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Gibson Realizes Dream; Officially Awarded with 2025 Championship during SCSCS Annual Trophy Presentation

Shenandoah, Virginia (October 15, 2025) – Immediately following the conclusion of the second of twin races at Shenandoah Speedway on October 4th was the annual awards/trophy presentation.  Some competitors for their first time were recognized for a culmination of effort throughout the 2025 Super Cup Stock Car Series regular season while others added to their years of accolades.

Mitch Gibson came to the first event in April with only a few starts behind the wheel of a heavy stock car but with a vast amount of knowledge regarding the SCSCS vehicles as a crew member in Pro Cup and NASCAR in the past.  He also earned a Late Model championship a few years prior at the hometown track he grew up attending races.

“I guess when I started the year it was probably a dream,” Gibson, who began the season at Kingsport Speedway with a runner-up and what would turn out to be his worst result of the year of fifth, indicated.  I just have to thank all of my family and friends for getting me to where I’ve got.  Of course I’ve had some good sponsors this year – Moyer Brothers, LDW, Superior Welding, 3000channels.com, Jeffrey Salyers EXP, and Trevor’s Life.  It was just an amazing year.”

After a rainout during pace laps in May where he claimed his first career Pole Award, Gibson and his fellow competitors returned to Lonesome Pine in June where he picked up his first win.  His second trophy came at the closest track to his current residence in Weyers Cave, Virginia at the end of August at Shenandoah as part of the Veterans Classic.  Gibson had the help at each event from his son Caliph as well as crew chief and spotter Cody Pilkenton to have a 179-point advantage at the checkered flag come October, the biggest margin from first to second since 2009, but there were those beyond with expertise between races that assisted as well.

“We were able to keep the car clean all year and we were able to get some wins and several poles,” Gibson recapped.  “I have to thank (former NASCAR Truck Series driver and 2014 Pro Cup champion) Caleb Holman for letting me come and pull the car down at his house.  He’s been on his game for a long time in racing and he’s such a great guy.”

Gibson continued regarding the camaraderie built with fellow competitors, which did not necessarily get off on the best foot.

“It was fun racing with Brent (Nelson).  I know me and him sort of had our scuffle at Kingsport the first race of the year and then we’ve been like best friends ever since.  That was cool to have that relationship and I loved to see Damian (Payton) win (at Shenandoah).”

Brent Nelson switched things up after his long-awaited successful title campaign in 2024 that netted five victories.  The experiments as well as some other bad luck resulted in his first winless season since 2019 and his first year without a single lap led since 2012, leaving the all-time leader in number of laps and races led, top five and top 10 finishes, and hard charger awards pleasantly surprised to still end up second in the standings nonetheless.

“We won the championship last year and our mind was set that we were going to bring the new car out that we have been working on for about four or five years now to get ready,” the Petersburg, West Virigina driver noted.  “We took it to Kingsport and, man, we fought gremlins.  It just bit us, but we were determined we were going to try to make that car work and we just kept working at it.  Finally, we got to this point in the season and I said I’ve got to take ‘ol faithful’ back out again.”

Nelson was satisfied to wrap up the trips to Shenandoah with a pair of third place performances and will certainly be searching for more in the races ahead to soon get back on the top step.

“I’m done playing with the red car and I know what the black car needs and I know what it will do,” the only driver in series history to win five consecutive races added.  “(After Shenandoah) I know the adjustments we have to make and we’ll be there.”

Nelson additionally shared similar sentiments for Gibson as the current champion did for him.

“To finish second to Mitch, he’s a hard driver and he’s a hard competitor.  He was upset with me, I was upset with him, but at the end of the day we’re racers and we got over it and were all able to move on to the next race and here we are.”

Eric Barber decided to call the SCSCS home for 2025 and rounded out the podium points finishers.  Although he was not in attendance for the presentation, the Parkersburg, West Virginia racer shared his thoughts earlier in the race day.

“Just to be up there with Brent and being able to see Mitch Gibson win his first championship with Super Cup, I feel pretty good about that,” Barber commented.  “Third in points is not first or second, but it’s a lot better than eighth or 10th, so excited and optimistic and thankful for what we’ve been able to do this year.”

The previous year’s rookie of the year Larry Frame from Yellow Spring, West Virginia followed things up with a fourth-place plaque, edging Uniontown Pennsylvania’s Bill Ashton by a mere four points.

The second half of the top 10 consisted of most recent first-time race winner Winston-Salem, North Carolina’s Damian Payton, two-time winner at Ona Speedway “ShoTime” Mike from Denver, North Carolina, winningest driver of the year Hickory, North Carolina resident Ben Ebeling, and first-time top 10 points finishers Rob Hindt from Elkton, Maryland with two fifth place finishes and Conover, North Carolina’s Dylan Godinez upon making his series debut closer to the end of the season.

Special awards were again handed out, including the “Racing Spirit” award to series PR Coordinator Aaron Creed for exemplifying such in his daily life both on and off the track.  Returning was the Patrick Miller Sportsman of the Year Award, named in honor of the series photographer over a seven-year span who passed away in 2021, given to not only driver Brent Nelson for his second time but also to his brother, crew chief, spotter, and wearer of many hats in assistance throughout the pit area Rocky Nelson.

Lastly, upon making his 100th start during the year, Bill Ashton received a special award recognizing the milestone.  In addition, Brent Nelson received a similar accolade for accomplishing the feat in 2022.  Another award was also delivered to Kelly Kromer to commemorate 2019 champion Kevin Kromer, the first driver to reach 100 starts in 2021.

The SCSCS has not seen a repeat champion since 2012, and looking ahead to 2026 the chances of that occurring may once again be up in the air at this time.

“I have really pondered whether I want to run full-time again or not,” Gibson mentioned, with a few laughs, as he continued.  “It’s time I spend some quality time with my daughter and son.  My son I’ve got him into racing but I think I’m going to keep him on an even feel here and learn that racing costs a lot of money.  I don’t want him to get the disease that I had at a young age so he’s broke when he graduates high school.”

“Five years ago I dreamed of winning a Late Model championship and I did it, and then it was like, okay, what’s the next step and so I sort of leaped over this and got my chance at a couple of ARCA races.  I was like let’s go back and take a crack at this, so I called Bill up.  Never met Bill, never talked to Bill and the deal just sort of fell together thanks to some sponsor support and then next thing you know we’re the champ here.  I think I’ve proved I can run a Late Model and I can win in a traveling series.  I’d love to get a chance to maybe run something a little higher up again, but you know what, I’m at the point in life where it’s just about family so I’m happy with that.”

Gibson did indicate his confidence as the series peers further into the future.

“I know Bill is going to work hard to grow the series over the winter and I invite any racer that wants a budget-friendly racecar, this is the thing to do it right here if you like to travel.  If you don’t want to run the same tracks every week, the Super Cup Stock Car Series is what you want to do for a budget-friendly racecar.”

As announced prior, special twin main events will take place at Tri-County Speedway in Hudson, North Carolina on Saturday, November 1st before competitors call it a year.  Anyone interested in inquiring or trying out the series are encouraged to contact series director Bill Ashton at bascscs@gmail.com or 412-582-0423.

Further details will continue to be communicated on the Super Cup Stock Car Series official website supercupstockcarseries.com, on Facebook (search Super Cup Stock Car Series), Twitter (@SCSCSRacing), Instagram (SCSCS_Racing), and https://www.youtube.com/SCSCSRacing.

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