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Heveron finds Fame
Friday, October 24, 2008
JOHN HILL
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Doug Heveron will make one more return to Central New York where on Saturday he will be one of six to be inducted into Oswego Speedway's Hall of Fame during the track's annual awards banquet at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona.
During his motorsports career, Heveron has driven in nearly every major and minor racing venue since he and his childhood friend Davy Jones began racing quarter-midget cars with the Syracuse-Geddes Club at the New York State Fairgrounds.
In 1978, at age 17, Heveron made a major jump from the little one-cylinder cars to Oswego's potent supermodified class under the guidance of track champion Jim Shampine.
From 1980 to 1983, Heveron won 27 of his 33 feature-race victories at Oswego. He became the speedway's youngest champion in only his second season of supermodified competition, the same year he scored his first of two International Classic triumphs.
He also recorded four consecutive International SuperModified Association national titles, from 1979 to 1982, followed by a failed attempt to qualify for the 1983 Indianapolis 500.
Heveron and his team, owned by his father Tom, then turned to stock car racing, competing at times in all three of NASCAR's series and later in selected USAC sprint car events.
He recently was honored by The Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame, joining fellow Oswego stars Nolan Swift and Shampine.
In May this year, Heveron qualified on the pole position of the famed "Little 500" USAC sprint car race at Indiana's Anderson Speedway. He never led a lap, however, and dropped out early with mechanical problems.
Also to be inducted is Oswego native Jim Ferlito. A former race car owner, Ferlito has for the past three seasons organized the "Old Timers Reunion" bringing back many of the former drivers, car owners and team members of supermodified racing from the 1960s.
Long time Oswego officials Jerry Rich and Carol Haynes have both played a vital role in Oswego's racing operations. For nearly four decades, Rich has been the track's only chief pit steward, lining up the cars for each heat, consolation and feature races of both the track's divisions.
Haynes has been a driving force over the years for fans, keeping them appraised of drivers and teams not only for those of Oswego racing but the media representative for the International SuperModified Association.
Her "real" job is at George and Doug Caruso's Speedway Press publishing house as she keeps fans informed through the weekly racing magazines published by the former owners of Oswego Speedway.
Haynes, who also writes a weekly motorsports column in the Liverpool-based Gater Racing News, becomes the first female inductee of Oswego's Hall of Fame.
Receiving Special Achievement awards will be Bob Goutermout and Mike Bond, two of the speedway's most successful drivers in its small-block supermodified division.
Friday, October 24, 2008
JOHN HILL
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Doug Heveron will make one more return to Central New York where on Saturday he will be one of six to be inducted into Oswego Speedway's Hall of Fame during the track's annual awards banquet at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona.
During his motorsports career, Heveron has driven in nearly every major and minor racing venue since he and his childhood friend Davy Jones began racing quarter-midget cars with the Syracuse-Geddes Club at the New York State Fairgrounds.
In 1978, at age 17, Heveron made a major jump from the little one-cylinder cars to Oswego's potent supermodified class under the guidance of track champion Jim Shampine.
From 1980 to 1983, Heveron won 27 of his 33 feature-race victories at Oswego. He became the speedway's youngest champion in only his second season of supermodified competition, the same year he scored his first of two International Classic triumphs.
He also recorded four consecutive International SuperModified Association national titles, from 1979 to 1982, followed by a failed attempt to qualify for the 1983 Indianapolis 500.
Heveron and his team, owned by his father Tom, then turned to stock car racing, competing at times in all three of NASCAR's series and later in selected USAC sprint car events.
He recently was honored by The Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame, joining fellow Oswego stars Nolan Swift and Shampine.
In May this year, Heveron qualified on the pole position of the famed "Little 500" USAC sprint car race at Indiana's Anderson Speedway. He never led a lap, however, and dropped out early with mechanical problems.
Also to be inducted is Oswego native Jim Ferlito. A former race car owner, Ferlito has for the past three seasons organized the "Old Timers Reunion" bringing back many of the former drivers, car owners and team members of supermodified racing from the 1960s.
Long time Oswego officials Jerry Rich and Carol Haynes have both played a vital role in Oswego's racing operations. For nearly four decades, Rich has been the track's only chief pit steward, lining up the cars for each heat, consolation and feature races of both the track's divisions.
Haynes has been a driving force over the years for fans, keeping them appraised of drivers and teams not only for those of Oswego racing but the media representative for the International SuperModified Association.
Her "real" job is at George and Doug Caruso's Speedway Press publishing house as she keeps fans informed through the weekly racing magazines published by the former owners of Oswego Speedway.
Haynes, who also writes a weekly motorsports column in the Liverpool-based Gater Racing News, becomes the first female inductee of Oswego's Hall of Fame.
Receiving Special Achievement awards will be Bob Goutermout and Mike Bond, two of the speedway's most successful drivers in its small-block supermodified division.
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