1/21/06
MARK BLISS & PETE STEFANSKI NAMED AS DRIVERS OF THE YEAR AT FRIENDS OF AUTO RACING AWARDS BANQUET
Bowmansville, NY: The Friends of Auto Racing (F.O.A.R. S.C.O.R.E.) Fan Club held their annual awards banquet on Saturday January 21, 2006 at the Hearthstone Manor in Depew, NY. Road racing star Ron Fellows served as the special guest speaker for the gathering of approximately 325. The affair annually recognizes champions of speedways and traveling circuits in Western New York and Ontario's Niagara Region and presents specialty awards to deserving drivers and key racing supporters. The highlights of the evening included the induction of seven members into the Friends of Auto Racing Hall of Fame (see accompanying release) and the presentation of Driver of the Year Awards to Pete Stefanski of Wheatfield, NY (dirt racing) and Mark Bliss of Arcade, NY (asphalt racing).
Bliss had a career year in asphalt Late Model competition, steering his family team car to eight Holland Speedway feature wins and a first ever Late Model track title, and taking the Bob Weber owned Late Model to three wins at Lancaster. Among his victories were the Holland Masters Weekend Firecracker 100, the Holland Budweiser 100, and the Lancaster US Open 75; he was also the champion of the Holland/Lancaster Late Model Challenge Series. He joins brother Vern, a former multi-time Holland Late Model Champion, as a winner of this Driver of the Year award.
Stefanski had a dominating season in Ransomville Pro Stock competition, racing to 13 feature wins on the season en route to his third track title, which he locked up with two weeks to spare. One of his Ransomville wins was a Western region points race for the DIRT Pro Stock Trail; he also took Western Region Trail wins at Cayuga County and Humberstone. His Al Peters owned ride was also victorious in Combined Region Trail events at Fulton (Victoria weekend) and Can-Am; he ultimately finished third in overall Pro Stock points.
Pictured above from the left are FOAR Score Vice President Roger McCabe, Pete Stefanski, Ron Fellows, Mark Bliss and FOAR Score President Paul Faleski.
Achievement Awards were presented to Andy Micheal (dirt) and Todd Hoddick (asphalt). Michael scored 20 + wins over some very tough regional Street Stock competition, and earned track titles at Freedom and McKean County. Hoddick raced to Late Model victories at five different speedways in '05, with his win list including victory lane visits at Oswego in the Race of Champions for Late Models, and Mountain Speedway in Pennsylvania in the Walt DeMorris Memorial 100 on his first ever visit to that track.
Rookie of the Year awards were presented to first year 358 Modified pilot Scott George (dirt) and third generation driver Erick Rudolph (asphalt) for his solid performances in a TQ Midget. Most Improved Driver awards went to Ransomville 358 Modified driver Sam Crogan (dirt) and Lancaster Late Model champion T.J. Johnson (asphalt). Long time racer Dick Kluth was honored with the Perseverance Award to mark his first career points race feature win, which took place at Wyoming County International in June, 2005. The Dick Hammond Dedication to Auto Racing Award was presented to past Can-Am TQ Midget Champion and long time team owner and racing supporter Vince Christiano, Sr.
Pete and Linda Cosco were recognized with the Promotional Efforts Award for their revival of racing at Humberstone Speedway. Karen Hoffman of Freedom Raceway earned the Woman in Racing Award, and Media Awards were presented to John Steckley of the St. Catherines Post-Standard and Adam Ross and Clinton Geoffrey, hosts of the Dual Airbags Webcast show on Oval1.com. WNY Mini Cup Racing Club President Dave Urbanski received the Mechanical Achievement Award, while Dave DeLange and the DeLange Racing Team were presented the Sportsmanship Award for lending the team's Modified to Lancaster driver Tom McGrath in order that McGrath could secure the Lancaster points title.
Special Recognition Awards were presented to Patriot Sprint Group champ Bryan Howland, for his win in 360 Sprint Car Full Throttle Nationals in August, to sprint car driver Cody Geldart, for his Rookie of the Year season in the All Star Circuit of Champions, to Billy Ray & Patti Pruitt, for becoming the first husband-wife racing team in the area to sweep the top two points positions in one division at a speedway (Wyoming County SST Modified Sportsman), and young kart racer Tyler Walker for his dominating seasons at both Ransomville and Langford kart tracks.
Contribution to Racing Awards were presented to area track official and race site webmaster Jeff Anstett, area racing historian and freelance writer Dan Hall, John Freudenschuh of Bobcat of Buffalo for his support of area motorsports, and Denny Martin of Martin Brothers Chevrolet of Arcade, NY for his sponsorship and personal contributions to the sport. The President's Awards for Exceptional Contribution to the Friends of Auto Racing were presented to Dorothy Hunter and Rick Mooney.
