Handing Out The Awards
January 23, 2005
By Bonnie Nibblett
Delmar, DE…..It is the new year with the 2005 racing season just around the corner. Drivers in NASCAR and other divisions have already been practicing and testing for drivers at Daytona and other tracks. February will be here before we know it and then the NASCAR drivers will be back on the tracks. Here drivers are working hard to get the cars ready for the 2005 season. For the Delaware Motorsports Complex in Delmar, DE we still have a little time before we hit the tracks. So there is plenty of DIRT to talk about.
On January 22, 2005, many drivers braced the cold blizzard weather for the Delaware International Speedway annual award and banquet dinner at the Dover Downs Hotel & Conference Center, Dover, DE. The top drivers in each of the five classes, Modified, Late Model, Street Modified, AC Delco TSS Modified and the Modified Lite were awarded trophies, prizes, and money.
Craig Mullins, Bridgeville, DE, took home his fourth Championship in five years in the big block Modified division. Only thirty-four points divided Mullins, and the second place winner H. J. Bunting III, of Milford, DE in the end. Mullins had two wins for the season and Bunting racked up five wins. Bunting and Mullins came into the final point’s night’s event, with only four points separating the two. Bunting won his heat, and Mullins was second in his heat that night. At the start of the feature only one point was between the two. At the end of the first heat as Bunting took the checkered something broke on his car and he went off turn one. Bunting was forced to use his back up car and had to start dead last in the feature. Bunting was supreme and relished to a 5th place finish from dead last, what a great attempt by Bunting; what a race that was to see, too.
Other top place drivers were Ricky Johnson, Delmar, DE, Beau Wilkins, Milford, DE (and his only second year in this class), and Gary Simpson, Denton, MD, rounded out the top five contenders. Sixth through tenth were Robert Dutton, Rick Bishop, Glen Reed, Tim Millman, and Norman Short, Jr. The “Rookie of the Year” was Chuck Tucker, Georgetown, DE.
2004 was a memorable season for Robert Dutton as he marked his first career win. Dutton had stated 3rd that night back on July 3, but was running 4th at the halfway sign. Dutton made his move to take the lead when he got by Johnson in turn two for the lead. Dutton had the fastest lap of the night on lap 7 with a 92.379 MPH lap. Dutton commented, I made adjustments in the car and she just came around. “I am so tickled for the team and all the support they have given each year, I just can’t thank them enough, Dutton added, I just wish my Dad was here tonight” Dutton drives the number 888, Muncey Trucking/Truitt’s NASCAR Collectables/Johnson’s Body Shop/Manlove Auto Parts/Bicknell.
David Pettyjohn, Millsboro, DE earned his first track Championship in the Late Model division. Pettyjohn has a family long legacy of late model winners preceding him with his Brother Kenny and his Father Eddy both former champions. Pettyjohn certainly had a nice cushion ahead in the points lead, with 3 wins, 7 top 5’s, and 5 top 10’s. Pettyjohn said “My crew does an awesome job each week. These Hershey engines have got the power, too. ” Pettyjohn changed his number to eighty during the season in his Rocket Chassis, Hershey engine, P & A Paving, Heck Masonry, Snookies Vent and Midway Speedway.
The remaining point’s challengers were David Hill, Trappe, MD, Rick Whaley, Millsboro, DE, Mark Byram, Georgetown, DE, and Donnie Lingo, Jr., Millsboro, DE. Sixth through tenth were Ray Davis, Jr. (in his second year), Richard Jarvis, Jr., (first year back on dirt) Michael Givens, Dale Lingo IV, and Lou Johnson.
The new AC Delco TSS Modified Championship went to Tom Curtis, Hartly, DE, who came from the Modified Lite class to run in the new class and yet dominated in the class with consistency. Curtis scored 2 wins, 15 top 5's and 3 top 10's in 20 events for the season and picked up a new GM Crate Motor from Courtesy Chevrolet, Salisbury, MD for winning the championship. Curtis said he drove Micro-sprints for around two years, and has been running in the Modified Lite class for the last three or four years. So this new class gave him a chance to be able to afford the step up for both him and the owner Dale Hawkins.
