Championship Series: 2002

Open Champion
Dave Golder
#20, 1999 NASCAR Grand Prix

Exciting to watch and nearly impossible to outrun, Dave capped another great season in the Home Depot car, with 2 first place finishes in the Open Division. Achieving speeds approaching 230 mph, this top performer is a real crowd pleaser, both on the course and in the car shows! Dave has firmly established that he is the man to beat whenever he comes to race!

Super Sport Champion
Joel Hannig
#62, 1962 Dodge Polara

Despite losing a tire in the Pony Express 100, Joel and Diane Hannig scored two First Place finishes in the Bonneville 100 and the Gambler’s Run Twin 50 driving their “monster machine” 1962 Dodge Polara running a Mopar “B” motor, earning them the Super Sport Division title.  We look forward to seeing them return to defend their title, as it is always a thrill to see a two-ton, 41-year old piece of Detroit muscle ripping down the road at 190 mph! (Joel, is that a little whiff of alcohol I smell coming from your exhaust?) 

Grand Sport Champion
John Grimes
#17, 1998 Firebird

John and Susan Grimes, two of Open Road Racing’s finest ambassadors of our sport, earned a well-deserved Championship when they notched one First Place and two Second Place finishes in three races this year. Considering they did so well in the fastest class in the Division, the grueling 150-mph class, this is indeed a great accomplishment.  Congratulations!

Grand Touring Champion
Neil Berry
#88, 2001 SVT Cobra

A newcomer to Open Road Racing, Neil quickly learned just how to beat the clock! Originally just planning to run the Bonneville 100, he caught the ORR bug and kept coming back for more.  With a first place finish, a second place and a third place, he captured the Grand Touring Championship and becomes the man to beat in Grand Touring for 2003!

Touring Champion
Ron Landaker
#6, Chrysler PT Cruiser

Our 2002 Champion, Ron Landaker, and perennial favorite Richard Hannon waged a pitched battle for the Touring Championship this year, and Richard looked like he had it won when he posted a fantastic time at the Gambler's Run, missing his target by only .003 mph! However, it was Ron and his navigator, Heidi Anderson who carried the day when they did something that has only been done four times in the history of Open Road Racing - they posted a PERFECT SCORE! That's right, a perfect 95.000 mph over 100 miles, to win the 2002 Championship. Well done!

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