2005 Track and Organizational Championship Awards were presented to:
Can-Am TQ Midgets: Jeff Riberdy; Casey's TQ Midget Series: Ryan Zitzka; Cup Lites Series: Dave Whittaker; WNY Mini Cup Club: Paul Young; Empire Super Sprints: Lance Yonge; Patriot Sprint Group: Bryan Howland; Southern Ontario Sprints: Adam West; SST Modified Sportsman Series: Tony Hanbury.
Freedom Raceway: Super Stocks - Tim Schramm, Modified Sportsmen - Rich Michael, Jr., Street Stocks - Andy Michael, Mini Stocks - Brian Conley; Pure Stocks - Curt Pastorius.
Genesee Speedway: DIRT Sportsmen - Brian Sage, Super Stocks - Jon Rivers, DIRT Pro Stocks - Beamer Guzzardi, Street Stocks - Jeff Bridge, Mini Stocks - Russ Wassner.
Holland Speedway: NASCAR Late Models - Mark Bliss, Pro Modifieds - Steve Kreitzbender, Chargers - Jerry Kosmowski, Pro Fours - Brian Slippy.
New Humberstone Speedway: DIRT Sportsmen - Rob Ledingham, Street Stocks - Tyler McPherson, Micro Sprints - Jim Lafler, Mini Stocks - Rob Goulding, 4-Cyl Trucks - John Low.
Lake Erie Speedway: NASCAR Late Models - Jay Sommers, Pro Trucks - Alan Fisher, Street Stocks - Dave Krawczyk, Figure 8 Cars - Bob Morgan.
Lancaster Raceway Park: Modifieds - Tom McGrath, Late Models - T.J. Johnson, SST Modified Sportsman - Bobby Holmes, Super Stocks - Wayne Bernhard, TQ Midgets - Dave Wollaber, Street Stocks - Frank Batista, Jr.
Little Valley Speedway: Late Models - Bob Close, Super Stocks - Bill Holmes, Jr., Street Stocks - Brett Smith.
Merrittville Speedway: DIRT 358 Modifieds - Pete Bicknell, DIRT Sportsmen - Wayne Conn, Hoosier Stocks - Tyler McPherson, Dwarf Cars - Wayne Robins, Mini Stocks - James Woods.
Ransomville Speedway: DIRT 358 Modifieds - Pete Bicknell, DIRT Sportsmen - Kevin Wills, DIRT Pro Stocks - Pete Stefanski, Street Stocks - Digger Lester.
Wyoming County International Speedway: SST Modified Sportsman - Billy Ray Pruitt, Modifieds - Tony Hanbury, Street Stocks - Jeff Polaski, 4-Cyl Wasps - Ryan Corso.
2005 Karting Championship Awards were presented to:
Langford Speedway: Modified - Greg Krause, Stock - Larry Stolzenburg, Junior Restricted - David Janker, Junior I - Tyler Walker, Junior II - Mitch Maloy.
Merrittville Speedway: Senior - Ron Spatorico, Senior Light - Andy Tallman, Junior Restricted Heavy - Aaron Barker, Junior Restricted - Mat Williamson, Junior I - Collin Spatorico, Junior II - Collin Smith.
Ransomville Speedway: Masters - Jeff Anstett, Stock Mod - Brett Sratford, Junior Restricted - Jessica Schermerhorn, Junior I - Tyler Walker, Junior II - Jacob Stefanski.
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FRIENDS OF AUTO RACING INDUCT SEVEN INTO HALL OF FAME
Bowmansville, NY: At their annual awards banquet on Saturday, January 21st, the Friends of Auto Racing (F.O.A.R. S.C.O.R.E.) Fan Club inducted seven new members into their Hall of Fame. Among the honorees were Jerry Gradl, Roy Graham, Miles "Whitey" Gorsuch, Dick Hurd, Eddie Lenz, Larry Marx, and Reginald "Speed" McFee.
The annual banquet fetes top drivers in Western New York and Ontario's Niagara Region, and introduces the newest members to the select Hall of Fame those who were key components in the region's rich motorsports history. The event was held at the Hearthstone Manor in Depew, NY. Masters of Ceremonies Rick Mooney and Erik Tomas presided over the inductions.
Jerry Gradl came on the scene in the mid-fifties, racing in the Hobby Car division at Buffalo's Civic Stadium, and winning a title in the class. He raced to a Modern Stock championship in Lancaster Speedway's opening 1959 season, and would late become a top racer in area TQ Midget, Street Stock, and Late Model competition. He scored the victory in the 1983 National Parts Peddler Street Stock Race of Champions on the 3/4 mile oval at Pocono, and was also the 1986 February Thunder Car Series Champion at New Smyrna. He was also the point man with the consortium that ran Perry Speedway at the turn of the '80s, and as the owner of a successful car dealership in the Buffalo area, has supported other racers. He now splits his residences between Western New York and Florida; Friends of Auto Racing Board Member (and former racer) Ron Martin made the presentation.
