TENTH ANNUAL CHAMPION'S AWARDS CELEBRATION AT IRWINDALE


Log-In .: Register

Jan 7, 2009

TOYOTA SPEEDWAY AT IRWINDALE

Source: Tim Kennedy
Date: 11/17/2008

News Index .: Print the article .: Discuss the article

IRWINDALE, California — Toyota Speedway at Irwindale management, competitors and fans honored champions of nine racing series Saturday night during the track's tenth annual champion's award celebration. More than 400 persons attended the affair, which was presented in a large tent located outside the first turn between the main grandstand and the pit area. A meal of tacos by King Taco, a ten-year track sponsor, and various deserts followed the 5:00pm cocktail hour. The planned 6:00 start of ceremonies was delayed 30-minutes, allowing late arriving attendees to dine before presentation of awards commenced. Some attendees had telephoned saying they were delayed in traffic and by detours caused by many wind-fanned firestorms raging in at least three counties in Southern California.

Bob DeFazio, track COO/GM, welcomed guests. He congratulated the nine track champions and praised competitors for racing, despite tough current economic conditions. He thanked them for putting on great racing all year. He praised track owner Jim Williams whose vision started and continues the track. DeFazio also thanked track officials, including the fire crew who were working their usual jobs at the wildfires in the area. He thanked Jennifer Altmann, Sandra Carbon, Mary Gonzales and Tommy Mason for their work in planning and organizing the evening. Track announcers Bruce Flanders and pit announcer Gordon "Lugg Nutz" Stewart were co-emcees and took turns interviewing the nine champions on stage. Champions received championship rings, NASCAR plaques, TS@I trophies and crystal clocks. Trophy girl Janie Atkinson, in an elegant red formal dress, presented awards to recipients. Two large color TV screens on each side of the stage and two large TV sets on each side of the room presented a closer look at the ceremonies for attendees at the back of the room with 50 tables. Awards were preceded by a video of each champion giving his thoughts and thanks for his championship season.

BANDOLEROS (series sponsor D & D Construction): Small glass trophies went to positions 10 through 2. Fourth place Ricky Schlick, 11, received the rookie of the year trophy. Four drivers won the nine main events. Lexi Moore, 9, finished second, 10-points behind first-time champion Aaron Anderson, 12, of Lancaster. Anderson won six of nine features officially and lost a victory for a mechanical infraction that gave him no points. On stage he said, "This year I almost got beat by a girl. Better watch out Legends drivers, because I'm coming when I'm old enough," His car owner/father Mark also participated on stage. Fourteen youngsters from age 8 to 15 participated in the entry level series in which the small cars are powered by Briggs & Stratton engines. Three of the top ten drivers attended the awards ceremonies.

PURE STOCKS: Glass trophies went to P. 10 to P.2 in final points. Eight of the top ten drivers in the economical entry class were present. Kevin Ireland, of Santa Barbara, won the rookie of the year trophy. He raced in the first seven of the 11 races and finished 13th in points, despite missing the final four events because he blew his engine. He said he has a new engine and will race his car again in 2009. Champion Tommy Agosta, Jr, 18, of Chino, said, "This is my second year in racing and my first championship. At the last race I was so nervous and I had to start at the back." He became champion despite not being present for the second race of 2008. Agosta thanked sponsors, his engine tuner, his parents and track officials. He added, "I will race pure stocks again next year because I have no money to move up to another division." Agosta won three of the 15 series mains and won by 20-points over three-time winner Chad Kelly with 29 drivers earning series points. Seven drivers won the 15 features, including four races on the Figure-8 course that were run on the same nights as races on the third-mile oval. Kelly won three of the four P/S F-8 features.

MINI STOCKS (Justice Brothers): Glass trophies went to tenth through second place drivers. Six of the top ten drivers were on stage. Tory Christopher, in P. 8, won the series rookie of the year trophy. Series sponsor Ed Justice, Jr. presented the first place trophy to first-time champion Rich Garver, whose 1980 Toyota Celica was the first non-Ford Pinto championship car in the track's mini stock division. The Torrance resident works as an employee of Toyota Racing so he wanted to race only a Toyota. Garver, who has raced in the series five years, won one of 12 main events, had four seconds and four thirds. Four drivers won the 12 features (there was a rain-out on October 4). He finished 24 points in front of runner-up Jacob Rogers, 18, a three-time winner. Twenty-five drivers earned mini stock points this season. Garver stated he will return to the series next year in his reliable Toyota Celica because other classes are too expensive for his racing budget.

