HOLLAND SPEEDWAY: Banquet

HOLLAND, NY - Champions and top competitors from the 2007 racing season at the Holland NASCAR MotorsportsComplex were honored at the speedway's annual awards banquet on Saturday, December 1. The event was held in the Fillmore Ballroom of the Airport Millennium Hotel in Cheektowaga, NY.

NASCAR Grand National Division, Busch East Series Director Lee Roy was on hand, sharing some thoughts about racing and assisting in the presentation of top awards.

Mike Fiebelkorn, Jr. of Eden NY earned his first career track title, earning top honors in the NASCAR Sunoco SST Pro Modifieds by Paul Graff Trucking. Fiebelkorn, in his first year of open-wheeled competition, scored 15 top four finishes throughout the year, including three feature victories in Holland's designated NASCAR Whelen All-American Series division.

The second generation driver walked away with $3000 plus additional contingency monies for his efforts. In addition to hisc hampionship awards, Fiebelkorn received the division's Clark Rice Memorial Rookie of the Year trophy and his #10 was deemed as the winner of the Paul Graff Trucking Best Appearing Car award.

Joining Fiebelkorn on the Pro Modified podium were Justin Shepker and Jonathon Price. Shepker rolled to three wins and 12 total top five finishes en route to his points runner-up position.

One of Shepker's victories included the 25 lap Dash for Cash as part of the annual George Decker Memorial. Price took three wins and four runner-up finishes to place third in the final points chase. The Price/Kline Motorsports crew was awarded the division's Budweiser Best Appearing Pit Crew recognition.

Longtime crew chief-turned racer Jim Loffredo of Orchard Park, NY won his first ever championship title as a racer, picking up top honors for the Carquest Chargers. Loffredo had but one win through the year, but top fives in all but two events helped put him atop the points list. Loffredo also earned the Charger' Carquest Most Improved Driver Award.

With two victories on the season, past two-time Charger champ John Grandits took runner-up honors in 2007, and also claimed the division's Sunoco Most Popular Driver award. Dave Krawczyk racked up six wins en route to a third place points finish; the Krawczyk crew received the division's Budweiser BestAppearing Pit Crew award.

Brian Porebski of Hamburg, NY was the only 2006 titleist to repeat in 2007. Porebski was Holland's winningest driver for the season, scoring 8 wins to pick up the Native Pride Pro Four crown, and never finished worse than 4th in any event. Dan Nellist raced to the seasonal runner-up position, with one win and 11 top five finishes. Nellist earned the division's Carquest Most Improved Driver honors. Nik Welshans did not visit victory lane in 2007, but 10 top fives gave him third place in the final points rundown.

Jeff Johnson of Versailles, NY received the championship trophy for the INEX Legends. Johnson, part of a family with long-time ties to Holland, earned 2 wins, 2 seconds, and 2 thirds as he secured his first Legends title.

Johnson also received the division's Sunoco Most Popular Driver award, and the Johnson Crew won the Budweiser Best Appearing Pit Crew award. Veteran racer Charlie Neumann, who came out of a 30 year retirement to go Legends racing in 2006, took the divisional runner-up honors.

Neumann's #29ny was judged the winner of the division's Paul Graff Tire Best Appearing Car award. 'Earthquake' Jake Vernon picked up four wins for the year to secure third place in the final points chase.

In a sporting gesture, Johnson and Neumann presented Vernon with an 'unofficial' championship trophy. Vernon was forced to miss the final night of racing for a wedding in the family, and as a result, sacrificed a potential track title. Vernon also received the VSP Marketing/Graphics Group Hard Luck award for this situation.

In the tightest points battle of any division, rookie driver Brandon Hirsch of Orchard Park, NY took championship honors in the 4-cylinder Hornet class. Hirsch needed every one of his four victories to earn the tie-breaker for the class title.

Hirsch also collected the Clark Rice Memorial Rookie of the Year award, the Sunoco Most Popular Driver trophy, and his #17 won the Paul Graff Trucking Best Appearing Car award. For the second straight year, Ricky Roth fell just short of nabbing the divisional crown.

Roth, who tied Hirsch in points, but lost on the tie-breaker, picked up two wins and was also the recipient of the VSP Marketing/Graphics Group Hard Luck Award. Frank Nellist, who as well was in the hunt for the title as until engine woes knocked him from contention on the final night, took the third place award for the Hornets. Nellist raced to three feature wins throughout the summer.

Four consecutive victories in mid-season put Ashley Kirchberger of Buffalo, NY on top of the Queen Bees standings for her first career title. Ashley's #70 was also judged as the winner of the Paul Graff Trucking Best Appearing Car award.

2006 champion Mae Urban took runner-up honors for 2007. Mae scored 8 top fives including one win in 2007, and was also presented with the Sunoco Most Popular Driver award and the Holland Craftsman Tools Mechanic of the Year award.

