Mitchell/Ratta Memorial Media Award
FOR OUTSTANDING MEDIA COVERAGE OF NEW ENGLAND RACING
The Jack Ratta Media Award was first given out at the 2005 NEAR Hall of Fame banquet by the Ink, Incorporated’s Bruce Cohen to recognize exceptional media coverage of auto racing in New England. They chose to name the award after respected racing journalist Jack Ratta of the Manchester (NH) Union Leader. After 2006 recipient Charlie Mitchell of the Norwalk (CT) Hour passed away in late 2012, it was renamed the Mitchell/Ratta Memorial Media Award.
| YEAR | RECIPIENT | CAREER IN MEDIA |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Val LeSieur | publisher – Speedway Scene |
| Sam Weisberg | racing journalist | |
| 2006 | Charlie Mitchell | racing journalist |
| Lou Modestino | racing journalist | publicist | |
| 2007 | Walter Renner | racing journalist | columnist |
| 2008 | not awarded | |
| 2009 | Chris Economaki | announcer | broadcaster |
| 2010 | Howie Hodge | photographer |
| Mary Hodge | photographer | |
| 2011 | Bill Balser | photographer |
| 2012 | Dave Moody | announcer | broadcaster |
| 2013 | Pete Vander Veer | racing journalist |
| 2014 | Bones Bourcier | racing journalist | biographer |
| 2015 | Justin St. Louis | announcer | publicist |
| 2016 | Phil Whipple | columnist |
| Richard ‘Big’ Bigelow | columnist | |
| 2017 | Brian Danko | racing journalist |
| Tom Herzig | racing journalist | publicist | |
| 2018 | John Grady | photographer |
| 2019 | Matt Buckler | announcer |
| 2020 | no ceremony | global pandemic | |
| 2021 | Shawn Courchesne | racing journalist – RaceDayCT.com |
| 2022 | Karl Fredrickson | publisher – Speedway Illustrated |
| 2023 | Cary Stratton | publisher – Coastal 181 |
| Lew Boyd | publisher – Coastal 181 | |
| 2024 | Ken Meisenhelder | videographer |
WATCH SOME OF THE NEAR PRESENTATIONS OF THE
CHARLIE MITCHELL/JACK RATTA MEDIA AWARD RECIPIENTS
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2024 NEAR Ratta/Mitchell Media Award | Ken Meisenhelder
2023 NEAR Ratta/Mitchell Media Award | Cary Stratton & Lew Boyd
2022 NEAR Ratta/Mitchell Media Award | Karl Fredrickson
2021 NEAR Ratta/Mitchell Media Award | Shawn Courchesne
2019 NEAR Ratta/Mitchell Media Award | Matt Buckler
2018 NEAR Ratta/Mitchell Media Award | John Grady
2016 NEAR Ratta/Mitchell Media Award | Phil Whipple
2015 NEAR Ratta/Mitchell Media Award | Justin St. Louis
2014 NEAR Ratta/Mitchell Media Award | Bones Bourcier
2011 NEAR Jack Ratta Media Award | Bill Balser
2010 NEAR Jack Ratta Media Award | Howie & Mary Hodge
2009 NEAR Jack Ratta Media Award | Chris Economaki
2007 NEAR Jack Ratta Media Award | Walter Renner
2006 NEAR Jack Ratta Media Award | Charlie Mitchell
2006 NEAR Jack Ratta Media Award | Lou Modestino
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