OSWEGO, NY (June 16, 2014) – For the first time since 1998, the Novelis Supermodified Twin 35’s will return to Oswego Speedway presented by Burke’s Do-It-Best Homecenters and Helena Chemical Company.
A tradition that started in 1976, Twin 35 Supermodified features were an integral part of Oswego Speedway’s yearly racing program for over 20 years.
While the Twin 35 Supermodified format itself began in ‘76, the Speedway ran Twin Supermodified features as far back as 1970 with Jim Shampine claiming double wins in May of that year.
The Speedway would even go as far as adopting Triple 33’s in 1973 and 1974 with Shampine claiming five of the six features. Ohio’s Baldy Baker was the only other driver to stop Shampine in that format.
With that said, it is no surprise to see that Shampine won more scheduled Twin events than any other drivers in the Speedway’s history with 21 victories in total.
Bentley Warren (17), Doug Heveron (12), Eddie Bellinger Jr. (12), and Steve Gioia Jr. (10) join Shampine as the only drivers to have double digit victories in Twin events.
In 1975 two sets of Twin 30’s were contended, then adopting the Twin 35 distance from 1976 through 1998, before the race went away in 1999 and 2000.
In 2001 the Twins returned, with 30-laps being the distance, and were contended off and on up until the 2011 racing season with Dave McKnight and Bob Bond claiming the last scheduled Twin format event at the Speedway.
Just last season a rain shortened program forced officials to contend a Twin 50 event on June 15 with Pat Lavery and Kody Graham driving to victory lane.
Saturday night, the historical Twin 35 format will return, and with it the drama and excitement of a shorter feature distance and the potential for a first time Supermodified feature winner will emerge.
A total of 12 drivers have won their first Supermodified feature in Twin Supermodified events at the Speedway.
Since 1971 Fred Graves, Gary Albritain, Brian Herb, Mike McLaughlin, Dean Hoag, Howard Page, Greg Furlong, Otto Sitterly, Jeff Holbrook, Gary Morton, Jerry Curran, and Pat Lavery have all won their first, and in some cases only, Supermodified feature during a Twin event.
With that in mind attention will turn to drivers such as Jessica Zemken, Michael Muldoon, Tim Devendorf, Brian Sweeney, Brandon Bellinger, Jeff Abold, Stephen Gioia, Keith Shampine, Dan Connors Jr. and others looking for that elusive first feature victory.
The Pathfinder Bank Small Block Supers will join the Novelis Supermodifieds Saturday making for a three feature show with a total of 100-laps of feature racing action.
Fans are reminded that with the Novelis Supermodifieds contending in two feature events, the Supermodified heat races will be the first races of the evening starting immediately at 6:30 p.m.
Pit gates open at 2 p.m. on June 21 with grandstand gates opening and hot laps beginning at 4 p.m.
General admission seating is available for $20 this weekend with padded reserved seating on sale for $25.
Once again in 2014, kids 16 & under will be admitted free of charge with a paid adult with active military also admitted free with I.D.
For more information on Oswego Speedway visit online at www.oswegospeedway.com, follow on Twitter @OswegoSpeedway, or like on Facebook at facebook.com/OswegoSpeedway.
About Oswego Speedway: Oswego Speedway, a sports entertainment company, is a 5/8 mile semi-banked pavement racing oval located off the shores of Lake Ontario in scenic Oswego, NY. Oswego 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 Oswego Speedway making Oswego the only weekly Supermodified racing venue in the world. The Small Block 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, arguably the greatest driver of all time, two-time Indy 500 champion Gordon Johncock, along with former International Classic Champions Bentley Warren, Joe Gosek, and Davey Hamilton.
