DIRTcar Racing

Longtime DIRTcar Racing employee Jim Magill, who tabulates weekly points for hundreds of drivers for the organization, on Saturday received the 19th annual Bob Memmer Award at the annual banquet in Springfield, Ill., an award paying tribute to the late United Midwestern Promoters founder and bestowed to those with outstanding dedication making valuable contributions to short track racing.

“It’s the biggest honor I’ve ever had in my life, bar none,” said Magill, who has worked as a scorer, tech inspector and currently points coordinator since 2006. “I’m still shocked and awed about it, and happy. I’ve always wanted this, because Bob was my hero. To me, this is my Oscar, and I’ll never give it away.”

Magill (pictured at left with DIRTcar director Sam Driggers) was honored at the celebration of the 41st season of the Memmer-founded organization which honored champions including Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill. (Super Late Models) and Dakota Ewing of Warrensburg, Ill. (Crate Late Models). Among other Late Model-connected awards at the banquet, Fairbury (Ill.) Speedway was named Track of the Year and Brownstown (Ill.) Bullring owner Josh Carroll was named Promoter of the Year. Jason Palubicki, Feger's crew chief, received Crew Chief of the Year honors. Longhorn Chassis was the Late Model chassis champion and Clements Racing Engines was the Late Model engine champion.

Magill’s electronic work in tallying points for nine DIRTcar divisions follows the pattern of Memmer, whose manually produced points newsletters were mailed to competitors in UMP’s early years.

“This is my dream job,” Magill said. “When I got hired, it was to help the lower divisions; they were just starting out with the points. I love numbers, so I get to work with my numbers all week, and I get to go racing on the weekends. I get paid for it, and I love working for WRG.

“There’s not a better company that I’ve ever been involved with. It’s a family, just like the racers are, and we all care about each other. I have the greatest bosses. And I will never retire, so they might as well just get ready for me to be here when I’m 90.” — Jordan DeLucia