OSWEGO, NY – Oswego Speedway’s 2014 Novelis Supermodified racing season is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated in several years, with no fewer than ten brand new racing machines scheduled to hit the ‘Steel Palace’ this spring.
Among those drivers looking to debut brand new creations is third generation racing driver Michael Muldoon and former International Classic champion Tim Snyder.
Muldoon, son of 3-time Oswego track champion and 1995 Budweiser International Classic champion Mike Muldoon, will enter his fourth season of Supermodified racing at the Speedway this year and is excited at the possibilities of his team’s newly designed Muldoon chassis.
“This car is totally different than the last three we have built,” said young Muldoon, a mechanical engineering student at Rochester Institute of Technology. “We have lowered the roll cage about four or five inches, I have designed my own tail wing for the back of the car, and we have tipped the engine over quite a ways. That will be what most people notice. We’re going to have to adjust to the changes, but we know we are going to be able to get more air now to the rear wing.”
Muldoon says that his father’s same suspension design will be used on their Supermodified, utilizing a four-bar torsion bar system, meaning that nearly all changes for this year’s design are to assist the car’s aerodynamics.
Something Muldoon says is now a basic necessity.
“Personally, I believe the cars handle better without the tail wing,” said Muldoon. “But when you are out there with 23 other cars that have a tail wing, we knew we would have to make it work eventually. With the rear tail wing you can go into the corner so much harder, but the car does not rotate through the center of the corner as well. Unless you want to get blown by going into the corners, you need to have the rear wing.”
Voted as Oswego Speedway’s Most Improved Supermodified driver of the 2013 season, Muldoon is confident in his new ride and has set this season’s goals accordingly.
“My main goal is to finish every race,” said Muldoon. “I have learned that you need to take what the car gives you. If you finish races at Oswego your results will come, I went into last year with a different mindset and we only had two DNFs. I would like to pick up my first win this season, get my Top 5’s and Top 10’s, and have a race car that has the speed to time trial well.”
Muldoon finished 2013 8th in the overall driver standings with two Top 5 runs and a total of seven Top 10 finishes.
Tim Snyder is not looking to pick up his first career win at Oswego Speedway, rather returning to the form he grew accustom to at the ‘Steel Palace’ a handful of years ago.
Snyder stormed onto the Oswego scene in 2001 earning his first career victory in Oswego’s marquee event, the Budweiser International Classic 200.
In the year’s following Snyder became a regular in Oswego’s victory lane, including the 2005 season behind the wheel of his first Hawk chassis Supermodified.
After racking up five Top 5 point finishes in seven years from 2002-2009, and his most recent trip to victory lane on August 22, 2009, Snyder has been searching for the set-up needed to return to the winner’s circle.
After finishing 11th in the driver standings in 2013 with just one Top 5 finish, Snyder and team decided to return full tilt to the Hawk chassis shop for 2014.
“We are going to have a new Hawk chassis at Oswego for the non-wing opener,” said Snyder. “Joey (Hawksby) still has the car as of right now; we are only waiting on fuel cells and shocks at this point. Won’t be much longer and we will be able to take the car, put the engine in it and plumb it.”
Snyder says that his car and all of the cars coming out of the Hawk shop this season will be the latest Hawksby design.
“Our car will be the latest design,” said Snyder. “Similar to the cars seen last year from Brian Sweeney and Bob Bond. We are going to go back to red this year, with most of our returning sponsors. I’m looking forward to the consistency we have had in the past with this new chassis. We have struggled in recent years to get our cars to repeat.”
Kids 16 and under will again be admitted free at all Speedway events in 2014 with the exception of Budweiser International Classic Weekend August 29-31 and Race of Champions/Championship Weekend September 12-14.
On track activity beings at Oswego Speedway on April 26 with the annual open test session for all racing divisions.
Testing will run from 1-5 p.m. on April 26 and is free for spectators to sit in the main grandstand.
Racing action at the Speedway begins on May 3 with the 64th annual Gater Racing News Opening Night featuring the Shea Concrete ‘Steel Palace’ ISMA Super Series ‘Irish’ Jack Murphy Memorial 56 and the opening round of the Pathfinder Bank SBS Road to the Championship.
The Speedway’s flagship non-wing Novelis Supermodified division will kick-off its 53rd consecutive season of racing at the Home of Supermodifieds on May 10th presented by Mitchell’s Speedway Press and Planet Fitness of Oswego.
Nearly 30 Novelis Supermodifieds are expected in be in action including defending champion Otto Sitterly and Indianapolis 500 veterans Joe Gosek and Davey Hamilton.
For more information on Oswego Speedway be sure to visit www.oswegospeedway.com
You can also FOLLOW on Twitter @OswegoSpeedway and LIKE on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OswegoSpeedway.
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