Sunday, January 27, 2019

Top 10 North State Modified Series Drivers Honored

The 2018 top 10 North State Modified Series drivers with awards:
Back Row - Left to Right – Eric Price II, Darrin Sullivan, Jason Philpot, Terry Deal, Ian Elliott.
Front Row – Left to Right – Dustin DeRosier, Cameron Austin, NSMS Champion Kris Price, Rick Avila, Eric Johnson

Via Nadine Strauss/NSMS Media

Williams, CA. January 26, 2019....... The fifth annual awards banquet honoring the top ten drivers in the 2018 North State Modified Series, presented by Protect the Harvest (NSMS) was held Saturday night at Granzella's Banquet Facility in Williams, CA. Business Manager Nadine Strauss acted as master of ceremonies. Speakers were Rick Avila representing the “2018 Driving Out Cancer” tour, Shake Sulikyan from the ValleyCare Charitable Foundation Cancer Services, and series co-promoters Jeff Stephens and Bob Strauss.

Kris Price of Sacramento was crowned NSMS champion in his first full year of competition with the touring series. Price captured four feature wins in 2018 which included the season opener at Shasta Speedway and the July race at All American Speedway. He backed that up with a win at Redwood Acres Raceway, and then set fast time and took home the big “Lloyd Burton Against the Wind Modified Challenge trophy at Shasta Speedway. His other accomplishments were one second, two thirds, and a fourth. Price took home $1200 in cash plus a $1000 Lucas Oil products certificate.

Second place honors went Dustin DeRosier of Cloverdale. He finished in the top 10...8 out of 9 races this year. He was in the top 5 five times. DeRosier donated 10% of his winnings to the “Driving Out Cancer” fund at each race, and was the largest contributor to this worthy cause.

The other half of the Price Racing team, Eric Price II, finished third overall this year. Price jumped from fifth to third in points in the final NSMS event when he won the Hoosier NSMS October Classic at All American Speedway. He also chalked up two seconds, one third and a fourth during the season.

Fourth place went to Kelseyville's Eric Johnson who also finished in fourth place in 2017. This season, after his bad luck at Shasta, he finished a solid second at Madera. His 3 top five's included a second, a third and a fourth. Seven top 10's in all plus he earned money in 3 Lucas Oil Dashes for Cash.

The NSMS 2016 Rookie of the Year, Darrin Sullivan of Kelseyville ended up in fifth place overall. He was the winner of the September race at Redwood Acres Raceway. He also had six top 10 finishes.

Finishing in sixth was Terry Deal of Roseville. Deal's season bests were a second place finish at both Redwood Acres Raceway in Eureka and Ukiah Speedway. His stats saw him finish in the top 10 six times.

Seventh place went to Cameron Austin of Santa Rosa. Austin was the youngest driver in the series but drove like a veteran. He raced both a modified and a Legends Car during 2018 and showed he has real talent. Austin was the Winner of the Lucas Oil Summertime Horsepower Nationals at Madera Speedway on June 9. He placed in the top five 6 times which included one first.... 2 seconds, 1 third, a fourth and a fifth.

Jason Philpot of Sacramento, his family and crew, all attended the ceremonies for the first time in five years running and collected the eighth place trophy. This year Philpot won his first race ever at Redwood Acres Raceway in May. He was also the quickest car to qualify at Roseville's All American Speedway. Philpot never finished lower than eighth and had 4 top five finishes.

Ninth place overall went to Ian Elliott of Lakeport. It was his first full season running with NSMS, and he did well enough to earn the 2018 North State Modified Sunoco Rookie of the Year title.

Rick Avila of Pleasanton rounded out the 2018 top 10 NSMS drivers. Avila was the key player in the Driving Our Cancer awareness program that continued throughout the season. Through his weekly presentations, and with the help of collections chairman Sheri Knight, the drivers, crews and race fans, a total of $5,570.38 was awarded to Shake Sulikyan for the ValleyCare Charitable Foundation Cancer Services.

Keith Bloom of Redding received the 2018 NSMS Keyser Manufacturing Hard Charger Award.

The top four were awarded Lucas Oil Products certificates, and fifth on back collected gifts from Five Star Bodies, Scribner Plastics, and Lucas Oil.

Recognition went to all the NSMS officials as well as the series sponsors Protect the Harvest, Lucas Oil, Ward Land Management & Development, Hoosier Tire West, Naake Suspension, Sunoco Race Fuels, Five Star Bodies, Racer Bling, Keyser Racing Products, Scribner Plastics, and Frank's Radios.