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WILSON CLAIMS NIGHT ONE OF CLASSIC WEEKEND

By Clayton Johns

BRIGHTON – Rick Wilson (No.42W Riverside Bar & Grill) and Keith Dempster (No.5 Renway Energy) brought the 21-car Southern Ontario Sprints field to life for the 25-lap feature presented by Sanderson’s Tire and Automotive. Wilson jumped out to the early lead and had Dempster in tow as both cars ran the cushion. Third-place starter Glenn Styres (No.0 Case IH) got in to the mix early.

The first caution of the night came on lap two when Mike Ferrell (No.15 Four Wide Designs) spun in turn four. On the ensuing restart, the top-three held form but Mitch Brown (No.10B Pro-Fit Health Club) stole the fourth spot from Jamie Turner (No.11T Hank’s Discount Smokes).

Following a second caution on lap six for a Frank Baranowski (No.66 OTR Filters) spin, Brown dropped to the bottom lane. He used the inside line to get by Styres for third.

Another caution on lap nine for a spinning Jim Munsie (No.9 RBM Carriers) slowed the field, but led to a 10-lap green flag run that saw race leader Wilson get in to lapped traffic.

Wilson got in to some dicey situations that eliminated a 15 car-length lead. After Brown squeezed by Dempster for second, he tracked down Wilson’s No.42W among the traffic. Just as Brown was poised to make the pass for the lead, the fourth and final caution of the race was displayed for a tire barrier that was brought on the track in turn one.

Brown muscled everything he had at Wilson through the final six laps, but the ‘Joyceville Jet’ was perfect in clean air. Brown worked the bottom side of the track well and held off point leader Styres for the second spot. The victory was Wilson’s first with the SOS since 2012.

Defending champion Chris Jones (No.11J Jones Automotive) made a late pass around Dempster for fourth, capping an impressive and methodical run from the eighth starting spot.

Tyler Rand was the hard charger in the field, advancing 12 spots from his 19th starting position to finish seventh.

Wilson, Styres, and Brown won Wiseco Pistons qualifying heat races.

Dream Come True Dash

Earlier in the night, four drivers competed in the Dream Come True four-lap dash. The four drivers in the race had yet to pick up a checkered flag in a sprint car. A first-time winner was guaranteed.

Brad Lodge (No.2 RBM Carriers) grabbed the early lead from his pole starting position. Shawn Sliter (No.71s) charged to the front, and battled with Lodge for the point. Following a lap two restart, Sliter got the advantage off of turn four and used the cushion to power around Lodge at the white flag. Sliter led the final lap to claim his first sprint car checkered flag.

SOS Set for Night Two of Classic Weekend  

The Southern Ontario Sprints return to action at Brighton Speedway for the final points race of the season on Sunday, August 31 to decide the 2014 championship. Glenn Styres enters night two of the Ultramar CST Labour Day Classic weekend as the point leader, with Mitch Brown in striking distance. Racing begins at 6:00pm.

Entries
0 Glenn Styres – Ohsweken, Ont.
01 Kyle Fraser – White Lake, Ont.
2 Brad Lodge – Stouffville, Ont.
5 Keith Dempster – Alton, Ont.
9 Jim Munsie – Pickering, Ont.
9NZ Havard Daniels – Auckland, NZ
10B Mitch Brown – Brantford, Ont.
10C Bob Crawford – Sutton, Ont.
11J Chris Jones – Picton, Ont.
11T Jamie Turner – Caistor Centre, Ont.
15 Mike Ferrell – London, Ont.
15AW April Wilson – Joyceville, Ont.
19 Cory Turner – Caistor Centre, Ont.
25 Warren Mahoney – Lefroy, Ont.
42W Rick Wilson – Joyceville, Ont.
57 Charlie Sandercock – Carrying Place, Ont.
66 Frank Baranowski – Mount Hope Ont.
67 Chris Durand – Port Stanley, Ont.
71s Shawn Sliter – Port Colborne, Ont.
84 Tyler Rand – Picton, Ont.
98 Paul Pekkonen – Brockville, Ont.

RESULTS

HEAT 1 (8 Laps – Top 3 Redraw)

1. 42W Rick Wilson
2. 5 Keith Dempster
3. 19 Cory Turner
4. 98 Paul Pekkonen
5. 57 Charlie Sandercock
6. 71s Shawn Sliter
7. 84 Tyler Rand.

HEAT 2 (8 Laps – Top 3 Redraw)

1. 0 Glenn Styres
2. 11J Chris Jones
3. 11T Jamie Turner
4. 67 Chris Durand
5. 9NZ Havard Daniels
6. 25 Warren Mahoney
7. 66 Frank Baranowski.

HEAT 3 (8 Laps – Top 3 Redraw)

1. 10B Mitch Brown
2. Brad Lodge
3. 01 Kyle Fraser
4. 15 Mike Ferrell
5. 15AW April Wilson
6. 10C Bob Crawford
7. 9 Jim Munsie.

DREAM COME TRUE DASH (4 Laps – Previously Winless Drivers)

1. 71s Shawn Sliter
2. 2 Brad Lodge
3. 19 Cory Turner
4. 15 Mike Ferrell.

A-MAIN (25 Laps – [Starting Position])

1. 42W Rick Wilson [1]
2. 10B Mitch Brown [5]
3. 0 Glenn Styres [3]
4. 11J Chris Jones [8]
5. 5 Keith Dempster [2]
6. 57 Charlie Sandercock [13]
7. 84 Tyler Rand [19]
8. 11T Jamie Turner [6]
9. 25 Warren Mahoney [17]
10. 19 Cory Turner [7]
11. 71s Shawn Sliter [16]
12. 98 Paul Pekkonen [10]
13. 15AW April Wilson [15]
14. 10C Bob Crawford [18]
15. 01 Kyle Fraser [9]
16. 2 Brad Lodge [4]
17. 9NZ Havard Daniels [14]
18. 9 Jim Munsie [21]
19. 15 Mike Ferrell [12]
20. 66 Frank Baranowski 20]
21. 67 Chris Durand [11]

The Southern Ontario Sprints 2014 season is proudly presented by Speedway Motors, Wiseco Pistons, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, The National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum, Imagefactor.ca Motorsport Designs and Photography, Kreitz Oval Track Parts, Canadian Motorsports Expo, Sanderson’s Tire and Automotive, and OnDirtRacingNews.com.  

Find the Southern Ontario Sprints online at www.southernontariosprints.com.

For live updates, race results and more, follow the SOS on Twitter @SOSsprints.

Find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SouthernOntarioSprints.

Photos courtesy of Rod Henderson, www.canadianracer.com.

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