From the President
As we head into the next couple of months leading to the start of the 2009 racing season we still need to think of all our loved ones serving our country here at home and over seas. Take the time to say a prayer for all their safe returns. We look forward to a great race season and wish to thank all our membership tracks for their continued support of our club. So when you see the promoters at the tracks stop by and tell them thanks because without them we as race fans would not see some of the best short track racing in the country.
If your name has been “HIGH LIGHTED IN ORANGE” on your regular mailed newsletter you need to renew your membership for 2009 RIGHT NOW. To save on postage and printing we will not be able to carry anyone after this month’s newsletter that has not renewed for 2009. You will not want to miss out on any of the events that the club will be having during the 2009 season. So don’t wait until it is too late and you are dropped from our mailing list. Membership cards will be mailed out along with your March newsletter.
As Always Keep Racing!
Bill Barnhart – President MARFC
Awards Banquet
2009 BANQUET RECAP: I am proud to say that over 400 members, drivers, crews, promoters, and VIP’s braved their way to our 43rd Annual Awards Banquet. Mother Nature thru just about everything she had at us for our night’s great event. In the end we were the ones waving the checkered flag. Many, many thanks to all who did make there way to the banquet and I hope no one had any major problems getting home afterward.
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| Paul Page (center) received the “MARFC/ Eddie Sachs Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award” |
Our night started out just a little behind schedule but with the great help and outstanding announcing by “Big Ed” es we made up time and finished on time. Our President’s Award was awarded to Brad Keselowski. As Brad had a prior commitment with NASCAR in Daytona he was able to send us an acceptance speech via DVD. His Business manager Charlie Legeman was on hand to accept for him and said that Brad really did want to be with us. Veteran announcer from Indy Paul Page was presented the MARFC/Eddie Sachs Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award by Eddie Sachs Jr. who did a great job introducing Paul.
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| MARFC President Bill Barnhart (R) presents the MARFC Motorsports Writer of the Year award to columnist Darcie Fuzi. |
Darcie was given our 2008 Motorsports Writer of the Year Award for her outstanding journalistic coverage of our sport in many of our states local racing papers as well as in the National Speed Sport News. The 2008 Promoter of the Year was stunned when we announced that the Cherry Speedway & Alan Lardie were our winners. Chris Silva the Crew Chief for his brothers Championship Modified at the Dixie Motor Speedway Chuck Silva was the 2008 MARFC Mechanic of the Year. Other surprise awards given where the 2008 Fan of the Year given to Robert Wilkinson who had car troubles getting there and didn’t make it to the banquet but was grateful for the award when contacted later about it. . The award was sponsored by Jim’s Industrial Catering in memory of Big Jim Gullett founder.
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| Fran Russo |
A special appreciation award was given to long time MARFC member and 40 plus years on the board of directors Frances Russo. We appreciate Brain Bauman, Cory Russell, Laura Tucker and Susan Ginter with the many thanks for their continued support of the club. A big Thank You to Petitpren, Inc. for all the Budweiser item used for our door prize drawing and to Larry Iacoboni for all his work getting all of our raffle prize items we say thanks. Thanks also to DeCarlo’s Banquet & Convention Center for great service & food.
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| Michigan Racing Scene Newspaper publisher, Terry Fitzwater (L) presents the 2008 Michigan Racing Scene Newspaper Driver of the Year award to long time driver and champion John McCaul. | Michigan Racing Scene Newspaper publisher, Terry Fitzwater (L), presents the “Tom Carnegie Track Announcer of the Year” award to Ed Inloes (R) as MARFC President Bill Barnhart (Center) assists with the presentation. |
Terry Fitzwater publisher of the Michigan Racing Scene was on hand to present two of his special awards. The first was the Tom Carnegie Announcer of the Year to a very stunned & surprised “Big Ed” Inloes who announces at both Spartan & Springport Speedways in 2008 and will move over to assist Larry Loynes at Auto City in 2009 as well as Spartan. Then John McCaul was presented the Driver of the Year Award from Terry.
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| ARCA President Ron Drager (L), representing the MSPA for 2008, presents their surprise Promoter of the Year award to Mr. Ron Flinn and his Crystal Motor Speedway located in Crystal, Michigan. |
Ron Drager President of the MSPA awarded the MSPA Promoter of the Year award to the Ron Flinn and the Crystal Motor Speedway and a very humble Ron accepted it on behalf of the speedway.