Story By: CAMDEN PROUD / OSWEGO SPEEDWAY – OSWEGO, NY – Burke’s Do It Best Home Centers of Oswego and Fulton, along with DeStevens Racing, will together present a 5-lap ‘Dash for Cash’ paying to $250 to win for recent and upcoming Pathfinder Bank SBS high school graduates on Saturday, June 24.
The 24th, which is also Autograph Night at the Speedway, is graduation day for Oswego High School, and two teenaged SBS competitors; Tony DeStevens and Jude Parker, will be walking the stage that morning before wheeling their 300-plus horsepower machines around the Fast 5/8th’s by mid-afternoon.
In addition to DeStevens and Parker; both members of the Oswego High School Class of 2023, Mexico High School Class of 2022 graduate Noah Ratcliff and OHS Class of ‘22 graduate Griffin Miller, will also be eligible to enter the dash.
Griffin, 19, Noah and Jude; 18, and Tony, 17, will each have the opportunity to participate in the ‘dash draw’ for starting position during the Driver Autograph Session, and will be recognized for their academic achievements over the PA system.
For the starting lineup, the driver who draws the lowest number will start on the pole, and the driver who draws the highest number will start tail for the 5-lap, $250 to win ‘Graduation Day Dash for Cash.’
After the checkered flag, all four drivers will be stopped on the frontstretch for a group photo in victory lane, with the dash winner taking home a $250 check thanks to Burke’s Do It Best Home Centers and DeStevens Racing.
All four dash-eligible drivers; Miller, Ratcliff, Parker, and DeStevens have each pocketed a host of accomplishments during their ‘high school careers’ at the Oswego Speedway.
Miller, a third-generation driver entering his third year in the division with the John Altman No. 9, quickly found SBS victory lane before the end of his rookie season in August 2021, and would later add three more podium finishes in a row to close out 2022, including in the 31st Bud Light SBS Classic.
Ratcliff, who edged Miller for Rookie of the Year honors in ‘21, was championship runner-up to Dan Kapuscinski this past season thanks to an unbelievable seven podium finishes in 10 total races with the Jake’s Automotive No. 73. Noah also earned a trio of podiums in his rookie year for a total of 10, including four runner-up efforts.
Parker, who at 17 years of age campaigned the G.O. Racing No. 00 for his debut season a year ago, proved a quick study as well, finishing inside the top 10 in five out of nine races at Oswego, with his best effort of 4th coming with the Small Block Super Championship Series at Chemung Speedrome in July.
DeStevens, who will turn 18 on Graduation Day, was also among the 11 SBS rookies a season ago. Piloting the family No. 24 prepared by his brother Joey, Tony found strong speed in the car by season’s end – capped by his first career podium finish on Track Championship Night, and backed up with a competitive fifth place in the Classic after qualifying sixth with a lap of 18.809 seconds.
The June 24th’s Autograph Night program at the Oswego Speedway, to be presented by CME Electrical Supply, will also see a complete card of action for the Pathfinder Bank SBS, Novelis Supermodifieds, and the J&S Paving 350 Supers.
Oswego Speedway’s 72nd Season Kickoff is scheduled for Saturday, May 27th. The lid lifter will again feature the 75-lap Jim Shampine Memorial for Novelis Supermodifieds, 35-lap Tony White Memorial for Pathfinder Bank SBS, and a 30-lap Memorial Weekend Special for the J&S Paving 350 Supermodifieds.