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For Immediate
Release
December 1, 2007.
Jim
Irvine- Merrittville Speedway Public Relations
THOROLD, Ontario - Merrittville Speedway
welcomed an energetic capacity guest list consisting of teams, drivers,
families, employees and sponsors on Saturday evening, December 1st, at Club
Castropignano in Thorold to officially honor the 2007 Dirt Weekly Racing Series
Champions.
When dinner concluded “The 2007 Season” in
review produced by Ted Curvin and Chris Hawkins was once again a main highlight
of the evening in preparation of the Awards Ceremony.
For Abel Castelein, Rob Murray, Paul Klager and
Chad Chevalier it was each driver’s first career championship. Pete Bicknell
however earned his 19th Modified title at the storied facility. All 5 division
champs earned traditional Championship Rings plus trophies and cash awards.
With Merrittville’s Announce Team of Erik Tomas
and Clinton Jeffery serving as Masters of Ceremony, the 56th Annual
Merrittville Speedway DIRTcar Champions Awards Ceremony not only honored the
five track champions, it also awarded the top-12 points finishers from the Turn
4 Collision 4 Cylinders, Hoosier Stocks, Lucas Oil Open Wheel Lites, Original
Pizza Log Sportsman and the L. St. Amand Enterprises 358 Modifieds.
Fioravanti Custom Engines awarded the top 2
Crate Engined Drivers in both the Hoosier Stock and Sportsman Divisions with
Gift Certificates. Rob Murray, Jeff Dayman, Tyler McPherson and Mike Bowman
shared in the $1600 package.
Motorsports Safety Systems’ Dennis Botindari
presented Gift Certificates to the Rookies of the Year in each of the 5
divisions as well as to the top point getters in each division as well.
Inside Track Motorsport News’ Rob Morton
contributed to the program with “Complimentary Thank you Sponsor Ads” for each
driver in the Top 10 in each of the five weekly divisions. These ads are so
vital for national marketing exposure for our weekly racing teams and their
valid sponsors that support them each season.
Abel Castelein - piloting the Don Parson’s Tire,
Peter Hogeterp REMAX, Simmingtons Mustang was crowned The Turn 4 Collision 4
Cylinder champion collecting 4 feature wins, Castelein finished in the top 10
16 times in 17 events.
Special award winners in the Turn 4
Collision-sponsored division included Aaron Wiley who earned the Triple Crown
Series Mini-series title as well as seasonal Rookie of the Year honors after
finishing in the runner-up spot in the yearly points. The Best Appearing Car
Award was presented to Rob Overholt.
Rob Murray powered his GM Crate Camaro to his
first Hoosier Stock Title aboard the Home Hardware, Midas, Turn 4 Collision
#M1. The St. Catharines competitor collected 5 feature wins, 16 top fives and
13 top three finishes en-route to his championship title.
Third generation driver Brent Begolo earned
Rookie of the Year honors. The Best Appearing Car Award was to Kevin Knapp.
Paul Klager from Beamsville drove the Ripley’s
Believe or Not, St. Catharines Rust Check, RCM Racing Equipment #1 to 11
feature wins for his first Lucas Oil Open Wheel Lite Point championship. His
impressive stats included 17 top five finishes in 18 events – 15 of those were
in the top 3.
Rookie of the Year honors went to Jamie Gilbert
while the Best Appearing Car Award was presented to Kellie Mason.
TUSA President Walt Breeding awarded $50 Cash
Awards to the first 10 Lucas Oil Open Wheel Lite Drivers that competed all
season on TUSA Hoosier Tires.
Chad Chevalier, a Port Colborne native also
earned his first title in the Original Pizza Log Sportsman Division aboard his
Darryl Johnson Inc., Bella RV Rentals, Fenton Machine BRP #12. Chevalier racked
up 2 feature wins and 14 top ten finishes over the course of the season.
Rookie of The Year Award winner was Justin Sharp
while Mike Bowman also won the Best Appearing Car Award. Mat Williamson
collected The Sterling Silvr Award that honors Bill Willard Senior from Ken and
Fran Walsh.
Pete Bicknell from St. Catharines earned his
19th season championship in the Chevron Texaco Lubricants BRP small block
powered #42 machine with 3 feature wins and 16 top ten finishes in 17 events
with 12 of those in the top five.
Other award winners included fifth place
finisher Chris Steele who won Rookie of the year honors while the Best
Appearing Car Award went to Chad Brachmann.
Team Merrittville once again prevailed in three
separate series once again as overall champion Cody McPherson led his full
fendered peers to another victory over the Brighton Speedway Pro Stocks in the
3rd Annual Duel on the Dirt.
In the second annual Lucas Oil Shootouts by
Dirttrackdigest.com for the 358 Modifieds and Sportsmen Divisions, Merrittville
drivers also stood out including Chad Chevalier and Mark D’Ilario. Chevalier
backed up his Merrittville title with the Overall Sportsman Title while
D’Ilario’s win at the Brighton Speedway brought back the impressive Lucas Oil
Challenge Cup and an impressive Lucas Oil-sponsored Event in 2008 for his home
track – Merrittville Speedway. D’Ilario was presented a $1000 payday.
