Charlotte NASCAR
Meetings and Awards Ceremonies Impress Barbara and Jim Cromarty
As they have since 1977 Barbara & Jim
Cromarty once again came away from a
recent stay in Charlotte, NC for the NASCAR Whelen All-American
Series and
Touring Series awards ceremonies for the top drivers from 2011
very
impressed with NASCAR personnel and how wonderfully smooth and
professional the four day visit went. The Cromarty's were joined
in
Charlotte by Co-Cheif Steward Mike Cappiello and his lovely wife
Pat, who
is part of the NASCAR registration at Riverhead, along with
Riverhead
Racing Coordinator John Ellwood, all five had a wonderful time
and came
away very impressed.
All were kept busy with daytime meetings for NASCAR Promoters as
well as
separate different special events for drivers, owners and crews
which
included a visit to Hendrick Motorsports, rehearsals, meetings
and red
carpet events. Even though it's been some 35 years since their
first
experience with these type events, Barbara & Jim Cromarty
couldn't help
but think back to 1977. "We can remember when we first started
going to
Daytona for the conference, things were so different" the
Cromarty's
reflected. "Bill France Jr. and his beautiful wife Betty Jane
would sit
with us at the dinner and then be on stage to shake hands and
congratulate
all the drivers. It really was a family affair. Of course, it
was much
smaller back then and all the racing divisions of NASCAR were
present at
the same function."
Today the NASCAR Whelen All American Series dinner for both the
All-American Series and Touring series has become a sumptuous
banquet with
delicious filet mignon and coquille St. Jacques that was
beautifully
served to all 800 banquet attendees. Music, plenty of video
highlights of
the 2011 season and racecars were presented, but most
importantly NASCAR
Vice-Presidents George Sibleman and Bob Duval called every
NASCAR track
championship driver to the stage to shake hands and congratulate
them
individually which prompted the Cromarty's to note, "short track
racing
owes a great deal to these two gentleman, it was so impressive".
The Cromarty's summed it all up by saying, "This is a wonderful
event and
one that every driver, car owner, team member and family member
should
strive to be a part of. You can't be there without being
impressed and
without knowing that you are part of something very special. We
would love
to have everyone of our drivers stand on that stage and be in
that
spotlight".
Among the drivers that were summoned to the stage as a 2011
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series track champion was Riverhead
Raceway NASCAR Modified champion Justin Bonsignore and Barbara &
Jim came away very impressed with Justin, "we were so proud of
Justin Bonsignore, Riverhead Raceway was very well represented
by him" Aside from being feted for his Riverhead Raceway title
in Charlotte, Justin was also presented the NASCAR Whelen
Modified Tour Most Popular Driver Award.
"We want to thank Phil Kurze of Whelen Engineering and all the
wonderful
people at NASCAR who made all this possible for these racers who
work so
hard all season long to be recognized for their
accomplishments."
The highlight of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series banquet
was the
crowning of Phillip Morris of Virginia as the 2011 NWAAS
National Champion
with NASCAR President Mike Helton on hand to present and
congratulate
Morris. Helton's appearance was very much appreciated by all the
champions
from both the All-American Series and NASCAR Touring Series'
Who will be on stage as the 2012 Riverhead Raceway NASCAR
Modified
champion in December of next year in Charlotte, the chase for
that honor
will start on Saturday May 5th when Riverhead Raceway opens for
its 63rd
year of stock car racing and family fun entertainment events.
For the
entire 2012 schedule please visit the all-new
www.riverheadraceway.com
Source:
Bob Finan/Riverhead Raceway PR
Posted: December 16, 2011
