St. Louis, MO - Young Landon Cassill was the featured guest speaker Saturday at the St. Louis Auto Racing Fan Club's 41st Annual Banquet of Champions and he stole the show from veteran announcer and emcee Mike Meurer and hometown favorite Kenny Wallace.
Meurer was interviewing the JR Motorsports NASCAR Nationwide National Guard driver and learned Cassill has his own office at Hendrick Motorsports leaving the 30 plus year announcer muttering how he only had a cubicle while this 18 year old already had his own office at Hendrick! Landon wasn't afraid to joke about St. Louis' own Kenny Wallace in the audience, as well, quipping "What I like about being here is I'm in St. Louis and Kenny Wallace has to listen to me."
Wallace was, like everyone else, impressed by Cassill's ease and style. Fresh off his announcement on Friday of securing a Nationwide ride himself at the helm of a Dodge for Fitz Motorsports Wallace was in rare form. Wallace also helped present a Lifetime Membership to Bob Quinn, for his support of the club and area racers, and the club's highest honor, the Dale Mueller award for long term service to racing via the media, to Joyce Standridge of Speedway Illustrated.
Dr. Christopher Sloan received the Curt Lehmann Sportsmanship Award for helping to prevent a carbon monoxide tragedy at a track this fall. The club's new president, Mike McGinnitey received the Bob Mueller award, for his behind the scenes support of area racing and spearheading the Lake Hill Speedway Reunion. Grace vonHatten, 16, earned the "George" Award as the club's most supportive member. ESPN's Bret Kepner presented Gateway International Raceway's General Manager Lenny Batycki with the Outstanding Media award for Batycki's radio show "Gateway to Motorsports". Allied Auto Racing Association official Don Hoener received the Ambassador Award for helping rising short track racers. Mark Weber, busy shooting photos at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, earned the Mechanical Achievement award for racing in two Sports Car Club of America classes requiring an engine swap, which took a scant 23 minutes. Sam Driggers, UMP's Director of Dirt Car Racing, received the Founders Award for expanding UMP's lineup from five to eight classes. Ricky Stenhouse and Frank Kimmel received the performance-based Arnie Knepper and Bill Oldani Awards respectively.
The festivities honored champions from Belle-Clair Speedway (Belleville, IL), the Big River Sand Drags (Bonne Terre, MO), Gateway International Raceway's drag racing program (Madison, IL), Highland (IL) Speedway, I-55 Raceway (Pevely, MO), the I-70 Quarter Midget Association (Greenville, IL), Montgomery County Speedway (New Florence, MO), POWRi Midgets (Mascoutah, IL), St. Francois County Raceway (Farmington, MO), and Tri-City Speedway (Granite City, IL).
The St. Louis Auto Racing Fan Club, founded in 1955, is preserving the past, celebrating the current, and educating the future. For more information visit www.stlfanclub.com.
Champions Honored at the 41st Annual Banquet of Champions
St. Louis Auto Racing Fan Club
January 26, 2008
Royale Orleans Banquet Center, St. Louis, MO
National Champions
ChampBoat – Tim Seebold
NASCAR Busch Grand National – Carl Edwards
UMP Sportsman – Troy Naeger
Belle-Clair Speedway – Belleville, IL
UMP Late Model – Mike Schulte
UMP Modified – Dean Hoffman
UMP Sportsmen – Mike Harris
AARA Pure Street – Chris Sale
Big River Sand Drags/Missouri Sand Drag Association – Bonne Terre, MO
Overall Track Champ – Gladys Edwards
Overall ATV Track – Mark Dickens
Unlimited ATV – Kevin Betzer
Super Pro – Jason Waller
Pro ATV – Allie Glactzac
Gateway International Raceway – Madison, IL
Super Pro – Scott Offerman
Pro E. T. – Mike Vishino
Street E. T. – Ron Beach, Sr.
