Saturday 12/12/09 Horsham, Pa The ATQMRA handed out over $10,000 in cash and awards at their 53^rd annual banquet at the Williamson’s Restaurant in Horsham, Pa.  Alison Cumens was celebrated as the 2009 ATQMRA Driving Champion with Kyle Gardner taking the coveted Rookie of the Year awards.  Top driver Robin Johnston won his first Championship as a car owner.  Lenny Boyd received the prestigious Ray Gastellu award.  The awards were dedicated to the memory of the late great Doug Craig and nearly everyone in attendance went home with a door prize.

Emcee Earl Krause started the evening’s festivities by handing the microphone to Racing with Jesus Ministries’ Bob Menschner for the invocation.  Following dinner the awards were presented.

Alison Cumens became the first female driver in the 53 year history of the ATQMRA to earn the driving title making her one of the first female drivers to garner such an honor with an open wheel sanctioning organization in the history of racing.  She earned the title with consistency.  Pulling down 10 top 5 finishes and 14 top 10s with only 1 DNF Cumens was able to win the title without the benefit of a feature win.  That gave her the distinction of being only the third person to win the championship without scoring a win.  Bob Watkins was the most recent in 07 with Will Ford taking the 1979 title the same way.  The well spoken Cumens began her speech by saying she never thought she could possibly win a championshipin only her second year in a TQ with the level of competition the ATQMRA has with the legendary names she was competing against to win the title.  She however proved herself wrong by winning the title. Cumens thanked her Mom, Dad, her Brother Ian, and Grandfather for supporting her racing efforts.  She went on to thank Colin Martin, Dan Lane, for helping keep the car up while she was in college at Penn State.  She went on to thank Lou Cicconi for his help as well as competitors, Frank Fischer, Don Adams, Paul Lotier Jr. and others.  Cumens looks forward to winning her first feature in 2010. 

Robin Johnston was crowned the 2009 Car owner’s Champion.  Johnston was happy to be crowned champion but his true desire is to win a Driving title with the organization.  Johnston thanked his crew, Peter Duchak and Ted Jones as well as “Liquid” Lou Cicconi for his help in setting the car up and driving it to a second place finish at Bethel Motorsports Park.  Johnston also turned over the ride in his car to Ian Cumens at Sundance Vacation speedway for the double feature night when the Cumens car had engine problems. Cumens pulled down two second place finishes. 

The 8^th Annual Ray Gastelu award presented by Bill and Janice Brice to honor Gastelu’s spirit of mentoring and helping his fellow racer was presented to Lenny Boyd.  Boyd was certainly deserving of the award for the help and dedication he offered his competitors throughout the season. 

The 2009 ATQMRA Rookie of the Year award was presented to Kyle Gardner.  Gardner received numerous contingency awards making the top rookie honor once again one of the most financially lucrative honors at the Banquet.  Gardner thanked Car owner Joe Csernak and his crew of Tom Berry, his Father and Grandfather Craig and Gary Gardner, Allie, and Blu Metz.  Kyle presented his 10^th place points award to Joe in thanks for putting him in the car for the season giving him the opportunity to become the 2009 ATQMRA Rookie of the Year. 

Ted Jones was crowned the ATQMRA 2009 600 Micro Sprint Championship winning car owner with his driver Mark Janisch receiving the driver's top award.

ATQMRA News and Notes:  Earl Krause noted that Matt Janisch and Paul Lotier Jr. were second and third in the Len Sammons Jr. Memorial Points Standings for the indoor series culminating at Boardwalk Hall the end of January by virtue of their top five finishes at Providence.  Dr. Bill Lowe will be awarding $500 to first $300 to second and $200 to third place at the conclusion of the Gambler’s Classic.  Gary Mondschein said plans for the Celebrity Roast of Mr. TQ Alan Mollet are coming together for the beginning of the 2010 season to celebrate the outstanding career of one of the organization’s winningest  car owners.   The generosity of ATQMRA sponsors and members provided enough door prizes that nearly everyone in attendance went home with something.  ACRO Engineering provided a number of hats and T-Shirts.  Don Adams provided a Douglas Wheel, Duchak Racing Engines a case of synthetic oil, and numerous gift baskets and certificates, ATQMRA T shirts, and AARN subscriptions.  .  DJ Joey Metro of Metro Entertainment provided music for dancing for the evening.  The  Collectible 2009 ATQMRA yearbook was handed out to those in attendance and will be available for purchase at ATQMRA events thorughout the season including the Motorsports 2010 show.  Special thanks go out to Jim Smith Photography and Jules at Palmer Trophy and Awards. 

Final Driver Points Standings

1.    Alison Cumens    1340 Fleishman Motors $250 2.    Matt Janisch    1328 3.    Ian Cumens    1328 4.    Paul Lotier    1324 Impact Racing $100  5.    Frank Fischer    1312, Dimension Design $250,.Tim Behmer    1312, 7.    Austin Fehr    1212, 8.    Matt Roselli    1044, 9.    Robin Johnston    1032  10.    Kyle Gardner   Rookie of the Year 852

Rookie of the Year  Kyle Gardner, Dimension Design $250, Impact Racing $100,  Advanced Racing Suspensions $100, Acro Engineering $100,Duchak  Racing Engines $50, Wieland $25

Car Owner Standings

1.    Robin Johnston 13    1328 Dimension Design $250 Acro Engineering $200 Advanced Racing Suspensions $100 Duchak $250 Wieland $25 award,  Impact Racing $100,2.    Lenny and Donna Boyd1B    1324 Wieland $25 , 3.    Blu Metz 48    1316, Impact Racing $100,  4.    Alan Mollet  26    1312  5.   Tim Behmer Sr. 96    1312,  6.    Brent and Andrea Cumens 39    1300,  7.    Brent and Andrea Cumens 79    1264,  Fleishman $250 Certificate,  8.    Denny Reider           73    1212,  Wieland $25  9.    Blu Metz         46    1204,  10.    Colin Martin  36    1080  Hoosier Mid Atlantic Tire Award Jeff Kot and Matt Roselli

Ray Gastellu Award Presented by the Brice’s Lenny Boyd

Sundance Vacation Speedway Champion, Tim Behmer,  Impact Racing $100

Photos Courtesy Jim Smith Motorsports Photography

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