Dillon Groover receives Rookie of the Year Modified Division award at NYSSCA Banquet
L to R: Billy Van Pelt, Duane Groover (back row), Dillon Groover and Ernie Brennan
2015 Driver of the Year Modified Division Billy Van Pelt, Woodhull Raceway
2015 Driver of the Year Mini Stock Division Rich Sharpsteen, Woodhull Raceway
For Immediate Release - January 24th, 2016 (Woodhull, N.Y.) – Three different Woodhull Raceway drivers made the trip to Albany, N.Y. for the annual New York State Stock Car Association banquet where they received awards and represented Woodhull Raceway.
Modified drivers Billy Van Pelt and Dillon Groover along with Mini Stock driver Rich Sharpsteen were honored by NYSSCA for their 2015 successes on the track.
Van Pelt received the Driver of the Year Award for Woodhull Raceway’s Modified division for the 2015 season. Van Pelt captured an incredible 17th Modified track championship at ‘New York’s Toughest Bullring’- his second in a row driving for Grant Hilfiger Racing.
This also in a season where their team closed out the year with huge wins in the Bullring Challenge and Lyle Sherwood Memorial races. They also competed on the Short Track Super Series North Region schedule and have Tuesday August 16th at Woodhull Raceway circled on their calendars in bold marker. ‘Hustlin’ The High Banks’ returns for a 52-lap feature paying $5,200-to-win and a minimum of $400-to-start.
Groover, nephew of the aforementioned Van Pelt, had a pretty stout rookie campaign in the Modifieds himself. Groover was in contention for the title and Rookie of the Year honors for much of the 2015 season. He was also just a handful of laps away from cracking into victory lane for the first time in a 370 Modified.
With the season that Groover laid down this past season, he was more than deserving of NYSSCA honors. But don’t take your eyes off the No. 12x in 2016 either- this young star will only improve upon the foundation his team set in 2015.
Rich Sharpsteen was awarded Driver of the Year for Woodhull’s Mini Stock division on Saturday night, while celebrating with fellow raceway competitors, friends and family. Sharpsteen’s 2015 season could be described in one word- domination.
The ‘Flyin’ X’ for Sharpsteen amassed double-digit wins (nearly 20) between Woodhull Raceway and nearby Black Rock Speedway. Whenever Sharpsteen rolled into town, you knew he was going to be the driver to beat on that given night. He swept the track championships at both tracks and is prepared to do it again in 2016. Sharpsteen had toyed with the idea of going to the Street Stocks, but has set a goal of winning at least 10 races at both of his weekly tracks.
Woodhull Raceway wishes to congratulate each driver on their respective awards and thank them for being such great representatives of Woodhull Raceway at the annual NYSSCA Banquet.
You can see each of these drivers and their race cars at the Arnot Mall Car Show coming up Saturday March 19th and Sunday March 20th in Horseheads, N.Y.
You can find more news, results, points and track info on www.woodhullraceway.com and for more information on the New York State Stock Car Association (NYSSCA) visit www.nyssca.com