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Written by Chris Moore
NEW YORK MILLS, NY – One big bash.
The BD Motorsports Media LLC team held its 2023 season-ending Awards Banquet on Saturday (Feb. 24) night, officially closing the curtain on the season.
Top competitors at Fonda Speedway, Utica-Rome Speedway and Brookfield Speedway were all lauded throughout the night along with the F.X. Caprara Car Companies Thunder on the Thruway (TOTT) Series and the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco.
The Roselawn Banquet Facility played host to the massive celebration, with nearly 400 people in attendance.
The night began celebrating the Brett Putnam (Utica-Rome All-Star Slingshots), Trevor Houghton (Utica-Rome Junior Slingshots), Paul Holic (Brookfield All-Star Slingshots), and Ayden Goodier (Brookfield Junior Slingshots) as the champions at their respective speedways.
The Four Cylinders were up next for Brookfield Speedway. Matt Bukovan (DOHC) and John Mason (SOHC) were officially crowned champions at the Madison County Fairgrounds.
The Fonda Fair Four Cylinders for both Utica-Rome and Fonda Speedway followed. Rudy King Jr. (DOHC) and Wayne Russell Jr. (SOHC) were each on hand as champions at Utica-Rome Speedway while the Hollenbeck Brothers, Ken (SOHC) and Kerrie (DOHC) accepted their championships at Fonda Speedway.
Following a brief break for dinner, BD Motorsports Media LLC. owner Brett Deyo took to the podium to address the crowd.
“Despite the rainouts and losing over 30% of our events in 2023, we’re still able to payout nearly $200,000 at tonight’s banquet,” Deyo proudly proclaimed.
“It’s a testament to our sponsors, our employees, and our races that we can accomplish something like that.”
Deyo also congratulated NASCAR Weekly Series Champions from 2023 including Matt Sheppard (Division I National Runner-Up and Northeast Champion), Payton Talbot (Division II National Champion), and A.J. Walters (Division III Northeast Champion).
The awards resumed as the Limited Sportsman were up next. Zack Welch was awarded the Fastline Performance Limited Sportsman championship for his efforts at Utica-Rome Speedway and Kyle Dingman achieved a lifelong dream as the Montgomery County Office for Aging Limited Sportsman Champion at Fonda.
Kenny Gates then took center stage as the Brookfield Speedway Pro Stock Champion. He was followed by the Next Generation Graphix Pro Stocks Champion at Utica-Rome Bret Belden, who won his first Utica-Rome Championship since 2001.
Ivan Joslin then took to the stage for the first time in his career as the Below Zero Ice Cream Pro Stock champion of Fonda Speedway.
The Crate 602 Sportsman were up next, and Blaine Klinger accepted the championship at Brookfield Speedway, the first of his career.
Matt Janczuk was then lauded for his 10th career Utica-Rome Championship with the Worthington Industries Crate 602 Sportsman Championship.
Janczuk also was the American Racer Cup Champion for the Sportsman following his 11-win season.
Payton Talbot added two-time Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman Champion to his resume, accepting the championship for the second straight season.
The STSS took the stage then, as the top-10 in the Precision Hydraulic & North and the Belmont’s Garage South Region were lauded.
Joe Toth was honored as the champion of both divisions, receiving $3,000 in total for his annual efforts and was the first driver to ever win both regions in the same season for the STSS Sportsman.
The F.X. Caprara Car Companies Thunder on the Thruway Series was up next, celebrating the top 10 for the six-race series between Utica-Rome and Fonda.
The Pro Stocks were up first, and Nick Stone was on hand to accept the championship, despite cutting back from full-time racing in ’23, Stone was still able to grab the TOTT title.
Alex Yankowski (Modified) and Payton Talbot (Crate 602 Sportsman) both claimed their second consecutive TOTT Championship as regulars at both participating speedways.
The 3 Bastards Brewing Modifieds were up next, as Matt Sheppard collected his first $6,000 of the night, adding his 7th championship at Utica-Rome Speedway to his name.
“I love Utica-Rome so much,” Sheppard explained. “It’s a pleasure to race there every week and I honestly believe it’s one of the best racetracks in Central New York.
“A lot of tracks have gone away in recent years, I’m glad Brett (Deyo) stepped in and kept Utica from becoming another one of those places that closes.”
The Amsterdam Truck Center Modifieds of Fonda Speedway were up next, and Demetrios Drellos was lauded as the 2023 champion and claiming the $10,000 top prize.
With the addition of the NASCAR Weekly Series money, Drellos received $13,000-plus for his title.
“To win a championship at Fonda is such an honor,” Drellos proclaimed. “We just focused really hard on being consistent and it paid off with this great season and this accomplishment.”
The STSS closed out the night as the River Valley Builders North Region and Rent Equip/Party Central South Region top point getters were honored.
Matt Sheppard was lauded as the champions of both regions for the second consecutive season.
“The North and the South Region were so much different this year,” he explained. “We almost dropped off the South Region at one point because we weren’t running well.
“We got it going though and all the rainouts made it easier for us to travel.”
On the North Region side of things, no rainouts occurred in points races and Sheppard led the way from the start.
“We got rolling pretty well and seemed like we had good finishes every time we hit the track.”
Drivers in the top-12 shared in a purse of over $46,000 in each of the North and South Regions.
The season begins for the STSS on Saturday, March 9 at Georgetown (Del.) Speedway with the ‘Jake Marine Memorial.’
Utica-Rome’s season officially kicks off on Friday, April 19 with the ‘Alex Friesen Memorial,’ and one day later Fonda Speedway opens the 2024 season with the ‘Jumpin’ Jack Johnson Memorial’ event April 20.
A 2024 schedule for Brookfield Speedway will be announced in the coming days.
Utica-Rome Speedway is located at 5591 NY-5 (Seneca Turnpike) Vernon, NY 13476. The official website is www.uticaromespeedway.com and the speedway can be reached by phone at 315.953.4097. Like Utica-Rome Speedway on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @UR_Speedway.
