The Royal Legion was the sight for the Brockville Ontario Speedway awards banquet for the 2024 season. This marked the first awards ceremony since the 2019 season for Brockville on Saturday April 5th. Six track champions were honored during the evening with a full house of teams and drivers.
Ryan Arbuthnot has been the driver to beat in the last few seasons in the DIRTcar 358 Modified division. This year the Renfrew Ontario native scored four wins on his way to his fourth track championship and second consecutive. Sadly after an injury in the September Super DIRTcar Series event at Brockville, Arbuthnot will not return to defend the championship but is looking to return in 2026. Johnathon Ferguson claimed runner up in the title chase on the strength of three second place finishes, which were his best on the year. Kyle Dingwall finished up third after a great year wining two events in 2024. His two wins moved him into the top 10 on the tracks all time win list with 22 Modified wins. The Draper brothers finished 4th and 5th with Tristan taking the number four position. The elder of the Draper brothers scored two wins in 2024 including the DIRTcar 358 Modified Series win at the Fall Nationals and a $10,000 payday. Younger brother Kalen completed the top 5 and also had a fine season. The youngest driver to ever win a DIRTcar 358 Modified feature at Brockville, claimed a big win at the Fall Nationals by dominating the Ogilvie’s Triple Crown Series finale. Completing the top 10 in 2024 were Jarrett Herbison, Dylan Evoy, Terry McClelland, Chris Ferguson and Matt Billings.
The Ogilvie’s 358 Modified Triple Crown Series saw a new face hoisting the championship trophy. Quebec’s Steve Bernier claimed his first series crown winning the first two races on May 18th and July 6th. Bernier finished the final race in October in 11th after mechanical issues at the checkered flag. He somehow managed to cross the line and get the championship. Kalen Draper came within 8 points of winning the title. Draper dominated the final event and did everything he could but came up just short of his first series crown.
The DIRTcar 358 Modified Rookie of the year crown went to Gavin MacFarlane. The Cornwall driver claimed three top 10 finishes in 8 events last year and finished 11th in track points.
In the DIRTcar Sportsman ranks for a record fourth straight season it was Bobby Herrington Elginburg Ontario taking home the big trophy at seasons end. Herrington held off a strong field to secure the title, winning five regular season events in 2024. He capped off a championship season by sweeping the Fall Nationals in October, which included big events like the Ogilvie’s Series finale and the DIRTcar Sportsman Series championship event. Lafargeville New York’s Gavin Eisele gave Herrington all he could handle in his first full time season at The BOS. Eisele was no worse than 4th in all but one event this past year, which also saw him score two feature wins in his pursuit for the title. Eisele also represented Brockville well with a 2nd place finish in the final points for the DIRTcar Sportsman Series in 2024. Dylan Kirkland used consistency to come home third in 2024. The Brockville Native scored a pair of runner up efforts and is still looking for that first career win and 2025 may be the year he does as he plans for a full run at the title
once again. Brockville’s Shane Stearns closed out the season 4th in points this year but for the first time in his career he claimed multiple wins in one year. Stearns scored two wins on June 8th and August 3rd. Rounding out the top 5 in 2024 was Jessica Power of Kingston, who also had a great year at Brockville. She claimed 5 top 5 efforts and 10 top 10 finishes during the year and had another successful year on the DIRTcar Sportsman Series finishing 6th in points also. Rounding out the top 10 were brothers Brennan and Dylan Moore followed by Greg Brinklow, rookie Matt Barbour and Jordan Wood.
Bobby Herrington secured his third straight Ogilvie’s Sportsman Triple Crown title after a fierce battle with 2014 series champion Shane Pecore. Herrington won the final two events of the season including the Fall Nationals. Herrington now sits tied with Dylan Evoy with 7 career series wins, the most all time. Pecore had another solid Ogilvie’s outing in 2024. The former track and series champion won the first event of the year on May 18th and did everything he could to stop Herrington. His third place finish in October landed him runner up in the title chase.
