Track Champions left to right. (modified lite) Bob Bunne, (Street stock) Travis Krause, (MW Mod) Jesse Frericks, (Super Stocks) Nick Herrick, (USRA Modifieds) Mike Sorensen not pictured, (Late Model) Bob Timm. (Bill Nelson photo.)

GRAND MEADOW, Minn. -- Deer Creek Speedway held its annual award banquet in front of full house at Grumpy's in Grand Meadow Minnesota with 430 people checking in for the evenings meal. Many other drivers arrived later for the awards presentation. After a great meal catered by Grumpy's and John Hardee's Bar-B-Que of Rochester the award presentation got underway.

First up were the contingency awards donated by many local businesses. Tracy Clement for Featherlite had four jackets on hand that were given to Todd Klees(USRA), Tate Bestor(Modified Lite), Mark Oeltjenbruns(Super Stock) and Steve Yaggy(Late Model) North Beverage gave a Bag to Jerry Bloom(Late Model, a chair to Gary Nordine(MW Mod) and a coller to Mike Gains(Modified Lite). Sun Place Tanning gift certificates to Kevin Hager(Super Stock) and Brian Kiehne(Modified Lite), EZ Chassis Store Coupon and Sweatshirt to Bob Bunne(Modified Lite/MW Mod) and Josh Mattick(Late Model). Mark Teske Racing $75.00 Dyno Time, Jeff Peterson(Street Stock) and Nick Kramer(MW Mod). ARD Premier Machine - Fuel Jug to Chris Klinger(Super Stocks), Funnel to Joe Bunne(Modified Lite/MW Mod), $25 Certificate to Chuck Nerland(Street Stock), $25 Certificate to Jesse Frericks(MW Mod). $100 certificate to Action Engineering courtesy of Jerry Bloom plus a Home Federal Polo shirt, Jeff O'Conner(Modified Lite) $100 certificate to D&C plus a Polo Shirt - Doug Herrick (Street Stocks). Action Engineering $100 Coupon to Schatney Sanders(Super Stock), Eastwood Auto Car Cover to Dan Fagerlind, Advantage Distribution and Lubricants case of oil to Joey Schaefer(USRA) and Jim Gansen(Late Model).

Sportsmanship and Rookie of the year. Left to right, Steve Yaggy, Bob Bunne. (Bill Nelson photo.)

Snap on Tool $100 Certificate to Jerry Young, Steve Yaggy Jacket and Shirt to Dean Hobbs(Super Stock) LRM $100 gift certificate to Snap On to James Parker(USRA) and $100 to Kramer Motorsports to Brad Waits(Late Model), Pepsi Jacket to Fred Prudoehl(Street Stock), North Side Tire Town Jacket to Ben Mattick(Late Model), Kramer Motorsports $50 Certificates to Jason Gabrielson(Street Stock and Bruce Angst(USRA), D&C Racing 2 Bart Wheels to Tim Siercks(MW Mod), 2 IMCA Tires to Neil Eckhart(USRA), 2 Hoosier Tires to Ryan Weber(MW Mod), $50 certificate to Roger Herrick(Late Model) Mike Sorensen(USRA), Tyler Clark(USRA), Jeff Metejka(Late Model), Drew Jech(Modified Lite), Dave Siercks(USRA), Cole Queensland(Super Stock), Lance Matthees(Late Model). !0 gal. Gas of 15 gal of Alcohol to Steve Eischens(Street Stock), Jeff Jech(Modified Lite), David Gustafson(Street Stock), Vince Corbin(Street Stock), Heather Rayman(MW Mod), Nick Herrick(Super Stock), Bob Timm(Late Model), Travis Krause(Street Stock). J&J Design $100 certificate to Harlan Morehart(MW Mod), Roger Torgerson(Late Model). 50% off J&J Design complete Body to Jim Arnold(MW Mod)

Most Improved left ot right. Travis Krause, Ryan Weber, Nick Herrick, Todd Klees, Roger Torgerson, Tate Bestor. (Bill Nelson photo.)

