The INEX Championship Banquet, which was held at the Speedway Club at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday, January 18, showcased the achievements of eleven drivers who compete regularly at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the Road Course Series and Oval Series along with other racers from the United States, Australia, Canada, Finland, Italy, Latvia, Sweden and the United Kingdom. NHMS's 2019 Road Course Series and Oval Series Track Champion, Shaun Buffington, was honored with not only two championships, but he was also presented with the coveted Bilstein Madonna Award for his accomplishments on and off the track.
The Bilstein Madonna Award is recognized around the world as one of the most prestigious honors a race car driver can achieve, putting the Plainfield, Conn. native in an exclusive group with NASCAR royalty and motorsports icons that includes names such as Dale Earnhardt Sr., Bill Elliott and Alan Kulwicki.
"Shaun Buffington has done a great job representing our organization both on and off the track, so being able to honor him with the Bilstein Madonna Award was a privilege for us as a company," said Laila Razmyar, communications and events manager for U.S. Legend Cars International/INEX. "While we hate to see him spend less time on the track moving into the 2020 season, we're excited to have him continue to support us off the track as a U.S. Legend Cars dealer in the state of Connecticut."
Buffington was able to defend the Road Course Masters points championship for his second consecutive season in the division as well as winning the Asphalt Masters points championship with 12 MOAT Mountain Road Course Series wins and seven J&J's Yolk & Co. Oval Series wins at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Buffington also won both the Road Course and Asphalt World Finals, which marked the first time a Masters driver has ever won both titles in the same year.
"I am so proud of all of our drivers," said Kelsie Leonard, Granite State Legends Shop supervisor. "The Road Course Series and the Oval Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway are two of the most competitive racing series in the world and have proven over and over again to breed champion racers, and this year is no different. The 2019 season saw a heightened level of competition, and I can't wait to get the 2020 season started."
Points championships were also won by 19-year-old Jack Walker from Bow, N.H., who won the Road Course Semi-Pro championship after 12 podium finishes including three MOAT Mountain Road Course Series wins, and in the most novice division, 14-year-old Tyler Barry from Griswold, Conn., who took home the Road Course Young Lions championship.
The Granite State Legends Cars crew was dominant throughout the entire points field. Drivers including Kevin Girard Jr., Darren Gallant, Matthew Haufe, Bob Weymouth, Christopher Hines, Zachary Godbout, Michael Hines, Thomas Saari and Alan Smith rounded out the top ten in their respective divisions.
For ticket information for all events at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, including the June 13-20 Motorcycle Week at NHMS, the July 17-19 Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 race weekend and the September 11-12 Full Throttle Fall Weekend visit the speedway website at NHMS.com or call Fan Relations at (603) 783-4931.
