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Track History
History of the Utica-Rome Speedway
The Utica-Rome Speedway is a race track with a very storied history. It began life in 1961, when it was built on some old farmland by Joe Lesik. Utica-Rome replaced the Vernon Speedway, an early stock car track that was sold and converted into the Vernon Downs horse racing facility. The track itself was a quarter mile asphalt oval just off Route 5 in Vernon, N.Y. At the end of 1961, Rene Charland was the track's first ever track champion. In 1964, the speedway was sold to Dick Waterman and his partner Bernie Ingersoll, who kept the speedway in his possession until February of 1979. At the end of every year, Waterman held a big race called, "The New Yorker 400", a race which was a very popular and storied one. Many big name drivers showed up for this race and won.
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 An old Utica-Rome bumper sticker.
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 The above photo shows "The Rapid Roman" Richie Evans in his famous #6NY coupe at Utica-Rome after a feature win as the sun sets in the background in the mid 1960's.
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 Here is the logo found on the cover
of the track program.
 This decal was given to the drivers to put on their drag cars after they won a drag race. Notice the NASCAR Sanction.
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When one thinks of the Utica-Rome Speedway, one of the first names that comes to mind is Richie Evans. Richie, a 9 time NASCAR Modified National Champion, was from local Rome, NY. He began his racing career at the speedway in drag cars and hobby divisions, before he moved up into the Modifieds. Other Utica-Rome drivers from the past that come to mind include Utica, NY driver Lou "The Monk" Lazzaro (who was an active driver at NUR in 1998!), many time NASCAR Champion and Evans arch rival, Jerry Cook, Geoff Bodine, Maynard Troyer, Rene Charland, and Billy Wimble.
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In 1962, the speedway added an eighth-mile dragstrip, called the Utica-Rome Dragway, on the north end of the property. It was a very popular addition to the speedway. As you can see by the bumper sticker above, stock car races were held on Sunday nights at 8pm, while drag racing on the dragstrip was on Saturday nights at 7pm.
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 The above logo is another UR track logo from the
1960's when the Speedway was NASCAR Sanctioned.
 1981-1982 Utica-Rome Speedway DIRT Logo
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Utica-Rome was converted from a 1/3 mile paved circuit to a 5/8 mile dirt oval in the winter of 1979, when it was sold by Dick Waterman. The speedway ran without a sanction in 1979 and 1980. From 1981-1982, it was run by Fonda Speedway promoter Ron Compani under a DIRT Motorsports Sanction for the first time ever. After 1982, the speedway fell silent for two years. In late 1984, DIRT Modified star Jumpin' Jack Johnson bought into the speedway with Jim Beachy and Fred Burrows and reopened it in the spring of 1985. They renamed the track The New Venture International Speedway, and had a DIRT Motorsports Sanction for the second time. In late 1985, Johnson sold his interests in the track. Beachy and Burrows ran the track till the fall of 1987. Because of various problems, the speedway was to fall silent in 1988.
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 New Venture Int'l Speedway - Beachy Logo
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However, in 1989, the track was rescued when it was leased by Fulton Speedway's Millard "Bub" Benway along with his niece Gisele and her husband, Eric Kingsley. They renamed the track, "New" Utica-Rome Speedway, and thus began "The Outlaw Circuit", a weekly tri-track combination of Brewerton, Fulton, and New Utica-Rome Speedways. Eric Kingsley and Benway wanted to make Utica-Rome what it once was, a strong weekly show with good car count and excellent crowds. In 1992, the Kingsley family finally bought the speedway, and brought a NASCAR Winston Racing Series sanction back to the track. Rules for the modified division were basically unrestricted. This meant that you could run alcohol, sail panels, and wide tires, known as drag rubber. This outlaw combination was very popular with the fans, and this was one of the most successful times in the history of the speedway.
