A packed house gathered at for the 2009 Lee USA Speedway Banquet of Champions on Saturday night, where Wayne Helliwell, Jr. received the hardware for his 2009 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model track championship.

Among the special awards presented during the night were the NASCAR Crafstman Mechanic of the Year award, picked up by Myra Fowler, and the Ed Castine/Ron Poitras Memorial Dedication award which this year went to Tom and Carol Kimball.
E Keys 4 Cars Late Model racer J.R. Baril also brought home a pile of awards on the night, taking home second overall in the LM’s, and receiving a special NASCAR presentation for his New Hampshire state NWAAS 2009 title.

Third through tenth place trophies were awarded to Bryan Kruczek, Jeffrey Labrecque, Jr., A.J. Begin, Tom Fuller, Jeremy Harclerode, Bobby Baillargeon, Geoff Rollins, and Dean Weber.

Rollins grabbed the prestigious Rookie of the Year honor, with Jeremy Harclerode picking up Most Improved Driver, Bobby Baillargeon taking Hard Luck, Tom Fuller scoring the Sportsmanship award, and the Bruce Bernhardt team taking home Best Team Performance.

Grant Aither collected his championship hardware in the Prime Storage Late Model Sportsmen, with Bobby Melvin, Bill Ahern, Pete Evans, Michele Fushpanski, Jesse Bousquet, Frankie Eldredge, Timmy Johnson, Brian Grantz, and Jimmy Renfrew honored for second through tenth.

Eldredge got the nod for Rookie of the Year in the Sportsmen, while Ryan Green who raced the entire season was under age and not recognized as a NASCAR Rookie. The Speedway has given Ryan the honor of the year as Lee’s Track Rookie of the Year and his 7th place finish in points for the Season. Ahern was recognized as Most Improved Driver, Fushpanski got the Hard Luck award, Melvin was honored with the Sportsmanship award, and Aither’s crew grabbed Best Team Performance.

It was a changing of the guard in the PB Chopper Shop and Rods Small Block Supers, where Dan Bowes celebrated his first career championship.

Former two-time titleist Eddie Witkum, Jr. was second, with P.J. Stergios, Mike Spurling, Billy Osborne, Tommy Tombarello, Jr., Johnny Burke, Mike Netishen, and Bob Millett, Jr. also picking up Small Block hardware.

Stergios took home Rookie of the Year honors in the Supers, with Tombarello getting Most Improved Driver, Spurling picking up the Hard Luck award, Witkum being recognized for Sportsmanship, and the Bowes team sweeping best Team Performance.

Jim Shorey was joined by car owners Jeff and Nancy Trask for the Hobby Stock championship celebration, with Jimmy Russell, Patrick Tanguay, Ron Washburn, Eric Hoffman, Kenny Scott, Alby Ovitt, Bobby Glass, Brian Thompson, and A.J. Panessiti picking up second through tenth place awards.

Dennis Dumas was the best of the freshman crop and took home Rookie of the year for his efforts, with Scott awarded Most Improved, Thompson getting Hard Luck, Russell claiming the Sportsmanship award, and the Trask/Shorey crew taking Best Team Performance.
Nick Maniatis and crew were on hand to celebrate the David’s Race cars and Components Roadrunner championship, with Jim Piaseczny, Steve Nichols, Aaron Day, Loren Smith, Tim Boyle, Torrey Kovalesky, James Fitzgerald,, Cristofer King, and Anthony Nadeau filling out the top ten.

Maniatis was a lock for Rookie of the Year in the Roadrunners, while runner-up Piaseczny scored Most improved Driver, Day was awarded Hard Luck, Fitzgerald picked up the Sportsmanship award, and Maniatis’ team picked up Best Team Performance.

Tom Harton led the American Used Auto Parts Ironmen to the stage, taking home the big trophy for his championship season. Kevin Emery, Crystal Brown, Warren Harvey, Matt Bakutis, Troy Washburn, Matt Lambert, and Howard Brown III also received hardware for their efforts.

Norm Wrenn was presented the championship after his dominating three-win performance in the Pro-4 Modified Triple Crown Series, and Sumner Sessions scored the champ’s hardware in the Twin State PASS Modified Series.