Weaver receives DIRTcar's Memmer award
Former DIRTcar and Summer Nationals champion Kevin Weaver of Gibson City, Ill., was honored Saturday evening with DIRTcar's 15th annual Bob Memmer Award, which pays tribute to the late United Midwestern Promoters founder for excellence in motorsports.
Weaver, the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer who captured the 2000 Summer Nationals title, received the award during the 2019 Night of Champions banquet at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield, Ill.
The bespectacled “Flatland Flash,” the winningest driver in Fairbury (Ill.) Speedway history, has piled up more than 325 feature victories in a career that began in 1981. He won 1992’s UMP (now DIRTcar) weekly title and major victories include Macon (Ill.) Speedway’s Herald & Review 100 (four times), Fairbury (Ill.) American Legion Speedway’s Prairie Dirt Classic (1991) and UMP’s Fall Nationals at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway (1997).
On a night when champions picked up last season's points checks, DIRTcar officials handed out other awards, including Track of the Year honors to Spoon River Speedway in Banner, Ill., and Promoter of the Year honors to Matt Curl of Fairbury Speedway.
Among other Late Model awards, Mike Hammerle of St. Charles, Mo., was named Sportsman of the Year and former Brian Shirley crew chief Randall Gregory was named Mechanic of the Year. Rocket Chassis (110 victories) was the Chassis Builder of the Year and North Carolina’s Durham Racing Engines won engine builder honors.