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 Utica-Rome was sold to a group of partners in late 1995 and operated under the NASCAR Winston Racing Series from 1996-late June 1998 by that group. Dale Planck won three consecutive NASCAR Regional Championships from 1994-1996 with his home track as Utica-Rome. After a break in the partnership and some legal troubles, Utica-Rome was reacquired by former owner Eric Kingsley towards the end of June 1998
1999 was the most successful racing season ever at the speedway. Large crowds week in and week out came to the speedway to see some of the finest racing action in the Northeastern United States.
Drivers raved about the excellent track conditions. Between the 2001 and 2002 the track was sold once again, this time to the Cole family of Gates-Cole Insurance Company.
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The speedway was once again named "New
Utica-Rome Speedway" for the era that began in mid 1998 and went through 2001.
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In 2002 the track was renamed Utica-Rome Speedway LLC under the direction of Tom Cole for the yet another new era in this history of the speedway.
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The 2002 season was a season of change at the Utica-Rome Speedway. Last winter, the speedway saw a change of ownership from the Kingsley family to Cole family. During the racing season, the guardrails lining the outside of turns 3 and 4 were removed, to the delight of many drivers. The 2002 racing season also proved to be one of the most competitive seasons at the speedway in recent memory, with 38 different winners in the 74 events competed. After a stellar rookie rookie season on the DIRT circuit in 2001, Waterloo’s Matt Sheppard entered his first full season of competition in the headline DIRT 358-Modified division at Utica-Rome Speedway with high hopes. Sheppard was a model of consistency thoughout the 2002 campaign in his potent Paine Motorsports/Nick’s Café Teo-Pro numbered 28s, tallying 1 win which came late in the season while in the leader of overall points. Sheppard also had twelve top 5’s, and fourteen top 10’s on route to his first Utica-Rome Speedway championship.
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 Brett Hearn and Danny Johnson beat out the UR regulars to bring home the Super Dirt Series Victories
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High flying Gordy Button of Kirkville returned to victory lane on Memorial Day weekend, on the two-year anniversary of the horrific sprint car wreck that threatened to end his driving career. It also was his first win at the speedway since the 1995 season. "Panic" Button finished fourth in the season long points battle. Danny Johnson won the opening event for the Turning Stone Casino Resort DIRT 358-Modified Super DIRT Series, with New Jersey’s Brett Hearn taking the win in Utica-Rome Speedway’s season ending Super DIRT series event. Overall, there were 12 different winners in 17 DIRT 358-Modified events run during the 2002 season.
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Jamie Christian of West Winfield and Tim Clemons of Gloversville both finished the season with 5 wins a piece in the competitive DIRT Sportsman division, with Christian taking the Utica-Rome Speedway title. Clemons, the defending Utica-Rome Speedway DIRT Sportsman champion, made a late season charge, but Christian’s consistent finishes were too much for Clemons to overcome. Rounding out the top 5 in overall points were Paul Carey (0 wins), Kevin Crave (1 win), and Jim Roberts (0 wins). Mike Button won the Sunoco Race Fuels Sportsman Super DIRT Series event in mid-June. In all, 8 drivers graced victory lane in a total of 18 events.
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 Jamie Christian continued his winning ways in the sportsman class, picking up his 2nd UR track championship and adding to his total of sportsman victories with 23, the most by any driver. Here he races with teenage sensation, Jessica Zemken.
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 Gordy "Panic" Button returned to the weekly wars and claimed victory over on Memorial Day, 2 years after suffering an almost career ending injury in a sprint car at Utica Rome. Here he races with 2002 Champion and DIRT Wonderboy Matt Sheppard.
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Oneida's Jason Rood proved that consistancy is the key to a track championship, not feature wins. Rood failed to get a victory in 2002, but on the strength of eleven top 5’s and fourteen top 10's, he still managed to win the Utica-Rome Speedway DIRT Pro Stock title. Invader Dave Schulz took the win in the Empire Sports Network Super DIRT Series event for the DIRT Pro Stocks. In the 18 events completed, 9 different drivers landed in victory lane.
