Night of Champions Highlights

Eastern Canada’s mega popular Pro Modified Racing Association, Quick 32 Sportsman Series & the Pro Bike & Sled Series recently held their season ending celebration to pay honour to a terrific 2013 drag racing season……

The annual Night of Champions was recently held for the Pro Modified Racing Association, the Quick 32 Sportsman Series, and the Pro Bike & Sled Series. For 2013, the banquet was held at the Holiday Inn Burlington Hotel and Conference Center in Burlington, Ontario, and hosted by Bill Mehlenbacher.

With the three vehicles of each series champion on display, the top five teams from each series were presented with their awards.

For the PMRA, which completed its ninth year of operation, the top five were champion Rocky Di Lecce of Mississauga, Ontario, followed by the Grainy Brothers of North Tonawanda, New York, Bruce Boland of Stoney Creek, Ontario, Derek Hawker of Corbyville, Ontario, and Paolo Giust of Osgoode, Ontario.

2013 PMRA Champion Rocky DiLecce with Bruce Mehlenbacher

Accepting awards in the Quick 32 Sportsman Series presented by NAPA Auto Parts, which has finished its fifth season, were champions Bill Wilson and Rob Gray with their Ingersoll, Ontario-based Top Sportsman, the Top Sportsman entries of Kevin Wicke and Spencer Hyde, both of Stratford, Ontario, and the Top Dragster entries of Melanie Simmons Salemi of Orillia, Ontario, and Jeff Moser, of Bamberg, Ontario.

Accepting his 2013 championship in the Pro Bike & Sled Series presented by Wiseco Performance Products was Pro Bike rider Dan Cryderman of Thamesville, Ontario. He was followed in the series by the Pro Bike riders Ted Glinny of Milton, Ontario, Dave Vandereyken of Acton, Ontario, the team of Melissa Pluim and Marty Kuiack from Milton, and John Orfanidis of Toronto, Ontario. This year was the third season for the series which features motorcycle and snowmobile drag racing.

One of drag racing’s greatest ambassadors, John Waldie of Stratford, was on hand to accept the John Massingberd Memorial Award, presented by the PMRA annually for his or her contribution to the sport.

Waldie began in the sport in 1965 with a six-cylinder dragster and then a Super Stock Camaro and Mustang Cobra Jet.

He was then associated with the Pro Stock team of Jerry Eckman and was very successful. He then he turned his sights to the emerging Pro Modified class working with Pro Modified driver and engine tuner Al Billes. He is the president of the Real Pro Mod Association (RPM), and a director with the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame.

John is one of, if not the top, greatest ambassadors of drag racing in Canada, stated PMRA director of operations Bruce Mehlenbacher.

Bruce Mehlenbacher with John Waldie

John joins previous award winners Carl Spiering, Fred and Betsy Smith, Bob Slack and Vern Christy.

Other awards presented during the evening were:

Series Official of the Year Award ~ Dave Ross

Pro Modified Racing Association ~ Achievement Award ~ Rocky Di Lecce

Pro Modified Racing Association ~ Sportsmanship Award ~ Grainy Brothers

Pro Modified Racing Association ~ Rookie of the Year Award ~ Paolo Giust

PMRA Wiseco Performance Products Award ~ Paolo Giust

Quick 32 Sportsman Series ~ Achievement Award ~ Scott Wildgust

Quick 32 Sportsman Series ~ Sportsmanship Award ~ Jeff Moser

Quick 32 Sportsman Series ~ Rookie of the Year Award ~ Scott McCann

Bear’s Performance Products Dash 4 Cash Award ~ Spencer Hyde

Quick 32 Sportsman Series Wiseco Piston Award ~ Kevin Wicke

Pro Bike & Sled Series ~ Achievement Award ~ John Orfanidis

Pro Bike & Sled Series ~ Sportsmanship Award ~ Dave Vandereyken

Pro Bike & Sled Series ~ Rookie of the Year Award ~ Marty Kuiack & Melissa Pluim

PBSS Wiseco Performance Products Award ~ Dan Cryderman

Although no 2014 race dates have been announced as of yet, upcoming schedules are in the works and dates for the upcoming season will be announced shortly.

The Pro Modified Racing Association, www.PMRA.ca competes with its two companion series, the Quick 32 Sportsman Series, www.Quick32.ca and the Pro Bike & Sled Series, www.PBSS.ca, travelling and racing together throughout the racing season, offering an exciting and diverse package of drag racing action.

Posted by:  Tim Miller

Photos by: Bill Mehlenbacher Photography ~ www.nxphoto.com and Dave Erauw Photography ~ www.erauw-photo.com