Crevier edges Szoke in poll

From Inside Track Communications

TORONTO, ON – After more than two months of voting and the counting of over 5,000 ballots, the winners have been determined for the Sixth Annual Inside Track Readers’ Choice Awards, presented by Castrol.

Between Jan. 11 and March 14, Canadian motorsports enthusiasts cast their votes in 12 categories – via a secure, online survey – to determine Canada’s top past, current and future racing stars.

The big winner – once again – is Canadian road racing legend Ron Fellows. Although he scaled back his racing efforts somewhat in 2007, Fellows was still the readers’ choice in three categories, including Overall Canadian Racer of the Year, Canadian Racer of the Year Competing at the Highest Levels of International Competition, and Most Deserving of Induction into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame.

It was the fourth time in the program’s six years that Fellows has earned the honour of being named Overall Canadian Racer of the Year by the readers of Inside Track Motorsport News (ITMN). He also won in ’04, ’05 and ’06.

Road race legend Steve Crevier of Maple Ridge, BC edged Parts Canada Superbike champion Jordan Szoke of Brantford, ON and Welland, ON dirt track star Donald Taylor as Motorcycle Race of the Year. Motocrosser Jeremy Medaglia from Kemptville, ON took Up and Coming Motorcycle Racer of the Year honours by a wide margin over road racer Paul Glenn of Keene, ON and MX talent Shane Wiebe of Abbotsford, BC.

Drag racer Mike Konopacki of Oshawa, ON placed third in voting for Canadian Racer of the Year Competing at the Highest Levels of International Competition behind Fellows and Jacques Villeneuve.

In the majority of the categories, six racers were nominated via a consultation process involving the magazine’s editors and contributors. The nominees were chosen based on their achievements in 2007 and represented all regions of Canada. And while write-in candidates garnered a considerable number of votes, the winners of each category came from the list of nominees put forward by ITMN’s editorial team.

“We’re very pleased with the outcome of the Inside Track Readers’ Choice Awards,” said Editor Greg MacPherson. “Once again, our readers demonstrated their considerable knowledge and passion for our sport. All of the winners and nominees can be proud of what they accomplished last year and we know that being an Inside Track Readers’ Choice Award winner will be mentioned prominently on their racing resumes. We’d also like to thank our sponsor Castrol and the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame for their support of this worthwhile program to celebrate Canadian racers.”