Dave Mannise of Fulton ended the 2002 season in familiar territory, as Utica-Rome Speedway Pure Stock champion. After winning 5 times and having late season motor problems, Mannise claimed his ninth Utica-Rome Speedway championship. Six different drivers graced victory in the 17 races completed.
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The Empire Super Sprints visited Utica-Rome Speedway on two occasions, with Dan Kaszubinski grabbing the win on Labor Day weekend, and Doug Emery taking the Super DIRT Week win. Also visiting the speedway on two occasions were the Central New York Mini-Sprints, with Doug Norrie taking the victory in both events. A scary moment occurred during their Labor Day weekend visit, when a Mini-Sprint was launched into the flagstand on the original start, sending flaggers Matt Burdick and Tom Neddo leaping from the flagstand to the ground. Both were uninjured and continued on with their duties for the remainder of the event.
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 Female Sprintcar standout Erin Crocker rolled into the spotlight with 3 victories after teaming with 2002 and 8 time Empire Super Sprint Champion, Mike Woodring, who clinched his title with a 3rd place run in the final race of the 2002 Utica-Rome season.
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2003
Utica-Rome Speedway entered its 42nd year of operation when the gates opened for the 2003 season, and fans were treated to great racing in all divisions once again. The race for the championship was also hotly contested in every division with the DIRT 358-Modified championship wasn't decided until the last lap of the final point race. In the support divisions, a young local driver claimed his first-ever title in the DIRT Sportsman class, a returning veteran taking home the Pro Stock title, and a Pure Stock driver living out his dream by winning his first points championship.
Dale Planck took a two-year leave of absence from regular competition, but returned to Utica-Rome Speedway for the 2003 season and quickly showed the rest of the competitors that he meant business. Planck won the season opening 40-lap event and nabbed another victory later in the season. Despite leading the points most of the season, Planck's luck went sour late in the season, allowing a consistent Mitch Gibbs to take over the point lead going into the final night of points. With two 20-lap features being contested, a little luck would be all that Planck needed to regain the point lead. Early in the first event, bad luck bit Planck and sent him to the pits and seemingly ending his title chances, but on the restart, Gibbs was caught up in a tangle that started in front of him, and flipped hard down the backstretch in spectacular fashion. Gibbs emerged from his destroyed machine uninjured, but his Nice n' Easy sponsored #2g would never see another race. During the long red flag period, Planck made repairs to his car and was able to gain some valuable points. The two veterans would go into the second event tied atop the point standings. Gibbs managed to finish 5th in a backup machine while still feelings the effects of the hard crash in earlier event, but Planck outraced him to the finish by placing second behind winner John Ramsey to take home his 5th
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Utica-Rome Speedway 358-Modified championship. It was quite a comeback year for Planck in his Lost your Marbles Motorsports #77x. Gibbs settled for 2nd with 2 wins for the season, with defending champion Matt Sheppard (2 Wins), 2001 champion Todd Burley (3 wins), and Vernon's Willy Decker (1 win) finishing in top five in the season long standings. Finishing in positions 6th-10th were Mark Flach, John Ramsey (1 win), Paul Kinney, Jeff Kotary, and Dave Rauscher. Other winners include Gus Schmidt, Jim Rothwell, Paul Jensen, and Pete Taylor. Invading Dave Camara took the win in a late season event, with Brett Hearn victorious in the special mid-week Advance Auto Parts DIRT Modified series event and the season ending Turning Stone Casino Resort 100-lap race.
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 Mitch Gibbs and Dale Planck battled all year long, bringing the championship battle to a tie entering the final race.
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 2003 Sportsman Track Champion Billy Shantel Jr. looks to the inside of Jim Roberts.
