Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP 2015 Awards Banquet

 

The 2015 Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP Awards Banquet was held at FireKeepers Casino Hotel in Battle Creek, Michigan, Saturday night, November 7.  2015 SOD Champion Gregg Dalman was honored along with the other top 11 eleven drivers, special awards winners and SOD staff.

Dalman is now a two-time SOD champion, but this one was extra special as Gregg’s son, Keegan, received the award for Crew Chief of the Year making it a double championship for the Dalman family.

 

Emcee Wayne Bunn, announcer at Hartford Motor Speedway, directed the awards ceremony in front of a background presentation created and presented by Matt Miller.  Thank you to both Wayne and Matt for their professional touch.

Series Sponsors, whose support is truly appreciated, were recognized. Our sponsors this year included:

• Engine Pro / Perfit Corporation of Grand Rapids, MI
• ARP – Automotive Racing Products
• Hoosier Racing Tire
• Mahle/Clevite
• Lane Automotive
• Allstar Performance
• Comp Cams
• Engler Machine & Tool
• Kistler Racing Products
• Specialty Fuels and Logistics

Thank you to SOD trophy sponsors:

• Fausey Farms
• Merritt Speedway
• Jimmie’s Towing
• David M. Nichols Excavating
• John & Kathie Naida
• Pat & Roger Holzinger
• Pell’s Tire Service
• Flying Zero Racing

 

A big thank you to everyone that helped out with door prizes and product/contingency sponsorships for this year’s banquet including:

• Engine Pro
• Hoosier Racing Tire
• Maxim Racing
• Engler Machine & Tool
• Lane Automotive
• Allstar Performance
• XYZ Machining
• Ridenour Racing

Thank you to Awards Plus Laser Engraving for the great job they did on the trophies.

Thanks to all of the photographers who captured all the memories and allowed us to use their shots for our media releases.  A special thank you to TJ Buffenbarger for his support with our website, Facebook page, Twitter account and email system.

All of the SOD promoter partners were recognized.  Thank you for being so helpful and patient during our last minute staff transition at the beginning of the season.  Those in attendance were:

• Ron Flinn and Trevor Hollis from Crystal Motor Speedway
• Tim & Leah Dibble from Hartford Speedway

 

Looking back at the 2015 SOD season:

• 24 races were scheduled, 22 were complete and there were 2 rain outs.
• 91 different cars competed in SOD events in 2015
• The average car count was 24 cars
• In 22 races, 14 different drivers won SOD events

 

SOD 2015 winners were:

• Ryan Ruhl – 6 wins
• Dustin Daggett – 3 wins, including his 100^th win with SOD
• Jared Horstman – 2 wins
• Gregg Dalman, Kyle Pitts, Max Stambaugh, Randy Hannagan, Caleb Griffith, James McFadden, Kevin Atkins, Mitch Brown, Phil Gressman, Dan McCarron, Kyle Sauder each picking up1 win

 

Special Awards Winners

2015 SOD Rookie of the Year: Jared Lamberson, trophy sponsor: Flying Zero Racing

• 1^st race in a sprint car was opening day at Crystal Motor Speedway
• Showed tremendous improvement through the season
• Two Top 10 finishes
• From Parma, MI

2015 Sportsman of the Year: Mark Aldrich

• Nice guy, does not complain
• Gives the younger drivers someone to look up to
• Great level of professionalism

2015 Most Improved Driver of the Year: Craig Karazim

• With two top 5 finishes and six top ten finishes in2015
• Earning his 1^st top-10 point finish with SOD in 2015

2015 Crew Chief of the Year: Keegan Dalman

• Young man; very mature
• Juggles school, football and going to the races
• Many times it is just him and his dad, he works very hard
• It will be interesting to see how he develops as a crew chief in the future

2015 Driver of the Year: Kyle Pitts

• 2014 Rookie of the Year
• Struggled with motor issues, resulted in running spec motor a handful of shows
• Running his spec motor at Hartford and finishing 9th
• Earning his 1^st feature win with SOD in 2015