SX Performance Street Car Shootout – Tim Mallicoat
Pro Bike – Janie Palm (a lady)
Street Bike – Denny Slusser
Doc's Harley-Davidson Quick Street Bike – Eric Sanzoterra
Racer Quick 16 – Brian Suhre
Ranken Fall Challenge – Dane Fletcher
Ranken Spring Challenge – Kevin Meine
High School E. T. – Dan Harris
Jr. Dragster 13 & Up – Kegan Hagedorn
Jr. Dragster 10 – 12 – Austin Vaughn
Jr. Dragster 8 – 9 – Tommy Heaney, Jr.
Highland Speedway – Highland, IL
UMP Late Model – Rick Salter
UMP Modified – Brian Bielong
UMP Sportsman – Robbie Eilers
UMP Bomber – Jason Zobrist
UMP Hornet – Ryan Eilers
I-55 Raceway – Pevely, MO
UMP Late Model – Bryan Collins
UMP Modifieds – Bobby Bittle
UMP/AARA Sportsmen – Troy Naeger (2nd year in a row)
UMP/AARA Pro 4 Stocks – Chris Fisher
I-70 Quarter Midgets Association – Greenville, IL
Heavy 160 and Heavy Honda – Kyle Amerson
Light 160 and Sr. Honda – Clayton Gonsalves
Jr. Honda – Kyle LaFrance
Jr. Stock – Jacob Griffin
Montgomery County Speedway – New Florence, MO
Fastrak Late Models – Shawn Rayfield
UMP Modifieds – Mike Vanderiet, Jr.
B Modifieds and Street Stocks – Randy Dickman
MCS Mini Stocks – Jim Trendle
O'Reilly's POWRi Midgets – Mascoutah, IL
Midgets – Brad Loyet
Micros – Derek King
St. Francois County Raceway – Farmington, MO
Sprint – Joey Montgomery
Modified – Brent Thompson
Pure Street – Chris Boyd
POWRi Multi – Brandon Nixon
Tri-City Speedway – Granite City, IL
CARS Late Models – Nick Lyons
Late Models – Bryan Collins
Modifieds – Marty Smith, Jr.
Street Stocks – Josh Jackson
Factory Stocks – Ryan Eilers
Meurer was interviewing the JR Motorsports NASCAR Nationwide National Guard driver and learned Cassill has his own office at Hendrick Motorsports leaving the 30 plus year announcer muttering how he only had a cubicle while this 18 year old already had his own office at Hendrick! Landon wasn't afraid to joke about St. Louis' own Kenny Wallace in the audience, as well, quipping "What I like about being here is I'm in St. Louis and Kenny Wallace has to listen to me."
Wallace was, like everyone else, impressed by Cassill's ease and style. Fresh off his announcement on Friday of securing a Nationwide ride himself at the helm of a Dodge for Fitz Motorsports Wallace was in rare form. Wallace also helped present a Lifetime Membership to Bob Quinn, for his support of the club and area racers, and the club's highest honor, the Dale Mueller award for long term service to racing via the media, to Joyce Standridge of Speedway Illustrated.
Dr. Christopher Sloan received the Curt Lehmann Sportsmanship Award for helping to prevent a carbon monoxide tragedy at a track this fall. The club's new president, Mike McGinnitey received the Bob Mueller award, for his behind the scenes support of area racing and spearheading the Lake Hill Speedway Reunion. Grace vonHatten, 16, earned the "George" Award as the club's most supportive member. ESPN's Bret Kepner presented Gateway International Raceway's General Manager Lenny Batycki with the Outstanding Media award for Batycki's radio show "Gateway to Motorsports". Allied Auto Racing Association official Don Hoener received the Ambassador Award for helping rising short track racers. Mark Weber, busy shooting photos at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, earned the Mechanical Achievement award for racing in two Sports Car Club of America classes requiring an engine swap, which took a scant 23 minutes. Sam Driggers, UMP's Director of Dirt Car Racing, received the Founders Award for expanding UMP's lineup from five to eight classes. Ricky Stenhouse and Frank Kimmel received the performance-based Arnie Knepper and Bill Oldani Awards respectively.