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Bill Shantel, Jr. from nearby Canastota was crowned the Utica-Rome Speedway Sportsman champion after taking the lead late in the season and never letting it go. Shantel tallied two wins at the half-mile speedplant in 2003, held off defending champion Jamie Christian (5 wins), John Scarborough, Jessica Zemken (1 win), and Jim Roberts. Tim Mayne, Butch Reiter (1 win), Bill Price, Tim Clemons (5 wins), and Steve Way (1 win) filled out the top ten in the standings. The Sunoco Race Fuels Sportsman Super DIRT Series made two stops at the Vernon oval in 2003, with Jessica Zemken becoming the first female racer to win a DIRT series event and Jamie Christian victorious in the second event.
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After a year layoff, Jerry Holmes returned to the weekly Pro Stock wars at the Utica-Rome Speedway and looked as though he never left. After finishing fourth on opening night, Holmes won the next four events, and finished with six victories for the season. Holmes held off Bret Belden (4 wins), Eric Vanderhoof, 2002 champion Jason Rood (2 wins), Chad Ray, and Brian Belden. Ray and Belden finished in a tie for fifth in the overall standings. Filling out the rest of the top 10 were Bill Knapp (1 win), Buddy Hencke (1 win), Joe Palmer (1 win), and Ed Ostrander. It was Holmes' second championship at the speedway. Tom Denton also graced victory lane and Tom Kuck was the victor in the Empire Sports Network Pro Stock Super DIRT Series event.
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 Orange County Fair Speedway Invader Tom Kuck picked up the Pro Stock Super DIRT Series win but had to hold off Fonda hotshoe Kenny Gates and 2003 Utica Rome Track Champion, Jerry Holmes.
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 Two weeks after a horrific wreck destroyed his own car, Art Newman Jr. would get back on his championship track picking up the win in a car borrowed from fellow competitor George Schulze.
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After spending his childhood attending races at the Utica-Rome Speedway and dreaming about racing and winning, Art Newman lived out that dream when he was crowned the 2003 Pure Stock champion. That dream was almost cut short in a horrific flip on the frontstretch during the season. Fellow competitor George Schulze let Newman use his car the remainder of the season, and Newman took over the point lead late in the season to win his first championship. Newman also nabbed 2 wins during the season, holding off Herm Staats (2 wins), Jim Thomas (2 wins), Waylon Wilczek, and Rick Condes. Rick Trexler (1 win), Ted Crawford, Chuck Cushman (4 wins), Dave Pope (2 wins), and Phil Norman filled out the rest of the top ten finishers. Dave Mannise also grabbed two wins with Russ Marsden victorious one time.
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The Empire Super Sprints visited the speedway 3 times during the 2003 campaign, with Justin Barger winning twice and Mike Lutz collecting the other win.
The Central New York Mini-Sprints competed six times throughout the season, and Cory Sparks (twice), Doug Norrie (twice), Matt Norrie, and Don Harvey all gracing victory lane. Bryan Howland was named the overall champion for their Super Sunday Series at Utica-Rome Speedway.
The IMCA-type Modifieds made a single visit for the North East Affordable Rading Association (NEARA) series, with George Catanzano showing the field the fast way around the clay oval.
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 The Empire Super Sprints race 3 wide off turn 2 during their final appearance of 2003.
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The last event of the season was the 2003 Awards Banquet, which was held at the nearby Turning Stone Casino Resort in mid-November, where competitors were given their first glimpse of things to come in 2004. First off, race director Chip Burdick was promoted to general manager. It was also announced that speedway had hundreds of loads of new gray clay put down over the red clay that has been the norm at the speedway for years. The new surface promises to make the racing action even better than what fans were treated to this past season. Also, the infield area of the speedway was re-manicured to make viewing the racing action easier. Finally, a new entry level division was added for 2004. The Four Cylinder Super Stocks will added as a cheap alternative at aspiring racers.
