SSP Awards Banquet Recap from Saturday Night
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Newberrytown, PA January 25, 2009: The Night of Honor and Awards Banquet for the Susquehanna Speedway Park's 2008 season last Saturday night, January 24 was filled with enthusiasm as 14 track champions were crowned from the popular Stock Car Saturday Night program. The Gala was held at the Valencia Ballroom in downtown York, Pennsylvania in front of a full house of drivers, teams, sponsors and supporters of the various classes that competed at SSP last season. The banquet placed SSP's grassroots racers on center stage after celebrating the track's 54th year of operation.
The Late Model division found Carl Billet from Carlisle crowned king of the division after picking up his sixth SSP track championship of his career (1986, 1989, 1990, 2000, 2007, 2008) driving the Updegraff-owned car. Billet's weekly consistency and six feature victories enabled him to clinch the championship over Bud Witmer and Jake Jones. Randy Christine and Justin Ehrhart rounded out the top five. Billet revealed that his racing plans for 2009 at SSP include piloting the Leinbach-owned Late Model #NINEX in his quest to have at least one feature win to continue his streak of 17 consecutive seasons with a feature win. He will also look to earn his 50th career win at SSP. Billet currently has 48 wins and sits alone at the top of the all-time feature winner's list for all divisions that have ever competed at SSP over its 54 year history.
Middletown's Eric Walker claimed his first SSP Street Stock track championship with four feature wins and sixteen top-10 finishes in 18 races. Wes Alleman came in second place with a division leading six feature wins and a mere 12 points behind Walker in a spirited season-long battle for the title. Craig Morgan, Paul Morgan and Steven Dove rounded out the top five spots respectively.
Donnie Broderick of Lancaster won the Xtreme Stock Car track championship over his father, Ray Broderick by 104 points. Donnie's consistency allowed him to pick up his first championship as well by only finishing outside the top 10 one time in eighteen feature events. Adam Smith, Sam Rial, and Tim Hahn rounded out the top five receiving honors in the entry level stock car division.
Other SSP track champions honored on Saturday night included John Stoll Jr. (Four Cylinder Stock Cars); Kendra Knaub (Women on Wheels Stock Cars); Stephen Nederostek (Legends Cars - Pro Division); Greg Burd (Legends Cars - Masters Division); Brent Marquis (Legends Cars - Semi Pro Division); Paul Bacchus (PENNAR Vintage Cars - Modified); Craig Coghill (PENNMAR - Sportsman); Bill Brown, Sr. (Classic Cars); Daryl Sipe (Mini Van) and Eric Walker (Clean Technologies Young Guns Champion). The 2008 Fab Four Series champions were Carl Billet (Late Model), Wes Alleman (Street Stock) and Donnie Broderick (Xtreme Stock Cars).
Before the awards presentation, Todd Fisher, owner/promoter of the Susquehanna Speedway Park, gave his annual "State of the Speedway" address. Fisher began by reflecting on the past season highlighting the highs and lows of a prosperous season. One struggle that seemed to hamper the season was the abundance of rain cancelations just after qualifying was complete during a race night. This situation occurred an unprecedented four times creating up to eleven features having to be made up throughout the season. Fisher was quoted, "The amount of double features some nights were very taxing on the teams but we all made it through together. It is an uncontrollable situation that was weathered and hopefully will never occur again." Fisher proceeded to then explain the new Contingency Connection Program that SSP has been involved in with more than $75,000 in awards distributed to competitors in the Late Model, Street Stocks and Xtreme Stock Car classes. Many gift certificates were distributed that night and competitors should begin seeing more in the mail in the near future.
Fisher also explained the new "Hometown Heroes" program to be implemented in 2009. On selected nights throughout the 2009 season, the Hometown Heroes Program will recognize drivers from particular cities and towns throughout Pennsylvania and Maryland. Before the races begin, the drivers will have the opportunity to display their cars and meet the fans at the front gate of the speedway. The drivers will also be interviewed during the night's racing program. Also, all fans entering the speedway from that driver's hometown being honored will be admitted FREE to the grandstands by showing proper photo identification at the ticket booth.
The towns to be included in the program so far are York, Lancaster, Lebanon, Etters, Lewisberry, New Cumberland, Manchester, Mount Wolf, York Haven, Halifax, Jonestown, Duncannon, Enola, Marysville, Dover, East Berlin, Annville, Ephrata, Spring Grove, Thomasville, West York, Felton, Windsor, Carlisle, Newville, Reinholds, Middletown, Mt. Penn, Myerstown, Ona, Shermansdale as well as selected places in Maryland. More details with dates and additional towns will be released in the near future.
Fisher concluded his speech with a glimpse of how SSP began as a Saturday Night Stock car track in 1954 and returned to its roots in the middle of 2007. Fisher does not anticipate any deviation from those roots anytime in the future as the program has proven to be successful and enjoyable for all those involved.
During the awards presentation, some very special individuals were recognized with awards and special jackets for their support and dedication since the opening day of 2004 when the Fisher's took control of the speedway five years ago. These individuals include Terry Koller, Joanne Slaseman, Jim Salter, Bobby Weaver, Joe and Kelly Canulli; and Paul and Susan Fisher.
In continuing with the family atmosphere, the Clean Technologies sponsored "Kid's Banquet" for children ages 4-12 was held at the same time in the downstairs banquet room. Children participated in games and activities that kept them busy throughout the night. After dinner, all children were permitted to join their families upstairs during the awards presentations, but just about all of them decided to they were having too much fun downstairs and elected to stay there.
Donations for the drawing for door prizes was overwhelming as every person in attendance went home with a prize. Door prizes included donations by Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic; K&K Insurance; Scott Racing; Laponephoto.com; Daryl Sipe Racing; Coca Cola; Aquafun Pools; Miller's Racing Parts, The Outhouse in Lancaster and the Susquehanna Speedway Park.
The 2009 season opener of Stock Car Saturday Night will be on Saturday, April 11, with the Late Models, Street Stocks, Xtreme Stock Cars and ARDC Wingless Midgets. There will also be a special visit from the Easter Bunny for the kids in attendance. All point championships for every class start on April 11. At the end of the season, SSP will crown eleven-(11) track champions in their respective classes (Late Models; Street Stocks, Xtreme Stock Cars, Legends Cars - 3 classes, PENNMAR Vintage Cars - 2 classes, Classic Cars, Mini Vans and Road Warriors).
SSP will begin its pre-season with two open practice sessions for any type of racecar on Saturday, March 28 and Saturday, April 4. The gates will open at 3:30 p.m. with practice sessions rotating for each class from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The first of four AMA Flat Track Motorcycle races at SSP in 2009 will be on Sunday afternoon, March 29. Other motorcycle races will be held on Sunday, May 31; Sunday, July 19 and Sunday, August 16. General admission for the motorcycle events will be just $5.00.
After a successful year in 2008, SSP is ready to kick off a full season of racing at the SSP Outback Track on Friday night, April 17. There will be two open practice sessions on Saturday afternoon, April 4 and Wednesday night, April 8.
The Susquehanna Speedway Park is located midway between Harrisburg and York off I-83 to exit 32, then 1.4 miles NW on SR382 to York Road, then 1.3 miles south. For more information, contact the speedway offices at (717) 292-1696 or visit online at SSP RACING. On race day, use the track phone at (717) 938-9170 for up-to-date information at the "Big Track" and (717) 932-1608 for the "Outback Track."