The History of the EMPA- The 1990's
1990
January 5-7 1990- Held at the Trevose PA Hilton Hotel
As published in the Jan 9 1990 issue of AARN.
Frank Blunk Writer of the Year Award- Buffy Swanson
Ace Lane Photographer of the Year Award- Kevin Barnes
Hall of Fame- Will Kreitzer, Jerry Fried, Lee Petty
Driver of the Year Award- Bruce Larson-Funny Car champion
The Mattioilis, from Pocono Raceway donated a plot of land for the Lehigh Valley Quarter Midget Club which had lost its lease in its former location at Kuhnsville PA.
1991
January 11-13 1991- Held at the Trevose PA Ramada Convention Center and Hotel
As published in the Jan 15 1991 issue of AARN.
Frank Blunk Writer of the Year Award- Terry Bickhart of the Reading Eagle Times in PA.
Ace Lane Photographer of the Year Award- Mel Stettler
Hall of Fame- Dutch Hoag, Sam Nunis
Driver of the Year Award- Jimmy Horton
1992
January 10-12 1992 Held at the Trevose PA Ramada Convention Center and Hotel
As published in the Jan 14 1992 issue of AARN.
Frank Blunk Writer of the Year Award- Ron Hedger of National Speed Sport News
Ace Lane Photographer of the Year Award- Harold Hoch
Hall of Fame- Wally Dallenbach Sr, Ed 'Dutch' Schaefer
Driver of the Year Award- Michael Andretti
1993
January 8-10 1993 Held at the King of Prussia PA Holiday Inn
As published in the Jan 13 1993 issue of AARN.
Frank Blunk Writer of the Year Award- Keith Waltz of National Speed Sport News
Ace Lane Photographer of the Year Award- Mike Adaskaveg of the Boston Herald
Hall of Fame- Maynard Troyer, George Marshman
Driver of the Year Award- Billy Pauch
1994
January 7-9 1994 Held at the King of Prussia PA Holiday Inn
As published in the Jan 11 1994 issue of AARN.
Frank Blunk Writer of the Year Award- Bones Bourcier of Open Wheel and Stock Car Racing Magazines.
Ace Lane Photographer of the Year Award-Marty Gordner
Hall of Fame- Bill 'Grumpy' Jenkins, Ray Hendrick, Nigel Mansell
Driver of the Year Award- Rusty Wallace
1995
25TH Annual Convention
January 6-8 1995. Held at the King of Prussia Holiday Inn
Awards as published in the Jan 10 issue of AARN.
Frank Blunk Writer of the Year Award- Mike Harris of the Associated Press
Ace Lane Photographer of the Year Award- Art Ruppert
Hall of Fame- Ed Flemke, Joe Kelly, Wally Campbell, Jigs Peters, Tim Richmond, Bobby Allison
Driver of the Year Award- "Barefoot" Bob McCredie
Newsmaker Award- Jeff Gordon
1st annual Art McHugh Award - Ernie Saxton
The award is given to person who works tirelessly behind the scenes for betterment of sport of auto racing and the EMPA.
1996
January 5-7 1996. Held at the Valley Forge Pa Holiday Inn
Awards as published in the Jan 16 issue of AARN.
Frank Blunk Writer of the Year Award- Earl Krause of AARN
Ace Lane Photographer of the Year Award- Connie Foster
Hall of Fame- Earl Halaquist, Neil Bonnet, Rags Carter, Jackie Mclaughlin, Bill Schindler
Driver of the Year Award- 1995 Winston Cup Champion Jeff Gordon
Newsmaker Award- Tony George- President of IMS
Art McHugh Award- Ernie Saxton
Ernie Saxton reelected as the EMPA President.
1997
January 3-5 1997. Held at the Trevose Pa Radisson Inn and Hotel
Awards as published in the Jan 7 issue of AARN.
Frank Blunk Writer of the Year Award- Greg Zyla
Ace Lane Photographer of the Year Award- Joe Kaminski
Hall of Fame-JD McDuffie, Nick Fornoro, Sonny Kleinfield
Driver of the Year Award- Terry labonte
Newsmaker Award- Bruton Smith- CEO of Speedway Motorsports Inc.
Art McHugh Award- Bill Yoder
Special Presentation- The EMPA founders Red Kirsch, Al Consoli, John Ernesto and Ernie Saxton were honored as the founders of the EMPA.
1998
January 9-11 1998. Held at the Trevose Pa Radisson Inn and Hotel
Awards as published in the Jan 13 issue of AARN.
Frank Blunk Writer of the Year Award- Kevin Kovac
Ace Lane Photographer of the Year Award- Bob Yurko
Hall of Fame- Richard Petty, Ken Brenn Sr., Frankie Schneider, Johnny Coy Sr., Pete Frazee, Pappy Hough
Driver of the Year Award- Gary Scelzi- Top Fuel Dragracer
1st annual North East Driver of the Year Award- Mike Stefanick
Newsmaker Award- Steve Park.
Art McHugh Award- Earl Krause
1999
January 8-10 1999. Held at the Trevose Pa Radisson Inn and Hotel
Awards as published in the Jan 12 issue of AARN.
Frank Blunk Writer of the Year Award- Ron Hedger
Ace Lane Photographer of the Year Award- Ace Lane Jr.
Hall of Fame- "Big Daddy" Don Garlis, Gerald Chamberlain, Ed Darrell, Elton Hildreth, George Nesler, Bob O'Rourke
Driver of the Year Award- Dale Earnhardt Jr.
North East Driver of the Year Award- Fred Rahmer
Newsmaker Award-T.Wayne Robertson-President of Sports Marketing Enterprises for RJR Tobacco.
