FINALIST: New Honor For Anderson

Tony Anderson won his seventh Budweiser Stock Car division championship -- and first under a NASCAR banner -- at Limaland Motorsports Park in Lima, Ohi Mike Campbell/campbellphoto.com

7th Limaland Stock Car title is first under NASCAR banner

An 18-year racing veteran won his seventh championship at a leading Ohio dirt track last Friday night.

Tony Anderson, 42, of Lima, Ohio won the Budweiser Stock Car division championship at Limaland Motorsports Park, a .250-mile banked clay oval. The track’s 2011 season, the first as a member of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, concluded Aug. 26.

After rain wiped out the track’s first eight events of 2011, Anderson won the title with a 10-race record of two wins, nine top fives and 10 top 10s. He’s ranked 24th in this week’s dirt track NASCAR Finalist Division II standings. He won the track title by eight points over Shawn Valenti.

Anderson has won close point races before, the closest by four points in 2009. He admits to a bit of tension before Friday’s finale.

“We had some little anxieties,” Anderson said. “There’s more point fund and prestige winning a NASCAR track championship. It’s something the whole crew wanted.”

The NASCAR Finalist program recognizes drivers who compete in support divisions at NASCAR Whelen All-American Series tracks. With Division I being each track’s top division, the NASCAR Finalist program highlights drivers competing in each track’s Division II, III, IV and V.

Dirt track NASCAR Finalist Division leaders this week include Division II Jesse Sobbing, I-80 Speedway in Omaha, Neb.; Division III, Brad Derry, I-80 and Adams County Speedway in Corning, Iowa; Division IV Matt McAtee, Adams County; and Division V Bill Gibson, Adams County.

NASCAR Finalist Division leaders on asphalt tracks include Division II Dan Gilster, LaCrosse (Wis.) Fairgrounds Speedway; Division III John Ketron, New Kingsport (Tenn.) Speedway; Division IV Jack Nugent, Colorado National Speedway in Dacono, Colo.; and Danny Field, Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway.

Anderson has 132 career Stock Car division feature wins at Limaland and 15 feature wins in the track’s NASCAR Division I, dirt Modifieds. He competes in both divisions on a weekly basis at Limaland and placed fifth in the 2011 Modified track standings. He also won the season-ending “King of the Quarter-Mile” race among Stock Car feature winners a sixth time last week. Each weekly division at the track has a “King of the Quarter-Mile” race on the last night of the season.

Anderson credits his car owners Troy and Cindy Briedenbach for a lot of his success. They were his primary sponsor when they also became his car owners 10 years ago. They added a Modified to their racing stable eight years ago.

Anderson said he’s found an alternate line around the banked Limaland track that typically favors use of the high line.

“We run at the bottom with both cars, and it took half a season to get it right,” Anderson said. ”It’s a balance of shocks, wedge and gear. The key is to have the car free enough to drive through the center of the corner with just enough throttle.

“Limaland Motorsports Park is a top-notch professional operation. The track lends itself to great competition. You better bring you’re A-game, because everybody does.”

The track is owned and operated by the University of Northwestern Ohio as part of its groundbreaking High Performance Motorsports Degree program.

In addition to the Briedenbachs, Anderson’s team members include crew chief Neil Sterling, brother Terry Anderson, Ron Mayor and the driver’s mother Brenda Anderson.

The Briedenbach’s IGT of America, a company that produces advertising “wraps” for vehicles such as their team’s 48 foot trailer that carrier both race cars, is a primary sponsor. Other sponsors include Texas Roadhouse of Lima, Webb Insurance Agency, Don Jenkins Jewelers and the driver’s T&T Auto Repair business. The cars are powered by Stephens & Hull Automotive engines.

Anderson and his wife Shellie have five children including daughters Alex, 19 and Toni, 24, and sons Adam, 16; Daniel, 18; and Steve, 26.

The NASCAR Finalist Program began in 2010 as a way to recognize the accomplishments throughout all of the racing divisions at NASCAR Whelen All-American Series tracks.

A NASCAR-licensed driver’s best 14 finishes are counted toward their final point total for the year. Points are kept separately for dirt and asphalt tracks.

Under the points structure for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, the race winner receives two points for every car in the event up to 20 cars. Second place receives two fewer points, and so on through the field. Race winners receive an additional five bonus points. For example, if 20 cars are in the field, the winner receives 45 points, second place 38 and third, 36. If there are 15 cars, the winner receives 35 points, second 28 and third, 26.

At the end of the eason, the top three drivers in the four asphalt and four dirt NASCAR Finalist Divisions will be recognized at the 2011 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Awards Banquet at the Charlotte Convention Center at the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Friday, Dec. 9.