DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The Queensland family began operating the Deer Creek Speedway in 2002 and thus began the transformation of the 3/8-mile clay oval situated among the rolling hills of Spring Valley, Minn., into one of the most popular dirt track racing venues in the United States.

Left to right: Stewart Doty, RPM Promoters Workshops event organizer; Debra and Randy Queensland, Deer Creek Speedway; and Matt Long, Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Today, auto racing promoters representing hundreds of America's short tracks have selected the Queenslands as the 35th Auto Racing Promoters of the Year.

Last month, the Queensland family – Randy, Deb and their children, Justin, Cole, Ryan and Susan – were nominated for the honor by their peers as one of six Regional Auto Racing Promoters of the Year for 2010.

The Queenslands were also awarded the Regional Promoter of the Year Award in 2008. Today's announcement of the ARPY Award occurred at the 38th Annual RPM Promoters Workshops in Daytona Beach, Fla.

It was also the first time the prestigious award has been bestowed upon the operators of a facility sanctioned by the United States Racing Association.

"The Queenslands define what a great racetrack promoter should be," said USRA President Todd Staley. "Nobody could be more deserving than Randy, his family and their entire crew. Week in and week out they work hard, they get the job done, they do it right and they do it well."

The appropriately-nicknamed ‘Mecca of Modified Racing,’ the Deer Creek Speedway races weekly on Saturday nights from April to September featuring five classes, including the USRA RHS Modifieds and USRA Karl Performance Parts B-Mods as part of the American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series.

The track will also host an Iron Man Challenge event for USRA Karl Chevrolet Stock Cars in conjunction with the USMTS event on May 28.

Nominees for the Auto Racing Promoter of the Year operate weekly schedule oval tracks or dragstrips. The success and longevity of the operations, reputation, character and contribution of the nominee to the industry, and to industry newcomers are taken into consideration by voters.

The Auto Racing Promoter of the Year is short track racing’s most prestigious award for racetrack operators and managers. It is awarded each year after voting by promoters.

The award was originated in 1976 by the editors of Racing Promotion Monthly. Past recipients include Hugh Deery, J.C. Agajanian, D.A. Venditti, Jack Gunn, George Eisenhart, Howard Tiedt, Richard O’Brien, Don Martin, Glenn Donnelly, Cary Agajanian, Bud Lunsford, Bob Daniels, Ray Wilkings, Howard Commander, Paul Kuhl, Robert Lawton, Earl Baltes, Jody Deery, Andy Vertrees, Charles Powell, C-Ray Hall, Larry Kemp, Charles Cathell, Chuck Deery, Ralph Capitani, Lanny Edwards, Nadine Strauss, Tom Curley, Steve York, John Padjen, Lynn Phillips, Alfred Gurley, Joe & Walt Doellefeld and Jeff & Cindy Nuckles.

For more information about Racing Promotion Monthly or the RPM Promoters Workshops, visit www.racingpromotionmonthly.com online.

The USRA was founded in 2002 with the sanctioning of Modifieds and Stock Cars at the Thunder Valley Speedway in Fayetteville, Ark. Hobby Stocks were added in 2003 and the organization grew steadily over the next three years with 14 tracks hosting USRA events in 2005. The B-Mod division arrived on the scene in 2006 and since then, USRA Weekly Racing Series national champions have been crowned in all four premier divisions.

To learn more about the USRA, visit www.usraracing.com or call 515-832-6000. You can also follow the USRA on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

USRA OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Awesome Racewear, Intercomp, Karl Chevrolet, Karl Performance Parts, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, NITROQUEST, RACEceiver, RHS – Racing Head Service, Western Flyer.

USRA PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Boubin Tire & Automotive, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, Day Motor Sports, SpeedNet Direct.

USRA CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: COMP Cams, Eibach Springs, Forty9Designs.com, Genesis Shocks, Hooker Custom Harness, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, PBM Performance Products, Real Racing Wheels, Wehrs Machine and Racing Products.