Track Announcers Todd Narveson and John Westgard MC'd the program. An overview of the season was given to the spectators. 578 different cars checked into the back gate during the racing season with a track average of 138 cars per night. These totals did not include the Fall Jamboree.

The track sponsors and those who commited valuable services to the racetrack during the 2003 racing season were presented plaques. D&C racing Products, Torgerson Auto, Essig Insurance Agency, VanMinsel Auto Body, Hovda Insurance Agency, Expert Insulation, Eastwood Auto, Freedom Exteriors, Hyland Motor Company, Northern Beverage, First State Bank of LeRoy, Brekke Fireplace, Thein Well, Apollo Liquor, Affordable Business Solutions, Meadow Area News, Baudoin Oil Company, Andy's Liquor, Hangar Bar & Grill, Sleep Inn & Sleeps, Glynns Motor Mart, Majerus Garage, Carla's Finish Line, Whitewater Wireless, ARD Premier Machining, Quality Auto Sales, Kramer Motorsports, Images on Metal, John Hardy's BBQ, Brad Skifter, Snap On, Keystone Automotive, Carlsen Enterprises, Hayfield T-Shirts, Don's IGA, Sunplace Tanning, Featherlite Trailers Inc. Valley Trailer Sales, Insty Prints, Pine Cone Restaurant, Tolly's Time Out, Schmidt Trucking, Green Lawn, Universal Marine & RV, Feath erlite Graphics, Valley Home Improvement, Bigelow Enterprises, H.I.P. Dirt Doctor Trucking, Sorensen/Sorensen painting, Fitzpatrick Construction, Joe Fitzpatrick, Carl Anderson, Bucknell Construction, Yaggy Specialized Trucking, KTL Photography, Moody's Towing, Arlie's Towing, Harvest States, Valley Transportation, Grumpy's and Pepsi,

The award presentation for the drivers came up with some new twists as a selection committee came up with some names for the Most improved categories, Rookie of the year, Hard Knocks awards and Sportsmanship Awards. In the most improved WISSOTA Late Model Roger Torgerson was given the honor with recognition to Jerry Bloom, Lance Matthees and Bob Timm. Most Improved USRA Modified went to Todd Klees with Craig Shaw, Dave Siercks and Mike Sorensen receiving recognition. For the WISSOTA Super Stocks Nick Herrick received the Most Improved driver with recognition to Mark Oeltjenbruns, Cole Queensland and Schatney Sanders. Ryan Weber received the most improved driver for the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds with Jesse Frericks, Brian Hernandez and Tim Siercks receiving recognition. In the WISSOTA Street Stocks Travis Krause was named most improved with Vince Corbin and Tom McEldowney receiving recognition. Tate Bestor took home the honors in the Modified Lite's with Rick Utley and Roni VanRiper receiving recognition.

A hotly contested Rookie of the year honor went to Bob Bunne in teh Modified Lites with Neil Eckhart, Joey Schaefer and Jerry Bloom receiving recognition. The Hard Knock award of the season went to Paul Novotny in the Late Model division with Nick Kramer and Gary Nordine receiving recognition. The Sportsmanship Award for the season went to Steve Yaggy with James Parker, Nick Kramer, Travis Krause, Dave Haberman and Shaw Brothers Racing receiving recognition.

Deer Creek brought out a slide show of the drivers in the Modified lites, WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds and WISSOTA Street Stocks that had the crowd laughing and cheering for their favorite drivers photos.

The second through tenth place drivers in the modified lites came up onto the stage with the second through fourth receiving trophies. Jeff Jech, Tate Bestor, Brian Kiehne, Mike Gaines, Rick Utley, Daniel Wendt, Joe Bunne, Roni VanRiper and Jeremy Anderson.

The second through tenth place drivers in the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds moved to the stage with Ryan Weber, Dan Fagerlind, Tim Siercks, Chad Herman, Brian Hernandez, Bob Bunne, Harlan Morehart, Scott Gronvold, Joe Wernecke

WISSOTA Street Stock drivers moved up to the stage with Jeff Brauer, John Bushman, Vince Corbin, Jason Gabrielson, Mark Hovland, Greg Erickson, Chuck Nerland, Fred Prudoehl and Tom McEldowney.

