In a time-honored tradition the MRA celebrated the people that make club racing the amazing sport that it is this past weekend during its annual awards ceremony. Riders placing in the top 5 of every class in the MRA were rewarded for their season long efforts during the ceremony with presentations of trophy plaques featuring the class name, their position, the class sponsor and a photograph of themselves racing during the season.
In addition to the awards for racing performance over the course of the season, awards are given to recognize special achievements off of the track during the season. This year saw the Merle Jensen award given to Jeff Brown for his unique dedication to the club and the sport. For the past several years Jeff has set aside his own racing program to dedicate his time and effort to developing new riders and racers in the MRA. His efforts have paid off in making the novice programs in the club fully successful. The Sportsman of the Year award was given to Jim Brewer. Jim is a long standing member of the club and a former officer on the board of directors, but his dedication to the club has continued well past his elected term. Despite a 2012 season full of challenges Jim could be found in the paddock every race weekend with a smile on his face, a cheerful disposition and a willingness to assist any member in need.
The Don E. Bruner Memorial award is a special recognition for on-track performance in the Heavyweight Supersport category. This year Nikolas Lenski was the recipient of this award, recognizing his outstanding performance in that class this year. This traveling trophy is traditionally awarded immediately following the presentation of the Heavyweight Supersport Championship, and Nik seemed genuinely surprised to be called back up on stage to receive this special award. Finally, the Rookie of the Year Award is presented to the novice racer that shows the greatest improvement over the course of their first season. The Rookie of the Year for 2012, Amber Patterson, dropped over 20 seconds from her lap times over the course of the season in the Production 250 Class.
The night was a perfect demonstration of what club racing is all about; fierce competition on the track followed by the warm reception of friends off of the track. On several occasions the first place competitor for the season would hand the microphone to their rivals to allow them to speak during the ceremony. It is this kind of sportsmanship that makes the MRA as much of a family as it is a race club.
Congratulations to our top 10 competitors in 2012!
#1 – Dan Turner #2 – Doug Kahl #3 – Erik Peat #4 – Shannon Moham #5 – Ray Thornton #6 – Chris Terranami #7 – Cal Neske #8 – Keith Eastin #9 – Mike Applegate #10 – Jessie Martinez
Join us in 2013 as we continue the tradition of offering safe, competitive Motorcycle Roadracing in Colorado and the surrounding states. Watch as top our top 10 competitors fight to defend their titles and as new racers grapple with the challenges of the sport for the first time!
April 12-13: MRA Race School
May 11-12: Round #1 High Plains Raceway North Course
June 8-9: Round #2 High Plains Raceway Full Course
June 29-30: Round #3 Pueblo Motorsports Park
July 20-21: Round #4 Pikes Peak International Raceway
August 10-11: Round #5 High Plains Raceway North Course
August 24-25: Round #6 High Plains Raceway Full Course
September 14-15: Round #7 Pikes Peak International Raceway
The MRA is dedicated to promoting safe and competitive motorcycle road racing events for enthusiasts in Colorado and the surrounding area. The MRA is now on Facebook at Motorcycle Racing Association, join our group and stay up to date on all the latest racing news! For more information go to www.mra-racing.org or call the MRA hotline at 303-530-5678.