When summer fades into fall, things tend to get a little quiet around Oswego, admitted City Mayor Robert Corradino.
That is, until the “ground-pounding, Earth-shaking, window-rattling, Beast of the Northeast” Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds return for Super DIRT Week 53 at Oswego Speedway in October.
However, it’s not the noise of the event that brings up the volume around Oswego. It’s the increased excitement, the increase in economic growth, and most importantly, according to Corradino, it’s the boost to the city’s quality of life.
“We have a lot of events during the summertime, and again, this is a fall event, but it allows local people and people from around town to come and visit Oswego. See what we have to offer,” he said. “It’s an economic boost, but it’s really a quality of life boost as well.”
With around 30,000 people visiting the city for Super DIRT Week every year, there are increases all around. More people staying in hotels. More people eating at restaurants. More people shopping at stores.
“People probably don’t know this, but the number one source of revenue for the city of Oswego is sales tax,” Corradino said. “So, it’s obvious during DIRT Week we get a big boost on our sales tax revenue. I keep track of the monthly numbers, and I see a huge boost during that time. So, again, it’s an economic impact. People are eating in restaurants, they’re shopping at various stores downtown, even out at the plaza, they’re shopping, so we have a big economic boost, and we welcome it.”
Super DIRT Week has teamed with the City of Oswego and the Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce by CenterSate to add to the already long list of activities for locals and traveling fans with the addition of Racing’s Biggest Block Party in Downtown Oswego on West 1st Street, Tuesday, Oct. 7. The free event will have live music, food and drink specials, race cars on display, drivers signing autographs, family activities and more, from 4 to 8 p.m.
“That’s a great addition this year,” Corradino said. “We had one block party after our Fourth of July parade and having this second one is pretty special because it is obviously for the focus of DIRT Week, but certainly gives everyone the opportunity to participate, whether you’re a race fan or not.”
Oswego Mayor Robert Corradino
This year will mark the ninth year that Oswego has hosted Super DIRT Week at Oswego Speedway. The event developed a reputation of being “racing’s biggest party” when it was at the Syracuse Mile, but that tradition has continued at Oswego and grown every year to not only accommodate the fans and drivers, but also the local community.
“It’s everything. We call it racing’s biggest party because there’s a lot more than just what’s going on on the racetrack,” said Jeff Hachmann, Super DIRT Week Executive Director of Events. “We start off… here’s an event now, we’re putting down the clay, then we have a kickoff party at the bowling alley (Lighthouse Lanes) on Sunday night (Oct. 5), Monday (Oct. 6) we have Microd Mania with a whole bunch of racing in the infield that’s free, we have a celebrity golf tournament. Then, Tuesday, we have this new block party we’re doing in Downtown Oswego, and we have the parade on Wednesday. Every day and night with the racing, we have music, food, concessions, all kinds of exciting things going on all day long for four straight days, Wednesday through Saturday. All leading up to the Billy Whittaker Cars 200, the big one on Saturday.”
From Sunday to Wednesday (Oct. 5 to Oct. 8), fans and residents can take advantage of multiple free offerings, such as the Sunday kickoff party with free food, Quarter Midget & Microd Mania on Monday, featuring the future stars of the sport racing in the infield of the track, Tuesday’s block party, and the fan-favorite City of Oswego Parade on Wednesday at noon with 50 race cars parading around the streets of the city.
Then, it’s all about the racing at Oswego Speedway Wednesday night through Saturday night (Oct. 8-11), featuring the Super DIRTcar Series, DIRTcar 358 Modified Series, DIRTcar Sportsman Series, and DIRTcar Pro Stock Series. The week culminates with the $53,000-to-win Billy Whittaker Cars 200 on Saturday night, starting at 6:30 p.m. There will also be music and entertainment for fans to enjoy before and after every race, including live concerts after the racing on Friday and Saturday.
It’s all in an effort to bring drivers and fans the biggest dirt race in the Northeast and to help contribute to the quality of life in Oswego, while making things a little less quiet.
“They’re great partners, Super DIRT Week,” Corradino said. “They’ve obviously done this quite a few times at other venues that they host, but it is great to work with professionals, people that know what they’re doing and feel part of the community. It’s almost like they’re coming home. Partnerships are really what I’m all about here in the City of Oswego. We have partnerships with a lot of different communities and groups. I feel the partnership with DIRT Week is right there at the very top. We’re very fortunate to have a lot of great people that live in the city of Oswego, who visit the city, who think highly of our community, and want to contribute to the quality of life.”
For the full schedule of Super DIRT Week 53 events, Oct. 6-11, click here. Tickets are on sale now, and you can save money by buying them in advance.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch every lap of Super DIRT Week at Oswego Speedway live on DIRTVision.
