Fastrak/Ultimate Awards Banquet Takes On Family Theme

GATLINBURG, TN – At most racing awards banquets, champions and others come to the stage, accept their point fund checks, trophies and special awards. The night tends to be all about accomplishment. The Fastrak/Ultimate Annual Awards Banquet on Saturday night at the Park Vista Hotel had that and more. The theme of the evening quickly became of family.

Nothing drove that home more than the very end of the banquet. Fastrak/Ultimate Founder and CEO Stan Lester asked everyone in attendance to stand up as one big family and form a prayer circle around the Grand Ballroom, join hands, and to go to the Lord in prayer for someone that was not even a competitor, sponsor, or official. This gave the banquet a unique exclamation point!

Leading up to that point, Lester drove home the point that everyone in the room, that included competitors, sponsors, track operators, and officials, were all members of the Fastrak/Ultimate family, and win or lose on the race track, that the family atmosphere of the Fastrak/Ultimate series’ is what is the most important. It also set the table for the 2017 season.

“A lot of people might think that the fact we’ve handed out over $208,000 in point fund money and awards tonight is the most important thing, but to me, it’s not, and I know to a lot of you in this room tonight it’s not,” Lester said. “To me, the most important thing is the family atmosphere in this room. During the course of the season, we have our disagreements, but I will never hide from you. If you have a problem, I’m at every race, I’m available to talk to you any time, I do answer my telephone and return messages, we talk, we work things out, and then we move on. That’s what families do!”

Among those collecting the lion’s share of the $208,000 handed out on the stage of the Grand Ballroom were the Fastrak Pro Late Model Series South East and Mid-Ohio Valley Touring Champion Cla Knight, the Fastrak Pro Late Model Series Weekly Racing Series National Champion David McCoy, the Ultimate Super Late Model Series Champion Dennis “Rambo” Franklin, and the Ultimate Battle of the Bluegrass Super Late Model Series Champion Jeremy Hines.

Rookies of the Year honors went to Chris Steele in the Fastrak SE Series, Glenn Elliott in the Ultimate Super Late Model Series, and Derek Fisher in the Ultimate Battle of the Bluegrass Super Late Model Series.

The highlight of the Fastrak Hall of Fame Induction was the entrance of longtime Fastrak competitor David Smith into the Hall. Also in the Class of 2016 were TNT Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, and Hoosier Racing Tires. Chris Steele was presented with the Chuck Field Sportsman of the Year Award. The 2016 Fastrak/Ultimate Track of the Year went to Brownstown Speedway in Brownstown, IN.

Youth was also served at the Fastrak/Ultimate Awards Banquet, and a pair of drivers under the age of 20 were honored as Fastrak Future Cup recipients. Henry Hornsby III was the Future Cup Champion in the South East Region, and Tyler Stutler was the Future Cup Champion in the Mid-Ohio Valley Region.

The Champions of the six Fastrak Weekly Racing Series also came to the stage to be honored and receive their point fund checks and trophies. The top ten drivers in attendance at the Awards Banquet in all Touring Series, and Weekly Racing Series Divisions were recognized and received awards.

McCoy won the Division 1 title representing Lavonia Speedway and Toccoa Raceway in Georgia. Matthew Nance is the Division 2 Champion representing Antioch Speedway and Rolling Thunder Raceway.

Tyler Arrington is the Fastrak Weekly Racing Series Division 3 Champion representing Princeton Speedway, Lizard Creek Speedway and Wythe Raceway. Justin Williams is the Division 5 Champion representing Virginia Motor Speedway.

Troy Frazier is the Fastrak Weekly Racing Series Division 6 Champion presenting Tyler County Speedway, Elkins Raceway and Rolling Knob Motorsports Complex, and Jake Henry is the Division 7 Champion representing Ponderosa Speedway.

Check out the official website for the FASTRAK Racing Series at www.fastrakracing.com and continue to follow our social media networks for the FASTRAK Racing Series. Like and Follow our Fan Page on Facebook plus follow @FASTRAK_SE and/or @FASTRAK_MOV on Twitter to get up to the minute news and details as they become available.


THE 2017 MARKETING PARTNERS FOR THE FASTRAK RACING SERIES ARE CHEVROLET PERFORMANCE, HOOSIER RACING TIRE, VP RACING FUEL, BEYEA HEADERS, ROCKET CHASSIS, TNT RACE CARS, ARIZONA SPORT SHIRTS, SIMPSON SAFETY EQUIPMENT, SAFECRAFT FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS, ROCK AUTO.COM, AND THOMAS CLARKE PERFORMANCE.