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2004
The 2004 season at Utica-Rome Speedway actually started during the off-season with a steady flow of press releases announcing a series of incentive programs, the new track surface, and the formation of a huge point fund for the DIRT 358-Modifieds. A hefty $10,000 was going to the 358-Modified track champion at the end of season, with the 10th place finisher in points getting $1,000.
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20 year old Niagara-on-the-Lake native Stewart Friesen started his quest for the $10,000 358-Modified championship in fine style by winning the first 4 events of the season at Utica-Rome Speedway. Overall, Friesen graced victory lane 8 times in the potent Madsen Overhead Door ride en route to his first ever 358-Modified title at the Vernon half mile.
Vermont native Dave Camara made the trek every week to the Utica-Rome Speedway and even though he was running up front every week, he was unable to go home with a victory. His top 5 and top 10 finishes matched that of the champion Friesen during the point season with 11 and 13, respectively, helping him finish 2nd in the overall standings. Camara took home a hefty $6,000 for his second place finish in the point standings.
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 358 Modified Champion Stewart Friesen
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 Todd Burley, Mitch Gibbs and Bobby Varin
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The 3rd place finisher in points was also unable to find victory lane in 2004, but Mitch Gibbs also used consistent finishes to help his cause in the standings. The Nice n’ Easy Grocery Shoppes numbered 2g found his groove late in the season and was threat every week in the second half of the season. Gibbs collected $4,000 for his efforts.
Spencerport’s Todd Burley has always been fast at the Vernon oval, and 2004 was no different. Burley netted 2 wins on the season on his way to his 4th place finish in the standings and received $2,500 at the season ending banquet.
Filling out the top 5 in the standings was Brian Weaver from Windsor NY. Weaver stated at the beginning of the season that he came to win races, and he was able to collect 2 wins throughout the season. The southern tier standout was awarded $2,000 for his 5th place finish in the overall standings.
The rest of the top 10 were Mark Flach, Bobby Varin (2 wins), Jamie Christian (1 win), Willy Decker, and Gus Schmidt.
The race of the year was when the Turning Stone Casino Super DIRT Series made a midweek stop on August 26. Bobby Varin charged from the 19th position to lead in the early stages of the 100 lap affair only to have a series of late race cautions end his bid for the victory. Alan Johnson took home the win in a race that saw 12 lead changes among 8 drivers.
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Jessica Zemken continued the year of the “young guns” at the Utica-Rome Speedway as the 18 year old driver started the season with 3 race win streak in the Sportsman division. She finished the season with 4 wins and the overall points champion. Veteran Sportsman competitor Mike Button finished 2nd in the standing, netting 3 wins throughout the season. Paul Carey had a career season in the Sportsman division, grabbing his 1st career win and backing that up with 2 more wins by the season’s end, including a win in the Sunoco Race Fuels Sportsman Super DIRT Series. Another driver that picked up his 1st career win is Billy Price and managed a 4th place finish in the standings. Rookie driver Kenny Stafford also netted his 1st win and a fine 5th place finish in his first full season of competition. Steve Way (1 win), Jeremy Vunk, Bill Shantel, Jr. (1 win), Butch Reiter, and Tim Nye filled out the top 10 in the Sportsman point standings.
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 Sportsman Champion Jessica Zemken
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 Pro Stock Champion Roy Fifield
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Like Friesen and Zemken, Roy Fifield started the season with a win streak that would launch him into a points lead that he would never relinquish as he won the first 5 Pro Stock events and finishing the season with 6 wins and the Pro Stock championship. Multi-time Utica Rome Speedway Pro Stock champion Bret Belden did not manage to find victory lane at the speedway in 2004 but was consistent enough to finish second in the overall standings. Oneida’s Jason Rood was also a model of consistency throughout the season, having four 2nd place finishes before winning the last events of the season, including the Empire Sports Network Super DIRT Series event on Labor Day Weekend. The late season run cemented a 3rd place finish in the standings for Rood. Tom Denton returned to the Pro Stock ranks in 2004 looking for the success he enjoyed in past years. Denton managed to grab 1 win for the season while be in the running for many more, and he finished 4th in the standings. 2003 champion Jerry Holmes managed only 5th place finish in the standings in 2004 despite winning 4 times. The constancy that Holmes displayed in 2003 escaped him this past season. Finishing out the top 10 were Dave Moyer, Bob Mills (1 win), Brian Belden, Ryan Lund, and Mark Effner.
