Punxsutawney Phil Predictions Leave SUPRS Racers Scratching Head over Groundhog Day Derby Format
January 29, 2017 – Goshen, IN…The Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, (SUPRS), Groundhog Day Derby format is decided by the world’s most famous groundhog Punxsutawney Phil, which sometimes proves to be a real head scratching experience for the supermodified sim racers at SUPRS.
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While Phil and his Groundhog Club Inner Circle at Gobbler’s Knob may not know it, his yearly prognostication determines whether it will be a regular format with time trials, heats and the feature, or a random start. This can prove to be just as vexing to the SUPRS racers as predicting what the weather will do.
Letting Punxsutawney Phil decide the format for the night may sound a bit odd but SUPRS has done it that way for this race since Bud Flath won the first one in 2005. Since then, there has been just one repeat winner.
With the SUPRS Gold Crest Wing Championship XIII as hot as ever after last week’s Mid-Season Championship, many of the drivers are hoping that an early spring is predicted which means a full format of Time Trials, Heats and Feature. That also means more chances to score valuable points.
If the famous groundhog from Pennsylvania sees his shadow and determines that we are in for six more weeks of winter, there will be no time trials or heats and the lineup for the 50 lap feature is set by a random draw.
The fun and unpredictable Groundhog Day Derby begins on February 2, 2016 with the cars taking to Myrtle Beach Speedway for the first time in SUPRS history at 8:00pm for practice. Depending on whether Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, Time Trials could start at 8:30pm. Regardless of an early spring or six more weeks of winter SUPRS racing is always at 9:00pm.
Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series Groundhog Day Derby History:
- 2005 Groundhog Day Derby Winner: 71jr.-Bud Flath (Saw shadow-No TT)
- 2006 Groundhog Day Derby Winner: 2-Sean Gibbs (No shadow-TT)
- 2007 Groundhog Day Derby Winner: 54j-Mike Jackson (No shadow-TT)
- 2008 Groundhog Day Derby Winner: 66-Tom Heveron (Saw shadow-No TT)
- 2009 Groundhog Day Derby Winner: 79-Myles Maxon (Saw shadow-No TT)
- 2010 Groundhog Day Derby Winner: 58-Keith Powell (Saw shadow-No TT)
- 2011 Groundhog Day Derby Winner: 37-Dave Biro III (No shadow-TT)
- 2012 Groundhog Day Derby Winner: 55-Steve Callahan (Saw shadow-No TT)
- 2013 Groundhog Day Derby Winner: 23-Chris Meyers (No shadow-TT)
- 2014 Groundhog Day Derby Winner: 18-Ray Sand, Jr. (Saw shadow-No TT)
- 2015 Groundhog Day Derby Winner: 18-Ray Sand, Jr. Saw shadow-No TT)
- 2016 Groundhog Day Derby Winner: 35-Rob Warren (No shadow-TT)
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