IRL IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti was Saturday night's star, winning the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association's Jerry Titus Award for the second time in three years.
 
But once again, drag-racing uber-pro John Force proved he is the ultimate organizer, showman, and professional in hosting AARWBA's 40th annual All-America Team Dinner and Ceremony and celebration of 55 years as the nation's oldest and largest motorsports media organization.
 
Flanked by haulers and their Funny Car sentries (that included the boss' new fiberglass body decked with 25th Castrol anniversary livery), guests dined in the shop where crews have been preparing to send the team to its first 2010 test session, at Phoenix.

IRL IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti was Saturday night's star, winning the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association's Jerry Titus Award for the second time in three years.
 
But once again, drag-racing uber-pro John Force proved he is the ultimate organizer, showman, and professional in hosting AARWBA's 40th annual All-America Team Dinner and Ceremony and celebration of 55 years as the nation's oldest and largest motorsports media organization.
 
Flanked by haulers and their Funny Car sentries (that included the boss' new fiberglass body decked with 25th Castrol anniversary livery), guests dined in the shop where crews have been preparing to send the team to its first 2010 test session, at Phoenix.
 
They saw Franchitti accept AARWBA's Driver of the Year Award that he won by two points over seven-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher. Schumacher and Franchitti have alternated as the Titus Award winners for the past four years.
 
Guests saw other First Team All-America selections -- Donny Schatz (short track), J.R. Hildebrand (at large), and the road-racing duo of Jon Fogarty and Alex Gurney -- receive their Horsepower Trophies. They celebrated the way NASCAR veterans and 50-year-olds Mark Martin (stock car) and Ron Hornaday (touring series) excited fans in 2009.
 
They watched as AARWBA presented IZOD IndyCar Series and NASCAR team owner Chip Ganassi with the Pioneer in Racing Award. They listened with delight as keynote speaker Joie Chitwood regaled them with stories of his and his family's colorful racing history.
 
But if they were paying close attention, they saw not just an owner but an entire team work together to transform a race-car shop into a high-performance dinner theatre. They saw a family -- some curious cross between the Waltons and a more jocular version of the frat-brats from "Animal House" -- welcoming strangers to their home for a meal and a swell time.
 
The day before the event, crew members from all the Force teams worked hard preparing the shop for 220 guests Friday. They mopped the shop floor. They set up tables and chairs and even spread out tablecloths and helped decorate tables with chocolate and special gifts from Castrol commemorating its 25-year association with John Force. But they had fun, too, oohing, aahing, and ogling the display cars that came in from Tony Stewart's sprint-car and midget shop down the street. They huddled around and gawked at USAC Sprint Car champion Levi Jones' and World of Outlaw titlist Donny Schatz's short-track cars. They were like kids at Christmas when the Swift 0.16 chassis powered by Mazda-Cosworth MZR 2300cc rolled of the truck, courtesy of John Brunner of the Cooper Tires presents the Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda.
 
And Force's guests saw how tirelessly Force works, even when he's tired. Keen eyes saw him keep the entertainment stick in high gear, even though he had begun his day in Rhode Island, attending the funeral of family friend and influential Ford dealer and innovator Bob Tasca Sr.
 
Yes, John Force, was the bright spark when the depressed economy doused the lights across the street the week before at Don Prudhomme's once-thriving operation. He smiled and visited, though he might have preferred to reflect on his day or turn in early. He was Bob Hope, entertaining the journalism troops as they slogged through their own personal combat zones of cutbacks, increased expenses, and a changing and challenging industry landscape.
 
Always on, always making sure the show went on, Force -- a four-time Jerry Titus Award winner himself -- might have found a tinge of sadness at receiving AARWBA's Dusty Brandel President's Award. He shared it with crew chief John Medlen for their dedication to race-car safety in all forms of motorsports through the Eric Medlen Project.  In the past Force has said, "I don't want nobody to give me no awards. I want to do what's right. I want to save lives." Bittersweet the award for something like that always is, for it is inspired by loss. But the evening ended in a more upbeat and definitely sweeter tribute to Eric Medlen -- an ice-cream dessert reception. "You can't be unhappy when you’re eating ice cream!" the late drag racer would say with his trademark grin.
 
And people weren't unhappy. They showed up for the Shav Glick Newsmakers Forum and heard about a dozen speakers and emcee Tom Blattler talk about an exciting, fresh 2010 season. They ate filet mignon and chicken parmesan and a beautifully catered meal. They had unforgettable entertainment and ice cream.
 
