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The “Joyceville Jet” Turns Up The Heat In Southern Ontario Sprint Action
In what may well be remembered as one of the “Classic” battles” of the 2007
Southern Ontario Sprint title chase, Glenn Styres and Rick Wilson waged war
at Brighton Speedway Saturday night as Sobey’s of Brighton brought the
“Winged Warriors” back for the second of six appearances for 2007 at the
quarter mile clay oval.
In a post race interview Wilson stated “I feel really bad for Glenn (Styres)
as I almost got into the side of him. I didn’t have any brakes when the last
red (flag) came out. It looked like it was rough racing but it wasn’t. It
was just an awesome race. The track was beautiful and it is just always nice
to come here” concluded Wilson.
Driving a new car named “Jack-a-Roo” (after his Jack Russell dog killed a
couple of weeks earlier), Wilson and crew were forced to build the new mount
this week following a bone jarring crash at Brockville. “This was my son’s
frame and only had one race on it” explained Wilson. “The crash at
Brockville broke my old car in half and ripped the motor right out of it.
This one seems to work pretty good”.
Following preliminary action and with the track in near perfect shape under
ideal racing conditions, Wilson lined up in twelfth position behind pole
sitter Brad Malloy. At the drop of the green, Malloy charged out front only
to see the red flag wave as he entered turn three. Behind him a skirmish
found Joe Middlemiss turning his car over with contact being made by several
others. John Watson was forced to retire from the event with front end
damage while the Middlemiss crew went pit side for repairs.
With a complete restart called for and Middlemiss rejoining the rear of the
field, Malloy once again took command which he held until the second red of
the event flew at the beginning of lap three. While Dick Mahoney looped his
ride in turn one, Keith Dempster and Kevin Job were force to take evasive
action to the high side of the track. Unfortunately for Job he ran out of
space collecting the right rear wheel of Dempster and launching off the
second turn. After a few moments to catch his breath, Job emerged from his
heavily damaged machine a little dazed but seeming otherwise uninjured.
Dempster’s mount would also retire with damage to the rear end of the
Ohsweken Speedway house car.
The field lined up for a restart with Malloy taking control at the drop of
the green flag. Warren Mahoney moved into second with Glenn Styres and
Wilson third and fourth and John Burbridge rounding out the top five when
the caution flag waved on lap four for Dick Mahoney who looped his car for
the third time in the event, this time coming to a stop in turn four.
Mahoney rejoined the rear of the field as the green flag waved once again.
Malloy continued to circle the quarter mile in top spot with Warren Mahoney,
Wilson, Styres, and new rookie Mark Swain in hot pursuit when the caution
flag waved for Daryl Turford in turn four. Turford retired from event with
what seem to be front end mechanical problems.
Malloy led the field to the line for the restart and resumed control at the
half way point of the race. Malloy appeared to experience tire problem as
they entered the final stages of the event and fell out of the lead by lap
fifteen with Wilson, Styres, Mahoney all slipping by as the caution waved
for April Wilson who stopped in turn four.
The restart set the stage for one of the most memorable battles in SOS
history with Styres and Warren Mahoney dogging Wilson for the top spot.
Mahoney appeared to be content to let Wilson and Styres settle the top spot
as they exchanged the lead several times a lap in the closing stages. When
the trio took the white flag with Wilson and Styres side by side as they
entered turn one, approaching lapped traffic, both decided to dive under the
lapped car and made hard contact. Mahoney took the high route as he appeared
to be in position to snatch the win from the leaders when he ran out of race
track and flipped violently out of turn two. Mahoney quickly exited his car
but the damage was severe enough that he would be retired to the pit.
The restart found Wilson leading Styres and the battle continued to the
checkered flag with both Wilson and Styres crossing the finish line with
their front wheels waving in the air at the capacity crowd who cheered
wildly.
Third went to John Burbridge with Bob Crawford and Adam West rounding out
the top five. Jamie Collard, Brad Malloy, Mark Swain, Rob Middlemiss, and
Dick Mahoney completed the top ten.
