At the beginning of each season, usually in winter, the BVR drivers set out their goals for the year. Schedules are made, cars begin to be assembled, and drivers focus on what they must do to get that checker flag. The decision definitely alters one’s day to day routine and make no mistake, there is usually great sacrifice that goes with this.

With that first race, many will revise their strategy. At the end of the season, we on the Board, have to determine who will be the winner of this award, named Driver of the Year. It has been tradition to look for a winning season, with an outstanding series of accomplishments. This Award honors dedication, skill and the ability to see the moment when you know the race is yours.

As a youngster this driver could be found learning then winning in shifter carts. It seems that so many drivers these days start out in carts and learn the physics behind a race car.

Fast forward to 2009 – at the Blackhawk Farms Drivers School. Our driver in training went to the school, passed and entered for the Sunday Regional. Sunday dawned rainy and miserable – not good for a newly passed student, and not fun for veterans either.

Driving a spec Miata our new driver went out, qualified and raced. In his first race, he won in the rain, handily, as though having done this for years. He earned a National license that day for this race.

He next entered our Double National , then the Sprints and the Milwaukee National, gaining those fine points that all drivers look for. He entered tow out of division events and came in 1^st and 4^th. With (6) starts he came in 4^th in Cendiv National Points in his first year.

In 2010 our driver started 11 races and finished 9 of the events. He came in first at the BVR National and first at the next two, both at Road America, then 3^rd place in the next two events. Traveling out of Cendiv, he placed high in two races out of division.
This great season put him in 1^st place in National points at season’s end, a great season in all.

Now here we sit at the end of 2011, a new year to build upon what was learned last year. At Blackhawk Farms and Autobahn came 4ths , 2^nd at the tough Cat National, in out of division races came a 2^nd and two more 3rds, in some huge fields. With this under his belt our driver entered the Runoffs and finished 3^rd in a really tough battle.

When the Cendiv National points were tallied our Award winner came in 2^nd in division in spec Miata. With a season like these last two, the focus to excel showed itself in our decision to award the Driver of the Year to Voytek Burdzy.

Will you please accept this honor.