Minutes of the January 8, 2012 General Meeting

 

Meeting held at the Crowne Plaza Valley Forge, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania

 

Election of three Board of Directors, two two-year terms, one one-year term:  Candidates: Jeffrey Gromis, J.R. Kennerup, Earl Krause, Ace Lane Jr., Dave Moulthrop, Dino Oberto, Susan Patrick, Bob Yurko.  Krause, Oberto, and Yurko elected.

 

Treasurer’s Report: Jeff Gromis reported $9,985 in treasury with final settlement of Convention expenses pending and additional monies due from Convention activities sponsors.

 

Secretary’s Report: John Snyder requested members inform both he and Ron Hedger of any e-mail or post office address changes.

 

President’s Report: Ron Hedger summarized EMPA activities that took place in 2011, including achieving recognition from the IRS of our non-profit organization status.  He cited member Gary Rowe for working with Treasurer Gromis in negotiating the IRS bureaucratic minefield.

 

Hedger thanked all who were involved in making the Convention a rousing success.  The 2013 Convention will again be held at the Valley Forge Crowne Plaza the first weekend of January.

 

Members wishing a hard copy of the Membership Directory should contact Hedger.

 

All members, but especially those who won contest prizes, are urged to send acknowledgements to the sponsors.

 

Members interested in serving on committees should contact any officer or current committee chair.

 

A keynote speaker will be part of next year’s convention.

 

Membership Report: Active membership now exceeds 130, but there are certain areas where recruiting could yield additional members.  Specifically, this includes New England, Western Pennsylvania, and Delaware and Maryland. 

 

Writers Contest Report: Committee Chair Oberto reported an increase in participation and both he and the judge were impressed with the quality of the work.  Oberto asked members, and especially contest participants, to send thank you notes to contest sponsor Pocono Raceway.

 

Photography Contest Report: Committee Chair Yurko reported the on-site contest judging went smoothly.  The winning photo boards will be part of the upcoming “Moonshine to Millionaires – NASCAR’s History, Heroes and Technology” exhibit at the Saratoga Automobile Museum as well as at Motorsports 2012.

 

Video and Broadcast Contest Report: The reinstated Video and Broadcast Contest was successful, and should attract additional entries in future years.  American Honda Motor Co., Inc. came on board as the sponsor.  There will be some adjustment to the rules.

 

Other items discussed: (1) Request for a Book Contest. (2) Further refining the Video Contest. 

 

Meeting adjourned.

 

President’s Post-Convention Remarks: We didn’t get to it because the well-deserved standing ovation got us off-track, but I intended to include a lifetime membership with the President’s Award that Len Sammons and I gave Bill Yoder at the NASCAR HoF dinner Saturday night.  Bill joins Andy Belmont and Ernie and Marilyn Saxton as lifetime members who have done a great deal to build the EMPA over the years.  We appreciate them all.

 

Scott Hunter, who represented the family of the late Jim Hunter at the HoF dinner, revealed that he intends to bring his mother to present the Jim Hunter Award in 2013.

 

Attendance at Saturday’s HoF dinner was substantially higher than last year.  We will continue to offer attendance as a membership benefit, with guests (spouses, friends, etc.) welcome through either the weekend or HoF only guest fee program.  Please respond prior to the deadline next year, as it is very difficult to add and adjust when people call the night before the event, or just show up at the door with a friend.  We are an organization of professionals and encourage everyone to further that image with appropriate attention to requests.

 

On a similar note, many votes for the awards and HoF election went uncounted this year (as they always do) because they arrived so far after the deadline that the awards had already been ordered.  We extended the deadline by six days, as many categories had ongoing ties, but 20 or so votes arrived after that deadline and even after the Convention!  The awards mean a great deal to the winners, so please vote in a timely manner next year.

 

E-mail voting for the board of directors worked well again, with the votes added to those of the members at the general meeting.  Elected were Dino Oberto and Earl Krause for two-year terms and Bob Yurko for the one-year seat.  Thanks to all who ran and made the election interesting.  We will do it again in 2013, when the three-year seats held by me and Len Sammons expire along with Bob’s seat.

 

Diane Tracy and Debbie Gastelu handled the photo contest registration and record keeping this year and did a great job.  Thanks to both; and to Terri Anastor and Pam Krause for taking care of the member and guest sign-in duties.

 

Robin Ervin needs bios to complete the HoF section of the EMPA website.  Herb Anastor has done a large number recently but they need help for those members who know about the drivers lacking bios.

 

Mike Petrucci and Pete MacDonald have offered to help Robin with computer and website issues; which is greatly appreciated.

 

Finally, we had new members win in the writing, photography, and video contests.  Congratulations to all and to the veterans who also scored.  The level of achievement exhibited continues to rise.  Good luck with your 2012 seasons as you accumulate your entries for January 2013.  But first, please send thank-you notes too the sponsors.  ---Ron Hedger, President EMPA

 

The diecast autographed IndyCar raffle netted $1,280 for the Dan Weldon Family Trust.  Thanks to Joe Kaminski for providing the car; and congratulations to Barbara Kuhlmann who now possesses a one-of-a-kind racing souvenir.

