FAIRLEE, VT – Bear Ridge Speedway honored the champions from its 46th Season of dirt track stock car racing on Saturday, November 29. More than 320 drivers, crew members, sponsors, fans, and officials filled a sold-out banquet hall at the Lake Morey Resort in Fairlee, VT for the gala, and more than $25,000 in prizes and point fund purses was awarded.
Chris Donnelly of Orford, NH headlined the guest list as the Bond Auto Parts DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Champion. Donnelly collected his eighth title spanning six different divisions of racing at Bear Ridge Speedway. Donnelly topped runner-up Jason Gray of East Thetford VT, by just 15 points, Kevin Chaffee of Fairlee VT followed by Derek Graham of Woodsville NH, and Gary Siemons of Orford NH rounded out the top five. TC Forward of Lyme NH won the Rookie of the Year title, winning one feature along the way and finishing sixth in points.
Jason Colbeth of Newbury VT was honored as the Wells River Chevrolet DIRTcar Sportsman Coupe champion. Colbeth won the title on consistency as he only finished out of the top 10 four times. Josh Harrington of Topsham, VT finished second ahead of Thomas Placey of Bradford VT. Michael Danforth of Corinth VT finished in fourth just three points ahead of Logan Oliver of Groton VT and Jeff Robbins of Woodsville NH who tied for fifth. Michael Danforth of Corinth VT claimed the rookie of the year title.
Adam Pierson of Corinth VT claimed the USAC Dirt Midget Association Championship in dominate fashion. Pierson’s nine wins made it next to impossible for second place and team mate Josh Sunn of White River Jct VT to set any challenge for the title. Scott Holcomb of No Granby, CT was third. Scott Viets of East Granby was fourth and Mike Chaffee of Corinth, VT was fifth. Tim Hodge of Vershire VT claimed the rookie of the year title.
Veteran Jason Giguere of Lebanon, NH was named the Laquerre’s Sports Limited Late Model champion for the second year in a row, winning eight times thru the season. James Fadden of Lebanon, NH was second. Mike Greene III of Grantham NH was third. Rookie of the year, Rob Williams of Plainfield NH came home fourth, beating out his rookie contender by 15 points Kevin Harran of St Johnsbury VT who completed the top five.
Rob Gioia of Thetford, VT won his first Weglarz Property Service Fast Four championship in a dominating fashion, crossing the line first 19 times for the Fast Fours. Second went to Don Reynolds of Springfield, VT, third was Jacob Roy, and Rookie Devin Stearns of Bradford VT was fourth.
Vershire VTs driver Mike Ryan beat out Good Time Charlie Lakin of Groton VT for the championship in the NAPA Auto Parts Hornet title. Chris LaForest from Barre VT finished third for the second year in a row. Cody Stearns of E Corinth VT was fourth with Bobby Bell of St Johnsbury VT in fifth.
Special awards were given in several categories, headlined by the prestigious John Poor Memorial Award, given annually to one driver from each of the Modified and Coupe divisions. John Poor was an important official at Bear Ridge Speedway for many years and the award bearing his name is given to drivers who elevate the sport of stock car racing through exceptional conduct on and off the track. This year the awards were given to two rookies DJ Robinson in the Modified division and Logan Oliver in the Coupe division.
The Raymond /Cliff Bullis Memorial Award for performance on the track and conduct in the pit area was awarded to DJ Robinson in the Modifieds, Logan Oliver in the Coupes, Joe Krawiec in the Midgets, Kevin Harran in the Limited Late Models, Don Reynolds in the Fast Fours, and Mike Ryan in the Hornets.
The Bob Shepard “Drive, Desire, Determination and Dedication” award, given by an anonymous fan sponsor was awarded to Jack Cook of Moultonboro NH.
Kevin Chaffee was the winner of the Modified division’s annual Sportsmanship Award. Jason Colbeth won similar honors in the Coupe division, as did USAC Midget driver Mike Chaffee. In the Late Models the award went to Kevin Harran, and Don Reynolds earned the honors in the Hornet/Fast Fours.
Race fans voted Travis Shinn as the People’s Choice Most Popular Driver in the Modified division. Similar honors went to Mitchell Frost in the Coupes, Mike Chaffee in the Midgets, James Fadden in the Late Models, Don Reynolds in the Fast Fours, and Mike Ryan in the Hornets.
The Big Al’s Photos “What A Picture” Hard Luck Awards were given to Modified driver Gary Siemons, Coupe veteran Earl Maxham, Midget driver Scott Holcomb, Late Model driver Cary Moulton, Hornet/Fast Four driver Alicia Taylor.
Veteran Gary Siemons was given the Lap Leader Award for the Modified division with Jason Colbeth taking the honors in the Coupe class. Adam Pierson won the award in the Midget division, with Late Model rookie Rob Williams beating out the champion by 10 laps, and in the Hornet/Fast Fours Cody Stearns led the most for the season.
More than 70 prizes were given to racers by random draw; the top prize being a $1000.00 gift certificate to Bear Ridge Speedway in 2015. Don Reynolds was the top prize winner.
Speedway Illustrated’s Karl Fredrickson introduced Dick Berggren the keynote speaker for the night.