From Ron Green
BLOOMINGTON, Ind., Dec. 6, 2010 – Though Indiana was experiencing its first cold, wintry storm Saturday night, Dec. 4, the atmosphere inside Bloomington Speedway’s 2010 awards dinner was warmed by moving speeches, big trophies and large checks.
Every driver finishing in the top 10 in points in each of Bloomington Speedway’s three divisions received a points fund and contingency check in addition to a custom trophy. Though the three division champions took home the largest checks, a total of $24,000 was handed out during the awards dinner.
Grimes Pools & Spas Sprint Car Champion Dickie Gaines earned the largest check of the evening. The Mitchell, Ind. driver banked $2,913, a 4-foot trophy, a framed picture of him at speed in his red No. 21 sprint car and a Bloomington Speedway Hoosier Tire champion’s jacket.
The 2010 sprint car championship was not determined until the last lap of the last race of the season on Sept. 24.
“If you’re going to do it, make it exciting!” Gaines said before the sold-out crowd of drivers, team members, track officials and fans.
Bloomington’s Jordan Kinser earned the 2010 Jeff Gordon Rookie of the Year award in the Grimes Pools & Spas Sprint Car division, while 2009 series champion Brady Short was chosen as the Steve Kinser Sportsman of the Year recipient by the other sprint car drivers.
Short backed up his 2009 championship with a second-place finish this year. But his biggest win of the year came after the end of the season as he fought a near-fatal pancreatic disorder in October and November. The Bedford, Ind. driver vowed to be back to race for the 2011 championship during a moving speech.
Clint DeMoss, another Bloomington driver, dominated the 2010 O’Neal Wood Products UMP Modified championship. On his way to earning the $2,748 champion’s check, DeMoss never finished lower than 4th in the ultra competitive modified division.
“It’s a great honor to stand here as a Bloomington Speedway champion,” said an emotional DeMoss. “I’ve been coming here since I was a baby. My grandparents still tease me about falling asleep before the end of the night as we sat in our regular spot in turn 4 when I was younger.”
He also was awarded a 4-foot trophy, a framed picture of him at speed and a Bloomington Speedway Hoosier Tire champion’s jacket.
The Jeff Gordon Rookie of the Year award in the O’Neal Wood Products UMP Modified division went to Josh Harris from Bedford, Ind. And 19-year-old Bradley Sterrett, from Bloomington, was chosen by his peers as the Steve Kinser Sportsman of the year for the modified class.
Though six drivers had a shot to win the Tire and Wheel Center UMP Indiana Super Stock championship going into the final race on Sept. 24, Troy Clark’s four wins throughout the season helped him claim the championship and a $2,478 check. The North Vernon, Ind. driver finished second in the points in 2009.
Clark also was awarded a 4-foot trophy, a framed picture of him at speed and a Bloomington Speedway Hoosier Tire champion’s jacket.
Chip Slagle, from Westfield, Ind., won the Jeff Gordon Rookie of the Year Award in the Super Stock division, while Bloomington’s Kevin Arthur was chosen as the Steve Kinser Sportsman of the Year by his competitors.
The 2011 Bloomington Speedway season kicks off on Friday night, April 15.
For more information, go to www.bloomingtonspeedway.com or call (812) 824-7400.