LEGENDS: Tenth through second place drivers received glass trophies. Eric Gunderson, 14, earned the hotly-contested rookie of the year trophy, He won three features and finished second in points, 132-points behind six-time series champion Tom Landreth, of Alta Loma. His title years were 2001, 03, 04, 05, 06 and 08. Five of the top ten drivers were on stage. Champion Landreth, 41, said he began racing Legends in 1999 at Irwindale with the same replica 1934 Ford coupe his used in 2008. He said he will not race for points in 2009, but will concentrate on helping fellow competitors. He added that his son Brandon will race in the future. He thanked his father Bob, his car owner and fellow Legends driver, and fellow Legends competitors. The popular champion, who won his 41st Legends main event at the track this year, said he tries "to finish in the top five in every race and championships take care of themselves." He added that he drives honorably and places high value on race track friendships. Landreth had five main event victories, four seconds and two thirds in the 14 Legends races. His worst finish was sixth. There was one rain-out (October 4). Five drivers won main events, including 14-year old drivers Gunderson and Ryan Reed, both three-time feature winners. Reed finished third in series points as rookie teenage Legends drivers impressed everyone during 2008 and showed great promise for future success. Sixty-one drivers earned 2008 Legends Series points.

OUTLAW FIGURE 8s (Pick Your Part): Glass trophies were presented to drivers finishing second through fourth and all four of the top series drivers attended. Champion Steve Stewart, of Long Beach, won six of eight series races in 2008, scored one second and a fifth. He won his third Figure 8 title (2005, 07 and 08) by 10-points as 21 drivers earned points. Smith dedicated his championship "to the late Del Dalrymple who raced Figure 8s with us at Ascot Park in Gardena." When he was interviewed on stage, Smith said he started racing at Ascot when he was 17 and wants to get his son racing soon. "I never get tired of winning," he added. His brother Rusty Stewart finished sixth in final points.

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS:

> Mechanic Tim Evans (No. 17 Mike Johnson ACLM Chevy) received the NASCAR Craftsman Late Model Mechanic of the Year Award for the second consecutive year. Mike Verlatti, NASCAR Manager of Racing Development/Canada and Mexico, made the presentation.

> The Super Late Model Championship Team Crew Chief Award went to J & M Construction Chevy team crew chief Tony Jackson, of Jackson Race Cars.

> Sportsman of the Year Award went to Robert Rice, a versatile late model, Figure 8 and demolition derby driver known for helping fellow competitors.

> The Unsung Hero Award, presented by TS@I management, went to Jan's Towing (Mr. Jan Quakenbush) for providing a fleet of tow trucks to remove damaged cars at every TS@I Saturday night racing event. The firm completed its first season with perfect attendance and excellent service for all competitors.

Barbeque Galore, a specialty barbecue retailer, gave gift certificates of $200 to all division champions except the Bandolero series. K & N Engineering, the leader in performance filter technology since 1969 and a racing sponsor, gave all division champions (except Bandoleros) $100. gift certificates. Bill Simpson's Impact Racing awarded a special air draft carbon fiber helmet to SLM champion Nick Joanides. The firm also awarded discount product certificates to all award recipients. Marriott Courtyard Hotel in Monrovia awarded lodging certificates to the second place point finishers in Pure Stocks, Mini Stocks, Legends, Outlaw Figure 8s and Super Stocks. Justice Brothers/High Point Distributing awarded product certificates to five drivers in five divisions. Five Star Racing Products awarded half body certificates to SLM driver Stephen Peace and ACLM driver Andrew Myers. Racecar Factory awarded $50 product certificates to eighth place point drivers in all divisions except Bandoleros. L.A Racing Experience, the racing school at TS@I, provided 20 adventure racing package certificates.