Several history-laden awards were also presented
during the event.
The Ed MacPherson Construction Kelley-Winger
Sportsmanship Award was presented by the Merrittville Speedway Reunion
Committee to Sportsman driver Mike Bowman.
The Begolo-Little Award for the most improved
driver in the Modifieds went to Tim Jones who had some strong runs en route to
his highest point finish aboard the Billy Brooks-owned 15J.
The Gordie Award named after former Merrittville
Announcer and Wall of Famer Gordie Wilson goes to a person, or group of people
who exhibit dedication to the sport. The 2007 award receipt was chief tech
inspector Pat Ciolfi.
The Crew Chief of Year Award named after Billy
Matthews went to Chris Long - crew chief of Lucas Oil Open Wheel Lite Champion
Paul Klager. Klager was the recipient of a new 2007 award - the Performer of
the Year.
The Pete’s Automotive Driver of the Year was
Shawn Sliter as Sliter was the driver that recorded the most points each week
during the season in the Driver of the Week Awards.
Merrittville Speedway presented Special
Recognition Awards to Len Beauparlant from Toolneeds, Steve Snowden from Lucas
Oil and Dave Sim who retired as the Tuesday Night Kart Race Director.
The Awards Ceremony concluded with Pete Bicknell
addressing the audience as co-owner of the famed facility. On behalf of his
wife Nancy and his daughter Erica who serves as General Manager and their
partners Randy and Tracey Williamson, Bicknell saluted the crowd and thanked
everyone for their continued support throughout the 2007 Season. Plans are well
underway for the upcoming 2008 season and race fans and teams alike can look
forward to an exciting schedule that begins with the 2nd Annual Spring Sizzler
Saturday April 26th that will feature an all new exciting format.
Merrittville Speedway would like to wish the
entire racing community a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! For information
on Merrittville Speedway’s 57th consecutive season as the best family
entertainment in Niagara – visit us at www.merrittvillespeedway.com.
Merrittville Speedway Management and Staff would
also like to extend sincere thanks to the 2007 Division sponsors
–
Turn 4 Collision, Hoosier Tire Canada, Lucas
Oil, Original Pizza Logs and L. St. Amand Enterprises in addition to season
long advertisers in alphabetical order: Afco Racing Products, Allstar
Performance, Archer Truck Service, Avondale Food Stores, Ball Hockey
International, Baron Roofing, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein, Bobcat of
Hamilton, Boltworks, Braun Construction, Brian’s Tire Repair, Bryan Fretz
Financial, Buona Pizza, CAA Niagara, Cam Air Tire Systems, Canadian Custom
Fabricating, Canadian Tire Financial Services, Chevron Texaco Global
Lubricants, City of Thorold, Clare’s Cycle & Sport, Club Castropignano, CMH
Leasing, Cotton, Inc., David Chevrolet, Dilt’s Piston Hydraulics,
Dirttrackdigest.com, Donut Diner, Economy Paving, Ed MacPherson Construction,
EMJ Metals, Fioravanti Custom Engines, Financial Care Group, Gallaghers Farm
Market, Garden City Auto Complex, 91.7 Giant FM, Girdlestone Brokerage, Griffin
Thermal Products, Heart of Niagara Hotels, Henderson’s Pharmasave, Hingston
Metal Fabricators, Hoosier Tire Canada, Inside Track Motorsport News, Intercomp,
ISC Racers Tape, J&S Heating, Jaz Products,,Julie Davidson-photochik, K&K
Insurance, Kala’s Home Hardware, Ken Cosgrove Auto Repair, Kirkey Racing
Fabrication, Konzelmann Estate Winery, L. St. Amand Enterprises, Lakeview
Siding, Leaf Racewear, Lowes Speedway, Lucas Oil, Martindale IDA Pharmacy,
Meridian Credit Union, Modern Landfill, Motorsports Safety Systems Mountainview
Homes, Niagara Truck ‘n Stuff, Nickerson Appliances, Ontario Environmental
Safety Network, Original Pizza Logs, Outerwears, PartSource, PenFinancial
Credit Union, Pepsi, Pete’s Automotive, Performance Powder Coating, Performance
Security, Philbrick Farm & Garden Equipment, Port City Racing, Public Metal
Supply, Raceline Radio, RCM Racing Equipment, Rick Smyth, R.J.S. Racing
Equipment, RK Shaver, Seaway Hose & Hydraulics, SMS Machine, Solaristint,
St.Catharines Standard, St.John’s Ambulance, Stadelmier Septic Service,
Superior Bearings, Superior PetroFuels, Sway-a-way, Team T.U.S.A. ,The Pen
Centre, 105.1 The River, The Niagara Falls Review, Thorold ASI Blackhawks
Junior B Hockey Club, Tilton, Toolneeds, TRW, Tyler’s Trophies, Ultrashield,
Vaxxine, Welland Tribune, Wrisco Industries and XRP, Inc.
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