Awards
Each year SOVREN awards special honors to exceptional volunteers, drivers, and club members.
Rookie of the Year Award
Presented by the Novice Committee to the outstanding new driver of the year. The criteria for selection is based 75% on performance, based on the driver’s final standing in the season overall points championship in their group, realizing that the different groups will have different numbers of total laps run. Candidates are then evaluated in terms of how they meet the standards to which the committee wishes all SOVREN members would aspire, such as spirit, effort, preparation, and participation.
Previous recipients: 1998 Karen Ann Gaston, 1999 Gary Tisdale, 2000 John Goodman, 2001 Janice Bee, 2002 Perry Elsasser, 2003 Skip Foss, 2004 Eric Smith, 2005 Bruce Hunt, 2006 Dan Abercrombie, 2007 Steve Hare, 2008 John Ballantyne, 2009 Chris Schoap, 2010 Don Boyd, 2011 Pete Mahony, 2012 Ron Erickson, 2013 Dallas Hanes, 2014 Karlo Flores, 2015 Roger van der Marel, 2016 Kevin Estes, 2017 Debbie, Brad, and Chandler Briscoe, 2018 Mike Granat, 2019 Brad Shinn, 2020 Claudio Vacalebre, 2021 Randy Johnson.
Editors’ Choice Award
Presented by the Editor of The Vintage Drift and the Bulletin Board to the driver/car he has most enjoyed covering during the season.
Previous recipients: David Cammarano, Denny Aker, Kevin Fiske, Jim Froula, 1998 The Lyford’s, 1999 David Winters, 2000 Ted Rodgers, 2001 Rick Korn, 2002 Chuck Hart, 2003 Dale Gies, 2004 the Lyford family, 2005 Paul Jaremko, 2006 Don Jensen, 2007 Art Redford, 2008 Jeff Quick, 2009 Mark Godsoe & Chip Perkins, 2010 Myles Winbigler, 2011 Carolyn Dimmer, 2012 Frank Anderson, 2013 Joe Gordon, 2014 Walt Carrel, 2015 Tom Cantrell, 2016 Greg Heacock, 2017 Steve Gilmore, 2018 Mike Deilke, 2019 Randy Dunphy, 2020 Lee Eberle, 2021 Del Mackenzie.
Volunteer of the Year Award
Presented by the Race Chairs to the volunteer race worker judged to have contributed outstanding service.
Previous recipients: 1996 Phil and Kathleen Edwards, 1997 Sue Lingbloom, 1998 Fran Blackman, 1999 Mike Lawler, 2000 Ray Mortensen, 2001 Tom Kracht, 2002 Ricky Lee Berger, 2003 Bob Wells, 2004 Jay Bratton, 2005 Cece Papa, 2006 Lorrie Mortensen, 2007 Ward Bettes, 2008 Roxann Vine, 2009 Margot Bee, 2010 Esther Sicks, 2011 Debbie Haley, 2012 Tom Masterson, 2013 Frank Langford, 2014 Scot Vine, 2015 Doug Smith, 2016 Mike Currie, 2017 Linda Grass, 2018 Solvejg Rockliffe, 2019 Mike Evans, 2020 Jeff & Ryan Larson, Reinhold Jung, 2021 Phil Edwards.
Eddie Vanetti Jr. Award
This award appreciates and honors that special volunteer crew member who works behind the scenes to enable the racecars to be out on the track. That crewmember may be a volunteer mechanic, spouse, or anyone who is devoted to the sport (even another driver), who demonstrates a positive and supportive attitude, and who works hard to keep the racecars running.
Nominations for this award may come from drivers or anyone associated with a racecar or team should be written and should be submitted to the SOVREN Secretary, by November, at the end of a racing season. Selection from the nominations will be done by a consensus of the previous winners and members of the SOVREN Board.
Previous recipients: 2004 Robin Bee, 2005 Eva Gordon, 2006 Vince Plancich, 2007 David Hunt, 2008 Ray Quick, 2009 Karen Smith, 2010 Pat Johnson, 2011 Ken Dye & Crew, 2012 John Anderson, 2013 Hal Brown & Tom Balzarini, 2014 Karen Bindara, 2015 Bill Hart, 2016 Annie Garmey, 2017 John Allen, 2018 Jeff Kerney, 2019 Phil Edwards, 2020 Freddie Jonsson, 2021 Jay Ivey.
Wade Carter Sportsmanship Award
Originally named the SOVREN Sportsmanship Award and conceived by then SOVREN President Jim Giese to honor members who have displayed outstanding sportsmanship both on and off the track. The recipient was nominated and elected by a vote of the previous recipients. That tradition holds true to this day. With the untimely passing of Wade Carter II in an aviation accident, the award was renamed in his honor and memory.
Previous recipients: 1995 Byron Sanborn, 1996 Bob Walker, 1997 John Brosius, 1998 Bob Bentler, 1999 Myles Winbigler, 2000 Terry Larson, 2001 Bruce Bradburn, 2002 Retta Winbigler, 2003 David Phillips, 2004 Jim Sullivan, 2005 Dick and Judy Buckingham, 2006 Al Murray, 2007 Paul Burckhard, 2008 Tony Garmey, 2009 Frank Anderson, 2010 Jeff and Ray Quick, 2011 Dick Tilden, 2012 Phil Edwards, 2013 Sheridan Fahnestock, 2014 Robin and Margot Bee, 2015 Tom Balzarini, 2016 Al Murray, 2017 Greg Heacock, 2018 Karen Salvaggio, 2019 Thomas Leeming, 2020 Debbie Briscoe, 2021 Wil Painter.
Founder’s Award
Presented by the President to the member who he believes has made significant contributions to the club during the previous year.
Previous recipients: 1987 Dick Mattie, 1988 Donna Thorson, 1989 Sharon Webster, 1990 Donna Thorson, 1991 Terry Larson, 1992 Tom & Susan Armstrong, 1993 Frank & Joan Manley, 1994 Betty Hunholz, 1995 Judy Buckingham, 1996 Dick Buckingham, 1997 Michael Reischl, 1998 Barbara & Eric Mann, 1999 Ward Bettes, 2000 Doug Kirk, 2001 Martin Rudow, 2002 Starke Shelby, 2003 John Long, 2004 Al Murray, 2005 Bob Bush, 2006 Bill Babcock, 2007 Phil Edwards, 2007 Kathleen Boutiette, 2008 Robin & Margot Bee, 2009 Jay Bratton, 2010 Paul Burkhard, 2011 Mike Lawler & Ward Bettes, 2012 Jim Loveall, 2013 Jim Sullivan & Jim Sloane, 2014 Gary Tisdale, 2015 Myles Winbigler, 2016 Rick Korn, 2017 Doug Smith, 2018 Debbie Haley, 2019 Sherri Masterson, 2020 Stephen Newby, 2021 Ricky Lee Berger.