 

EMPA Convention, Contests, and Awards Sponsors:

 

Convention                                          

 

Gary Camp                                          Kate Guerra, Public Relations               NASCAR

Dover International Speedway               IZOD IndyCar Series                           Attn- Sissie Perdue

1131 N. DuPont Highway                    4565 W. 16th Street                             P.O. Box 2875

Dover, DE 19901                                 Indianapolis, IN 46222.                        Daytona Beach, FL 32124 IZOD IndyCar Series

 

Chris Dolack                                        Erik Anderson, VP Media Relations

World Racing Group                            SPEED

7575-D West Winds Blvd.                   1220 W. W.T. Harris Blvd.

Concord, NC 28027                            Charlotte, NC 28262

                                                           

Contests and Awards

 

 Pocono Raceway PO BOX 500
Long Pond Rd.
Long Pond, PA 18334

   

Brice's NAPA

626 Park Ave
Freehold, NJ 07728

John Holland New England Race Fuels

271 Spielman Hwy Burlington, CT 06013

            

American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

Attn- T. E. McHale

1919 Torrance Blvd.

MS: 100-3W-4A

Torrance, CA 90501

 

Needed Hall of Fame Biographies:

 

Jack Arute Sr.                          Lou Blaney         Frank Blunk                      Gerald Chamberlain

Myke Collins                            C.D. Coville                             Glenn Donnelly            

Tony Ferraiuolo                        Pete Frazee                              Al Hamilton

Ted Johnson                             Red Kirsch                               Alan Kreitzer

Will Kreitzer                             Mike Magill                              George Marshman

George Nesler                          Larry Nuber                             Bill O’Rourke

                             Forrest Rogers (also photo)      Bill Simmons (also photo)

Bill Singer (also photo)  Steve Smith                              Ken Squire

Tim Sullivan                              Carl Sweigart                           Merv Treichler (also photo)

Bob Weikert                            Kenny Weld                             Lindy Vicari (only photo)

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STEWART, ECKERT TOP THE LIST OF HONOREES AT ANNUAL NASCAR/EMPA HALL OF FAME BANQUET

Writer Jerry Reigle and Photographer Lee Smith Garner EMPA Awards

 

KING OF PRUSSIA, PA (January 9).…..Tony Stewart, winner of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup championship, and dirt track Late Model driver Rick Eckert, winner of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series championship, topped the list of racing personalities and media members honored during the NASCAR/EMPA Hall of Fame Banquet Saturday night, January 7, at the Crowne Plaza Valley Forge in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

 

Chosen by the members of the Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA), Stewart was tabbed the Al Holbert Memorial National Driver of the Year, while Eckert was voted the Richie Evans Memorial Northeast Driver of the Year. Eckert was present to accept his award.

 

Other honorees included IZOD IndyCar head Randy Bernard who was named the T. Wayne Robertson Newsmaker of the Year, while Long Island Modified driver Justin Bonsignore was chosen by the EMPA members as the winner of the John Blewett III Young Guns Award Presented by New England Racing Fuel. Pennsylvania businessman and longtime racing supporter Stan Lobitz received the Junie Donlavey Spirit of the Sport Award. Bonsignore and Lobitz were present to accept their awards.

 

Inducted into the EMPA Hall of Fame were the late Frank Blunk, The New York Times Motorsports Editor; the late Jim Hunter, NASCAR executive and former Darlington Raceway president; retired dirt track Modified star driver Jack Johnson; retired NASCAR and independent dirt and asphalt star driver Merv Treichler; the late Jack Arute Sr., owner and promoter of Stafford Motor Speedway in Stafford Springs, Connecticut, and the late Bill Singer, longtime race track announcer and radio personality. Members of the Hunter, Arute, and Singer families were present for the inductions.

 

EMPA members also recognized their own for outstanding contributions to the sport. The late Jerry Reigle, former daily newspaper reporter and Assistant Editor of Area Auto Racing News, was awarded the Jim Hunter Memorial Writers Award, and Lee Smith, Area Auto Racing News and other publications, was voted the Ace Lane Sr. Memorial Photography Award. The late Dick Greenawalt received the Art McHugh Memorial Award for his contributions to EMPA. Members of the Greenawalt family were present to receive his award. The President’s Award, which is not given every year, went to retiring EMPA Treasurer Bill Yoder, who had held the position since the organization was founded.

 

World Racing Group initiated a new award this year, the Jerry Reigle Outstanding Contribution to Sprint Car Racing Award presented by the World of Outlaws. The first recipient of this award (which will be given annually) was Pennsylvania race track promoter Alan Kreitzer. Accepting his award, Kreitzer announced a special racing program at Lincoln Speedway this coming May that will benefit the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing building fund, especially the Jerry Reigle Racing Library.