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Even though he missed the opening 2 nights of Pure Stock competition at the Utica-Rome Speedway in 2004, when Russ Marsden did show up he was virtually unbeatable. Marsden won 11 of the next 13 events and grabbed the point lead on the last night of competition to become the 2004 Pure Stock champion. Chris Cunningham finished 2nd in the standings, winning once and having a handful of top 5 finishes. After winning the opening 2 events, Dave Pope led the chase for the championship until the final night of competition when he fell to 3rd in the standings. Veteran Pure Stock campaigner Chuck Cushman was the 4th place finisher in the standings, netting 1 win for the season with fan favorite Jim Thomas finishing out the top 5. The remainder of the top 10 was Bob Bird, Art Newman, Rick Condes, Dave Janczuk, and Phil Norman.
After a successful debut in June, the IMCA Modifieds were signed on for the remainder of the season as a regular division. George Catanzano immediately adapted to the fast Utica-Rome Speedway, grabbing 4 wins en route to his championship. Kevin Buff finished in the runner-up position while grabbing 1 win on the season. Aaron Jacobs, Skip Pabis, Jojo Donato rounded out the top 5 positions in the overall the standings. Sean Lias (1 win), Dale Caswell (1 win), Bill Anderson, Lyle Smith, and Chris Thurston were the remainder of the top 10 in the standings.
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 Pure Stock Champion Russ Marsden
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 4cyl. Track Champion Chuck Powelczyk
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Chuck Powelczyk was the Four Cylinder Super Stock champion in their inaugural season at the speedway on the strength of his 6 wins. Joey Delacruz, Jack Hill (2 wins), Jim Money (4 wins), and Lee Hartzog chased Powelczyk in the standings.
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The season concluded in November at the Turning Stone Casino Resort with the annual Awards gala where nearly $50,000 was handed out in point money and bonuses. At the banquet, several announcements were made concerning the improvements at the speedway. The surface was reconfigured, evening out the transition in the banking in the turns, new fencing put up for the spectators, and the turn 4 wall being extended as a safety measure for the drivers. Also in late December, an announcement was made concerning the sanctioning of the speedway. DIRT Motorsports was not returning as a sanctioning body, and the speedway will operate as an independent in 2005.
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2005
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Shortly after the 2004 season ended at the famed Vernon oval, loads of clay were hauled in and laid out on the speedway. The new clay was put in the turns of the half-mile track, evening the transition in the banking.
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Also the smaller inner track was resurfaced with the new clay, making a track specifically for Four Cylinder Stock and Mini Sprint type racers.
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While that was being done, a new fence was put up along the front stretch that separates the spectators and the race track. The new fencing replaced the old fence that has been standing since the track was built.
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The Grandstands were cleaned and painted which gave a fresh new look to the facility.
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The Racing started off with just as much excitement as it ended with in 2004. The racing was again outstanding and the intensity was at an all time high. Willy Decker's Consistent top 5 finishes made him the 358 track champion. Week after week the "mighty mods" put on great show and nearly each week it came right down to the checkers.
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 Willy Decker battles with Don Mattison
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 Paul Carey and Mike Button
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In the Sportsman division Paul Carey claimed his first Sportsman title. This division was very competitive and proved to be a class of drivers that put UR fans on their feet!
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The Pro Stock title went to Jerry Holmes as he came away with 8 wins on the season. Yet another exciting field of cars!
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 Jerry Holmes, Jim Normoyle and Jason Rood
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 Russ Marsden
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With 11 wins Russ Marsden Ran away the the Pure Stock title.