The festivities honored champions from Belle-Clair Speedway (Belleville, IL), the Big River Sand Drags (Bonne Terre, MO), Gateway International Raceway's drag racing program (Madison, IL), Highland (IL) Speedway, I-55 Raceway (Pevely, MO), the I-70 Quarter Midget Association (Greenville, IL), Montgomery County Speedway (New Florence, MO), POWRi Midgets (Mascoutah, IL), St. Francois County Raceway (Farmington, MO), and Tri-City Speedway (Granite City, IL).
The St. Louis Auto Racing Fan Club, founded in 1955, is preserving the past, celebrating the current, and educating the future. For more information visit www.stlfanclub.com.
Champions Honored at the 41st Annual Banquet of Champions
St. Louis Auto Racing Fan Club
January 26, 2008
Royale Orleans Banquet Center, St. Louis, MO
National Champions
ChampBoat – Tim Seebold
NASCAR Busch Grand National – Carl Edwards
UMP Sportsman – Troy Naeger
Belle-Clair Speedway – Belleville, IL
UMP Late Model – Mike Schulte
UMP Modified – Dean Hoffman
UMP Sportsmen – Mike Harris
AARA Pure Street – Chris Sale
Big River Sand Drags/Missouri Sand Drag Association – Bonne Terre, MO
Overall Track Champ – Gladys Edwards
Overall ATV Track – Mark Dickens
Unlimited ATV – Kevin Betzer
Super Pro – Jason Waller
Pro ATV – Allie Glactzac
Gateway International Raceway – Madison, IL
Super Pro – Scott Offerman
Pro E. T. – Mike Vishino
Street E. T. – Ron Beach, Sr.
SX Performance Street Car Shootout – Tim Mallicoat
Pro Bike – Janie Palm (a lady)
Street Bike – Denny Slusser
Doc's Harley-Davidson Quick Street Bike – Eric Sanzoterra
Racer Quick 16 – Brian Suhre
Ranken Fall Challenge – Dane Fletcher
Ranken Spring Challenge – Kevin Meine
High School E. T. – Dan Harris
Jr. Dragster 13 & Up – Kegan Hagedorn
Jr. Dragster 10 – 12 – Austin Vaughn
Jr. Dragster 8 – 9 – Tommy Heaney, Jr.
Highland Speedway – Highland, IL
UMP Late Model – Rick Salter
UMP Modified – Brian Bielong
UMP Sportsman – Robbie Eilers
UMP Bomber – Jason Zobrist
UMP Hornet – Ryan Eilers
I-55 Raceway – Pevely, MO
UMP Late Model – Bryan Collins
UMP Modifieds – Bobby Bittle
UMP/AARA Sportsmen – Troy Naeger (2nd year in a row)
UMP/AARA Pro 4 Stocks – Chris Fisher
I-70 Quarter Midgets Association – Greenville, IL
Heavy 160 and Heavy Honda – Kyle Amerson
Light 160 and Sr. Honda – Clayton Gonsalves
Jr. Honda – Kyle LaFrance
Jr. Stock – Jacob Griffin
Montgomery County Speedway – New Florence, MO
Fastrak Late Models – Shawn Rayfield
UMP Modifieds – Mike Vanderiet, Jr.
B Modifieds and Street Stocks – Randy Dickman
MCS Mini Stocks – Jim Trendle
O'Reilly's POWRi Midgets – Mascoutah, IL
Midgets – Brad Loyet
Micros – Derek King
St. Francois County Raceway – Farmington, MO
Sprint – Joey Montgomery
Modified – Brent Thompson
Pure Street – Chris Boyd
POWRi Multi – Brandon Nixon
Tri-City Speedway – Granite City, IL
CARS Late Models – Nick Lyons
Late Models – Bryan Collins
Modifieds – Marty Smith, Jr.
Street Stocks – Josh Jackson
Factory Stocks – Ryan Eilers
