KNOXVILLE, IOWA (January 12, 2012) – Shane Stewart of Bixby, Oklahoma, was voted the 2011 “Driver of the Year” by the North American 360 Sprint Car Poll voting panel of media members, promoters, sanctioning officials and manufacturers for the second time. Stewart, the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) national tour champion and 2009 “Driver of the Year”, earned thirteen (13) of the twenty (20) first-place ballots cast in the year-end poll. Stewart’s car owner, Paul Silva, earned his second “Team of the Year” award as well.
Those drivers ranked second through fifth, respectively, are Johnny Herrera of New Mexico, three-time “Driver of the Year” Jason Johnson of Louisiana, Brady Bacon of Oklahoma, and 2002 “Driver of the Year” Tim Crawley of Arkansas. Rounding out the ‘top ten’ for the season are United Racing Company (URC) champion Curt Michael, Jeff Swindell, four-time “Driver of the Year” and 2011 National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductee Gary Wright, Empire Super Sprints (ESS) champion Chuck Hebing and Wayne Johnson. In addition to Shane Stewart, others receiving first-place votes were Jason Johnson (two), Chuck Hebing (one), United Sprint Car Series (USCS) champion Terry Gray (one), Kyle Larson (one), United States Auto Club (USAC) Western Classic Series champion Geoff Ensign (one) and ASCS Southwest Region champion Rick Ziehl (one).
ASCS Warrior Region champion Brad Loyet of Missouri earned the North American 360 Sprint Car Poll “Rookie of the Year” title in his first full season of winged 360-cubic-inch sprint car competition. J.V. Brotherton of Brodix Cylinder Heads of Arkansas earned the “Builder/Manufacturer of the Year” honors for 2011, for the sixth time.
In addition, Allan Holland of www.hoseheads.com will receive the “Media Member of the Year” award for the fifth time, although he has also won the ‘410’ poll honor twice. Glenn Styres of the Ohsweken Speedway in Ontario, Canada, earned his sixth “Promoter of the Year” award, while Kyle Larson of California will receive the “Wild Card Award” for his exciting ‘360’ sprint car performances in 2011. Interestingly enough, Larson won the same award this year from the North American Non-Winged Sprint Car Poll voting panel.
The North American 360 Sprint Car Poll is an annual awards program of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum Foundation, Inc., of Knoxville, Iowa. All awards will be distributed in the spring of 2012 at tracks throughout North America. The awards were announced on the third day of the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Final 2011 North American 360 Sprint Car Poll
rank, driver (first place votes), hometown, state/province, points
1., Shane Stewart (13), Bixby, OK, 1520
2., Johnny Herrera, Albuquerque, NM, 645
3., Jason Johnson (2), Eunice, LA, 609
4., Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK, 376
5., Tim Crawley, Little Rock, AR, 204
6., Curt Michael, Ocean View, DE, 167
7., Jeff Swindell, Memphis, TN, 144
8., Gary Wright, Hooks, TX, 141
9., Chuck Hebing (1), Ontario, NY, 133
10., Wayne Johnson, Mustang, OK, 123
11., Terry Gray (1), Bartlett, TN, 109
12., Andy Forsberg, Auburn, CA, 102
13., Roger Crockett, Rio Linda, CA, 101
14., Clint Garner, Sioux Falls, SD, 65
15., Jack Dover, Springfield, NE, 64
16., J.J. Grasso, Pedricktown, NJ, 60
17., Dustin Daggett, Portland, MI, 56
18., Sammy Swindell, Memphis, TN, 55
19., Randy Hannagan, San Jose, CA, 37
20., Kyle Larson (1), Sacramento, CA, 33
21., Steve Poirier, St. Mathieu de Beloeil, PQ, CAN, 30
22., Pat Cannon, Etters, PA, 28
tied, Tommy Tarlton, Fresno, CA, 28
24., Matt Covington, Glenpool, OK, 25
25., Sam Hafertepe, Jr., Sunnyvale, TX, 18
Also receiving multiple votes: Sean Becker, Seth Bergman, Brian Brown, Tony Bruce, Jr., Kyle Hirst, Ray Allen Kulhanek, Danny Lasoski, Brad Loyet, Danny Martin, Jr., Mason Moore, Logan Schuchart, Jeremy Sherman, Joe Wood, Jr., Jared Zimbardi.
Also receiving first place votes: Geoff Ensign (1), Rick Ziehl (1).