DIRTcar Northeast Champions Crowned

Drivers, Sponsors and Promoters Recognized at DIRTcar Banquet

Story By: COBY GORNIEWICZ / DIRTcar SERIES MEDIA

Photos By: JEFF CLEMONS / RACERSGUIDE.COM

SYRACUSE, N.Y – November  22, 2016 – The 2016 season came to an end with the completion of the 2016 DIRTcar Northeast awards ceremony Saturday night. This year’s banquet was full of familiar faces as drivers, sponsors and promoters were recognized and champions were crowned.

The Night of Champions kicked off with the recognition of the Mr. DIRTcar champions. Throughout the year, DIRTcar Racing distributed nearly $300,000 in point fund awards, thanks to contributions from Hoosier, VP Racing Fuels and all of the marketing partners. For the sixth year, the Mr. DIRTcar Home Track Points Championship pitted racers throughout the Northeast against one another based on their best 16 finishes in their respective division at any DIRTcar sanctioned track. Saturday night the 2016 champions were honored and recognized for their efforts and success.

Montreal, Quebec’s Stephane Lemire clinched the 2016 Mr. DIRTcar Pro Stock Championship with eight wins, 22 top-five finishes and 26 starts towards the Mr.DIRTcar title. Lemire received $1,000 from the point fund and a $500 fuel certificate from VP Racing Fuels.

Brad Rouse captured the 2016 Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Championship. With 15 feature wins coming from Autodrome Drummond, Autodrome Granby, RPM Speedway and Cornwall Motor Speedway, Rouse pocketed $1,000 from the point fund as well as a $750 in fuel certificate from VP Racing Fuels.

David Hebert picked up his third Mr. DIRTcar 358-Modified Championship this season. Hebert collected nine wins on the season, which included triumphs at RPM Speedway, Autodrome Drummond and Autodrome Granby as well as the track championship at Granby. Hebert received $3,000 from the point fund and a $1,000 fuel certificate from VP Racing Fuels.

The Mr. DIRTcar Big-Block Modified Championship went to Matt Sheppard as he took home his fourth consecutive win. Waterloo, New York’s own collected 20 wins, 37 top-fives and 46 top-ten finishes in 58 starts towards the Mr.DIRTcar title. Sheppard also clinched the Lebanon Valley Speedway Track Championship. Sheppard received $7,500 from the point fund and a $2,500 fuel certificate from VP Racing Fuels.

“This one obviously feels good. It’s very sweet for so, so many reasons,” said Matt Sheppard. “[Shane Andrews was] talking a little bit about visionaries earlier, and last year I had a little vision of my own. That vision included crew guys, sponsors, manufactures, people that want to win races and have won races before. Those are the type of people we put together this year. We couldn’t do it without those people. It just really was a storybook season from start to finish.”

Following the Mr. DIRTcar champion recognitions, winners were chosen for the Motorsports Safety Systems / Number One Speed /G-Force Rookie-of-the-Year Awards. These drivers are the next great stars in DIRTcar racing and were recognized for their talent this season.

The 2016 Pro Stock Rookie-of-the-Year went to Justin Desrosiers as he competed in six events, finishing 11th in points.

Zach Sobtoka, from Mexico, N.Y., finished 12th in the series points and captured five wins at his home tracks as well as the Fulton Sportsman Track Championship. Sobtoka is this year’s Sportsman Rookie-of-the-Year.

Gary Lindberg started his season off early at the DIRTcar Nationals in February and competed in over 40 DIRTcar 358-Modified starts. Lindberg was crowned the 2016 358-Modified Rookie-of-the-Year.

The 2016 Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modified Rookie-of-the-Year went to Max McLaughlin. McLaughlin, from Mooresville, N.C., took home one top-five and two top-ten finishes this season. His top-five run came at Lebanon Valley in the Mr. Dirt Track USA, where he finished fourth. McLaughlin finished 13th in the Series points.

“I really learned a lot this year,” said Max McLaughlin. “I can’t thank HBR enough. This is one of the toughest competition-wise series you’ll see. I’m just glad to be a part of it.”

Jocelyn Roy, from St. Helene, Quebec, accepted his second DIRTcar Pro Stock Series title Saturday night. Roy may not have made it to Victory Lane this season, but consistency was key as he picked up the championship not only with DIRTcar but also at his home tracks Autodrome Granby and Autodrome Drummond.

Accepting his first ever DIRTcar Sportsman Modified title, Shane Pecore, from St. Andrews, West Ontario, was all smiles in front of a packed house. Pecore was not only able to capture two DIRTcar Series wins this season towards the 2016 title, but he also picked up the Brockville Speedway and Cornwall Motor Speedway Championship.

Former DIRTcar Sportsman Series champion in 2008 and 2009, Chris Raabe made his way back on stage to be recognized for his accomplishments, but this time it was for the 2016 DIRTcar 358-Modified Series Championship. The driver out of Napanee, Ontario was unable to park it in Victory Lane this season but was persistent with two top-fives and four top-tens. Raabe also picked up the 358-Modified Track Championship at Cornwall Motor Speedway.

Five-time Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modified Champion Matt Sheppard accepted his hardware Saturday for his third straight year. Not only did he pick up the Big-Block Modified Championship this year, the Mr. DIRTcar Big-Block Modified title and the Lebanon Valley Speedway Track Championship, but he also re-wrote the history for the most wins in a season.

Sheppard, out of Waterloo, N.Y., had what many would call a dream season. His new self-owned team combination proved that they were a force to be reckoned with by winning 12 races with 21 top-fives and 22 top-ten finishes out of 26 starts. The No. 9s team also won 17-heat races, recorded fast time seven times, and had a total of 18 podium finishes.

The 2016 Promoter-of-the-Year Award went to Weedsport Speedway for their hard work and extraordinary dedication this season. Al Heinke, Jimmy, Shannon and Andy Phelps were honored.

“This is a shock to us. We didn’t expect this,” said Jimmy Phelps. “We’re all fortunate to be a part of this.”

For the second year in a row there was a drawing for a 602 Chevrolet motor, the winner of of which was Brianna Ladouceur, a competitor in the Sportsman Modified division. Ladouceur made history at the 45th Annual NAPA Auto Part Super DIRT Week when she became the first woman to win an event at Super DIRT Week, taking home a triple 15 qualifying event.

The Super DIRTcar Series will resume action in 2017 in February in Florida at the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park. Tickets can be purchased now by visiting dirtcar.ticketforce.com.

The Super DIRTcar Series and DIRTcar Racing in the Northeast is brought to fans by many important sponsors and partners, including: Hoosier Racing Tire (Official Tire), VP Racing Fuels (Official Racing Fuel), Chevy Performance Parts and NAPA Auto Parts; in addition to contingency sponsors, including: ASI Race Wear, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Edelbrock, Fox Shocks, Henry’s Exhaust Systems, Intercomp, JE Pistons, JRI Shocks, KSE Racing Products, Mike’s Racing Heads, Motorsports Safety Systems, MSD, Pole Position Raceway, Superflow Dynos and Wrisco Aluminum; along with manufacturer sponsors, including: Beyea Headers, Racing Electronics and TNT Rescue.