NIAGARA FALLS, ONTARIO… The New Humberstone Speedway celebrated the 2014 season at their Night of Champions held at the Americana Resort in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Gary Lindberg, Paul Grigsby, Jason Fontaine, Evan Curtis, and Sam Pennacchio all earned their 2014 championship jackets and points money for being the top point men for the PC Works DIRTcar Sportsman, Cosco Haulage RUSH Late Models, JC Auto Street Stocks, TC Decal Mini Stocks and the Mike Knapp Ford Pro 4 Trucks respectively.
The Dedication to Auto Racing Award was renamed the Pete Cosco Memorial Dedication to the Sport Award in honor of Pete Cosco, who passed away in August. The award was given to Linda and the entire Cosco Family who kept the speedway open and finished out the season.
For the second consecutive season, Ridgeway, Ontario’s Gary Lindberg was crowned divisional champion for the PC Works DIRTcar Sportsman. On the strength of seven wins in 2014, Lindberg edged out 2012 Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Series Champion Cody McPherson by 26 points. Defending Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman titlist Brad Rouse finished 2014 in third place in points with 3 victories. Austin Wood and Adam Leslie completed the top five. Lindberg, McPherson, Rouse, Wood, Leslie James Michael Friesen, Mathieu Desjardins and Chris Bellamy all visited victory lane. Friesen was the winner of the All Canadian Championships and Desjardins won the Trevor Wilkens Memorial for the Sportsman Super DIRTcar Series. The best appearing car award went to Brad Rouse. Austin Wood was named most improved. Tyler Puchalski was named most sportsmanlike. Gary Lindberg was the hard charger and Adam Leslie was the hard luck award winner. Ryan Turner was the Sportsman’s rookie of the year. Cody McPherson and Gary Lindberg also received point fund money from the Tri-Track Series for the Sportsman. The Tri-Track Series was new for 2014 that featured races at Ransomville Speedway, Merrittville Speedway and the New Humberstone Speedway.
Springville, NY racing veteran Paul Grigsby picked up his first track title in the Cosco Haulage RUSH Late Models. Runner up Jorden Peters, 2013 divisional champion visited victory lane four times. Grigsby edged out Peters by three points in the final standings. Rob Pietz and Rob Ledingham were tied for third in points with Jeff Dayman rounding out the top five. The top five were all separated by a total of 46 points. Other drivers that visited victory lane included John Waters who won the visits by the Go Nuclear Late Model Tour and the RUSH Late Model Tour. Chad Ruhlman, Dennis Lunger Jr, Ed Carley, Zach Carley, Rob Pietz, Rob Ledingham as well as Peters and Grigsby visited winners circle. 2014 was the first year of the Late Models being RUSH sanctioned and plans are set to remain RUSH sanctioned for 2015. Champion Paul Grigsby was named most sportsmanlike and hard charger. Rob Pietz picked up the hard luck award as well as most improved driver. Jeff Dayman had the best appearing car for the division in 2014.
By just four points, “The Fonz” Jason Fontaine earned the 2014 JC Auto Street Stocks title over Jim Lampman. Fontaine, from Port Colborne, Ontario went to victory lane on seven different occasions this past season. Lampman went to victory lane twice. Rookie Kyle Pelrine finished third in points and saw the checkered flag fly over his car first one time. Mike Greene and Paul Reichel completed the top five. Bill Bliech Jr finished sixth in points and was the only other driver to pick up a victory this season besides Lampman, Fontaine, Pelrine, Bleich, Brad Sheehan and Lee Winger. For Fontaine, it was his third divisional title in the last five seasons. Champion Fontaine also picked up the best appearing car award as well as the division’s hard charger. Mike Greene was named most improved and most sportsmanlike while Jim Lampman received the hard luck award. Kyle Pelrine was named Rookie of the Year.
2014 track champion Evan Curtis from Port Colborne, Ontario graced victory lane three times in route to the title in the TC Decals Mini Stocks. Runner up finisher Brandon Iudiciani visited winners circle once in 2014. Sam Iftody, Garnet Wilson and Jason Coutu completed the top five in points. Coutu visited victory lane five times this season. Other drivers that went to victory lane include Tyler Lafantaisie and Kyle Rothwell. Brandon Iudiciani received the Best Appearing Car and the hard luck award. Katie Cosco was the division’s most improved driver while Evan Curtis was the hard charger of the year. 2013 Pure Stock Champion Sam Iftody was the division’s rookie of the year. Jason Coutu was named most sportsmanlike.
A track high eight victories propelled Niagara Falls, Ontario driver Sam Pennacchio to the 2014 title for the Mike Knapp Ford Pro 4 Trucks. Colton Ledingham won five and finish second in points. Danny Wurster (one win), Taylor Vanderzanden and Craig Vlasic (one win) finished in the top five points. Adam Nicholls and rookie Frank Perry also visited victory lane. Vanderznden was most sportsmanlike driver. Champion Pennacchio was the divisions most improved driver and hard charger. Jamie Ayers’s truck was named best appearing. Craig Vlasic was the hard luck recipient and Jeff Aube was division’s rookie of the year.
Special awards were also handed out to Paul Lindberg, crew chief for Gary Lindberg as the recipient of the Jim Simpson Crew Chief of the year award. The Trevor Wilkens Driver of the Year award went to Late Model track champion Paul Grigsby. Karl Sault was also honored by being the 2014 Eve of Destruction Grand Champion.
Speedway management is working on the 2015 schedule. Season passes are available to purchase for next season by contacting the speedway office. Season passes make great stocking stuffers! The speedway would like to wish everyone a safe and joyous holiday season and hope to see all of you back at Humberstone in 2015.
The New Humberstone Speedway would like to thank all the new and returning Weekly Series Sponsors: PC Works(DIRTcar Sportsman), Pete Cosco Haulage LTD (RUSH Late Models), J.C. Auto (Street Stocks), Mike Knapp Ford (Pro 4 Trucks), and the Trackside Decals (Mini Stocks).
The New Humberstone Speedway is located just two miles East of Port Colborne on Highway 3, just 17 miles west of the US/Canadian Border at the Peace Bridge (Buffalo/Fort Erie). For more information, please visit us on the World Wide Web at www.humberstonespeedway.com as well as follow us on Twitter @NewHumberstone and like us on Facebook. Don’t forget to bring your portable FM radios and listen to all the action on 90.3FM. You can also call the speedway at (905) 834-4002 or the speedway office at Cosco Haulage (905) 935-2886
Contact –– Steven Petty/ Director of Public Relations- New Humberstone Speedway
steven.j.petty@gmail.com, Humberstone Speedway (905) 834-4002)
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