Lake Odessa, Michigan (Saturday, February 9th, 2013): The 2012 I-96 Speedway Awards Banquet was held at the Steele Street Hall in downtown Ionia, Michigan on Saturday, February 9th as the four track champions within the United Midwestern Promoters (UMP) DIRTcar Racing Series were honored for their accomplishments from the 2012 racing season.
The highest honor of the night would be the I-96 Speedway Driver of the Year Award as 2012 Accurate Engines UMP Modifieds Track Champion, Zack Olger, who also finished third in the points within the Miller Lite UMP Super Late Models would be the surprised winner of the award. The St. Johns, Michigan driver was very gracious and humbled as he accepted the highest honor of the entire Awards Banquet.
Other special awards included the now traditional honoring of the late Jim Thompson, the long-time Water Truck Driver at the speedway who suffered from heat stroke during the 2011 season and later passed away due to complications and other health issues. The 2012 I-96 Speedway Jim Thompson Memorial Sportsman of the Year Award Winners were: Brandon Thirlby-UMP Super Late Models (Second year in a row); Todd Feutz-UMP Modifieds; Bill Brandt Jr.-UMP Street Stocks; and Joe Pironello-UMP Sport Compacts.
The now former Voice of I-96 Speedway, Matt Prieur served as Master of Ceremonies for the evening and said one final goodbye to the drivers and teams as well as fellow officials as he will move on as the Midwest Senior Editor for Speed51.com for SPEED TV Announcer, Bob Dillner. The new Director of Communications / P.A. Announcer beginning with the 2013 racing season, 19-year-old Brian Osborne was formally introduced to the contingent on hand as he will step into the roles vacated by Prieur after serving as the Assistant P.A. Announcer during the 2012 racing season.
As for the final rundown of the season, the Miller Lite UMP Super Late Models would see Brandon Thirlby win his first I-96 Track Championship to go with the 2012 UMP DIRTcar Super Late Models Michigan/Wisconsin/Canada Regional States Championship, the 2012 Michigan Dirt Cup Late Models Tour Championship, and 2012 Cherry Raceway Track title. The Traverse City, Michigan stand out in his #m14 Thirlby Automotive / Mastersbilt Racecars entry scored a Three Feature Wins at I-96 during the season which was amongst his 14 overall Feature victories in 2012, tied for second in the Nation in UMP DIRTcar Racing Series competition.
Rich Neiser (1 Feature Win) actually finished tied with Thirlby for the title, but would be credited with second in the points due to the first tie-breaker (Feature Wins). Zack Olger (1 Feature Win & 2012 Hard-Charger Award Winner) was third in the final points run down ahead of Dan Hubbell (Co-2012 Most Improved Driver Award Winner) and 2011 Track Champion, Tom Sprague Jr. (1 Feature Win) who finished off the top five.
Billy Bray finished sixth in the final tallies while 2010 & 2006 Track Champion, Eric Spangler was seventh over Brad Harden (Co-2012 Most Improved Driver Award Winner), Adam Thrush and Scott Haney were the final top 10.The Honorable Mention Award went to Shannon Babb who swept the entire night during the 2012 UMP Summer National Hell Tour visit on June 24th as he set Fast Time, Won the Qualifier Heat and then took the victory in the Feature all in one night. Also getting an Honorable Mention would be 2012 Rookie of the Year, Brook Brasington.
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In the Accurate Engines UMP Modifieds, it was Zack Olger winning his first career Track Championship in his #0x Racer’s Speed Shop / Xtreme racecars open-wheeled Modified. The St. Johns, Michigan star, who also finished third in the Miller Lite UMP Super Late Models points standings, recorded a single Feature Win while also finishing second in the Michigan Dirt Cup Modifieds Final Points Standings as well.
2009 & 2008 Track Champion, Todd Feutz (1 Feature Win) finished in the runner-up spot ahead of 2007 Track Champion, Shannon Fisk (1 Feature Win) while 2011 Track Champion, Jacob Poel (1 Feature Win & 2012 Hard-Charger Award Winner) and Jared Guinn (2012 Most Improved Driver Award Winner) were the top five.
2010 Track Champion, Rich Robinson Jr., finished sixth while 19-year-old Nick Kurtz was seventh. Tim Stemler, Ken Beutler, and Travis Stemler finished off the top 10. The 2012 Honorable Mentions outside of the top 10 would be Collin Thirlby who picked up two Feature wins during the year and 2012 Rookie of the Year, David Schmidt.
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For the Rudd’s Septic Service UMP Street Stocks, Josh Frye would bring home his first career Track Championship in his #44 Rhino Roofing & Construction / Chevrolet as the Coopersville, Michigan driver collected four Regular Season Feature Wins while also winning the big Pro Stocks / Pro Trucks Invitational on the big ½ mile during the Inaugural appearance by the Super DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds Tour back on August 7th.
