January 20, 2014 (West Salem, WI) – As winter marches on and the 2014 racing season get closer, LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway and its 2013 competitors celebrated the season just completed last Saturday night. Teams in all six divisions converged at the at the 27th annual Champions’ Banquet at Onalaska’s Stoney Creek Inn Conference Center.
A hall full of guests, including many of the 2013 race teams, sponsors and family members, joined in on the festivities. Over 100 awards were handed out at the event, including the prestigious “Sportsman of the Year” award.
Late Model Drivers from last season in attendance were eligible to win a $500 certificate towards a body package purchase at Five Star Race Car Bodies. Drivers were eliminated as a representative of each randomly chose a beverage can off the stage, each having a driver’s car number on the bottom. The final two drivers on stage had their representative battle it out in a “guess-that-famous-racing-personality” trivia shootout. Albert Locy won the Five Star Race Car Bodies certificate.
Speedway pastor Andrew Buhrow gave the invocation to the guests. That was followed by 2013 season review videos by KQEG TV-23 and racingnuggets.com during dinner, which was served by C&C Catering of Sparta.
The awards ceremony honored champions and the top three in each division. In addition, there are many fun awards that the race teams have the privilege of voting on. Those awards are very important to the race teams, as it is their peers that select the nominees in a post-season ballot.
The 2013 Rookies of the Year were honored, which were JR Tourtellott in Thunderstox, Jeff Thompson in Sportsmen and Branden Berg in Late Models. Jason Bolster was the 2013 Novelty Division and Figure-8 Division champion.
Many great door prizes were given away to the guests, which had been donated to the event by Kwik Trip and United Auto Supply.
The champion in each division was honored, featuring Kwik Trip NASCAR Late Model champion Steve Carlson, Exhaust Plus Sportsmen champion Jake Arneson, United Auto Supply Thunderstox Champion Adam Moore, Jake Bemis, ANTS Complete Pest Control Hornet Champion, and Volden Construction Outlawz champion Jerrod Loging. Arneson, Bemis and Loging were first time champions in 2013.
This was Carlson’s third Kwik Trip NASCAR Late Model championship title. “Racing is a team sport, and I’ve got a great team and great car owner,” Carlson commented. “We set some goals for 2013 and we accomplished them. We just had a great season,” concluded Carlson. Carlson won the Kwik Trip NASCAR Late Model top honor in 2007 and 2008. He won the big prize in 2007, that being the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series National Championship as a driver, beating all other NASCAR Sanctioned dirt and asphalt track drivers in NASCAR’s national point system.
Pastor Buhrow presented his annual “Racing Family of the Year” award. This was presented to brothers Adam and Andy Moore, who have raced in Thunderstox for a decade.
The event drew to a close with the annual Sportsman of the Year Award. This prestigious award was presented to Mary Schill, who received a standing ovation from the audience. Schill has been dedicated to racing at the speedway for over 20 years, as a driver in her early years, and as official track photographer in recent years.
For more information about the LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway or the 2014 season, please call the speedway office at 608-786-1525, email lacrossespeedway@yahoo.com, or visit www.lacrossespeedway.com.
Be sure to follow on social media – @laxspeedway on Twitter or LaCrosse Speedway on Facebook.
2013 LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway Award Recipients:
Champions: Kwik Trip NASCAR Late Models: Steve Carlson, Exhaust Plus Sportsmen: Jake Arneson, United Auto Supply Thunderstox: Adam Moore, ANTS Complete Pest Control Hornets: Jake Bemis, Volden Construction Outlawz: Jerrod Loging, Coca-Cola Figure-8: Jason Bolster, Budweiser Dash: Steve Carlson (Late Model), Jake Arneson (Sportsmen), Adam Moore (Thunderstox); Novelty Events: Jason Bolster;
Rookie of the Year: Thunderstox – JR Tourtellott, Sportsmen – Jeff Thompson, Late Model – Branden Berg;
Best Appearing Car Award (Fan Vote): Outlawz – Jerrod Loging, Hornet – Garrett Thicke, Thunderstox – David Cavin, Sportsmen – Bill Martin, Late Model – Jonathan Eckelberg;
Best Appearing Car Award (Race Team Vote): Outlawz – Tom Luethe, Hornet – Sammy Linnehan, Thunderstox -JR Tourtellott, Sportsmen – Jake Arneson, Late Model – Mike Carlson;
Tough Man Award: Thunderstox-Andy Moore, Sportsmen-Greg Scheck, Late Model – Steve Carlson;
“Note-toSelf” Award: – Jerrod Loging;
Outstanding Performance Award: Thunderstox – David Cavin, Sportsmen – Jeff Thompson, Late Model – Brad Powell;
Extra Lap Award: Albert Locy Racing, Eckelberg Racing Teams;
Showmanship Award: Bill Martin, John Piotrowski;
Fan Club Award: – Outlawz – Tom Luethe, Hornets – Jake Bemis, Thunderstox – Adam & Andy Moore, Sportsmen – Jeff Thompson, Late Model – Jonathan & Curt Eckelberg;
Competition Achievement awards: Justin Mullikin, Jill Oostdyk, Matt Inglett, Taylor Dobbs, Jerimy Wagner
Racing Family of the Year by Pastor Andy: Adam & Andy Moore;
Best Use of Social Media: J. Herbst;
Most Improved Driver: Thunderstox – Jordan Myers, Sportsmen – Brian Hesselberg, Late Model – Cole Howland;
Best Appearing Race Team: FMW Racing – Branden Berg & Jerimy Wagner, Jake Arneson Racing;
Special Recognition Award: Matthew Henderson, Bill Martin;
Hard Charger Award: Thunderstox – Josh Inglett, Sportsmen – Jamie Dummer, Late Model – Nick Clements;
Good Luck Award: Outlawz – Cole Scholze, Hornets – Jill Oostdyk, Thunderstox – Kayla Lockington, Sportsmen – Mark Challet, Late Model – Matt Inglett;
Quick Decision Award: Branden Berg;
Sharing Award: Brad Powell;
Most Popular Driver Award (Fan Balloting): Outlawz – Jerrod Loging, Hornet – Jake Bemis, Thunderstox – JR Tourtellott, Sportsmen – Jeff Thompson, Late Model – Branden Berg;
2013 Sportsman of the Year: Mary Schill.