The day began with Funny Car champion Robert Hight guiding about 50 people through the John Force Racing facility to kick off an NHRA-organized tour. They went on to Vance & Hines' Pro Stock Motorcycle shop with Andrew Hines and Eddie Krawiec and on to lunch at Don Schumacher Racing and a swing through O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis.
 
But they had each other. For one night, drag racers opened their doors and sports car folks, pedigreed IndyCar top dogs, circle-track/short-track royalty, and straightliners spoke a common language. The family bigger, yet the family became closer. AARWBA has put on a dinner like this annually for the past four decades. But this one had that Force charisma.       
 

 

Just 15 months ago, Dario Franchitti was salvaging his driving career after a blunted effort in NASCAR.
 
He signed -- on a napkin in a Detroit restaurant -- an agreement to return to the IRL IndyCar Series for Target Chip Ganassi Racing. That led to his second IndyCar Series championship in October -- and Saturday night to
 
President Dusty Brandel announced Franchitti as the organization's  as AARWBA honored its 40th All-America Team and kicked off its 55th year at the John Force Racing facility.
 
"I'm very proud to win the Jerry Titus award for a second time. It means a great deal to me to be AARWBA's driver of the year for 2009," Franchitti said. "Thanks to everyone at Team Target and all the AARWBA members who voted.”
 
Journalist Lewis Franck presented IndyCar and NASCAR team owner Chip Ganassi the Pioneer in Racing Award for his longtime dedication and achievement that has made a difference in the industry.
 
AARWBA members annually elect drivers to the All-America Team from seven categories: stock car, open-wheel, drag racing, road racing, short track, touring series, and at-large.
 
The Jerry Titus Trophy is awarded to the driver who receives the most All-America Team votes. It is named in memory of the late journalist and racer, who was a member of AARWBA,  It is the highest honor AARWBA offers.
 
Franchitti, the open wheel honoree, shared First Team status with other Horsepower Trophy recipients Jon Fogarty and Alex Gurney (road racing), Donny Schatz (short track). J.R. Hildebrand (at-large), Tony Schumacher (drag racing), Ron Hornaday (touring series), and
Mark Martin (stock car).
 
Schumacher, like Franchitti a two-time Titus Award winner, won his seventh overall and record sixth consecutive NHRA Top Fuel championship. This is his seventh AARWBA First Team All-America selection.
 
Donny Schatz scored a fourth straight World of Outlaws Sprint Car series title and a fourth straight appearance on the AARWBA All-America First Team.
 
Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series' Daytona Prototype champions Jon Fogarty and Alex Gurney took First Team billing with a record four victories in 2009.
 
Gurney, son of racing legend Dan Gurney, said, "I now feel part of a very exclusive club. I look back at all of the great winners, including my dad back in 1970, and it is really special to be among them, not once but now twice."
 
Fogarty, his GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing teammate, said, "Chances are excellent that Alex and I will never race against Tony Schumacher or Donny Schatz - not that I wouldn't love to. But being able to be honored as peer champions with those guys puts a cool touch on what has already been a great season."
 
Hildebrand, who made the team in 2006 as Formula Ford 2000 champion, returned as the 2009 IRL Indy Lights champion.
 
As a past recipient of the Gorsline Scholarship, Hildebrand presented this year's award to 18-year-old  Josef Newgarden, a rising star in the junior formula car racing ranks. John Gorsline of the Gorsline Company each year recognizes a young up-and-coming driver who displays the attributes of a future champion and helps aspiring drivers to develop both on and off the track to attain their professional goals.  
 
The two NASCAR First Team drivers, Mark Martin (stock car) and Ron Hornaday (touring series), made a statement for the 50-year-olds. Hornaday, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion, made the list for the fourth time. Martin, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series runner-up, beat out four-time champion Jimmie Johnson to earn his fifth First Team honor and 15th time as an All-America.
 
Composing the Second Team were Helio Castroneves (open wheel), Jimmie Johnson (stock car), Ashley Force Hood (drag racing), Joey Saldana (short track), ARCA/Remax Series Rookie of the Year Parker Kligerman (touring series), drag racer Frank Manzo (at large), and road racing's David Brabham/Scott Sharp team.
 
Earlier in the day, AARWBA members and guests toured the Brownsburg shops of John Force Racing, Vance & Hines, and Don Schumacher Racing, as well as O'Reilly Raceway Park.      
         

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