Richmond, KY(November 20, 2016) Richmond Raceway co-promoters Larry, Chad, and Sarah Yantz officially closed the book on the 2016 racing season as the track honored the top drivers and track champions with an awards ceremony and cookout on Sunday afternoon at the 3/10 mile semi-banked clay oval better known at “The Beast of the East”.

The Sonic Late Model division would see Jason Barrett of Waco, KY crowned as the 2016 division track champion.  Barrett would score a best feature event finish of second, while also tallying six more top five feature event finishes on the way to claiming his fifth track championship at Richmond Raceway in the Late Model division.  A pair of drivers utilizing Crate powered Late Model entries would complete the podium finishers in the track’s final 2016 Late Model points, with Todd Coffman of Parksville, KY finishing as division track championship runner-up, while Chris Ruble of Waco, KY would claim a third place finish in the final point standings.  Johnny Wheeler of Campbellsville, KY would finish fourth in division points and claim one feature event along the way, while Derek Fisher of Olympia, KY would complete the top five in track points, also totaling one feature event win.  The remainder of the top ten in final track points for the Sonic Late Model division would be Donnie Everman of Clay City, KY, Justin Rattliff of Campbellsville, KY (two feature wins), Tommy Bailey of Corbin, KY (two feature wins), Michael Chilton of Salvisa, KY (two feature wins), and Jake Henry of Junction City, KY.

Blake Brown of Corbin, KY would be crowned as the 2016 Phantom Racing Gear Modified track champion.  A second generation speedster, Brown would total eight feature event wins to dominate the Modified division at the track in 2016 in only his second full season of action in the division.  Keith Smith of Stanton, KY would finish as the division’s track championship runner-up, scoring two feature event victories during the season at the track, while former multi-time track champion Jimmy Robinson of Richmond, KY would score one feature event win on his way to a third place finish in the final point standings for the division.  Zach Powers of Taylorsville, KY would tally enough points to finish in the fourth position, while Cody Smith of Clay City, KY would finish in the fifth position in final track points.  Completing the top ten in Phantom Racing Gear Modified track points for the 2016 campaign would be Jimmy Crabtree of Irvine, KY, former track champion Dennis Roberson of Paris, KY, defending track champion Jeff Watson of Campbellsville, KY, John Jackson of Cynthiana, KY, and Korey Cochran of Richmond, KY.

The AR Bodies KDRA Super Stock division would see Robby Perkins of Ezel, KY claim the 2016 track championship for the highly-competitive division.  Perkins would total one feature event win, with nine more top five finishes, with seven of those finishes being second place efforts.  Jeremie Bretz of Maysville, KY would claim the track championship runner-up position with three feature wins during the season, with Eddie Stewart of Manchester, KY would lead the division with four feature event wins on his way to a third place finish in the final track points.  Jeremy Howard of Berea, KY would finish in the fourth points position, while Brandon Hutchinson of Hi Hat, KY would finish in the fifth points positions, garnering two feature victories along the way.  The second five in the final AR Bodies KDRA Super Stock point standings for 2016 would be Logan Preston of Berea, KY, Travis Preston of Berea, KY, Trae Soper of Nicholasville, KY, Allen Hackworth, Jr. of Waco, KY, and Faron Robinson of Waco, KY.

The Pro-Tow Towing Stock Four Cylinder 2016 track championship would go to Clermont County, OH native Sean Jones.  The Buckeye state driver would pull to Richmond Raceway each weekend and claim one feature event win, along with six more top-five feature event finishes on the way to the track title.  Shane Irvin of Liberty, KY would claim 2016 track championship runner-up honors with two feature event victories along the way, while Tyler Hayes of Pine Ridge, KY would complete the podium finishers in division points with a third place effort.  Brandon Creech of Berea, KY would finish in the fourth position in the final points tally, with Jamison Gipson of Lancaster, KY completing the top five in points with a fifth place season effort.  The remainder of the top ten in final Pro-Tow Towing Stock Four Cylinder division points were Charles Burton of Somerset, KY (one feature win), Greg Hensley of Lost Creek, KY, Keith Gipson of Keene, KY, Dylan Stevens of Morehead, KY (one feature win), and Clint Cox of Beattyville, KY.

Dylan Rutherford of Corbin, KY would claim the 2016 Warlock Race Cars Mini-Cup/Cyclone division track championship.  Rutherford would make history at the track by becoming the youngest driver to ever win a track championship at the track at age 14.  Rutherford would score one feature event win and never finished outside the top five in the division, also claiming second place finishes on three occasions.  Bobby Williams of Hyden, KY would finish as the 2016 track championship runner-up in the division, while Josh Dickerson of Richmond, KY would finish in the third points position in the division and would lead the way with three feature victories in the class.  Defending track champion Scott Crusenberry of Williamsburg, KY would finish fourth in the final points for the season, claiming two feature victories, with Dalton Brown of Crab Orchard, KY completing the top five in final division points.  Rounding out the top ten point finishers in the Warlock Race Cars Mini-Cup/Cyclone division for the season would be Jason Bell of London, KY, Glenn Dickerson of Berea, KY, Blake Brown of Corbin, KY (two feature wins), Brady Lear of Morehead, KY, and Dylan Stevens of Morehead, KY.     

Richmond Raceway track co-promoter Chad Yantz announced the track would begin the 2017 racing season with an open practice on Friday April 21, with the 2017 season opening event set for the next evening on Saturday April 22.  Updated rules and the 2017 racing schedule are currently being worked on and will be released as soon as they are complete. 

Richmond Raceway is located at 328 Greens Crossing Road, just a short drive from the city limits of Richmond, KY.  Larry, Chad, and Sarah Yantz are the track promoters and will present dirt track racing on Saturday evenings.  For more information about Richmond Raceway, contact track co-promoter Larry Yantz at (606) 510-5331 or track co-promoter Chad Yantz at (606) 510-4836 or via social media at www.richmond-raceway.net, Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/308149696058239/ or facebook.com/richraceky, and Twitter @MichaelDespain or @RichmondRaceway.  The phone number at the track for information concerning race events and raceday information is (859) 624-5640.