToR:; MoV:; 2 cautions (LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway – 50 laps – rFactor)

SUPRS St. Patrick’s Day Grab o’ the Green History:

• 2005-Kevin Marine-Dover Downs International Speedway; 25 Laps; NH-W
• 2006-Randy Ritskes-Dover Downs International Speedway; 40 Laps; NH-W
• 2007-Kris Heveron-Dover Downs International Speedway; 25 Laps; NH-W
• 2008-Bud Flath-Stafford Mountain Raceway; 75 Laps; NH-W
• 2009-Ray Sand, Jr.-Stafford Mountain Raceway; 75 Laps; NH-W
• 2010-Jamie Hartley-Buckley Speedway; 75 Laps; NH-W
• 2011-2013-No Race
• 2014-Steve Callahan-Dover Downs International Speedway; 25 Laps; NH-W
• 2015-Rob Warren-Dover Downs International Speedway; 25 Laps; NH-W
• 2016-Clinton Cyr-Mosport Speedway; 50 Laps; rF-NW
• 2017-Joe Achzet-Dover Downs International Speedway; 25 Laps; rF-W
• 2018-Steve Callahan-Rocky Mountain Raceways; 50 Laps; rF-W
• 2019-Dave Ohh-Rocky Mountain Raceways; 50 Laps; rF-W
• 2020-Dave Ohh-Madison International Speedway; 50 Laps; rF-W
• 2021-Dave Ohh-The Milwaukee Mile; 25 Laps; rF-W
• 2022-Dave Ohh-LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway; 50 Laps-rF-W

“Supermodified Sim Racing for the Right Reasons” since 2004