Afton Motorsports crowns 2018 track champions

All track champions to defend their titles in 2019

AFTON – This past Saturday night the curtain came down on the 2018 racing season at the Afton Motorsports Park as the season ending banquet was held at the Afton River Club.

Following the buffet dinner Leon Andrus served as Master of Ceremonies for the festive evening as the top five in all divisions with the exception of the Four Cylinder Trucks, where the top three were recognized with customized plaques and point fund money.

The ZMK Construction Modified division saw Carbondale, Pa. driver Brett Tonkin capture his second career track championship at the Afton oval. Tonkin indicated that he will be back with an all new Hig Fab Chassis to defend his track championship.

Tonkin only won one feature during the year, but also only had one did not finish and this allowed him to total 710 points to win the track championship. Tonkin’s father in law Mitch Gibbs ended up second in points with no feature wins and 698 points. Rusty Smith was third in points with one feature win and 675 points. Craig Hanson won the final night of points which vaulted him from eighth to fourth in the final points with 639 markers. Darwin R. Greene won one feature during the year and ended up fifth in points with 638.

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In the Butler Auto Sales Crate Sportsman division Otisville, NY driver Corey Cormier made the weekly one hour and forty minute one way drive to Afton pay off with his first career Afton track championship. Cormier will be back to defend his title in 2019.

Cormier won five features during the year to toal 736 points to win the championship. Gary Smith won two features during the year and ended up second in points with 692 points. Aaron Shelton won one feature during the year and ended up third in points with 637 points. Second generation driver Blaine Klinger won one feature during the year and ended up fourth in points with 631 markers. Rob Loucks won one feature during the year and ended up fifth in points with 570.

The Chambers & O’ Hara Open Sportsman division produced a wild finish in the points. Going into the final night of points Dennis Clapperton of Oxford, NY was third and needed a win and a massive amount of help to win the points. Well that is exactly what happend as the second generation driver won his first career track championship. Dennis will be back to defend his title.

Clapperton won one feature and wound up with 680 points. Dave Rosa used consistent finishes to end up second with no feature wins and 678 points. Bill Deckleman ended up winning three features and 604 points to end up in third. Craig Pope won two features to earn 603 points to finish fourth in points. Tyler Hart ended up fifth in points with no feature wins and 602 points.

The Trophy Guy and Sports Connection IMCA Modifieds produced due to an ironic situation dealing with their sanctioning body, IMCA, two track champions in Beau Ballard and Tyler Stoddard.

With the final point show for the division taking place during the IMCA Super Nationals, that nights race only counted for track points as IMCA National, Regional, and Track points were concluded the week prior.

With all of these scenarios taking place Beau Ballard of Grand Gorge, NY with one feature win was declared and recognized by IMCA as the IMCA Track Champion and he will be back to defend his title.