2009 Firebird Banquet

The 42nd edition of the Firebird Award’s Banquet helped bring the 2009 Season to a close at the DoubleTree-Riverside ballroom in Boise. Nearly 340 patrons attended the festive night as just over 80 different drivers and an assortment of other recipients took home a variety of awards, along with a share of the $15,000 in cash and prizes.

Super Pro track champion Steve Lambert was the top vote recipient for the coveted Racer of the Year award. Jennifer Barr secured the largest number of votes to win Top Lady racer for the second straight year.

The New family awarded the 24th Racemaster honor to long-time Firebird supporter Doug Strunk. Having first started to work at the raceway back in 1981, Strunk has played a role in a wide variety of positions and has been actively involved in the Firebird racing scene for nearly three decades.

Division 6 Director Jonathan Adams attended the banquet to present the NHRA Wally trophy to Firebird following a sixth championship at the Summit E.T. Finals. Additionally, all 54 racers on the Firebird team received embroidered navy jackets as a reward for their impressive efforts over Labor Day weekend in Woodburn.

For those curious who won the Team Slogan Contest for next year’s Summit E.T. Finals, it was none other than Matt Compton with P.S.I. (who was awarded an embroidered Firebird jacket). He was the first to select “Revin’ for Seven”, and this will be the motto as racers pursue a third-straight and seventh overall crown next Labor Day weekend.

Special thanks goes out to all the sponsoring companies who have contributed to the year-end championships. They include: Boise Muffler, Auto Body Paint & Supply, Kidd Performance & Dyno, Performance Solutions, United Oil, Woody’s Outdoor Power, Meadow Gold, United Dairymen, U.S. Army, Carl’s Cycle Sales, Moffitt & Bratton, Wayne’s Transmissions, Lyle Pearson Acura, Capitol City Transmission, Fairly Reliable Bob’s and an assortment of other supporting entities.

	Firebird track champions (standing l to r, first): Steve Lambert, Jerry Hodges, Joe Withspoon, Craig Jensen, Alex Steen, Larry Saunders, Michael Jaggers, (seated): Joseph Karnes, Carl Youngstrom, Ryan Resinkin, Don Trafford, and Tyler Rush. David Meimann (unable to attend).
	A tremendous crowd attended this year’s 42nd Annual Award’s Banquet.
	Doug Strunk, along with his wife Glenda, accepted the Racemaster award from Firebird’s Bill New (right).
	Connor and Austyn New presented the Racer of the Year award to Steve Lambert.
	Division 6 Director Jonathan Adams (left) handed over the Track Team Wally trophy to New. It was the sixth victory for Team Firebird.
	Dennis Law congratulated Lady Racer of the Year winner Jennifer Barr.
	Outstanding Perseverance – Rich Pedraza.
	Most Improved Driver – David Deming.
	Outstanding Crew – Jaggers & Gardner Racing.
	Best Appearing Car – Melissa Jarboe (presented by Rod Page with Boise Muffler).
	Rookie of the Year – Zak Pedraza.
	Rising Star – Alex Steen.
	Good-Guys award – Andy Strunk.
	Official of the Year – Jason Fry.
	Staff Member of the Year – Misty Kramer.
	Glenn Watts with Capitol City Transmission presented Larry Saunders (right) his Nostalgia track title.
	Rayce and Marissa Kidd with Kidd Performance & Dyno award Steve Lambert his Super Pro plaque, in addition to the $1,500 cash payout.
	Three-time Moffitt & Bratton Outlaw Street champion Joseph Karnes (presented by Firebird’s Ron Nickels, right).
	Ryan Resinkin accepted his Wayne’s Transmissions Street Truck title from New and Firebird’s Bob Towery, right.
	Firebird’s Vance Gabiola, right, awards Don Trafford his second Carl’s Cycle Sales Street Bike plaque.
	Firebird Director of Safety Brad Stewart, right, congratulates Carl Youngstrom for his Alumni track championship.
	”AA” Track Championship: Middleton High School.
	Eagle High School, second place in the “AAA” High School chase.
	”AAA” Track Championship: Mtn. View High School.
	Silver Cup Club Champions: PSI Racing.
	Copper Cup Champions: Modern Rodders.
	Bronze Cup Champions: Kuna Draggers.
	Craig Jensen won the Woody’s Outdoor Power Snow/Bike title (from David Wood, right), plus the NHRA Land of the Leaders Challenge Wally from Adams, left.
	Matt Compton with PSI awarded Jerry Hodges his Pro championship plaque, along with $1,500 in cash.
	Anna and Debbie New, left and right, helped decorate the room, which included six-pack coolers featuring a Firebird logo (and cans of Pepsi) to commemorate the “Six-Pack Attack” track team title.
	Here’s a small sampling of the awards and prizes that were handed out throughout the evening.
	All six track champions in the Boise Muffler/Auto Body Paint & Supply Gold Cup Series displayed their cars throughout the expansive ballroom of the DoubleTree.
Thanks again to everyone who attended the Banquet on November 21st. Hands down, it was one of the best to date. We are especially grateful to all of you who paid special thanks up at the podium to every member of the Firebird operation.
	Images by Gene Aguilar