OSWEGO, NY – Budweiser International Classic Weekend moves into full swing this Friday with Bud Select 55 night at Oswego Speedway.
Novelis Supermodified Top 14 Time Trials for the International Classic 200, the 602 crate dirt Sportsman Classic, and Pathfinder Bank SBS Bud Light Classic qualifying will all be a part of the agenda on Friday.
Pit gates will open on Friday at 10 a.m. with warmups beginning at noon.
The hot lap sessions will rotate until 4:30 p.m. with Novelis Supermodifieds, Pathfinder Bank SBS, Sportsman, and ISMA Supermodifieds all taking part.
During this time the grandstands will be open and FREE to spectators.
At the conclusion of hot laps, the grandstands will be cleared and be reopened for patrons at approximately 5 p.m.
The rear grandstand will be open on Friday.
First round International Classic 200 Time Trials for Novelis Supermodifieds will be first on the night’s agenda starting at approximately 6:15 p.m.
At the end of the session Friday, 14 cars will be locked into the International Classic field, with the rest relegated to second round qualifying on Sunday.
Based on the time trial session held on opening day, and times throughout the season, the 2012 Classic field has the potential to be the fastest in history.
The 2011 International Classic time trial session saw 13 Supermodifieds make their way under the 17-second bracket, the most in Classic history. Of the 36 cars to take time last season, 35 of those competitors made their way into the 17-second range.
Randy Ritskes set fast time in 2011 with a lap of 16.459 seconds.
During opening day time trials this season, 15 Novelis Supermodifieds dipped under 17-seconds, with Pat Lavery setting the quick lap at 16.445 seconds.
Otto Sitterly and Ray Graham have joined Lavery this season with official laps in the 16.4 second range, while each have also unofficially clocked laps as low as 16.2.
Joe Gosek and Ritskes have clocked official laps this season in the 16.5 second bracket, with Dave Danzer blistering the Speedway at 16.5 during track championship night hot laps. Shaun Gosselin and Mike Barnes join the list of drivers to have been at 16.6 or lower during 2012.
With the speeds shown so far this season, the thirteen car mark of 16.9 seconds or lower appears as though it could fall at this year’s Classic.
Meaning it is entirely possible that all fourteen qualifiers on Friday evening could be under the 17-second bracket, another potential first in Speedway history, making Friday night’s qualifying session a can’t miss event.
Davis Bros. Inc. will once again sponsor the front row challenge of the International Classic, with $1,000 going to the pole sitter and $500 to the outside pole.
The non-wing Supermodified track record was set by Doug Didero during the 2009 running of the International Classic with a lap of 16.212 seconds.
Joining Supermodified time trials on Friday night will be the 602 crate dirt Sportsman Classic 30, a first in Classic Weekend history. A quality list of drivers will be on hand including Dave Marcuccilli, Jeremy Pitcher, Justin Henderson, Bob Reis, Rob Humphreys, Geoff Carner, Earl Rudy and more. The event will pay $1,500 to the winner, with $100 to start.
Perhaps nearly as lucrative as the cold hard cash up for grabs on Friday night will be the special Super DIRT Week XLI contingency bonus added on just weeks ago.
The highest finishing Sportsman in the field on Friday night running Hoosier Racing Tires will earn a preferred starting spot in the prestigious Sportsman Championship at the New York State Fairgrounds ‘Moody Mile’ during Super DIRT Week.
A Sportsman test session held at the Speedway on Aug. 19 saw 10 cars take advantage of the open track time. During that session Humphreys, Carner, Pitcher, and Justin Thompson all turned times under 20-seconds with Humphreys and Carner sharing the fastest lap with a time of 19.864 seconds at an average speed of 113.270 mph.
The Sportsman field will draw for heat race starting positions, with a twelve car re-draw to line up the feature event.
The 602 crate dirt Sportsman Classic will take to the ‘Steel Palace’ for 30-laps of main event racing on Friday night.
Also on tap Friday will be qualifying action for the ultra-competitive Pathfinder Bank SBS Series. With 30+ SBS teams registered for the Bud Light Classic 60, the qualifying events set for Friday night will prove pivotal.
At the end of warm-ups the teams will run a group qualifying session to set heat race lineups.
From there, the drivers will duel to finish in the top four of their respective qualifying heat races, to guarantee themselves a top 12 starting position for the 21st annual Bud Light SBS Classic on Saturday night. The front 12 positions for the SBS Classic will be lined up based on yearlong handicapping at the Speedway.
Tickets are on sale now for Budweiser International Classic Weekend through the Oswego Speedway box office, located just outside of the main pit gate at the Speedway. To order tickets over the phone be sure to call (315) 342-0646. Box office hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Three day adult general admission passes are $104, while reserved three day admissions are $115. Three day kids’ admission, ages 6-16, is $35, while children ages 5 and under are FREE for the weekend.
Individual day general admission prices are as follows: Friday – $25, Saturday – $42, and Sunday – $52.
Oswego Speedway events run May through September on most Saturday nights, culminating with the Fall Championship 75 on Sept. 15.
For more information on Oswego Speedway be sure to visit www.oswegospeedway.com. You can also LIKE the (Official) Oswego Speedway page at facebook.com/OswegoSpeedway, or FOLLOW on Twitter @OswegoSpeedway.
To purchase tickets or order merchandise please call the Speedway box office at (315) 342-0646.
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