Lisa Loffredo took third inthe final points standings, with seven top fives including one win. Lisa also received the division's Carquest Most Improved Driver award.

Seven victories and a pair of runner-up finishes locked up a first career championship for Jason Eck of West Seneca, NY in the Alliance Auto Recycling Figure 8 Car division. Eck also received the division's Carquest Most Improved Driver award and the Sunoco Most Popular Driver Award.

'Big Dave' Zimmerscored the division's runner-up honors with eight top 3 finishes including one victory. Sean McDonald earned the division's Clark Rice Memorial Rookie of the Year award, as he placed third in the final points rundown.

Long time track official and Speedway representative Sande Tedesco was honored with the Ray Greenan Award, annually presented to a group or individual who goes above and beyond the call of duty in support of racing at Holland and motorsports in general.

The Woman in Racing Award was presented to Chief Scorer Staci Ward. The Unsung Hero Award was presented to long time Speedway assistant and Saturday night 'greeter' Jimmy 'Scoop' Jackson.

Try-It Distributing presented the MAARA LateModel Budweiser 100 Championship plaque to a representative of race winner Will Thomas. Media Appreciation awards were presented to Ken Hangauer, Jr. (WXRL-AM), Larry Ott (Buffalo News), Dave Roberts (Area Auto Racing News), and Mark Southcott (NYRaceZone.com). Sponsorship Appreciation awards were presented to Try-It Distributing, VSP Marketing/Graphics Group, and Wardynski's Meats.

Other award winners included:Sunoco SST Pro Modifieds by Paul Graff Trucking -Feature race winners: Jeff Price (2), Neal Dietz, Jr. (2), Chuck Anderson, Randy Jazembak, NeilHopkins, Steve Kreitzbender.Points Awards 4-10: Jeff Price, Chuck Anderson, Jeff Ruddy, Tim Welshans, Randy Jazembak, NealHopkins, Neal Dietz, Jr.VSP Marketing/Graphics Group Hard Luck Award: Jeff Ruddy.Carquest Most Improved Driver: Tim Welshans.Sunoco Most Popular Driver: Chuck Anderson.

Carquest Chargers -Feature race winners: Matt Welshans (2), Jerry Kosmowski, Marty Hughes.Points Awards 4-10: Jerry Kosmowski, Matt Welshans, Ted Welshans, Joe Eck, Chris Ford, MartyHughes, Rob Miszczak.Paul Graff Trucking Best Appearing Car: Jerry Kosmowski #69.VSP Marketing/Graphics Group Hard Luck Award: Matt Welshans.Clark Rice Memorial Rookie of the Year: Greg Miszczak.

Native Pride Pro Fours -Feature race winners: Sean Kirsch, Shawn Lafferty, Mike Eckam, D.J. Hutchinson.Points Awards 4-10: Rich Carnes, Sean Kirsch, Bob Marzec, Shawn Lafferty, Josh Hathaway, LauraYandricha, Michelle Roberts.Budweiser Best Appearing Pit Crew: Shawn Lafferty #4 Crew.Paul Graff Trucking Best Appearing Car: Sean Kirsch #21.VSP Marketing/Graphics Group Hard Luck Award: Rich Carnes.Clark Rice Memorial Rookie of the Year: Josh Hathaway.Sonoco Most Popular Driver: Bob Marzec.

INEX Legends -Feature race winners: Eric Hammill (2), Tim Hoegel, Jeremy Haudricourt.Points Awards 4-6: Jeremy Haudricourt, Tim Hoegel, Eric Hammill.Carquest Most Improved Driver: Jeremy Haudricourt.Clark Rice Memorial Rookie of the Year: Jeremy Haudricourt.

4-cylinder Hornets -Points Awards 4-10: Eric Brown, Bill Lutz, Kim Marzec, Bob Crowley, Jerry Carpenter, John “Jammer”Mueckl, Mae Urban.Budweiser Best Appearing Pit Crew: Murray Brothers #51/#57 Crew.Carquest Most Improved Driver: John “Jammer” Mueckl.

Quuen Bees -Feature race winners: Kim Marzec (2), Mary Place.Points Awards 4-10: Kim Marzec, Noreen Koningisor, Nicole Twoguns, Mary Place, Elaine Pimpo,Samantha Lutz, Mary Murray.VSP Marketing/Graphics Group Hard Luck Award: Noreen Koningisor.Clark Rice Memorial Rookie of the Year: Elaine Pimpo.

Alliance Auto Recycling Figure 8 Cars -Feature race winners: Joe Merlino, Bill Lutz, James Steins, Jay Murphy.Points Awards 4-10: Mike Eckam, Sharon Hughes, Joe Merlino, Jason Adams, Bill Lutz, James Steins,Jay Murphy.

The Holland NASCAR Motorsports Complex will open for the 49th consecutive year of operation onSaturday, May 24, 2008.

From Rick Mooney