April 13, 2020 – Dinuba, CA…The Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, (SUPRS), has taken up residence in California for the final three races of the 2020 season, and the first of those three is the 16th Annual Billy Vukovich III Classic 100 presented by Supermodified Scorecard, a race that honors the legacy and contribution to supermodified racing by Fresno’s Billy Vukovich III, April 14 at Mesa Marin Raceway.
Supermodified Scorecard Proud to Sponsor Event
SUPRS co-founder John Davidson, of Sacramento, CA, has sponsored this race since it’s inception through his Supermodified Scorecard business. His support is just as strong now as it ever was for a race that honors a fellow Californian.
“California-based Supermodified Scorecard continues to proudly sponsor the annual SUPRS sanctioned “Billy Vukovich III Classic” to recognize and honor his legacy and contribution to the supermodified division,” said Davidson.
Davidson is a three-time winner of the race and is one of four drivers to have won the prestigious supermodified sim racing event more than once.
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, like Vernon Reitz 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.
Tragically, Vukovich III was killed while practicing for a CRA pavement sprint car event on November 25, 1990 at Mesa Marin Raceway. Billy was only 27 years old.
Vukovich Classic Important to Madera Speedway
While SUPRS is proud to honor the Vukovich legacy with it’s annual sim racing Classic, it’s important to note that 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.
Billy Vukovich III Classic Details
Practice begins at 8:00pm with Time Trials 8:30pm. The Fast Car Dash follows at 8:45pm to set the top four starting places for the
16th Annual running of the Billy Vukovich III Classic 100 presented by Supermodified Scorecard. The 100 lap feature at Mesa Marin Raceway should take the green flag around 9:10pm.
Watch the Vuky
Fans can enjoy all 100 laps of the 16th Annual running of the Billy Vukovich III Classic 100 via SUPRS LIVE! beginning at 9pm EST. Because it is a NASCAR Heat race, there will be no cautions making for a show that should take under 30 minutes to complete.
Part of Supermodified Challenge
The Billy Vukovich III Classic is part of the SUPRS/HeatFinder.net NASCAR Heat Supermodified Challenge, so fans may see some drivers that aren’t regulars on the SUPRS trail. Last year, multi-Time ARL HeatFinder.net Champion, Dave Ohh, of Union, CT, surprised everyone when won the race as a rookie.
This year, Ohh is on a seven race win streak and will try to become the fifth driver in SUPRS history to win more than one “Vuky Classic.” Ohh is one of five former winners expected to compete including three-time winner Steve Callahan, two-time winner Bob Gangwer, current SUPRS Champion Rob Warren, and 2018 winner, Keith Powell.
Get Social with SUPRS
Fans can learn more about the supermodified division and the original supermodified sim sanction, the Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, by visiting www.SUPRS.net. Join SUPRS active and vibrant Social Media channels by “Liking” SUPRS on Facebook, Following @SUPRSOnline on Twitter, and viewing SUPRS videos on YouTube. See us live and join our chat on Twitch.
SUPRS Billy Vukovich III Classic 100 History – Mesa Marin Raceway
- 2005: Bud Flath (NH-63L)
- 2006: John Davidson (NH-75L)
- 2007: Devin Gee (NH-75L)
- 2008: John Davidson (NH-75L)
- 2009: Ray Sand, Jr. (NH-75L)
- 2010: Bobby Gangwer (NH-100L)
- 2011: John Davidson (NH-100L)
- 2012: Steve Callahan (NH-100L)
- 2013: Steve Callahan (NH-100L)
- 2014: Rob Warren (NH-100L)
- 2015: Ray Sand, Jr. (NH-100L)
- 2016: Bobby Gangwer (NH-100L)
- 2017: Steve Callahan (NH-100L)
- 2018: Keith Powell (NH-100L)
- 2019: Dave Ohh (NH-100L)
“Supermodified Sim Racing for the Right Reasons” since 2004
