ROCHESTER, Minn. - On Saturday night drivers, crews and fans all gathered at the Eagles Club in Rochester for the annual drivers award banquet — a new setting for the 2009 racing season and a great venue was found for those attending. Some race videos were being shown on the big screen while the guests mingled during the social hour.

John Westgard and Todd Narveson ran the microphones and started the evening out announcing for everyone to take their seats as the first of many highlight reels with a wrecker highlight. The highlight reel showed some of the unfortunate things that happen to racers and racecars and also highlighted the great work and service that Arly's Towing of St. Charles and Moody's Towing of Rochester, which provide the track on every racing event.

The second highlight reel was about the kids at the speedway. It highlighted the youth racers, the youth fans and the highly successful kids club that rolled out in 2009.

Steve Yaggy gave a great invocation before we were treated to a great meal by the Eagles cCub. During the meal, a few contingency awards were handed out along with a few door prizes and some card raffles for great items.

2009 track champion Jason Cummins topped a stellar field of the USRA Modifieds with seven wins in the 2009 campaign with Nate Wasmund taking home second ahead of Mike Sorensen, Greg Jensen and Joel Alberts.

Other highlights for the 2009 racing season saw 497 different drivers race at the speedway in 2009 (four less than 2008). The season high car count was 129 cars and the low was 81. The average for all weekly shows was 99.6 which was a great number in the tough economy.

At the conclusion of the banquet some special awards were given out. The Most Improved Driver Award went to Bobby Swanson in the USRA Modifieds, and the Sportsmanship Award went to Cummins.