2009 Season Champions
| Above are the 2009 Season Champions.
From left, front row, Willie Wilkerson (10-17 Junior Dragster),
Dalton Olsen (8-9 Junior Dragster), Alex Lindenstein (High
School). Back row, from left, Preston Oder (Pro), Dr. Steve
Engen (Street Legal), Jeff Daily (Sportsman), Jason Chapin (Super
Pro). To see the individual class pictures, click here. To see some additional pictures from the banquet, click here. You can click on the special awards below and see some additional pictures for that award. |
Even though we have not had a car go down the drag strip, the 2010 Season has officially started. On April 13th
racers, family, friends and track personnel congratulated the 2009 Season Champions and other racers that competed
last season. The banquet this year was held at the American Legion Hall in Kearney, NE., and with great weather it
was a great turnout.
The night started off with a Social hour where everyone got to see one another, after what has seemed like a long Winter.
Then things moved to a great Dinner service, after which Al Simmons addressed the crowd with what was in plan for the 2010
season, which can be seen on the "Latest KRPI News" section on the web-sites home page. There were a lot of prizes
given away, and a lot of stuff was also raffled off. Matt Levonas, NHRA Division 5 Services Coordinator, was also in attendance and broughtsome of his drawings which were auctioned off, with 100% of the proceeds going to the track,
Thanks Matt. To see some of Matt`s work, here is the address to his site, www.levonasart.com.
There were a number of special awards presented to drivers. There was a Lifetime Achievement Award given to Jim
Parmenter for his 50 years of continuous racing and Doug Sheldon for 40 years of Service to Kearney Raceway Park.
An Iron Man Award was given to Tim Smith, of Hastings High School, for his work he has done to keep the High
School program going, both at the school and the track. Tim made a trip to the NHRA offices in California, I was on the
flight with him coming home from the Nationals in Vegas in November. He had numerous meetings with the school board,
and all the legal issues to get the high school students to get to go to the ET Finals in Topeka. Even though he announced
his retirement from the school, he isn`t going to be giving up on this project.
There was a Hard Luck Award given to Dennis McCain, who had a number of issues with a couple engines, and
Dan Wilder who`s Pontiac let go in the water box at the Cornhusker Nationals. Seems to me they were both driving
Pontiacs. Just kidding guys, I shouldn`t say anything as my Mercury is still in the trailer.
A Sportsmanship Award was given to the entire Junior Dragster racers who had to end their season short due
to a problem with the timing system.