Media Contact: Steven Ovens - woodhullracewaypr@gmail.com or (315) 729-3825 For Immediate Release – December 8th, 2016 – SWL Awards photo -
(WOODHULL, NY) – The 2016 season championship for the Woodhull Auto Supply Front Wheel Drive Division came down to the last race of the season. What a pressure cooker of a battle it was as well, as Shawn Gleason and Codie Baker came into the final night in a dead heat atop the standings.
It was a tale of two seasons for Gleason, who started off the season red hot, but stumbled as the Summer months wore on while the Daugherty/Gleason team searched and searched for an issue under the hood. Once they figured out what the problem was, just in time for championship night, Gleason was able to run the table with a heat win and a feature win to grab ahold of the 2016 title.
Baker started out the year strong with the points season opening night win and two wins in a row at nearby Outlaw Speedway where he nailed down the title in the Front Wheel Drive division. However, a second place heat finish and fourth in the feature wouldn’t get the job done on championship night.
It was Gleason’s first championship driving for car owner Chris Daugherty. Gleason set the pace for most of the season in points, but mechanical woes saw Baker close the gap quickly in the month of August to set up the thrilling finish for the title.
Other highlights of the season saw Nate Freeland collect three FWD wins to go along with his lone Quad C (Mini Stocks/FWD combined) win to take home the title in the Quad C Challenge. Gleason also picked up a victory in the other Quad C event of the season, but Freeland would take a win and a runner-up finish all the way to the Quad C title.
Dave Richmond picked up his first career victory in an emotional victory lane with family and friends. Richmond, a graduate from the go-kart ranks, claimed his first checkered flag in a “big car” that was brand new for the 2016 season.
The self-proclaimed living legend and two-time track champion, Adam DelGrosso, just didn’t have lady luck on his side in 2016. “The Maple Cream Kid” did get to discount double check in Instant Heat Wood Pellets Victory Lane once this season, and will debut a brand new piece in 2017 in search of championship number three.
The well-traveled Eric Boozel stopped into Steuben County for one race this year to grab a win on his ‘circular insanity tour’ that saw Boozel race in nearly a dozen states with his No. 151. Other notable victories this season saw Joe Birdsall, Jay McConnell, Matt Prescott, Ron Hill and Carl LaBarron all grace victory lane.
All of Woodhull Raceway’s track champions will be crowned on Saturday night at the Watson Homestead & Conference Center in Painted Post, New York. Cocktail Hour kicks off at 5:30PM, with dinner and awards taking place immediately afterwards. Turn 5 Live on the Performance Motorsports Network will be recording a LIVE episode of their weekly dirt track racing program throughout the event and will interview all of the champions and many other drivers and special guests.
For more information visit www.woodhullraceway.com or visit Woodhull Raceway on their Facebook and Twitter pages.