Beech Ridge Motor Speedway Scarborough, ME Champions Among Those Honored At 66th Awards Celebration

Dave Farrington Jr. of Jay capped off a storybook 2014 season at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, celebrating his NASCAR Whelen All-American Series track championship and earning Driver of the Year honors at the 66th annual Awards Celebration at the Holiday Inn By The Bay.

Farrington began the season without any intention of competing weekly at Beech Ridge, but his season hit its stride in July. He posted 14 Top-10 finishes in 15 starts and never finished worse than 11th en route to the Pro Series championship.

Other champions honored included Sport Series driver Garrett Hall of Scarborough, who is expected to make the leap to the Pro Series in 2015, and Wildcat competitor Justin Karkos.

Karkos gave an emotional speech after receiving his championship hardware, crediting the family of Joe and Bonnie King for believing in him ”” not only as a race car driver, but as a person. Karkos was in tears as he talked about the Kings taking him in as a 16-year-old who was out on his own.

Two of the biggest awards handed out at the Awards Celebration included the 2014 Hall of Fame induction and the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Longtime Limited Sportsman conqueror Kevin Durgin joined the Hall of Fame Class on the strength of a career formed more than a decade ago ”” one which included race wins and championship feats not only at Beech Ridge, but also at other Maine race tracks.

Dick Fowler, a multi-time NASCAR championship car owner at Beech Ridge, earned the the 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award. Fowler, whose son Mike Fowler, returned to active driving this season after being named the UNOH Mechanic of the Year in 2013, donned a baseball cap for his acceptance speech to honor the memory of the late Jason Fowler.