Lampman's Riley Raynard's third season of driving hobby stocks has him in the race for one of the sports' most prestigious awards-the Ken Schrader Real Racer Award- presented by Speedway Illustrated magazine.
The award, which is presented to a driver who “shows a lot of determination for the sport,” says Raynard. “It's an award where people nominate you. You don't have to win races for it. It's whoever has the heart and determination for the sport.”
The winner will be announced at a ceremony in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Dec.11, and Raynard, most of his family, and his friend and competitor, Leevi Runge, also of Lampman, will be in attendance.
“He's my buddy that always helps me,” says Raynard. “Leevi and most of my family are going to be there with me.”
“A bunch of people nominated me,” he says. “It's pretty cool and amazing, that I'm even up for a big award like that. My mom got an email, and that's how I found out.”
This year Raynard won the first two features of his three-year career and if he is named recipient of the Real Racer award, it will mark his second appearance in Speedway Illustrated magazine. The magazine's November issue featured a story about Raynard's determination to overcome the effects of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, both on and off the track.
“ I won my first three features racing in Estevan and I was Motor Magic Champion at Nodak Speedway in Minot. It was a weekend thing, and I came first on the first night and second in the second,” says Raynard.
“My last win of the season was at Big Eagle's in Manor. Me and my buddy Leevi [Runge] were side by side and it was a really close race.”
“I'm really happy and grateful to everyone who nominated me,” he says. “It's cool even to be nominated.”
