September 13, 2008

.

The excitement has been building all season long and now the long anticipation is over as the 58th running of the Sunoco Race of Champions Weekend will take place this Friday and Saturday at the Oswego Speedway.  The Modified 200 portion of the program is slated for Saturday with the winner earning a minimum of $10,000.

The Modified grid is expected to be once again filled with the top chauffeurs in the division.  Four former winners of the event are confirmed entries but it could be a first time winner that takes this year’s headlines.  Defending Sunoco Race of Champions Modified winner Jan Leaty will certainly be geared up to defend his title.  Leaty was fast at the three RoC Tour races at Oswego this season but victory eluded him.  He did record a win in the Spencer 100 back on August 1st.

Leaty a two time race winner, (1996, 2007) Oswego Speedway has been like home.  Both of his RoC 200 wins came at Oswego and he has always been strong at the “steel palace”.  A former Race of Champions 200 teammate could be one of his great adversaries this Saturday.  Two-time race winner Tony Hirschman (1989, 1997) will be gunning to become a three time winner of the event.  Hirschman won the event at Pocono Speedway in ’89 then drove a backup car to Jan Leaty in 1996 and 1997 at Oswego .  Ironically the duo were one and two in back to back years as teammates with Leaty winning the ’96 edition and Hirschman winning the ’97 edition.  This year they will be competing with one goal in mind – that to become a three time winner of this great race.

Another two-time winner of the race Sege Fidanza cannot be counted out of the hunt this Saturday.  Fidanza (1998, 2003 winner) is always strong at Oswego and will be hoping to time trial in the top twelve to put him toward the front of the starting field.  T.J. Potrzebowski the 2006 race winner is one of the smooth drivers out of the southern tier and will be hoping to bring the historical Al Gerber Memorial trophy back to the Elmira area of New York State .  Of course no one would be surprised to see the great George Kent make a return for the event.  Kent a four time race winner (1981, 1986, 2000, 2001) trails all time RoC race win leader Dutch Hoag (1956, 1960, 1963, 1967, 1968) by only one and there is no question that he would like to tie that mark.

A number of possible heavy hitters are still looking for their first ever Sunoco Race of Champions Modified 200 win.  Former Tioga Speedway great Lee Sherwood has come close a number of times and this year could be the one for the Binghamton , NY driver.  Sherwood has been very fast at Oswego in 2008 but bad fortune plagued him in those earlier events.  Earl Paules, the 2006 RoC Modified Tour Champion is always in contention for the win at Oswego but has been unable to lock in the victory.  Paules has won the Modified portion of Classic Weekend at Oswego and has to be a favorite this weekend.

Other drivers like defending RoC Tour Champion Pete Brittain, current RoC Modified tour star Billy Putney, defending RoC SST Modified 100 winner Tony Hanbury, Daren Scherer, Mike Leaty and many, many more will be looking to add their name to the historical RoC trophy.

For additional information on the 58th running of the Sunoco Race of Champions please contact the RoC offices at (607) 775-5555 or log on to www.raceofchampions.net.  For ticket information please phone the Oswego Speedway box offices at (315) 342-0646 or log on to www.oswegospeedway.com.