More than 50 awards were presented to racers at the Coles County Dragway Annual Awards Banquet on Saturday for the 2011 race season.

Awards included voted awards and track awards in many categories, including the junior and high school levels.

“It’s a blast. It’s like the Daytona 500,” said Eric Cooper, winner of the 2011 Sportsman Champion and Male Driver of the Year. During the regular season Cooper also won the King of the Track award.

Cooper said the banquet is a way to see people he has not seen since the last race in October.

The winner of the Rookie of the Year award, Travis East said he gained more friends in the past year of racing at the drag way than he has 20 years of racing circle track.

“It’s great just to race them,” East said.

Cooper and East both said everyone who participates at the drag way is like family.

Once the ceremony started after dinner, door prizes were called off periodically between announcements of the award winners.

Sponsors donated more than $3,000 in door prizes, many of them from local businesses.

The door prizes included logoed banners and apparel, tools, GPS, and a high definition television. One particular set of donated door prizes had a signature of a National Hot Rod Association racer.

The banquet is for the recognition of the racers, said Warren Evans, the main presenter of awards and predecessor of the current owners.

During the start of the award ceremony Rod Viehland, co-owner of the Coles County Dragway mentioned broken records of the past year, including the broken track speed record and broken attendance record. He also talked about plans for the 2012 season.

Darwin Korson, owner of the Coles County Dragway, purchased the drag way with partner Viehland a year ago in January.

Korson said there were variety of people who raced at the drag way.

“We have farmers, cabinet builders, college students, high school students and even a principal racing,” Korson said.

The Coles County Dragway awards banquet started in the late 1980s as a get together, Korson said. It has been told that one year more than 600 people showed up, Korson said.

“I bet racers can’t wait for us to open up in March,” Korson said.

Corey Ascolani can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].