Toledo Speedway

(TOLEDO, Ohio - October 12, 2013) - Race teams, officials, family and friends gathered Saturday evening at the Toledo Speedway Bar and Grille Banquet Room for the annual Flat Rock and Toledo Speedways Awards Night.  Each of the champions received their championship jackets from ARCA President and Flat Rock/Toledo owner and promoter Ron Drager.

To begin the night, Drager presented Dennis Strickland with an ARCA ring in honor of his 11 track championships at the tracks.  Long-time track official and photographer Bill Barnhart was also recognized for his many years of service.

Flat Rock’s ARCA Moran Chevrolet Late Models saw Dennis Strickland claim his second Flat Rock Late Model crown at the ¼ mile paved oval. Strickland and his car owner, his wife, Tina, accepted the championship trophies and a check for $1500 from Moran Chevrolet.  Steve Cronenwett Jr. capped off a good season with a second place finish in the final points.  3-time track champ Paul Pelletier finished third in the final point tally, with Scott Pemberton, Frank Jiovani, Eric Lee, Derek Wiley, Jim Alvis, Brad Turner and Dan Trosen Jr. completing the top ten.  Jiovani was the Rookie of the Year.  Strickland ($300) and Cronenwett Jr. ($200) also received product certificates from Penske Shocks for their efforts.

Greg Studt captured the Flat Rock ARCA Parts Galore Figure 8 title, topping Jeremy Vanderhoof by 40 markers.  The title went down to the final night of racing. Dennis Whisman, Robbie Loving, Billy Earley, Dan Apperson,Danny Gaddis, Stephanie Bradley,Jerry Lee and Ian Jezylo were next in line in the final top 10. 

The ARCA DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stock class saw a first-time champ crowned in Grant Hedges.  Grant thanked his family and presented his father, Jeff, with a jacket.  Rob Moore’s great season ended with a second place finish.  Scott Selmi, Scot Bunge and Corey Duane were third, fourth and fifth, respectively to cap off their fine seasons.  Kyle Worley, Danny Bennett, Landon Schuster, Clyde McKee and Steve Searles took spots six through tenth.  Duane was the Rookie of the Year for the class.  Hedges also took home a $500 product certificate, courtesy of AR Bodies. 

Rich Abel captured the DTS Drive Train Specialists ARCA Street Stock B Main crown, his second title.  2012 champ Don Roberts, Jeff Luttermoser, Rick Bennett, Wilburn Parks, Gary Calhoun, Larry Smouthers, Aaron Greathouse, Troy Brehmer and Craig Lange completed the top ten in the final B points.   

The Flat Rock-Toledo ARCA 4 Cylinder championship was determined by combined points earned at the 2 tracks for the 2013 season.  Toledoan David Katafiasz garnered his first-ever title, and will be moving up to the Figure 8 class in 2014.  David Price, John Decker, Eric Fitzpatrick and Shawn Williams trailed the champ.

The Flat Rock Speedway Enduro class went down to the final contest, with Jeff Metdepennigen notching his second title belt.  Derrick Sheppard, who trailed Jeff by just 25 points, took second in the standings for the third season in a row.  Rayce Metdepennigen, Jeff’s son, who was also in the title hunt to the end, was third.  Bobby Hugo and Jeff Braun tied for fourth, with Dave Bennett sixth.  Troy Brehmer, Rick Bennett, Jimmy Gullett and Tom Sprotberry filled out the top ten finishers for the 4-race Series at the ¼ mile paved oval.

The Toledo awards began with the Glass City Gold Cup ARCA Late Models.  The traditional championship Gold Cup for the series went to Angola, IN driver Scott Hantz, taking his first ARCA championship.  Scott was not able to attend the awards due to competing at a race.  Fellow Indiana driver Brent Jack was second, Harold Fair Jr. third, Nick Bailey was fourth and Scott Pemberton fifth.  2012 champ Dakota Carlson, Dennis Strickland, Mike Root, Jake Francis and Ron Allen took spots sixth through tenth, respectively.  Hantz ($300) and Jack ($200) collected the Penske Shocks product certificates.

Dennis “The Rebel” Whisman capped off a great year as he took the Toledo ARCA Parts Galore Figure 8 title for the second year in a row, giving him 11 ARCA championships in his career.  Dennis edged out Robbie Loving on the final night of competition to take the crown by just 10 points.  Randy Roberts recorded his career-best run with a third place finish, Ian Jezylo also had a great season with a fourth place, while Jerry Lee was fifth, followed by Dan Apperson, Jeremy Vanderhoof, Chris Cox, Stephanie Bradley and Archie Padgett.

The Toledo ARCA ACME Dismantling Sportsman division saw Jim Froling capture his third ARCA title in the ½ mile division at Toledo, making it back-back championships.  Second-generation driver Kyle DeLisle Jr. was second, Ron Allen third, Kenny McKay Jr. was fourth and Mike Young fifth, followed by Norm Lewallen, Jeff Myers Jr., Dan Grigsby, Howard Kelley Jr. and Andy Harding.  Froling also received a $500 product certificate from AR Bodies for his title. 

The Toledo ARCA R & M Recycling X Car division crown went to third generation driver Tommy O’Leary, his first title.  Archie Padgett, Matt Ringger, Rich Frantz, Greg Studt, Rick Cousino, Jeff King,

Kevin Huston, Randy Padgett Jr. and Craig Osenbaugh were next in line in the top 10.  Huston was named the Rookie of the Year.

Danny Bennett, Chris Diovardi, Kenny McKay Jr. and Dan Grigsby took home $500 product certificates in a random draw for Street Stock, X Cars and Sportsman drivers, courtesy of  5 Star RaceCar Bodies, while Jeff Myers Jr. won the random draw $500 product certificate from AR Bodies.

A bonus program posted by Corrigan Race Fuels at Flat Rock and Bazell Race Fuels at Toledo awarded cash bonuses to the top Sunoco Race fuel purchasers for the season.  Stan Yee Jr., Brad Turner, Robbie Loving, Stephanie Bradley, Danny Bennett and Rob Moore were the Flat Rock recipients, while Robbie Loving, Jerry Lee, Kent McCloskey, Greg Stilwell, Rich Frantz and Randy Padgett Jr. collected the Toledo bonus money. 

Point fund and contingency award sponsors for 2013 include Moran Chevrolet, Parts Galore, ACME Dismantling, ARCA, AR Bodies, B & H Race Parts, DTS Drive Train Specialists, Five Star RaceCar Bodies, Hoosier Tire, Penske Shocks, R & M Recycling,  Bazell Race Fuels, Corrigan Race Fuels and Sunoco Race Fuels.

The winter office for both tracks may be contacted by calling Toledo at 419-727-1100.  The 2014 schedules will be released around the holiday season.  Always check the official websites at www.flatrockspeedway.com, www.toledospeedway.com or www.arcaracing.com.