The WISSOTA Super Stock drivers took their accolades next after a slide show of their division with Mark Oeltjenbruns, Schatney Sanders, Bill Clemens, Kevin Hager, Dave Haberman, Cole Queensland, Mark Teske, Mark Wytaske and Chris Klinger rounding out the top ten.

The USRA modified slide show had the crowd laughing as a shark fin swam across the bottom of the screen as the picture of Todd Scharkey and the Landshark car came up on the screen. The second through tenth place drivers were Neil Eckhart, Bob Timm, Joey Schaefer, Bruce Angst, Todd Klees, Jay Ihrke, Dave Siercks, Jay Poidinger and Brad Waits rounding out the field. USRA President Todd Staley was on hand to present the drivers their top ten checks. Todd gave a brief speech which echoed the sentiments of many in the room when he thanked Deer Creek and the promoters of the Queensland family as being honest and having an open door policy to all of their drivers and fans.

The WISSOTA Late Model top ten came up on the screen next with drivers Mark Teske, Brad Waits, Ben Mattick, Roger Torgerson, Jerry Bloom, Lance Matthees, Paul Novotny, Jeff Patchen and Roger Herrick taking their accolades.

The track champions in all six divisions made their way to the stage next with Bob Timm(WISSOTA Late Models), Mike Sorensen (USRA Modifieds), Nick Herrick (WISSOTA Super Stock), Travis Krause (WISSOTA Street Stocks), Jesse Frericks (WISSOTA MW Modifieds) and Bob Bunne (Modified Lite). Each driver was presented a Deer Creek Leather Jacket along with their drivers check and trophies.

In the Late Model, Super Stock and Modified divisions the track champions also were given their choice of a new chassis or the use of a new Featherlite trailer for the next season. Bob Timm took home a new Mastersbilt Late Model with the other nine drivers getting their name put into a hat for a drawing for the use of the trailer. Brad Waits had his name drawn and will be using the trailer the next season. In the USRA Modifieds Mike Sorensen took the new EZ-Chassis while Joey Schaefer had his name drawn for the trailer. In the Super stocks Nick Herrick took the new EZ-Chassis car and Cole Queensland was drawn for the new trailer.

The chassis and trailer program were done courtesy of Featherlite Trailers, Sun Place Tanning, H.I.P. Universal Marine and RV, Carla's Finish Line, VanMinsel Auto Body, Snap On Tools, Baudoin Oil Company, Bigelow Enterprises, The Pin Cone Restaurant, Insty Prints, Tesk Holm Enterprises, ARD Premier Machining, Freedom Exteriors, Valley Featherlite Trailers, LRM, EZ-Chassis, Extreme Powder Coating, Torgerson Auto Sales.

Tech Man Jeff Therring ended the evenings festivities by giving a speech to the gathered crowd expressing his gratitude to the Queensland family and the promotion of Dirt Track racing in general in Southern Minnesota. The crowd concurred with the speech as they stood for a standing ovation to the Queensland Family.

A local Southern Minnesota driver Darin Toot and pit man Chuck Beers were recently injured in an accident at the LaCrosse Speedway and tonight a helmet was passed and a total of $978.00 was collected from the gathered guests and the banquet and will be given to the two gentleman to help with medical expenses.

Over the past fall Deer Creek personel has been concentrating on making some track improvements to help upgrade the quality of racing at the Southern Minnesota Speedplant. Some new banking has been graded into the racing surface and some widening of the track in some key areas has taken place. It will be really interesting to see the drivers looks next spring when they hit the track for the first time after the reconfiguration. Some minor improvements will be done to the rest of the facility throughout the year but the main concentration will be put towards the track surface during this off season.

Another full schedule will be announced shortly with the return of the Featherlite/USMTS Fall Jamboree on the 22nd through the 25th of September. Stay tuned for a very exciting schedule for the Southern Minnesota Speedplant or check into www.deercreekspeedway.com for updates.