The Surprenant Truck Shop Crate Sprints saw Alexandria Ontario’s Lee Ladouceur grab his second straight track championship with only one feature win on the year. Ladouceur used consistency to claim the title fending off several challengers during the year. Adam Turner made history this past year winning in a record six different divisions at Brockville. He scored two wins in the Crate Sprint class and had several solid performances to hold on to the runner up spot in the points at seasons end. In September, Turner claimed that coveted 6 division win record claiming the Mini Stock special when the Super DIRTcar Series was in town. 2021 champion Ryan Poole had a great year finishing 3rd in points. Poole did not get a win but claimed a pair of runner up finishes, which vaulted him to the top three at the end of the year. Josh Verne Jr. finished 4th in points despite missing a race in 2024. Verne challenged the track champion Ladouceur on many occasions and won three times during the year as well. Rounding out the top 5 was division sponsor Marc Surprenant, who continues to learn the Crate Sprints and had a great season, with a best finish of 5th in 2024 and will be back for another full season in 2025.
Blake Smith took his successes from the karting ranks at Brockville to earn himself the Novice Sportsman championship. Smith took on track regulars and invaders on a weekly basis and scored two career wins on his way to the championship, but he didn’t have it easy. All year long fellow karting driver Melcolm Banks made history in 2024 when he claimed his only win of the year as he chased after Smith for the title. Banks set the record for the youngest winner in track history at age 12 when he won on August 10th. Banks also claimed 9 top 5s and 11 top 10 finishes. Patrick Kudrinko also found out what it was like to claim his first career win in 2024. The Westport driver had strong runs all year and after a pair of runner up finishes, managed to claim his first win on August 3rd on hi way to third in points. Rounding out the top five was Damien King, who continues to show improvement each week. King scored a best finish of 5th on June 1st and August 24th. Matt Mould was 5th in points and also showed great speed, with a best finish of second on August 10th last season.
Todd Raabe has been the driver to beat in the Street Stock ranks for many years at Brockville and finally was able to run a full season and claim his first track title. The Pembroke native claimed 2 wins and four runner up finishes on his way to the championship. Charles Marchand ran his first full time season at Brockville and saw plenty of success during the year. Marchand went to victory lane for the first time on August 10th on his way to runner up in points. Francis Gauthier continues to impress, finishing third yet again in the Street Stock points. Gauthier scored his best finish of the year three weeks in a row when he finished in the number 5 position. Veteran Jonathan Galipeau grabbed his only win of the season in his first start and at seasons end finished 4th in points. Galipeau also scored 3 top 5s and 6 top 10 finishes. Steve Brady rounded out the top 5 in points for 2024. Brady had a great year with 3 top five finishes during the season.
Matt Boal had a breakout year winning his first ever Mini Stock championship. Boal made a statement by winning the first two races of the year and held off several weekly drivers and invaders all year long. Boal finished in the top 5 in every race he started. Hayden Brown was once again a runner up in the championship, but had a great season once again. Brown claimed 1 win on July 20th, 3 top 5 finishes and 5 top 10s in 2024. 2021 Champion Jarrod Galway finished 3rd in points in 2024. Although he didn’t win at Brockville he used consistency to remain in the top three at seasons end. Galway did win last year, claiming a win at Brighton on an off night from The BOS. Rounding out the top 5 was 2022 champion Jamie Larocque, who scored a win on August 3rd in 2024. The former champion finished the year with 3 top 5s and 4 top 10 runs to finish 4th in point. Clayton Celovsky claimed the 5th spot in points and had a great season hi first full time year at Brockville. Celovsky claimed 3 top 5s and 4 top 10s along with a best finish of 4th on May 25th.
Promoter Paul Kirkland closed out the evening thanks all the teams and drivers who supported the speedway in 2024. He along with wife Cheryl look forward to seeing everyone back for their 31st year of operation, when the green flag flies for opening day on May 10th, which features the first leg of the Ogilvie’s Triple Crown Series for the DIRTcar Sportsman and DIRTcar 358 Modifieds.
The 2025 season is weeks away and the schedule is out with plenty of action packed events planned for the year. To check out everything going on with the speedway, head to our website at brockvillespeedway.com. You can also give the track a follow on Facebook, Instagram and “X” for instant updates. Follow the live timing and scoring all year on My Race Pass.
By: Tim Baltz
Photo Credit: Brody Plotz
