12/11/2004

CATALANO, SHOVE, LIPPA JR. TAKE CENTER STAGE AT SPENCER SPEEDWAY AWARDS BANQUET

GATES, NY: Nearly 250 friends, family and fans turned out to honor the 2004 Spencer Speedway champions last Friday, December 10, at the Diplomat Banquet Center. The gathering received a wonderful buffet dinner followed by the 50th annual awards ceremonies. 

This year's awards banquet was put together by Bobby Lippa Jr. and Mike Florio, both weekly competitors at the speedway. Trophies and plaques were sponsored by John Betlem Heating and Cooling, Lessord Chrysler Products and Joseph Neri Chevrolet. The Spencer family helped to provide door prizes and Ray MacIver representing Hoosier Tires also donated a number of Hoosier Tire coats for the awards. 

Master of ceremonies Jim Fremouw, the speedway announcer, presented the first drivers honored on the evening. They were the three divisional Rookie of the Year award winners. In the Street Stocks, John Parrone took home the rookie honors. Parrone had finished 14th in overall track points. To his credit he recorded three top tens in just seven starts. He even won one race but was disqualified in post race inspection for a tire infraction. 

In the Grand American Modifieds division Mike Florio took home top rookie honors. Florio made the move over last winter from the Street Stocks into the Grand American Modifieds. In this first year he finished third in Grand American points and recorded two wins, nine top fives and 11 top tens in 12 starts. 

The NASCAR Modified Rookie of the Year award was presented to Daryl Lewis Jr., who raced in both the NASCAR Modifieds and Grand American Modifieds each week. Lewis Jr.'s modified record saw him place 21st in track points with just nine starts on the season. 

"I just have to thank my dad (Daryl Sr.) for putting me in one of his modified race cars," added Lewis Jr. "Don't be surprised to see me in a modified again next season if everything goes right." 

The top ten in Street Stocks were then introduced to the gathering, with the top five receiving trophies and six through ten receiving picture plaques. 
Street Stocks: 
Bobby Lippa Jr. 623, 
Paul Jeffers 605, 
Steve Malin 603, 
Don Pringle 582, 
Roger Worden 574, 
Jeff Polaski 506, 
John VanHooydonk 499, 
Don Stevens 487, 
Amy Catalano 467, 
Phil Alhart 439. 

Divisional champion, Bobby Lippa Jr. started his career on the dirt at Genesee Speedway where he was the 1997 and 1999 Pure Stock champion. He moved to Spencer's asphalt in 2000 and had finished second in Street Stock points in 2001 and 2002. In 2003 he fell back to 4th in track points. Finally, in 2004, Lippa Jr. recorded four wins, 10 top fives and 12 top tens in 13 starts to claim his long sought after championship. 

"I just have to thank my crew for all of their years of just keeping me in line," stated a jubilant Lippa Jr. as he was interviewed on stage. "Over the years I have had a number of great sponsors. We will be returning with a number of them to Spencer in 2005 to defend this title." 

Next up were the top ten in Grand American Modified points. 
Grand American Modifieds: 
Zack Shove 594, 
Daryl Lewis Jr. 591, 
Mike Florio 554, 
Roger Steurrys 536, 
Andy Lewis 494, 
John Little 395, 
Chris Holzschuh 392, 
Scott Combs 317, 
Ricky Knapp 306, 
Matt Lees 257. 

Grand American Modified champion Zack Shove started his career on the DIRT Pro Stock circuit where he recorded one feature win at Canandaigua Speedway in 2001. Two years later, 2003, his All County Construction team switched to the asphalt at Spencer. Since the switch Shove has recorded six Grand American feature wins, including three from this year. His seasonal record also shows 10 top fives and 12 top tens in just 12 starts. 

"I have to thank my crew, we've been through a lot," stated Shove. "I can't say enough, it has just been a great year." 

The final group to be honored were the NASCAR Modified top ten. 
NASCAR Modifieds: 
Patsy Catalano 538, 
Buck Catalano 530, 
Mike Leaty 500, 
Tim McMullen 428, 
John DeMinck 412, 
Tommy Keyes 408, 
Daryl Lewis 386, 
Todd Smith 386, 
Terry Cheetham 350, 
Dean DeMarree 342. 

Patsy Catalano just beat his father, multi-time champion Buck Catalano, by just eight points in the year long battle at the speedway. Patsy began his career at Spencer in the Street Stock division where he recorded 16 feature wins before making the move into the NASCAR Modified ranks. This year he drove a Troyer Chassis powered by a Performance Technology powerplant from Indiana. 

"This feels great to bring back the championship trophy to Stevens Racing," stated a very proud champion. "My father had a number of these trophies on display for Stevens Racing and now it has been my turn to bring one to them." 

"I am just so proud to be named a champion at the same place that Richie (Evans) and my dad raced and both have been champions." 

When Fremouw asked about racing with his dad Patsy responded," There were times my dad would be behind me on the track. If I screwed up he would pull up to me in the pits and ask, 'what were you thinking?'. There were also times I found myself behind him on the track and it was best to just follow in his tire tracks." 

"My crew has been my family," he continued. "In fact the whole Spencer Speedway weekly gathering has become my family. They mean so much to me. I also want to congratulated both Bobby and Zack on their championships." 

The evening ended with dancing. On stage the band "Lower Than Johnny" performed. 

It was announced that Spencer Speedway would be opening May 13 for the annual practice and time trial runs, one week later then normal. "We seem to have been off to some bad starts with the weather the last few years," stated track co-promoter Del Spencer. "Maybe this change will work out for the best with the weatherman." 

Racing is scheduled to begin the following week May 20. Seventeen events are scheduled with the season finale coming on September 9, 2005. Currently three dates with the Limited Supermodifieds have also been scheduled, starting with June 10. Spencer Speedway will again participate in NASCAR's Weekly Racing Series presented by Dodge. 

Source:  Gary Spaid/Spencer Speedway PR
Posted:  December 20, 2004