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Bob Clark Photo
OSWEGO, NY (April 3, 2024) – Barry Kingsley, former SBS feature winner and one of Oswego Speedway’s original 350 Supermodified competitors, has announced his return to racing at the Steel Palace after purchasing the former Ralph Clark No. 5 this week.
The Fulton, NY driver, who has eight top 5 finishes and three podiums including a second in the 350 Super ranks, stepped out of the driver’s seat after the 2021 Classic to focus on his family, but Kingsley is ready to make a comeback beginning with Opening Night, May 25th.
“I was never going to completely quit or anything. It was just a matter of working out a few little details, taking care of a few things, my daughter Paige going to college and things like that, so I just took the two years off,” Kingsley explained. “I had a replacement Page car that I got, but I’ve just never had the motivation to get it ready, and a better deal on the Clark car came along and that is a lot closer to being race ready than if I was to finish building my own car. I think that I’ve bypassed about 80 percent of the work I would have needed to do.”
Clark Racing campaigned this car, an older Graves Chassis, semi-regularly during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Unfortunately, health issues sidelined Ralph in 2023, and he sadly passed away in January. Soon after, the No. 5 car went up for sale. Barry seized the opportunity to revive his 350 Super career and appears rather pleased with his recent acquisition.
“I was happy with how good of shape the car is in. It has a really strong motor, and a ton of good spare parts, some of which I may use and some of which I may sell off,” quipped Kingsley.” I will have to put the rear end back in the car and it needs a little bit of rear suspension work as far as fabrication, but the rest of it seems really close. Obviously I’m planning on going through the car and double checking some things, but it’s close to race ready and we are looking at participating in the SMAC race at Evans Mills on May 4th.”
As far as his Oswego plans, Kingsley admits he can’t commit to a full schedule. Discussing the extra effort it takes to race weekly, he said, “I’m not quite sure what the plan is for Oswego as of now, but I don’t think that I really want to race every week because when you do that it will take four nights worth of work in the garage to be ready to go for Saturday night and I just don’t have that time or dedication anymore. It most likely will be hit and miss, but I think we’ll probably plan on being there for Opening Day.”
During his years off in 2022 and 2023, despite not racing at all for the first time since his rookie season in 2006, Kingsley would ironically find himself at the track every Saturday night anyway; first as the infield announcer, with Roy Sova tabbing him to replace Bob Bogwicz at the start of the 2022 season.
Barry admitted that his duties of reporting at each accident scene and being responsible for the victory lane interviews were far from his favorite thing, but when he was given a new opportunity to be the color commentator for SBS and 350 Super feature events last season alongside Sova and Joe Marotta, that was something he thoroughly enjoyed.
“Being the infield announcer was not my favorite because I was stuck on the truck, but I really enjoyed doing the color commentary with Roy and Joe for 350 Supers and the SBS while I was upstairs in the tower,” Kingsley added. “Parts of that were hard as far as not racing goes, but I would just walk through the pits with the microphone in my pocket and always be willing to lend a helping hand to anyone who needed it. I remember turning wrenches on a few cars, just trying to help out if I could, but even just wandering around with a microphone, I still found myself doing stuff on race cars.”
When asked about his decision to return to racing, Kingsley expressed a mix of enjoyment and a sense of unfinished business. He offered, “It is probably a 50/50 of just wanting to keep racing and have some fun, but also hopes of getting my first Supermodified win. I don’t think I am quite as dedicated as I used to be. Taking two years off has kind of worn that off, but I still love racing, the Supers, this 350 class, and Oswego Speedway, and I’d love to get a Supermodified win.”
Race fans will undoubtedly observe Barry’s dedication towards his health the past two years as well, and the results are evident. The driver of the soon-to-be Ashley Lynn Winery and Bearded Trivia No. 91, will have lost well over 100 pounds since his last time behind the wheel in 2021.
“I still have to build some muscle and stamina pretty quickly,” mentioned Kingsley. “It takes a lot more out of you than everyone thinks and especially in those 350 races which tend to go green to checkered all of the time, but I am down about 120 pounds. Really, the biggest thing is that I am going to feel more comfortable in the race car and also safer. WIth that, I hope some more confidence comes along.”
Oswego Speedway’s 73rd season of racing will take the green flag on Saturday, May 25th, with the 75-lap Jim Shampine Memorial for Novelis Supermodifieds, 35-lap Tony White Memorial for Pathfinder Bank SBS, and a 30-lap Memorial Day Weekend special for J&S Paving 350 Supers serving as the lid lifters.
The Speedway is very close to making 2024 ticket sales and driver registration available in a new portal on the track homepage.
For more information, stay connected with the Oswego Speedway online. Visit our website at OswegoSpeedway.com, FOLLOW us on Facebook or X / Twitter (@OswegoSpeedway), and also on Instagram (@OfficialOswegoSpeedway).