SUPER STOCKS (Vista Paint): Glass trophies went to drivers finishing second through tenth in points. Eight of the top ten drivers attended. The rookie of the year trophy went to tenth place "Big" Ed Brodd, who brought his chihuahua dog on stage with him. Champion Bryan Harrell, of Riverside, and his car owner/spotter wife of 53 years were on stage and the subject of photographers. The repeat champion (2006 and 08) thanked his wife and daughter Samantha, who also works on his 1977 Chevy Camaro in the pits at each race. He also thanked his sponsor--Centre Builders. "The Irwindale track is the greatest facility to race on and I'll be back to race my Camaro next year," Harrell added. He set the fastest qualifying time at 11 of the 12 events. He won nine of the 12 series races and had a pair of seconds and one seventh place. Only one other driver (Greg Crutcher) won a feature during 2008. There was one rain-out (October 4). Twenty-three drivers earned 2008 VPSS points.

SUPER TRUCKS (King Taco): Glass trophies went to tenth through second place drivers. Six of the top ten drivers were on stage. The series rookie of the year trophy went to fourth place Rod Johnson, Jr., 19, a second-generation driver who had two wins and three second place finishes. Forty drivers earned points in a 14 race season. Five drivers won features. Champion Pat Mintey, Jr., a third generation driver and the 2007-08 series champion, had three firsts, four seconds and three thirds in his 2008 Chevy S-10. He won the championship by six points over 19-year old high school senior Connor Cantrell, a six-time feature winner during 2008. Mintey's father raced NASCAR Winston West cars in the 1970s-80s and was present on stage to help honor his son. Pat, Jr. thanked his sponsors, his dad and crew. He also remembered Frank Moronski.

LATE MODELS (Auto Club): Tenth through second place drivers received glass trophies. The rookie of the year trophy went to fifth place Colin Fleming, 24. Third place Andrew Myers and second place Nick Joanides both received a pair of reserved grandstand tickets to the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana for the next NASCAR Sprint Cup race. Fifty-seven drivers earned 2008 ACLM points during the 18 races. Six drivers won 2008 main events, including 19-year old Lindsey King, the first female main event winner on the half-mile and seventh place driver in final 2008 points. Champion Tim Huddleston, of Agoura Hills, won five features, had four seconds and three thirds. He won his third ACLM championship (2005, 07 and 08) at the final race by eight points over Nick Joanides. He received Auto Club Speedway infield suite passes for the next Auto Club Speedway NASCAR weekend in February 2009. As usual the Auto Club presented a trip for the champion and his wife. Instead of a trip to Hawaii as usual, Huddleston (who doesn't like to fly) received a seven-day cruise for two to the Mexican Riviera on a Holland-America Line cruise ship. Huddleston, called "the gregarious John Force (NHRA drag racing multi-champion) of Irwindale", said, "I'm lucky to race here. The Irwindale late model series is the toughest competition there is. This is my 21st racing season." He called his wife Lisa (the daughter of long-time stock car driver Oren Prosser and mother of his three children) to the stage. He presented his championship ring to her and she wore it from the celebration. Huddleston also thanked track ownership and officials, sponsor Justice Brothers, the safety crew, his High-Point Distributing "blue crew" team members on his fleet of Chevy Monte Carlos (Nos. 50, 51, 55, 56 and 59), his wife, Jeff Schrader of Racecar Factory for building great racing cars, Lee Ladd, his parents and track announcers.

SUPER LATE MODELS (AC Delco): P. 10 through P. 2 received glass trophies. Eight of the top ten drivers were on stage. The series rookie of the year trophy went to eighth place Randal King, 17, who edged fellow teen and ninth place Luis Martinez, Jr. by a mere 10-points. Fifty-eight drivers earned SLM points during the 21 race season. Six drivers won SLM main events. Champion Nick Joanides, 38, won 10 of the 21 features, had five seconds and one third place finish. He won five in a row from the third through seventh races and triumphed by 76 points over five-time winner Travis Thirkettle. "This is my first championship after 13 years of frustrating chasing some great drivers. I started in SCCA in 1992, then the sportsman division at Saugus Speedway, the NASCAR Southwest Tour, Midwest Tour, Winston West and now Irwindale." He received an AC Delco champions jacket. Joanides, who raced both in SLM and Late Model Series on the same night at times, thanked his fellow competitors, Jackson Race Cars for building winning race cars, track owner Jim Williams, track officials, his car owner Loyd McGhee, and his family. Joanides, from Woodland Hills, chased both the SLM and Late Model championships in the same season and almost won both titles, which has never been accomplished at the ten-year old speedway. He raced 44 times, had 17 victories and many top tens in the two premier NASCAR Whelen All-American Series at TS@I.

