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New
Champion Harvey Harrison and More Receive Accolades at 2016 Trophy
Presentation
Somerset,
Pennsylvania (September 6, 2016) – The
best among the Super Cup Stock Car Series converged one more time in
2016 the morning after the finale event for an awards breakfast and
annual trophy presentation. The
gathering, held at Hoss’s Steak and Seahouse in Somerset,
Pennsylvania, nearby Jennerstown Speedway, featured several
competitors and their teams rewarded for a successful season.
Harvey
Harrison took home the highest achievement with the 2016
champion’s trophy, the first in his more than eight year career in
the series.
“It
was a great night for us all and it means a lot to the family
because racing is so up and down and you have so many tough times
along with the good times,” Harrison documented the night before.
“Nights like tonight overshadow it all and it feels pretty
good. Everybody’s
happy.”
The
season did not start off on a good foot for the Renick, West
Virginia veteran, failing to finish the opening race at Midvale
Speedway. In fact, one
of the first things that Harvey pointed out upon being asked about
his championship season was the bad luck that occurred at many races
for his sons, Brandon, who still accomplished a best career sixth in
the final points, and Brian, who finished eighth.
“It’s
been a rough year for my boys,” Harvey Harrison noted.
“It started out real rough for all of us.
At Midvale it was demolition derby night and we brought all
our cars home all tore to pieces.
But racing with Brent (Nelson) and Bill Ashton and all these
guys, no one wants to tear their stuff up and it’s cool as heck
when you can run side by side with people.”
Despite
the joyous celebration from the tight-knit family, one key member
was not physically there due to other commitments.
“Summer,
she wasn’t here,” Harvey Harrison mentioned about his daughter,
who they Skyped with while rejoicing on the frontstretch at
Jennerstown. “She’s
the team owner and the colonel of the whole bunch and keeps
everybody straight.”
Harvey’s
wife, Mary, and grandchildren accepted the Car Owner of the Year
award not only for their performance, but for their willingness to
assist each other and various teams when in need.
Fellow
West Virginia racer Brent Nelson improved upon his back-to-back
third place points finishes, but came up one position short of his
ultimate goal in the 2016 final standings.
Perhaps one race for the Petersburg driver swayed the
championship in the other’s favor.
“We
got snake bit there at Lonesome Pine,” Nelson said.
“A two dollar part cost me the championship, literally, but
it gives us momentum. We
are coming after number one next year.
We will be back. If
I had to give the title to anybody, it would have to be Harvey.”
Jeff
Zillweger from outside Pittsburgh was the most consistent throughout
the year, being the only competitor never to finish outside the top
10. The third place
points finisher also received Most Improved Driver honors for the
second time in his SCSCS career.
“I
hope I get a trophy for the cleanest car this year,” Zillweger
joked. “We got a
couple scrapes and bumps out of this, but I’m just really glad to
be out here. I’m
really proud of my team.”
Zillweger
was returning to the series after sitting on the sidelines most of
2015 due to motor issues.
“It
feels so good to be back,” Zillweger remarked.
“The car’s in one piece for the winter and we’ll be
back next year so keep an eye on us.”
A
popular first career victory the night before propelled Bill Ashton
to a career best fourth place finish in points in what could be his
final year of racing. He
and Lonesome Pine winner Ben Ebeling received their own custom
first-time winners watches compliments of Boschett Timepieces.
Rounding
out the top five was also 2016’s Rookie of the Year, Trent Gossar.
The Indiana driver challenged for the win at Lonesome Pine
and showed development throughout the season.
“It
makes me feel good, with (owner) Don (Gnat) giving me the
opportunity to drive the car,” Gossar, who also added the annual
Charlie Canterbury Hard Charger Award to his accomplishments,
indicated. “It’s a
big improvement in my life and in racing.
It feels good to be getting awards and know that you’re
doing great at what you want to do.”
Jason
Schue finished seventh in the standings in his first full season of
SCSCS racing, and received Sportsman of the Year honors.
Brian
Kaltreider rounded out the top 10 in points, and bottles of his
sponsor Grip Clean’s product, which was also the presenting
sponsor of the final night of racing, were handed out to each award
recipient.
Perhaps
the biggest honor was given to K2 Motorsports, Kevin and Kelly
Kromer, with the second annual Racing Spirit Award. The
plaque is presented to individuals who exemplify the “racing
spirit” in their daily lives both on and off the track.
Kevin Kromer managed to keep his streak of consecutive top 10
points finishes alive despite missing a race and battling through
weeks of radiation and chemo treatments.
The
Super Cup Stock Car Series headlines the fall lineup on MAVTV with
each race airing on multiple occasions each week.
Please visit mavtv.com for
full listings of televised coverage of the 2016 SCSCS events.
For
news and developments over the off-season leading into 2017 please
be sure to consult the official series web site at www.supercupstockcarseries.com,
Super Cup Stock Car Series Facebook at www.facebook.com/SCSCSRacing,
or Twitter @SCSCSRacing.
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