Lee, NH (11/15/09) — A seven-time champion, and four racers that someday
hope to equal that count, will be in the spotlight this Saturday night,
November 21, when Lee USA Speedway, Lee, NH., holds it's 2009 "Banquet of
Champions" honoring their top point drivers for the recently completed
season.
Several competitors will be receiving achievement awards from NASCAR and the
Whelen All-American Series. NASCAR sanctions the race programs at the Rte
125 facility.
The gala event, starting at 5:30 PM, will be held at the Best Western
Executive Court Inn, 1199 South Mammoth Road, Manchester, NH. Close to
$50,000 in cash and awards will be presented to the top 10 drivers in each
of the five divisions that compete weekly.
Veteran driver Wayne Helliwell, Dracut, MA., will go to the podium for the
4th time as the top point man in the E-Keys 4 Cars Late Model division.
Driving a car owned and prepared by Bruce Bernhardt, of Pelham, NH., six
feature wins helped pave the way to the title for the popular driver.
Helliwell finished 104 points ahead of his arch-rival, JR Baril, Haverhill,
MA. Baril was this years New Hampshire State Champion, and was honored this
week by NASCAR. Helliwell has won track titles also in both the pro-stock
and street stock divisions.
In the Prime Storage Late Model Sportsman division, Exeter, NH., veteran
Grant Athier raced to victory lane on nine occasions and grabbed the title,
also by 104 points, over runner-up Bobby Melvin Jr.
Seven feature wins helped Dan Bowes, Byfield, MA., win his first ever
championship as he came out on top in the PB Chopper Shop & Rods
Supermodified division. Bowes bested defending champion Eddie Witkum,
Westford, MA., by 39 points.
The margin was only 31 points in the Hobby Stock division as Jim Shorey,
Lebanon, ME., finished ahead of defending champion Jimmy Russell, of
Brentwood, NH., to win his second championship. Shorey nabbed three feature
wins this season.
The best battle for the 2009 title came in the David's Race Cars and
Components Roadrunner division. Right down the wire, Nick Manyati, Salem,
NH., beat out Jim Piaseczney, Merrimack, NH., by only three points to claim
his first Lee championship.
Tom Harton, Barrington, NH., finished 29 points ahead of Kevin Emery, So.
Berwick, ME., to capture his first title in the Ironman division.
Dinner will be served at 6:30 PM followed by awards and dancing.