Track owner Jim Williams addressed attendees at the 8:30 conclusion. He said, "This year there was not a lot of bitching. Everyone came together for great racing by great competitors. Bob (DeFazio) and I were in Las Vegas last week and Mike Helton (NASCAR President) called our track the Daytona of short tracks. The track is ten years old and there is not a mark of graffiti on it. I'm here every Saturday. The track has completed its first full season under the new Toyota Speedway at Irwindale name and sponsorship support. Our weekly car counts are second to none and attendance was good. All the divisions are strong. It was a safe season and no one was hurt seriously. Have a safe holiday season and we'll see you all next season." Announcer Flanders called for "applause for Toni (Mrs. Jim) Williams, the first lady of TS@I." Flanders reminded attendees of the two big, upcoming racing classic events at TS@I. The annual USAC Midget Thanksgiving Midget Grand Prix will be Thursday, November 27 with some Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series drivers likely entrants, as they were last year. The annual two-day NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown, which in the past has been televised live nationally both nights, will run on Friday-Saturday, January 23-24, 2009. The upcoming two-day event will have SLM and late model series involved as well. Flanders concluded by calling 2008 an incredible year and looked forward to an even better 2009 season.

NOTES: There were five 2008 track championship cars parked outside the awards celebration tent. Joanides' No. 71 SLM Chevy, Huddleston's No. 50 ACLM Chevy, Harrell's No. 55 VPSS Camaro, Mintey's No. 35 KTST Chevy S-10 truck, and Stewart's No. 7 PYP Figure 8 car attracted numerous visitors during the cocktail hour and after the ceremonies concluded at 8:35 pm. ... Paraplegic Ricky James, 19, was the high-point driver and a two-time feature winner in the six West Coast Pro Truck touring series conducted at Irwindale. He won the TS@I points chase by six points over past WCPT champion Jeff Williams. The touring series is no longer a TS@I track championship series. ... Joanides said he will return to race McGhee's SLM No. 71 Chevy Monte Carlo in 2009, but the team's No. 77 ACLM Chevy Monte Carlo will be sold. ... Huddleston said his 2009 'blue crew" team line-up is now set. He will drive No. 50 again, with prior part-time Huddleston team drivers Ryan Kaplan and Beau DeBard racing for him full-time after promising runs during 2008. The fourth "blue crew" driver will be Tucson, AZ resident Travis Motley, who raced his family-owned ACLM No. 91 Chevy in 2006-07 and will be selling that car. Huddleston said he thought Lindsey King, who drove his No. 59 Chevy in 2008, will be driving the No. 25 Gerald Lair-owned Monte Carlo next season. ... All four Toyota Drag-strip at Irwindale Summit E.T Championship Series champions will receive their 2008 championship awards Thursday night, December 11 at the regular "test and tune" weekly sessions at the TD@I drag-strip. The four champions are: Doug Gibson (Sportsman), Marvin Roles (Pro Summit), Kenny Snow (Super Pro Summit), and Tony Pellatterra (Motorcycle).

TOP TEN IN NINE TS@I TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES:

Super Late Models Late Models

1 Nick Joanides 936 1 Tim Huddleston 770

2 Travis Thirkettle 860 2 Nick Joanides 762

3 Dan Moore 822 3 Andrew Myers 732

4 Stephen Peace 764 4 Mike Johnson 680

5 Andrew Allen 736 5 Colin Fleming ® 642

6 David Ross 620 6 Travis Irving 636

7 Toni McCray 518 7 Lindsey King 616

8 Randal King ® 500 8 Sean Bennett 512

9 Luis Martinez,Jr. ® 490 9 Dan DiGiacomo 450

10 Jeff Eshleman 488 10 Miles Copenhaver ® 412