With 40+ Win Season, Matt Sheppard Named Eastern Motorsport Press Association Northeast Dirt Driver Of The Year
News Director 
Story By: DINO OBERTO / EASTERN MOTORSPORT PRESS ASSOCIATION – HAZLE TOWNSHIP, PA – The Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) is proud to announce that Matt Sheppard has been named as the 2022 Richie Evans Memorial Northeast Dirt Driver of the Year at the organization’s 50th Convention, set to take place January 13-15, 2023 at the Genetti Best Western Convention Center in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
The Al Holbert Memorial National Dirt Driver of the Year is dirt Late Model standout Jonathan Davenport.
14-year old dirt Modified racer Logan Watt was named as the 2022 John Blewett III Young Gun awardee which is presented by New England Race Fuels.
The EMPA Outstanding Promotional Effort will once again be awarded to Brett Deyo and his Short Track Super Series.
During the formal awards dinner EMPA will also recognize many of their own bestowing the Jim Hunter Memorial Writer of the Year and Ace Lane Sr., Memorial Photographer of the Year plus several other awardees in a variety of writer and photographer contests.
The annual three day convention begins with a Friday evening “Salute to the Champions” where a number of local and regional driving titlists are invited to meet and greet with the press. Saturday consists of press conferences and seminars followed by the evening’s Hall of Fame dinner and awards ceremony.
