photo by Rich Hayes

photo by Rich Hayes

Manchester, NH –  The annual Lee USA Speedway “Banquet of Champions”
closed out the 2015 season at the Executive Court Inn and Conference Center on Saturday night, with Tommy Tombarello, Jr., Jay Sands, Dennis Dumas, Troy Washburn, and Jesse Tellier celebrated as the best of the year at New Hampshire’s “Center of Speed”.

After Master of Ceremonies John Spence, Track Manager Bill Callen and owner Red MacDonald recognized the loyal staff and legion of sponsors, it was on to showcasing the accomplishments of the best drivers to circle the seacoast oval in the past season.

Tombarello topped the EKeys4cars Supermodifieds for the fourth time in his six year career, taking the big trophy back home to Haverhill, MA once again.  During his acceptance speech, Tommy noted that his crew chief/brother-in-law Justin Belfiore and the rest of the Best Team Performance-winning gang were already at work building a new car to replace the one he destroyed on championship night.

Leslie Keyser was the runner-up for 2015 in the Supers, collecting hardware along with Mike Ordway, Jr., Lance Barthelemy, Sportsmanship winner Mike Spurling, Kyle Sawyer, Mike Murphy, Rookie of the Year Mike Keddy, Moe Lattime, and Most Improved Driver Jim Barker, who finished second through tenth place.

Sands was honored as champion in the highly-competitive Late Model Sportsman ranks, collecting the title after inching out former Hobby Stock champ Jimmy Russell by a slim two-point margin over the course of the season.  Sands’ crew collected Best Team Performance, while Russell earned Sportsmanship honors.

The rest of the top ten in the LMS ranks for 2015 included three-time feature winner Frankie Eldredge, second-generation racer Geoff Rollins, Rookie of the Year George Helliwell, Most Improved Driver Ray Dinsmore, Hard Luck Award winner Nate Leavitt, Jimmy Ryder, Steve Paquette, and Ricky Porter.

Hobby Stock ace Dumas collected the first championship trophy of his career along with Best Team Performance for his men in blue, with sophomore shoe Zac Fraser taking home runner-up honors for the year as well as the Most Improved Driver hardware.

Third through tenth in the Hobbies were opening night winner Dave MacDonald, Chris “Rooftop” Harding, Hard Luck Award winner Jay Avery, two-time feature winner Paul Palen, Rookie of the Year Trevor Randlett, Kevin Bowman, Brian DeStefano, and Eric Hoffman.

Washburn was honored as champion in the Ironman division, and he shared the stage with an excited crew when they were called up to accept Best Team Performance.  Shane Horvath took home the runner-up trophy, with Most Improved Driver Christin DeStefano third in the final tally.

Cousin Zach Washburn picked up the fourth place Ironman hardware, with Adam Knowles, 2013 champ Travis Holins, Sportsmanship winner Hannah Shaw, 2014 champ Wayne Osborne, Rookie of the Year Luke Grammont, and Hard Luck Award winner Tyler Mitchell rounding out the top ten.

Jesse Tellier took home his second straight Pure Stock championship, and his hard-working Midnight Motorsports crew earned Best Team Performance.  Rookie of the Year Rob Carleton collected second place honors, and second-generation racer Danielle Evans picked up third place and the Sportsmanship award.