Race of Champions

3/1/2026

Race of Champions

CHAMPIONS AND INDIVIDUALS HONORED AT RACE OF CHAMPIONS 2025 SEASON-ENDING CELEBRATION

Participants, officials, and fans of the Race of Champions “Family of Series” gathered at the Holiday Inn Auburn – Finger Lakes Region in Auburn, NY, for an evening of awards, accolades, and celebration to conclude the 2025 championship season. More than $60,000 in awards and point fund monies were distributed, along with several special recognitions.

Honored as 2025 Series Champions were:

Matt Hirschman of Northampton, PA – Race of Champions Asphalt Modified Series
Andrew Lewis Jr. of Ontario, NY – Race of Champions Sportsman Modified Series
Tommy Barron of Ontario, NY – Race of Champions Super Stock Series
Cody McPherson of St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada – Race of Champions Dirt 602 Sportsman Modified Series
Scott Wylie of Blasdell, NY – Race of Champions Late Model Series
Tim Welshans of South Wales, NY – Race of Champions Street Stock Series
Joey VanLare of Webster, NY – Race of Champions 602 Sportsman Modified Series
Trisha Connolly of Palmerton, PA – Race of Champions FOAR SCORE Four Cylinder Dash Series

“This was another great season for us,” stated Hirschman during his championship acceptance interview. “We didn’t set out to run for the championship, but once we knew we had a shot, we turned up the heat. We’ve raced in a lot of places and done a lot of things, and this Series has always meant a great deal to our team and family. From what we’ve experienced, people should really appreciate it — the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.”

Point fund contributions were made possible through the support of Hoosier Racing Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels, Racing America, FX Caprara, Waddell Communications, the Erie Sports Commission, the FOAR SCORE Club, MyRacePass, Printed Image of Buffalo, Image X, Speedway Illustrated, and RoCModifiedSeries.TV.

In addition to championship honors, several special awards were presented recognizing dedication, sportsmanship, and fan engagement.

The 2025 Most Popular Driver Award recipients were:

Andy Jankowiak (Modifieds) – Tonawanda, NY
Andrew Lewis Jr. (Sportsman Modified) – Ontario, NY
Tommy Barron (Super Stock) – Ontario, NY
Jacob Gustafson (Late Models) – Webster, NY
MacKenzie Hanbury (602 Asphalt Sportsman Modified) – Ontario, NY
Trisha Connolly (FOAR SCORE Four Cylinder Dash Series) – Palmerton, PA
Mike Piccirilli (Street Stock) – Hamburg, NY

The Jerry Ward Dedication Award was presented to Race of Champions Director of Technical Inspection Brian Ruestow by the Ward family and the FOAR (Friends of Auto-Racing) SCORE Fan Club.

Jake Christman of Walnutport, PA, was named Rookie of the Year in the Modified division.

The evening’s program was hosted by Race of Champions “voice” Dave Buchanan, who served as Master of Ceremonies.

About the Race of Champions: The Race of Champions is a sanctioning body presenting Modified and Stock Car racing on asphalt and dirt surfaces throughout the Northeast, with events in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

Primary marketing partners include Hoosier Racing Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels, FX Caprara, Airport Collision, Waddell Communications, Image X Design, Sherwood Racing Wheels, DirtTrackDigest.com, and Speed Sport.

The 76th Annual Race of Champions will take place in 2026, continuing its legacy as the second-longest consecutively run auto-racing event in North America, second only to the Indianapolis 500.

For more information, contact;

Race of Champions Media at media@rocmodifiedseries.com