Media Contact: Steven Ovens - woodhullracewaypr@gmail.com or (315) 729-3825 For Immediate Release – December 12th, 2016 – SWL Awards & Photos photo -
(WOODHULL, NY) – With over two hundred guests in attendance at the Watson Homestead Retreat & Conference Center in Painted Post, NY; Woodhull Raceway crowned the track champions of all of their divisions. There were awards for the Top 10 in points along with point fund earnings as well as other bonuses earned from Woodhull’s great partners at Lias Tire/American Racer as well as Insinger Performance/Sunoco Race Fuels.
Billy Van Pelt was crowned for the eighteenth time in his career as a 370 Modified track champion. This was Van Pelt’s third championship in a row and third and final driving for Grant Hilfiger Racing. Hilfiger will scale back in 2017, with Van Pelt hired to drive again for Kevin Chilson Racing. Van Pelt drove for Chilson prior to taking a ride with Hilfiger at the beginning of 2014.
Donnie Lawson was awarded the Sportsmanship Award as the Lawson family has been a positive contributor at Woodhull for decades. Boyd McTavish, a rookie to Woodhull in 2016, received the Rookie of the Year honors driving for the Herrington Race Team. McTavish and the Herrington family look forward to going after a Woodhull title together again in 2017.
The Dust to Glory Award was given to Mike Bills, who had a breakout year in 2016. Bills gave Van Pelt everything he had in quest of his first Woodhull track championship.
Chris Daugherty was crowned as the Crate Sportsman division champion, on the heels of a fairly dominant year in the No. 22jz. Josh Keesey finished in the second spot, earning the Sportsmanship Award. While Jerry Aldrich earned Rookie of the Year Honors in his No. 89 machine.
‘The People’s Champ’ Bruce Miller was crowned as the final track champion of the 360 Late Model division as well as receiving the Sportsmanship Award. The 604 Crate Late Models will usher in a new era in 2017, with Miller considering a move to the new Crate division. Rookie of the Year Kurt Stebbins has already purchased a Crate Late Model for next season. Woodhull Raceway thanks every 360 competitor that has supported the track over a successful run for this division on the High Banks.
Kurt Stebbins picked up the hardware for his first Woodhull title in the Street Stock division. Stebbins also won two extra-distance races in winning the $750-to-win program midseason and the annual $1,000-to-win Woodhull 100. Dan Gardener made his first full run at the Street Stock points and picked up Rookie of the Year honors, while Branden Morseman received the Sportsmanship Award.
Chris Woodard earned his first track championship in the Mini Stock division and celebrated with his friend and crew chief, who will be celebrating for another reason at Watson Homestead next weekend. Jeffery Daugherty earned one win and a top five finish in points, enroute to Rookie of the Year for 2016. Faithful competitor and great guy, Brian “Corky” Grant Sr. earned this season’s Mini Stock Sportsmanship Award.
Shawn Gleason earned his first career track championship in the Front Wheel Drive division, after winning a Championship Night thriller. Gleason had to finish in front of Codie Baker to win the championship, which Gleason did by winning the race. Baker received the Sportsmanship Award for a hard fought battle, while Dave Richmond earned Rookie of the Year honors by finishing sixth in points with one win.
Nate Freeland won the track title for the Quad C (RWD/FWD Mini Stocks) Challenge by winning 50% of the Quad C Challenges during the 2016 season.
Horseheads, NY youngster Ajay Potrzebowski Jr. earned his first track championship since moving up to full-size cars in 2016 in the Woodhull Warriors youth four-cylinder division. Potrzebowski was a go-kart champion prior to moving into the Warrior class. He will continue his progress in 2017, by moving up into the adult four cylinder divisions locally.
Other special awards included Mike Jackson receiving the Dedication to Motorsports Award for his work and years of service to Woodhull Raceway as the lead tech inspector. Tom Newell received the annual Perseverance Award for his weekly work at Woodhull Raceway and continued contributions to the management team at the speedway. Steven Ovens was awarded the Woodhull Raceway Media Award for his contributions to Woodhull as well as the coverage the speedway is provided through Race Chaser Online and the weekly dirt track racing program “Turn 5 Live” on the Performance Motorsports Network. The annual Arnot Mall Car Show in Horseheads, NY is planned for St. Patrick's Day weekend, March 17th, 18th and 19th. More information on the mall show and the 2017 schedule and returning sponsors will be forthcoming during the offseason. For more information visit www.woodhullraceway.com or for the late breaking news, results and updates follow Woodhull Raceway on Facebook www.facebook.com/woodhullraceway or on Twitter @WoodhullPR.