Pennsylvania Motor Speedway
March 12, 2012
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PPMS Champions Honored, Baker Named ‘Sportsman of the Year’

PITTSBURGH, PA -- Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway and Miley Motorsports honored their 2011 Track Champions at the annual awards banquet held Saturday, March 10th at the Lafayette Room in Imperial, PA.

Rayland, OH veteran Michael Davis celebrated his first ever Super Late Model title. Davis captured three feature wins in 2011 and defeated defending titlist Mike Johnson by a mere ten points. Third generation racer Michael Norris claimed the third spot with veterans Ben Miley and Lynn Geisler rounding out the top five.

Bruce Takach of Colerain, OH, who is a close friend of Davis, was excited to claim his first ever track title in the E-Mod Division. Takach, who turned his first competitive laps at the Imperial, PA oval, went on to score his career first victory at the speedway April 30th. He also claimed five additional feature wins to cap off a very successful 2011 season.

Second-generation racer Colton Flinner of Allison Park, PA continued the first ever track championship parade and was honored as the FASTRAK/Pro-Late titlist. The high school senior claimed three feature victories and garnered the title by just 17 points over runner-up Justin Lamb. Flinner thanked his parents and sister for their support of his racing career and indicated that he will return to "Dirt's Monster Half Mile" this season to defend his title.

Like Davis, Takach and Flinner, Young Guns Champion Todd Weldon celebrated his first ever title in 2011. The affable Monongahela, PA teen tallied three victories, including his first ever win on May 21st. Weldon, a second-generation racer, indicated that he will return to defend his Young Guns crown in 2012.

Fellow teenage racer Ricky Steigerwald captured the Hobby Stock title. The Robinson Township, PA resident scored four wins in 2011 to defeat Ed Wiser and rookie Richard Wilson. Unfortunately, Steigerwald indicated that he does not have a ride for the upcoming season and may be forced to sit out the season.

Thirteen may be an unlucky number for some, but for McKees Rock, PA resident Jake Simmons is was just the opposite in 2011, as the defending Late Model Sportsman titlist claimed 13 main event victories en-route to picking up his third divisional points title. The McKees Rock, PA driver claimed the top spot over Nick Kocuba and Josh Langer and will return to defend the title in a few weeks.

Veteran Late Model competitor Steve Baker of Morgantown, WV captured the prestigious "Sportsman of the Year" Award." The award is presented to an individual who exemplifies the meaning of true "sportsmanship" and Baker is certainly worthy of the award. Baker, who is also one of the owners of the Rocket Chassis Company, has competed at the Imperial, PA oval since it opened in 1979. He won his first feature event at the speedway while competing in the Semi-Late Division on July 12, 1980 and last summer he scored his 100th PPMS victory on September 3rd. Baker was quick to thank his beautiful wife and children as well as his "racing family" for allowing him to compete each Saturday evening.

Late Model veteran Mike Johnson was the recipient of the Awesome Signs and Graphics Hard Charger Award. Late Model competitors were awarded points for each position that they advanced in the feature events held during 2011; Johnson picked up the weekly award on three occasions and will receive a complete decal job courtesy of Awesome Signs and Graphics, which is owned by Ricky and Rochelle Byers. The Byers' also announced that the "Awesome Hard Charger Award" will return this season.

The following drivers were named "Rookies of the Year in their respective divisions: FASTRAK/Pro-Lates: Tony White; UMP E-Mods: Tyler Atkinson; Cadets: Mike Harris; Hobby Stocks: Richard Wilson; Young Guns: Todd Weldon.

In addition, the following drivers were recognized for scoring their career first PPMS victories in 2011: Late Models: Michael Norris and Dennis Lunger; FASTRAK/Pro-Lates: Steve Beatty; E-Mods: Bruce Takash, Clayton Kennedy and Jonathan Taylor; Hobby Stocks: Joe Podolinsky and Richard Wilson; Young Guns: Zack Stehle, Logan Crewl, Bernie Blair, Jr., Adam Carson and Todd Weldon.

The 2012 season at "Dirt's Monster Half Mile" is just a few days away as a Test and Tune Session will be held on Saturday, March 31st. The session is open to all divisions and will be held from 3:00PM to 6:00PM. Pit and Grandstand Admission Gates will open at 2:00PM. Grandstand Admission is Free with Pit Admission priced at $20.00. In the event of inclement weather the session will be held on Sunday, April 1st.

The official racing season will get underway just one week later on Saturday, April 7th with the 2012 Blastoff Action Event featuring the Super Late Models, FASTRAK/Pro-Lates, Late Model Sportsman, Hobby Stocks and Young Guns. Adult Grandstand Admission is just $13.00, Seniors Aged 60 and over are $12.00, Juniors (13 to 16) are $9.00, Children (7 to 12) are $5.00 and Children Seven and Under are Free. Pit Admission is $25.00.

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Additional information is also available on the speedway website: www.ppms.com or by contacting the speedway office at (412) 279-RACE (7223). Race fans can follow Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway at www.twitter.com/PAMotorSpeedway and http://www.facebook.com/Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway.

Fans can also sign up for free race day text messages to get the latest information on weather or traffic delays that may impact the racing action by clicking on the "Rained Out" logo on the speedway website, www.ppms.com.