MVS’ Sweeney is once again Northeast region’s top class winner

It’s almost becoming second nature for Nesquehoning’s Mike Sweeney.

For the third consecutive year, Sweeney is the leader in asphalt Late Model wins in the region.

According to the annual compiling of the Top Northeast Winners list by Area Auto Racing News, Sweeney’s 10 feature victories put him at the pinnacle of his respective class for 2017. It is a feat that he repeated from last season and in 2015 was tied for number one.

“It’s definitely an awesome honor. We watch those results in Area Auto Racing News (AARN) each week. When we got to the eight win mark we suddenly started to hit a snag and leveled out and we began to get a little nervous and thought maybe we wouldn’t get it this year,” said Sweeney. “Going after that win mark is something we like to do and set as one of yearly goals.

“To get recognized at the Motorsports show venue the past two years, signing autographs and going up on stage to receive our award is special to us and it’s nice that (AARN Editor) Lenny Sammons and his group take the time to pay tribute to all of us who get there.”

2017 marks the third straight season that Sweeney has hit the 10 win mark. Dating back to 2014 he has scored 34 times as the race victor. In the past two years those victories vaulted him to championships at Lehighton’s Mahoning Valley Speedway. He also took in events at Evergreen Raceway where he has notched four wins in just a half dozen starts the last two years.

“I’m that type of racer where I race to win week in and week out. Obviously we have seen that work in our favor the last few years which has helped us win point championships and to get this additional honor is the cherry on the top of the cake to be named the Northeast’s top asphalt Late Model winner,” said Sweeney. “I’m very competitive and want to win every race I’m in. Our team works really hard all winter long and we do that with results in mind. Winning Opening Night this year at Mahoning Valley was the first time we achieved that for the first race of the season in all the years I’ve been racing.

“That got things going good for us and we racked up a couple more wins right after that. And then we went to Evergreen and banged one out there too and that just helped keep the momentum steady. It energizes my guys when we win it’s important to keep building on that.”

With his 44 career Mahoning wins and 10 at Evergreen, where is also a two-time champion, (2008, 2009) Sweeney is second on the all-time Eastern Pennsylvania asphalt Late Model winners list behind only Paul Koehler Jr. (71).

Sweeney will be crowned at the Dec. 16 Awards Banquet as Mahoning’s division champion. He will also get his time in the spotlight during the 2018 Pioneer Pole Buildings Motorsports Racecar and Trade Show Presented by Sunoco and Fueled by Insinger Performance, Jan. 19-21 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pa., where he along with all Top Northeast Winners will be lauded in a special autograph signing session and awards presentation.