More Than Six Decades Of Racing Celebrated At 2024 Land Of Legends Raceway Banquet
Story By: STEVEN OVENS / LAND OF LEGENDS RACEWAY – GENEVA, NY – On a chilly winter night in the Finger Lakes, Land of Legends Raceway Promoter Paul Cole welcomed his top earning race teams to the annual awards banquet. For the fourth-straight season, Legott’s Club 86 in Geneva, NY played host.
Lead track announcer Steven Ovens joined Cole as the master of ceremonies in the celebration of 61 years of motorsports in Canandaigua, also honoring fellow track titlists, as well as a handful of deserving drivers and speedway supporters that shared in receipt of special awards presented throughout the two and a half-hour gala.
The 2019 DIRTcar Northeast Promoter of the Year opened the awards portion of the program with his annual “State of the Speedway” address. With plans for 2025 well underway already and the tentative schedule published on Christmas, Cole shared his thoughts on the sport as a whole.
“I can’t stress to drivers enough how important it is to take advantage of all the tools we provide you to promote your team’s efforts and the support you get from your sponsors,” Cole stated.
“Use the video resources we have available. If you need numbers to share with potential sponsors, reach out to Tana Robinson and she can help you fill in the gaps. Show these sponsors what they can get by you racing in Canandaigua. I’m here to help you, Steven is here to help. We want to make superstars out of our drivers by being seen all over the world through streaming.”
Cole offered that the schedule for 2025 is similar with several tweaks, as he will once again place focus on special events geared toward the divisions that compete at the track weekly. Special events include Super DIRTcar Series shows, DIRTcar Sportsman Series dates, three appearances by CRSA Sprints, two stops for the Empire Street Stock Series, a full fender and vintage race during the Ontario County fair and two Top Gun Shootout Weekends in May and September.
The Fall 2024 Top Gun Shootout events were rained out with planned make up dates to start the 2025 campaign. Other special events include stops by the Vintage cars during the Ontario County Fair in July and for the first time in a long while the DIRTcar Pro Stock Series will compete in Canandaigua at the Land of Legends finale in September.
Cole highlighted the hard work that Rich Yahn and Jamie Friesen put into the track surface this season and the exciting racing it provided our racers and fans. The elimination of implement tires and new guardrail installed by Elderlee, Inc. saw a reduction in caution flags by 50%. This project also improved drainage on that end of the half-mile. Drainage in Turn 3 was an issue in 2024 and Cole noted that there is potential for guardrail to be installed in Turn 3, extending toward Turn 4.
The promoter entering his eighth season at the helm addressed Land of Legends TV, which entertained an average viewing audience in 2024 of over 10,000 fans by continuing the free streaming video model put into place just prior to the 2021 season. The addition of the DIRTVision simulcast of Land of Legends TV on their platform and views on their NFL Red Zone-style “Dirt Zone” broadcasts has taken the racing viewing experience to new heights.
In terms of division sponsorships, Cole offered tokens of appreciation for support in 2024 to Geneva Club Beverage/Pepsi (Modifieds), Stirling Lubricants (Sportsman), MighTea Boba (305 Sprints), Eldredge & Son’s Scrap Recycling (Street Stocks), Lloyd’s Contracting (Hobby Stocks), Maguire Ford of Canandaigua (New Legends Sportsman).
Cole confirmed that prices for both the pits and admission will not be increasing for 2025. Pits will remain $40, while General Admission will remain at $15, $13 for Seniors and Kids under 16 free of charge with paid adult. The new season will bring a new focus on the fan experience and making race night enticing for kids at the track with more fan engagement and Kids Day planned for May 2025.
LOLR GM Tana Robinson organized a fantastic celebration, welcoming drivers, owners, crew members, track officials, corporate partners, family and friends of racing. When it came time for awards and point fund distribution, Williamson took home the lion’s share of the point fund cash and contingencies that rewarded drivers in both open-wheel and full-fender competition during the 2024 season. Top drivers were recognized for their accomplishments with personal interviews and high-speed video highlights further enhancing the annual event for all in attendance.
VP Racing fuel jug and DisBatch Brewing Company “Land of Legends Lager” combo door prizes and ticket/pass giveaways were distributed after dinner.