Award was officially renamed the T.Wayne Robertson Newsmaker Award
Art McHugh Award- Vicki Gehris
January 5-7 1990- Held at the Trevose PA Hilton Hotel
As published in the Jan 9 1990 issue of AARN.
Frank Blunk Writer of the Year Award- Buffy Swanson
Ace Lane Photographer of the Year Award- Kevin Barnes
Hall of Fame- Will Kreitzer, Jerry Fried, Lee Petty
Driver of the Year Award- Bruce Larson-Funny Car champion
The Mattioilis, from Pocono Raceway donated a plot of land for the Lehigh Valley Quarter Midget Club which had lost its lease in its former location at Kuhnsville PA.
1991
January 11-13 1991- Held at the Trevose PA Ramada Convention Center and Hotel
As published in the Jan 15 1991 issue of AARN.
Frank Blunk Writer of the Year Award- Terry Bickhart of the Reading Eagle Times in PA.
Ace Lane Photographer of the Year Award- Mel Stettler
Hall of Fame- Dutch Hoag, Sam Nunis
Driver of the Year Award- Jimmy Horton
1992
January 10-12 1992 Held at the Trevose PA Ramada Convention Center and Hotel
As published in the Jan 14 1992 issue of AARN.
Frank Blunk Writer of the Year Award- Ron Hedger of National Speed Sport News
Ace Lane Photographer of the Year Award- Harold Hoch
Hall of Fame- Wally Dallenbach Sr, Ed 'Dutch' Schaefer
Driver of the Year Award- Michael Andretti
1993
January 8-10 1993 Held at the King of Prussia PA Holiday Inn
As published in the Jan 13 1993 issue of AARN.
Frank Blunk Writer of the Year Award- Keith Waltz of National Speed Sport News
Ace Lane Photographer of the Year Award- Mike Adaskaveg of the Boston Herald
Hall of Fame- Maynard Troyer, George Marshman
Driver of the Year Award- Billy Pauch
1994
January 7-9 1994 Held at the King of Prussia PA Holiday Inn
As published in the Jan 11 1994 issue of AARN.
Frank Blunk Writer of the Year Award- Bones Bourcier of Open Wheel and Stock Car Racing Magazines.
Ace Lane Photographer of the Year Award-Marty Gordner
Hall of Fame- Bill 'Grumpy' Jenkins, Ray Hendrick, Nigel Mansell
Driver of the Year Award- Rusty Wallace
1995
25TH Annual Convention
January 6-8 1995. Held at the King of Prussia Holiday Inn
Awards as published in the Jan 10 issue of AARN.
Frank Blunk Writer of the Year Award- Mike Harris of the Associated Press
Ace Lane Photographer of the Year Award- Art Ruppert
Hall of Fame- Ed Flemke, Joe Kelly, Wally Campbell, Jigs Peters, Tim Richmond, Bobby Allison
Driver of the Year Award- "Barefoot" Bob McCredie
Newsmaker Award- Jeff Gordon
1st annual Art McHugh Award - Ernie Saxton
The award is given to person who works tirelessly behind the scenes for betterment of sport of auto racing and the EMPA.
1996
January 5-7 1996. Held at the Valley Forge Pa Holiday Inn
Awards as published in the Jan 16 issue of AARN.
Frank Blunk Writer of the Year Award- Earl Krause of AARN
Ace Lane Photographer of the Year Award- Connie Foster
Hall of Fame- Earl Halaquist, Neil Bonnet, Rags Carter, Jackie Mclaughlin, Bill Schindler
Driver of the Year Award- 1995 Winston Cup Champion Jeff Gordon
Newsmaker Award- Tony George- President of IMS
Art McHugh Award- Ernie Saxton
Ernie Saxton reelected as the EMPA President.
1997
January 3-5 1997. Held at the Trevose Pa Radisson Inn and Hotel
Awards as published in the Jan 7 issue of AARN.
Frank Blunk Writer of the Year Award- Greg Zyla
Ace Lane Photographer of the Year Award- Joe Kaminski
Hall of Fame-JD McDuffie, Nick Fornoro, Sonny Kleinfield
Driver of the Year Award- Terry labonte
Newsmaker Award- Bruton Smith- CEO of Speedway Motorsports Inc.
Art McHugh Award- Bill Yoder
Special Presentation- The EMPA founders Red Kirsch, Al Consoli, John Ernesto and Ernie Saxton were honored as the founders of the EMPA.
1998
January 9-11 1998. Held at the Trevose Pa Radisson Inn and Hotel
Awards as published in the Jan 13 issue of AARN.
Frank Blunk Writer of the Year Award- Kevin Kovac
Ace Lane Photographer of the Year Award- Bob Yurko
Hall of Fame- Richard Petty, Ken Brenn Sr., Frankie Schneider, Johnny Coy Sr., Pete Frazee, Pappy Hough
Driver of the Year Award- Gary Scelzi- Top Fuel Dragracer
1st annual North East Driver of the Year Award- Mike Stefanick
Newsmaker Award- Steve Park.
Art McHugh Award- Earl Krause
1999
January 8-10 1999. Held at the Trevose Pa Radisson Inn and Hotel
Awards as published in the Jan 12 issue of AARN.
Frank Blunk Writer of the Year Award- Ron Hedger
Ace Lane Photographer of the Year Award- Ace Lane Jr.
Hall of Fame- "Big Daddy" Don Garlis, Gerald Chamberlain, Ed Darrell, Elton Hildreth, George Nesler, Bob O'Rourke
Driver of the Year Award- Dale Earnhardt Jr.
North East Driver of the Year Award- Fred Rahmer
Newsmaker Award-T.Wayne Robertson-President of Sports Marketing Enterprises for RJR Tobacco.
Award was officially renamed the T.Wayne Robertson Newsmaker Award
Art McHugh Award- Vicki Gehris