2011 Track Champion, Bill Brandt Jr. (3 Feature Wins & 2012 Hard-Charger Award Winner) finished in the runner-up spot this time around as the Defending Track Champion going into the season battled tooth and nail all season long with Frye for the title. Jim Belt (2012 Most Improved Driver Award Winner) also finished on the podium in third in the final points run down while Ron Harper and Bill Brandt Sr., rounded out the final top five.
2009 Track Champion, Aaron Wolf finished sixth in the points while Randy Wellman was seventh ahead of 2012 UMP DIRTcar Racing Series Street Stocks Northeastern States Champion, Dan Dykman was eighth. Duane Nelson and Max Ake were the final top 10. The 2012 Honorable Mention Award to the driver who finished outside of the final top 10 in the points would be Sadie Klein who finished just outside of the top 10 in 11th and 2012 Rookie of the Year, 18-year-old Calvin Stemler.
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Finally in the Smyrna Bar & Restaurant UMP Sport Compacts, Hastings, Michigan driver, Rick Peck repeated as Track Champion in the Four-Cylinders division as his #14 Frisbee & Sons Plastering Saturn was dominant all season long en route to repeating as Track Champion. The Hastings, Michigan driver led all drivers at I-96 Speedway in nearly every statistical category including a Season High 5 Feature Wins as well as a Season High 8 Top 5s and was involved in a Three-Way Tie for Season with High 8 Top 10 finishes.
Chad Tomczak (1 Feature Win & 2012 Hard-Charger Award Winner) finished in the Runner-Up spot ahead of 18-year-old Terry Henderson Jr. (2012 Most Improved Driver Award Winner) who completed the podium in third. 2012 18 & Over Rookie of the Year, Nick Jenema (1 Feature Win) finished an impressive fourth in his freshman season while Scott Rumsey finished off the top five.
11-year-old Christopher Joyce finished an impressive sixth in his second year of competition while 12-year-old Tony Taylor, the 2012 17 & Under Rookie of the Year would pick up a seventh place finish. Colee Ruesink was eighth as Terry Henderson Sr., and 14-year-old Harper Hotchkiss rounded out the final top 10. The 2012 Honorable Mentions would go to 18-year-old Joe Pironello who finished just outside of the top 10 in 11th and 2010 Track Champion, Dan Reimersma who would finish in 12th in the final tallies.
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Co-Owners / Promoters, Mike and Sarah Mouch would like to sincerely thank the entire management and staff as well as the great teams and dedicated fans of I-96 Speedway for making the 2012 racing season such a rousing success. The 2013 racing season begins with two Pre-Season Test & Tunes scheduled for Saturday, April 13th and Saturday, April 20th as both Test & Tunes will see the Pit Gates open at 12:00p.m., and Practice will go from 1:00-6:00pm., each day.
The 2012 Racing Season will begin on Saturday, April 27th with the 8th annual Ice Breaker / Opening Night 2013 featuring a full four in one show highlighted by the UMP Modifieds, UMP Street Stocks, and UMP Sport Compacts who will be joined by the Pro Stocks/Pro Trucks
The 2013 campaign will also feature appearances by the World of Outlaw Sprint Car Series (June 1st), USAC National Sprints Series (June 22nd) UMP Summer Nationals Hell Tour & Summit Racing Equipment Modifieds Nationals (June 23rd), the return of the Super DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds Tour (August 6th), two appearances by the SOD Sprints (May 4th & August 3rd) and one appearance each by the Michigan Dirt Cup Late Models Tour (June 15th) and the Michigan Dirt Cup Modifieds Tour (May 18th). The Complete and Finalized 2013 Schedule will be posted on the I-96 Speedway Website as soon as it becomes Official per Track Management.
On Saturday nights during the 2013 racing season, the Pit Gates will Open at 3:00pm., with Practice starting at 5:30pm., as all divisions will take turns on the track on a rotating basis until 6:30pm. After Pre-Race Ceremonies / Invocation / National Anthem(s), which are slated for 6:45p.m., Racing will begin at 7:00p.m.
For more information about the fast approaching 2013 racing season, please call: 1 (616) 642-0555 or visit the website at: www.i96speedway.com You can also follow all of the off-season happenings in Lake Odessa, Michigan by becoming a fan on the tracks Facebook Fan Page. Just go to: www.facebook.com and search “I-96 Speedway” and click on “Like” button today. You can even follow us on Twitter as well, just go to: www.twitter.com and search “I-96 Speedway”