The late Roy Graham re-located from his native Western New York to Indiana in 1946 to learn the trade of Midget racing from owner/builder/driver Marion Roberts, and quickly developed into a top notch racer, winning main events in the midwest through the rest of the decade. He returned home to start the fifties, and established himself as a top open-wheeled driver, winning International Racing Association Championships in 1951 and 1952, and scoring victories at places such as Civic Stadium, Monroe County Fairgrounds, Brewerton, Caledonia, and Merrittville. He would also have a short stint later in the fifties racing a USAC champ car. His record shows wins in five different states and provinces throughout his career. Roy's brother-in-law and closest friend Dick McCrossan accepted the induction award; Friends of Auto Racing President Paul Faleski made the presentation.
The late Whitey Gorsuch had a short yet entertaining racing career, one which earned him the nickname "The Flying Dutchman." However, he made his mark in area motorsports as one of the most colorful, yet well-respected starters in the region. He handled the flags for nearly 20 years, through most of the fifties and sixties, taking on the officiating duties at speedways such as Wellsville, Cuba Lake, Olean, Hornell, Hunt, Angelica, North Collins, Holland, and Perry. His style of physically and wildly green flagging a race on the track is etched into the minds of anyone who saw him in action. He was a master of balancing showmanship with the responsibility of ably overseeing a racing event. Whitey's daughter Dee Wallace accepted the induction award; racing historian Mark Southcott made the presentation.
After serving his country as a paratrooper, Dick Hurd returned to his Western New York home to become one of the top area stock car racers in the fifties. He would have some successes at Cuba Lake, Monroe County Fairgrounds, and the CNE Stadium and Pinecrest in Ontario, but would establish his reputation at Buffalo's Civic Stadium and the short-lived West Seneca Speedway, just down the road from his home. He earned a Stadium track championship, and twice won the Langhorne Race of Champions qualifier at the Buffalo venue. He also was victorious in the longest race ever held at the Stadium, a 400 lap "tag-team" event. He was also an innovator, as he was the first racer at the Stadium to compete with a quick change rear end in his entry. Dick continues to reside in Western New York, and was presented his induction award by long-time area race announcer Ken Hangauer, Jr.
When post-war motorsports resumed full-force in 1946, the late Eddie Lenz re-located to the southwestern United States, and dominated open wheeled racing in Phoenix and Tuscon, capturing over 30 wins against the likes of Jimmy Bryan, Rodger Ward, Art Cross, and Bobby Ball. He then returned home in 1947, suffered a down year on the track, but then resumed his winning ways, capturing over 30 victories throughout the northeast from 1948 through 1950. His versatility showed through in the fifties, when stock cars supplanted the Midgets as featured fare at Buffalo's Civic Stadium, and he made the transition to the full bodied cars and continued his winning ways. Eddie's daughter, Gail Schultz accepted the induction award; racing historian and author Keith Herbst made the presentation.
Larry Marx started his racing career at Civic Stadium in 1949, and would be one of the winningest drivers to race at the Stadium, actively competing there through the final race held at the venue in 1959. He also scored his share of wins at other tracks in the region, notably the Inter-City Championship held at Syracuse in 1950. His biggest win at the Stadium was in a 1953 S.A.F.E. sanctioned 100 lap event, in which he outgunned not only the top Stadium regulars, but a number of invaders from the midwest. After his retirement as a driver, he forged a reputation as a top car owner/builder and mechanic in the sixties. Larry was unable to travel from his Florida home; long-time area racer and official Butch Ball accepted the award on his behalf; Ron Martin made the presentation.
The late Reginald "Speed" McFee was one of the top area drivers from the '30s through the early fifties. This native of North Chili, NY jumped right into Big Car racing in 1933 at age 20, and added Midget racing to his menu, competing at tracks all over the East. He had success at Civic Stadium, finish in the top three in Midget points in 1941, 1942, and 1945, and swept to three wins in three starts at Hyde Park in Niagara Falls in 1945. A serious racing injury suffered at Caledonia in 1946 kept him out of action for a while, but he would return to have a great 1949, winning three URC Sprint events and grabbing a victory at Williams Grove. He also ventured south of the border in 1952 to compete in the Pan American Road Race (a.k.a. the Baja), finishing fifth in his strictly stock Chrysler. Speed's brother-in-law, Hal Schnabel, accepted the induction award which was presented by past Friends of Auto Racing President Butch Fleetwood.
This induction class brings the total membership in the Friends of Auto Racing Hall of Fame to 87.
Source: Rick Mooney/FOAR Score PR
Posted: January 22, 2006