 

A highlight of the evening was the awarding of prizes in the organization’s video and broadcast, writing, and photography contests. Winning first places in the American Honda Motor Company/EMPA Video and Broadcast Contest were Matt Thomas, Non-Broadcast Race Coverage; Mel Thomas, Non-Broadcast Non-Event/Compilation Videos; Brian Unangst, Broadcast Local/Regional News Segment and Broadcast Local/Regional Auto Racing Shows; and Matt Thomas, Broadcast Race Coverage Single Event.

 

Winning top honors in the Pocono Raceway/EMPA Writers Contest were Len Sammons, Race Report; Chuck Givler, Personality Profile; Andy Heintzelman, Feature; John Snyder, Column; and Kyle Hardner, News. Sammons, Snyder, and Hardner’s articles appeared in Area Auto Racing News; Givler was cited for an Easton (PA) Express-Times piece; while Heintzelman’s feature was in Performance Racing Industry, a monthly trade magazine.

 

Photographers earning first place recognition in the Brice’s/NAPA/EMPA Photography Contest were Dave Pratt for Action; Mike Petrucci for Crash Action; Tommy Hein for the Don Marks Memorial Action Sequence; Ace Lane Jr. for Picture Story; Petrucci for Portrait and Personality; Rebecca Eisele for Feature; Dave Dalesandro for Unpublished Color; and Brent Smith for Pure Art.

 

Ace Lane Jr. won the Portfolio of the Year Award, while Rebecca Eisele took home top honors for Best in Show. The Janice Brice “Honorable Mention” Award went to Jim Smith.

 

The EMPA Convention included press conferences, seminars, presentations by track and racing series promoters, as well as the video and broadcast, writing, and photography member contests, social interaction with all types of American motorsports personalities, and the NASCAR-sponsored Hall of Fame Banquet. This year’s keynote speaker was Stewart Doty, publisher/editor of Racing Promotion Monthly Newsletter and organizer of the annual RPM Promoters Workshops. Doty was substituting for IndyCar reporter and television personality Robin Miller, who was hospitalized in Indianapolis the evening prior to his scheduled appearance.

 

A roundtable seminar on The New Media with Doty, Chris Dolack (World Racing Group), and Evan Jones (Maple Grove Raceway) produced a lively participation from the gathered writers and photographers.

 

Sponsors of the EMPA Convention included NASCAR (represented by Tim Southers, Whelen Modified Tour champion Ron Silk, and driver Michael Speeney); Dover International Speedway (Gary Camp); IZOD IndyCar Series (Kate Guerra); Pocono Raceway (Kevin Heaney); SPEED-TV; World Racing Group/DIRTcar/WoO (Chris Dolack, Kevin Kovac, and Joe Skotnicki); New England Racing Fuel; American Honda Motor Company; and Brice’s Auto Parts, Inc./NAPA (Bill Brice).

 

 

American Honda Motor Company/EMPA Video and Broadcast Contest

Non-Broadcast Division

RACE COVERAGE (1) Matt Thomas, (2) Mike O’Brien

NON-EVENT/COMPILATION VIDEOS (1) Mel Thomas, (2) Brian Unangst

Broadcast Division

LOCAL/REGIONAL NEWS SEGMENT (1) Brian Unangst

LOCAL/REGIONAL AUTO RACING PROGRAMS (1) Brian Unangst, (2) Mike Feltenberger and Randy Kane

National Programs AND Single Event Coverage

RACE COVERAGE-SINGLE EVENT (1) Matt Thomas, (2) Mike Feltenberger and Randy Kane

 

Pocono Raceway/EMPA Writers Contest Award Winners

RACE REPORT (1) Len Sammons, (2) Dino Oberto, (3) Ron Hedger

PERSONALITY PROFILE (1) Chuck Givler, (2) Chris Romano, (3) Len Sammons

FEATURE (1) Andy Heintzelman, (2) Chris Romano, (3) Ron Hedger

COLUMN (1) John Snyder, (2) Matt Noles, (3) JR Kennerup

NEWS (1) Kyle Hardner, (2) Len Sammons, (3) Dino Oberto

 

Brice’s Auto Parts, Inc./NAPA/EMPA Photography Contest Award Winners

ACTION (1) Dave Pratt, (2), and (3) Dave Pratt

CRASH ACTION (1) Mike Petrucci, (2) Jim Smith, (3) Lee Smith

DON MARKS MEMORIAL ACTION SEQUENCE (1) Tommy Hein, (2) Ace Lane Jr., (3) Todd Dziadosz

PICTURE STORY (1) Ace Lane Jr., (2) Dave Dalesandro, (3) Paul Arch

PORTRAIT AND PERSONALITY (1) Mike Petrucci, (2) Paul Arch, (3) Mike Petrucci

FEATURE (1) Rebecca Eisele, (2) Dave Dalesandro, (3) Rick Sweeten

UNPUBLISHED COLOR (1) Dave Dalesandro, (2) Rick Sweeten, (3) Brent Smith

PURE ART (1) Brent Smith, (2) Debbie Gastelu, (3) Bob Yurko

PORTFOLIO OF THE YEAR Ace Lane Jr.

BEST OF SHOW Rebecca Eisele

JANICE BRICE “HONORABLE MENTION” AWARD Jim Smith