PORT McNEILL—Ron Clark of Port Alberni claimed the overall points championship and the North Island Timing Association jacket that comes with the honour as NITA hosted its 2014 Rumble on the Runway wrap-up banquet Saturday at Broughton Curling Club.
Clark, who was unable to attend, won the first-place trophy in the Sportsman Class for the six-event drag racing series this summer at Port McNeill Airport. Doug Day of Port McNeill placed second and Brent Odland of Courtenay was third.
The Super-Pro championship went to Otto Schulte of Black Creek, who raced for the first time at the eighth-mile distance after winning 11 career track championships at a quarter-mile. Chris Sharpe of Port McNeill, who served as co-presenter with NITA president Jeff Bowell of Nanaimo, claimed runner-up honours in Super-Pro, and Ryan Trant of Courtenay was third.
The Pro Class championship went to Richard Spencer of Port Alberni, followed by Bowell and Jay White of Courtenay.
A custom poster created by track photographer Ken Hutton was offered to the Port McNeill Volunteer Fire Department for its service during the season. Sharpe hijacked the presentation to auction the poster as a fund-raiser for the Gazette Hamper Fund, then ran up the bidding in the name of his wife, Boni, until securing the poster for a $250 donation.
Boni Sharpe then graciously donated her “winnings” to Port McNeill fire chief Chris Walker. The fire department was also presented with a $3,000 donation from the non-profit timing association.
Jordan Mackay was named Volunteer of the Year.