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Glenn Styres Crowned at Southern Ontario Sprints Awards Banquet
An enthusiastic group of fans and friends gathered to celebrate with
the stars of the Southern Ontario Sprints Saturday night at the Best Western
Cain Croft Inn in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Incoming President Peter Turford
hosted the final curtain closer on the 12th season of the traveling series
which found a determined Glenn Styres collecting his second SOS Championship
point title.
For the second year in a row, when the final checkered flag fell in
the 2007 tour, consistency was the determining factor in deciding the
championship as like last season when Warren Mahoney captured the crown,
Styres was also winless on the tour. While being acknowledged by the huge
crowd on hand, Styres gave a brief tour of his start in racing and the
journey that brought him to the championship in 2007 while thanking the many
people who have supported the team in making the championship run. Keith
Dempster also collected the “Dave MacLeod Memorial - Mechanic of the Year
Award” for the Styres Racing effort from Norm MacLeod; a fitting tribute to
Dempster as he was the last driver to wheel a MacLeod entry before Dave’s
passing last January.
Runner-up, Warren Mahoney was also winless during the campaign
finished consistently each night out while third place Keith Dempster did
manage to break into the winners circle once with a win at Ohsweken about
mid point of the season. Bob Crawford collected the fourth place award while
Joey Middlemiss rounded out the top five. Middlemiss scored a pair of wins
on the season taking his first at South Buxton, then backing up the feat
with a popular win during the annual Labour Day Classic at Brighton
Speedway. A former Rookie of the Year winner, Middlemiss will be missed on
the tour as he announced that he is stepping back from the sport for a while
to raise his young family but has not ruled out the possibility of returning
if the right circumstances present themselves.
The “Founders Cup - Rookie of the Year” honours went to a determined James
Whittaker who accepted the award from three of the founding members of the
Southern Ontario Sprints. Jon Banas, Hector Belliveau, and Larry Atkinson
were on hand to make this first annual presentation of the Founders Cup.
“Best Appearing Car” honours presented by Image Factor went to Joey
Middlemiss while the Kenetic Photos “Hard Charger” award was won by the
“Joyceville Jet”, Rick Wilson.
Sixth place in the final standings found the ageless Dick Mahoney.
Picking up a feature win in 2007, Mahoney still has the fire burning and
will return in 2008 with a new car to take a serious run at the
championship. Adam West and Kyle Patrick finished seventh and eighth while a
pair of rookies in Whittaker and Mike Ferrell rounded out the top ten in the
final tally.
Outgoing President Bill Oldroyd briefly addressed the crowd in
concluding the ceremonies bidding farewell and thanking all of those who
helped make his term as SOS President a memorable one.
While the 2008 schedule is nearing completion, release is expected
early in the new year as final contracts are signed and returned. For all
the latest news, be sure to visit the official website of the Southern
Ontario Sprints at HYPERLINK "http://www.southernontariosprints.com"
www.southernontariosprints.com .
Final 2007 Point Standings
1/ - Glenn STYRES
2/ - Warren MAHONEY
3/ - Keith DEMPSTER
4/ - Bob CRAWFORD
5/ - Joey MIDDLEMISS
6/ - Dick MAHONEY
7/ - Adam WEST
8/ - Kyle PATRICK
9/ - James WHITTAKER “Rookie of the Year”
10/ - Mike FERRELL
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