Champions and Individuals Honored at Race of Champions 2024 Season-Ending Celebration
–Season Ending Celebration Awards Championships to Zane Zeiner; Shawn Nye; Joe Mancuso; Dave Heitzhaus; Jay Mallory; Andrew Cook and Nick Robinson at Genesee River Restaurant & Reception Center-
Mount Morris, NY – (January 21, 2024) – The Race of Champions Series family of participants, officials, and fans gathered at the Genesee River Restaurant & Reception Center in Mount Morris (NY) for an evening of awards, accolades, and celebration to conclude the 2023 championship season, where nearly $60,000 in awards were passed out and special awards were presented.
Honored as series champions were Zane Zeiner of Bath, Pa. (Race of Champions Asphalt Modified Series); Shawn Nye of Lancaster, N.Y. (Race of Champions Sportsman Modified); Joe Mancuso of Buffalo, N.Y. (Race of Champions Super Stock); Jay Mallory of St. Catherines, Ontario-Canada (Race of Champions Dirt 602 Sportsman); Dave Heitzhaus (Race of Champions Late Models); Andrew Cook of West Henrietta, N.Y. (Race of Champions “Rocket Performance” 602 Sportsman Modified) and Nick Robinson of Sayra, Pa., (Race of Champions FOAR Score Four Cylinder Dash Series).
“The way this season worked out for us was incredible, a dream season,” stated Zeiner, accepting the Race of Champions Modified Series championship. “I have a great team with my family and all of the folks that help us. This was really a great accomplishment and things just feel our way. The series has great competition. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished and we are going to enjoy this.”
Point fund contributions come from Hoosier Racing Tire, VP Racing Fuels, Lucas Oil Products, FX Caprara, Waddell Communications, Erie Sports Commission, the FOAR SCORE Club, MyRacePass, Printed Image of Buffalo, Image X, Speedway Illustrated and RoCModifiedSeries.TV.
Several others received special recognition, in addition to recognizing the accomplishments of all, for an entire season of passion and dedication.
The Most Popular Driver Awards. Paulie Hartwig, III of Galloway, N.J. (Modifieds); Andrew Lewis, Jr., of Ontario, NY (Sportsman); Tommy Barron of Ontario, N.Y. (Super Stock); Sam Fullone of North Collins, N.Y. (Late Models); Alyssa Leaty of Williamson, NY (Rocket Performance 602 Sportsman) and Trisha Connolly of Palmerton, Pa., (FOAR Score Four Cylinder Dash Series) were all named most popular in their respective division.
The Jerry Ward Dedication Award was presented to Daryl Lewis, Jr., of Ontario, N.Y., by the Ward family and the FOAR (Friends of Auto-Racing) Score Fan Club. In addition to the recognition, the Club made a donation in Lewis’ name to the Wayne County Jr Eagle Football and Cheer program in Ontario, N.Y.
Hartwig, III (Modifieds); Lewis, Jr., (Sportsman), and Bob Palmer of Buffalo, N.Y. (Super Stocks) were named Rookies of the Year in their respective division.
Speed 77 of Pembroke, N.Y., also gave away a spot in their chassis seminar which was won by Shawn Nye, and another award of chassis parts which was won by Dave Heitzhaus.
For anyone receiving a point fund award, if you opt not to attend the awards banquet, your point fund award will be presented at the first scheduled event for your division in 2024.
Western New York racing announcer, the voice of the Race of Champions, Buffalo Bandits sideline reporter, and WGR Radio 550 radio show host, Dave Buchanan of Depew, NY, performed as the Master of Ceremonies.
The Race of Champions is a sanctioning body presenting Modified and Stock Car racing on asphalt and dirt surfaces throughout the Northeast, with events in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey with primary marketing partners Hoosier Racing Tire, VP Racing Fuels, Lucas Oil Products, MAVTV, MAVTV Plus, Airport Collision, Rocket Performance, Waddell Communications, Image X Design, Sherwood Racing Wheels, DirtTrackDigest.com and Speed Sport. The 72nd and 73rd t annual Race of Champions weekend will take place in 2023 at Lake Erie Speedway in North East, Pennsylvania, and is the second longest consecutive auto-racing event in North America, second only to the Indianapolis 500.
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