Heat races were won by Brad MALLOY, Joe MIDDLEMISS and Rick WILSON.
Next up on June 23rd the series will move on to South Buxton Raceway for the
first of three appearances in 2007.
Be sure to come out to a speedway near you as the series continues on it’s
2007 tour and for all of the latest news and information on the Southern
Ontario Sprints be sure to log on to the official website at HYPERLINK
"http://www.southernontariosprints.com" www.southernontariosprints.com .
Results: 25 cars in Pit
Heat #1
1/ 5m – Brad MALLOY, Niagara Falls, ON 2/ 26 – John WATSON,
St. Thomas, ON
3/ 5 – Keith DEMPSTER, Alton, ON 4/ 05 – Mark SWAIN, Port Perry,
ON
5/ 81 – Derek JONATHON, Lockport, NY 6/ 4Z – Joel LEHMAN,
Guelph, ON
7/ 15 – Mike FERRELL, London, ON 8/ 15aw – April WILSON,
Joyceville, ON
9/ 7 – Justin MARTIN,
Heat #2
1/ 11m – Joe MIDDLEMISS, Chippawa, ON 2/ 25 – Warren MAHONEY,
Lefroy, ON
3/ 21X – Kevin JOB, Campbellville, ON 4/ 0 – Glenn STYRES,
Ohsweken, ON
5/ 29 – Daryl TURFORD, Mitchell, ON 6/ 71 – Craig DOWNIE,
Burlington, ON
7/ 10m – Rob MIDDLEMISS, St. Catherines, ON 8/ 14 – Bill
BALDWIN, Coutrice, ON
Heat #3
1/ 42 – Rick WILSON, Joyceville, ON 2/ 79 – Dick MAHONEY,
Newmarket, ON
3/ 37F – Jamie COLLARD, Princeton, ON 4/ 30 – Adam WEST,
Ridgetown, ON
5/ 21J – John BURBRIDGE, Simcoe, ON 6/ 10 – Bob CRAWFORD,
Sutton, ON
7/ 83 – James WHITTAKER, Lynden, ON 8/ 24 – Bob McDONALD,
Woodstock, ON
“A” MAIN
1/ 42w – Rick WILSON (12) 2/ 0 - Glenn STYRES (9)
3/ 21J – John BURBRIDGE (14) 4/ 10 – Bob CRAWFORD (17)
5/ 30 – Adam WEST (10) 6/ 37 – Jamie COLLARD (6)
7/ 5m – Brad MALLOY (1) 8/ 05 – Mark SWAIN (7)
9/ 10M – Rob MIDDLEMISS (20) 10/ 79 – Dick MAHONEY (2)
11/ 15aw – April WILSON (21) 12/ 83 – James WHITTAKER (19)
13/ 4Z – Joel LEHMAN (16) 14/ 24 – Bob McDONALD (22)
15/ 15 – Mike FERRELL (18) 16/ 81 – Derek JONATHON (13)
17/ 14 – Bill BALDWIN (23) 18/ 11m – Joe MIDDLEMISS (4)
19/ 25 – Warren MAHONEY (5) 20/ 29 – Daryl TURFORD (15)
21/ 5 – Keith DEMPSTER (8) 22/ 21x – Kevin JOB (11)
23/ 26 – John WATSON (3) 24/ 7 – Justin MARTIN (DNS)
Unofficial Points after JUNE 9th:
1
42w – Rick WILSON
514
2
30 – Adam WEST
416
3
21x – Kevin JOB
410
4
10 – Bob CRAWFORD
406
5
37F – Jamie COLLARD
394
Unofficial “Rookie of the Year” Points after JUNE 9th:
1
Mark SWAIN
348
2
James WHITTAKER
321
3
April WILSON
312
KENETIC Photos “Hard Charger” after JUNE 9th:
1
Rick WILSON
30
2
Rob MIDDLEMISS
22
3
Jamie COLLARD
20
4
John BURBRIDGE
16
5
5
Mike FERRELL
James WHITTAKER
14
14
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