Week after week he came straight to the front as the rest of the field battled for the other top spots.
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Chuck Powelczyk wheeled his 4cyl. Super Stock to Victory Lane 4 times and picked up the 2005 title. Ken Carson with 5 wins would have to settle for second in points.
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 Chuck Powelczyk
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 George Cantanzano
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In the IMCA Modifieds George Cantanzano Dominated the Field with 12 wins (7 in a row) Bill Anderson's First two wins and 6 top 5 finishes would earn him 2nd. in points with Kevin Buff settleing for 3rd.
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2006
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For the second consecutive year, Willy Decker was the driver receiving the huge $8,000 check for winning the 2006 Utica-Rome Speedway 358-Modified championship. Bobby Varin had the point lead going into the last night of competition at the fast Vernon half mile but an expiring power plant and Decker’s second place run allowed the 2005 champion to repeat as the 358-Modified champion. Varin slipped to second in the standings and had to settle for the $6,000 runner-up check. Varin had four wins on the season. Ted Lamb (1 win) collected $4,000 for his third place efforts, with Todd Burley (3 wins) and Jamie Christian collected $2,500 and $2,000 respectively for their top five finishes in the point standings. Paul Kinney (1 win), Mitch Gibbs, Gus Schmidt (1 win), David Orr, and John Ramsey were also recognized for their top 10 finishes in the standings. In all, over $25,000 was handed out to the top 10 in points. Bill Shantel, Jr. was given the Rookie of the Year in the 358-Modifieds with David Orr awarded the Most Improved Driver award. Bobby Varin was given the Hard Charger award. Special thanks go out to Mirabito “The Energy Leader” and Gene Cole, both who make this stellar point fund possible.
Mike Button was recognized at the 2006 Utica-Rome Speedway Sportsman Champion, his first ever title at the Vernon oval. An incredible turn of events on the last race of the season saw then point leader Kyle Lewis receive an on track penalty that relegated him to the pits, opening the door for Button to claim the title. A fourth place run in the event was enough for Button to claim the title. Button had one victory on the year. Another driver slipping by Lewis in the standings on the final night was Jeremy Vunk. The second place finish in the standings was two time winner Vunk’s careers best. Lewis (1 win) fell to third in the standings with Brad Alger and Paul Carey (2 wins) rounded out the top five. The rest of the top ten to be recognized were Steve Way (3 wins), Matt Janczuk, Tim Nye (1 win), Casey Williams, and Alan Barker (1 win). Rookie of the Year went to Danny Varin, who scored a win on the same night as his father Bobby. Most Improved went to Matt Janczuk while Jeremy Vunk was the Hard Charger.
Jerry Holmes was on hand to collect his fourth Pro Stock championship after a stellar 2006 season with seven wins. Bret Belden (4 wins) was second in the standings with Jim Normoyle (2 wins) third. Tom Denton (2 Wins) and rookie Chris Mackey filled out the top five in the standings. The rest of the top 10 awarded point money was Dave Moyer, Don Decker, Bill Knapp, Ed Ostrander, and Mark Effner. Chris Mackey was awarded the Rookie of the Year with Ed Ostrander given the Most Improved Driver award. Former champion Bret Belden received the Hard Charger Award.
For the third consecutive season, Russ Marsden was recognized as the 2006 Pure Stock champion after another dominating season, with 10 wins in 16 events. Chris Cunningham (2 wins) was able to keep the chase for the title close, even holding the point lead late in the season, but fell short in the last several weeks to finish in the second spot in the standings. Ron Hawker (1 win), Curt Prevo (1 win), and Glenn Forward rounded out the top five spots. Filling out the top were Tim Janczuk, Shawn Dunn, Frank Hyatt, Jim Thomas, and Chris Carr. The Hard Charger award went Chris Cunningham with Rookie of the Year going to Chris Carr. The Most Improved Driver award went to Tim Janczuk.