 

2015 Top Eleven Points Finishers

2015 Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP Champion: Gregg Dalman

Trophy sponsor: Fausey Farms

• 2012 SOD Champion
• Ran full SOD schedule in 2015
• One win in 2015
• Eight Top 5 finishes
• Four Top 10 finishes
• From Bellevue, MI

2^nd Place: Kyle Pitts

Trophy sponsor: Merritt Speedway

• 2014 SOD Rookie of the Year
• Ran full SOD schedule in 2015
• Earned 1^st feature win with SOD
• Five Top 5 finishes
• Five Top 10 finishes
• From Mulberry, FL

3^rd Place: Brad Lamberson

Trophy sponsor: Jimmie’s Towing

• A contender for 2014 Rookie of the Year
• 2013 Butler Speedway Champion
• Ran full SOD schedule in 2015
• Three Top 5 finishes
• Five Top 10 finishes
• From Parma, MI

4^th Place: Dustin Daggett

Trophy sponsor: Flying Zero Racing

• Five time SOD champion
• Three wins in 2015
• Ten Top 5 finishes
• Two Top 10 finishes
• From Portland, MI
• Earned his 100^th win with SOD

5^th Place: Chase Ridenour

Trophy sponsor: David M. Nichols Excavating

• A contender for 2014 Rookie of the Year
• Six Top 5 finishes
• 4 Top 10 finishes
• From Perry, MI

6^th Place: Mark Aldrich

Trophy sponsor: John & Kathie Naida

• Two Top 5 finishes
• Three Top 10 finishes
• Veteran racer and former Butler Speedway Champion
• From Addison, MI

7^th Place: Brett Mann

Trophy sponsor: Merritt Speedway

• Two time champion of the series
• Two Top 5 finishes
• Seven Top 10 finishes
• From Goshen, IN

8^th Place: Ryan Ruhl

Trophy sponsor: Pat & Roger Holzinger

• Six wins in 2015
• Four Top 5 finishes
• One Top 10 finishes
• From Coldwater, MI

9^th Place: Andy Chehowski

Trophy sponsor Pell’s Tire Service

• Continues to improve each season
• Two top 5 finishes
• Four top 10 finishes
• From Coldwater, MI

10^th Place: Craig Karazim

Trophy sponsor: Merritt Speedway

• A contender for 2014 Rookie of the Year
• Two top 5 finishes
• Six top 10 finishes
• From Eaton Rapids, MI

11^th Place: Eric Smith

Trophy sponsor: Merritt Speedway

• Eric participated in 16 events this year
• Supported the group as often as he could
• Most times coming to the track by himself without any crew
• From Lakeview, Michigan

 

The 2015 Mahle/Clevite Short Track Challenge consisted of 5 races at 5 different tracks. The Top 10 finishers were:

1. Kyle Pitts
2. Gregg Dalman
3. Craig Karazim
4. Brad Lamberson
5. Andy Chehowski
6. Brett Mann
7. Mark Aldrich
8. Chase Ridenour
9. Andy Tuenessen
10. Ryan Ruhl

 

Special awards were given to:

• Engine Pro – Special Recognition Award and thank you for your many years of support as SOD’s title sponsor and for continuing the Lucky Dog Award program into 2015.

• SOD Staff: Pat & Roger Holzinger, Taylor Olrich and Rick & Debbie Irwin – Thank you for your hard work and dedication throughout the year.

• Pat & Roger were awarded a plaque in recognition of their continued support throughout the years!

• Andrianna and Steve Irwin were awarded a plaque in recognition of their tireless efforts in making the 2015 season the amazing success that it was. They took the reins of SOD just two weeks before the season began and providing the professional management that exceeded all expectations.

The 2015 Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP Awards Banquet brought the curtain down on a great 2015 season.  Thank you to everyone who made it a success and see you next year!