Curtis said during the year, “I like the way the new cars feel, it is better than the way the Modified Lite drove. I feel more in control of this car over the way the Lites felt. When I put the TSS car in the turn or set it up the car goes that way. With the Mod Lite, it was not like that? You have to drive the car harder to get it to go where you want in the turns, and the TSS is not like that.” Curtis added, “I like the way the cars feel. I want to thank all my sponsors for a great year, American Security, Delmarva Cleaning and Maintenance, and Hawkins Motorsports.” Second place champ went to Mark West, Dale Hawkins, Dave Betts, Jr., Jack Mullins, Jr. rounded the top five. Sixth place went to Jeff Brown, Morris Tucker, Bobby Watkins, Rodney Cordrey, and Terry Chaney was tenth.
In the Street Modified class Mark Williams, Georgetown, DE, claimed his third straight Track Championship. Williams is always dominating force in this class with wins and consistency. Williams had five wins, 11 top five’s and 3 top 10’s. Williams, in the powered Bill & Pat Lawson/ASI/Monte Carlo is only the sixth driver in the history of DIS to win three championships in a row. Williams had a huge margin in the points lead all year. Kelly Putz, Georgetown, DE, Kerry King, Delmar, DE, Jeff Patilla, Delmar, DE, and Jason Cahall, Cordova, MD were the top five in points. Sixth through tenth were Steve Stamps, Mike Wilson, Eric Reed, Ripp Johnson, and Vic Thomas.
Also in the Street Modified class a few drivers had their first career win such as Eric Reed, Ripp Johnson, Kerry King and Steve Stamps. Reed has been in this class the last five years and said on the night he won, “This is unbelievable! Thanks to Buck Wyatt for the motor all my crew and a special thanks to Mike Christopher for all of his help.” King was so happy with his win that he went back the next week to claim two in a row. King drives the K & B, sponsored K&B Auto Sales, Tomy's Electric, Lingo Marine, and D. A. D. Farms each week and adds, “We all work so hard each week, and had just put in a new motor in that week for the first win, and it paid off.” “I can’t say enough about the support of my crew of Mom, Pop, Steve, J. P., Matt, Rhonda, Amanda, and the kids each week.” Those wins felt real great and hope we have more next year he added. King has been in the class for the last five years, with the first two only part time.
Stamps has driven at other tracks in the mid-west but this was his first year to drive at Delmar. Stamps had two wins in the season and was really strong in the end of the season. Stamps dedicated his first win to the memory of his Sister Judy Frazier who had passed away a couple years ago.
The Modified Lite class Championship went to Erik McKinney, Dover DE. McKinney was another in victory circle with seven wins for the season. McKinney drives for Al White in the Durham Racing Motor, North East Lightening Chassis, R & F Auto Sales and Woods Construction sponsored Lite; and this was his first year running full time at Delmar. Bobby Walls, III, Ridgely, MD, Tim White, Salisbury, MD, Herb Tunis, Georgetown, DE, (who picked up his first win at Delmar this year), and Steve White, Laurel, DE rounded out the top five contenders. Sixth through tenth were Ryan Walls, Jon Callaway, Kevin McKinney, Steven Lang, Jr., and Kirk Miles. Both Miles and Lang were rookies in this class last season; what a good year for them.
So the season is officially over with all the awards passed out. But the new season is just around the corner with more hot action each weekend. I can’t wait to feed my NEED FOR SPEED addiction
Keep an eye on web sites www.redbud69racing.com for all your racing news, and www.delmarvasportsaction.com for updates on coming events. The 2005 Delaware International Speedway rules are up on the tracks web site at www.delawareracing.com, check to see if any change that may apply to your class is posted. Also new this year, all pit vehicles must be registered, forms are available on the tracks web site or contact the office at 302.875.1911 for any more information. See you at the track!