From Port Royal Speedway
Port Royal, PA — (November 24, 2014) — The annual Port Royal Speedway awards banquet was held Saturday night, November 22 at the Port Royal Community Building.
Feted were the track champions in all regular divisions: Aumiller’s Insurance 410 sprints, Jake’s Carts/Enviroman Products late models, Gray’s Auto and Towing econo late models, Len Krautheim Auto Sales xtreme stocks and River Valley Builders 305 sprints.
While opening the awards portion of the banquet, speedway promoter Steve Oneal announced that the STP World of Outlaws sprint cars will return to the Juniata County Oval again in 2015.
After a successful return to the track for the first time in a decade in October of this year, the World of Oultaws are looking forward to a return in 2015 although a concrete date has not yet been confirmed.
Rick Lafferty of Pennington, New Jersey, took home top honors in the 410 sprint portion of the awards ceremony as the 2014 track champion for the first time in his career.
Lafferty and his self-owned No. 0 ended the season with an average feature finish of eighth in his 18 regular season starts while pocketing one victory.
Mike Erdley finished the season second in points, just 10 markers back of Lafferty for the title, also posting an average feature finish of eighth during his 18 regular season starts.
Blane Heimbach, Chad Layton and Greg Hodnett completed the top five in points followed by Doug Esh, Curt Stroup, Dylan Cisney, Mike Wagner and Nate Snyder.
Stroup, of Richfield, took home honors as Most Improved in the division after moving from 14th in the 2013 point standings up to seventh this season.
Rookie of the Year honors went to Harrisonville’s Logan Wagner who put together a 15th in the points and a best feature finish of third on August 16.
Dave Ely earned the 410 sprint Sportsmanship Award in honor of his contributions to the oval’s regularly staged kids activities and other fan oriented promotions.
Shermansdale’s Mike Lupfer scored the super late model track title for a career first while scoring one victory and an average season feature finish of fifth.
Brett Schadel was second in season points for an amazing third season in a row and that fact alone earned him 2014 Sportsmanship honors.
Mitch Hack was third in points followed by Jason Schmidt and Tim Smith Jr.
Schmidt was voted Most Improved in the division in what was a highly competitive race for the award after finishing 11th in points last year.
Smith Jr. was awarded Rookie of the Year laurels.
The balance of the late model top 10 point earners were Trent Brenneman, Tim Wilson, Patrick Bryner, Tim Fedder and Matt Parks.
Jeff Miller of Huntingdon won champion’s laurels in the 305 sprint division by just five markers over Tyler Bear in a race for the title that came down to a pass in the final corner of the last lap of the final race for the division.
Miller had a lone victory on the year and an average feature finish of fifth.
Mike Wagner II., was third in points followed by Eric Parker and Erin Statler.
Wagner announced his plans to compete in 410 sprint competition during the upcoming season.
The 355 econo late model division saw veteran Tim Krape score the maiden title in the new speedway division with an average feature finish of third.
The track crown was Krape’s ninth overall having also taken crowns in oval thundercar, street stock and pro stock action.
Krape had one win during the season and announced he will move up to super late model competition in 2015.
Andrew Yoder was second in points with five victories followed by Devin Hart, Shaun Miller and Danny Sollers.
Sixth through 10th went to Troy Miller, Todd Snook, Jared Fulkroad, Eric Irvin and Chase Bowsman.
Shaun Miller earned the Sportsmanship Award.
Bill Powell walked away with the title in the xtreme stock division after taking a prior title in the enduro dash class in 2002.
Powell posted three victories and an average feature finish of second.
Bob Bussey was second in points and earned Sportsman honors.
The balance of the xtreme stock top 10 was Jason Zook, Deron Henry, Tyler Amtower, Mike Goodwin, Darien Trego, Pete Leister, Karl Miller and Floyd Sheets.
Each of the division champions were awarded championship rings courtesy of Foss Jewelers of Mifflintown and Lewistown along with photo collections by WRT Speedwerx, $50 fuel certificates from Insinger Fuels and personalized jackets courtesy of Hoosier Racing Tires and Goshorns Racing Products.
The tentative 2015 Port Royal schedule of events is expected to be released in the early weeks of January, 2015.
Season passes and seats for the new season will go on sale December 1, just in time for holiday gift giving.
Keep up to date on all the latest speedway news and information by visiting the oval’s official website at portroyalspeedway.com or by following the track on Facebook or Twitter.