FAIRLEE, VT – Bear Ridge Speedway honored the champions from its 45th Anniversary Season of dirt track stock car racing on Saturday, December 2. More than 370 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.
Adam Pierson of East Corinth, VT headlined the guest list as the Bond Auto Parts DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Champion. Pierson, 28, collected his eighth title in just 12 years of racing at Bear Ridge Speedway. Pierson posted two wins and 14 top-five finishes in 19 races for his third consecutive Modified crown. Kevin Chaffee of Fairlee, VT was the runner-up, followed by Gary Siemons of Orford, NH, Justin Comes of Middlebury, VT, and Josh Sunn of White River Junction, VT. Eddie Patterson of Websterville, VT won the Rookie of the Year title by a single point over Troy Comeau of Rumney, NH and Josh Currier of Newport, NH, who tied for second place.
Josh Harrington of Topsham, VT was honored as the Wells River Chevrolet Sportsman Coupe champion for the third time in four years after a three-win season. Terry Williams of Wells River, VT finished second ahead of Bradford, VT’s Jason Horniak. Tim Hodge of Vershire, VT and Rookie of the Year Jesse Smith of Topsham, VT tied for fourth place, with Gene Pierson of East Corinth, VT fifth.
Two-time feature winner Scott Holcomb of North Granby, CT collected his first USAC Dirt Midget Association title in the division’s second year. Holcomb edged Joe Krawiec of Bristol, CT and multi-division star Chaffee for the crown, with New England Auto Racing Hall of Famer Ray Miller of East Granby, CT and Dean Christenson of Granby, CT completing the top five. Jeffrey Champagne of Westfield, MA was the Rookie of the Year.
Fifteen year-old sensation Jordan Fornwalt of Bradford, VT was named the A Notch Above Automotive Limited Late Model champion after a dominant 13-win season. Mike Greene, Jr., of North Haverhill, NH, Brian Chaffee of West Topsham, VT, Rookie of the Year Sam Comeau of Hebron, NH, and rookie Travis King of Corinth, VT were next.
Danny Doyle of Barre, VT took his second Weglarz Property Service Fast Four championship with a six-win campaign, and was joined at the banquet by his two-week-old daughter Chloe. Chuck Simmons of Bradford, VT was second, followed by Tim Martin of White River Junction, VT, and St. Johnsbury, VT drivers Kevin Harran and Steve Bell.
Groton, VT driver Eric Lang’s 13 victories netted him the KDD NAPA Auto Parts Hornet title for the second straight year. Rookie of the Year Brandon Gray was the runner-up, followed by Springfield, VT’s Don Reynolds, Charlie Lakin of Groton, VT, and Andy Mooney of Danville, VT.
Dawn King of Springfield, VT was crowned the Hornet Queen champion over Alicia Taylor of Moultonboro, NH and Ashley Racine of St. Johnsbury, VT. Michael Phelps of South Ryegate, VT took the Hornet Stinger youth division title over Leah McGinley of East Barre, VT and Geoff Durphey of Springfield, VT.
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. Troy Comeau of was awarded the John Poor Memorial trophy in the Modified division, with Tim Hodge taking the honors in the Coupe division.
Hodge was also the recipient of the Raymond Brown Memorial Award in the Coupe division for performance on the track and conduct in the pit area. Bob Shepard of West Topsham, VT won the award in the Modifieds, with honors also going to Brian Chaffee in the Limited Late Models, Steve Bell in the Fast Fours, and Mike Lique of West Lebanon, NH in the Hornets.
Josh Sunn and car owner Gary Corsi of Woodstock, VT were named co-winners of the Modified division’s annual Sportsmanship Award. Teddy Salomaa of Bradford, VT won similar honors in the Coupe division, as did USAC Midget champion Scott Holcomb, Late Model racer Brian Chaffee, Fast Four driver Steve Bell, and Hornet racer Mike Lique.
Race fans voted Troy Comeau as the Most Popular Driver in the Modified division. Similar honors went to Jeremy Beckley of Woodsville, NH in the Coupes, Kevin Chaffee in the Midgets, Sam Comeau in the Late Models, Danny Doyle in the Fast Fours, and rookie James Fadden of Plainfield, NH in the Hornets.
The Big Al’s Photos “What A Picture” Hard Luck Awards were given to Modified driver Bob Shepard, Coupe rookie Jesse Smith, Midget veteran Scott Viets of Granby, CT, Late Model driver Matt Ellsworth of Corinth, VT, Fast Four driver Bobby Bell of St. Johnsbury, VT, and Hornet rookie Ryan Farnham of Fairlee, VT.
Adam Pierson was given the Twin State Ford Lap Leader Award for the Modified division with rookie Thomas Placey of Bradford, VT taking the honors in the Coupe class. Joe Krawiec won the award in the Midget division, with Late Model champion Jordan Fornwalt, Fast Four veteran Steve Bell, and Hornet champion Eric Lang also leading the most laps in their respective divisions.
More than 70 prizes were given to racers by random draw; the top prize was a brand new General Motors “602” crate racing engine valued at nearly $3,000 and provided by Miller Auto Group of Lebanon, NH, which was given to Coupe driver Teddy Salomaa.
Bear Ridge Speedway’s 45th season of stock car racing is now officially complete. The 2013 season begins on Saturday, May 4, 2013. Season Passes for 2013 are now available; information and order forms are available online at www.bearridgespeedway.com or by calling (802) 222-4052.