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by Tommy Goudge (June 29, 2008) -
After breaking a two year winless drought in Southern Ontario Sprints competition two weeks ago at Brighton Speedway, Glenn Styres began a new streak on Sunday night at Humberstone Speedway by winning his second SOS feature in a row. Styres, one of three drivers with a chance to become the first ever three-time champion in SOS history this season, also vaulted unofficially from fifth in the points standings into the lead.
Dick Mahoney and Bob Crawford brought the field to the green flag to start the twenty lap feature, with Crawford winning the drag race into turn one and emerging with the early lead. Crawford's lead would be short-lived, however, as he spun in turns three and four during lap two to bring out the first caution of the evening. The rest of the field was able to slip by Crawford's #10, with the exception of Keith Dempster, who made slight contact with the inside wall in turn four and stopped. Dempster, who had entered the evening as championship leader with a slim four point lead over Rick Wilson, and five point lead over Chris Jones in third, appeared to suffer slight damage to the steering linkage on his #5 in the process. Both drivers were able to return to the action, but with a lot of ground to make up, as there were not yet any lapped machines.
The race restarted with one lap in the books and Dick Mahoney now the leader of the race, but with failing brakes, Mahoney was not able to hold off the advances of Adam West and Glenn Styres for long. Mahoney led the second lap before West slipped by for the lead, but Styres was hot on the heels of West's #30 and got by the Batman after West had led the third lap. Using the low groove, West attempted to retake the lead as he and Styres raced side by side in the corners, but Styres' momentum on the high side carried him back into the lead on the straights. With 25 cars starting the feature race, lapped traffic quickly became a factor as drivers back in the pack were running both low and high around the Speedway, causing Styres and West to turn their attention to getting by the slower traffic. Styres was able to use the traffic to his advantage, opening a gap on West and the rest of the field. Meanwhile the #69 of Rob Pietz and #36 of Mike Stelter were marching through the field after starting ninth and tenth, respectively. Pietz had West in his sights, but as the two raced through the traffic, Pietz was not able to get by.
A caution flag slowed the field with sixteen laps in the books as Jeff Daniels came to a stop in turn four. The race restarted only briefly before it was slowed again, this time for a red flag as Daniels' car appeared to suffer a mechanical problem, making contact with the frontstretch wall and flipping. Daniels emerged from the crash unscathed, but the #20 suffered extensive front end damage. When the race restarted for a four lap dash to the finish, Styres had four lapped machines between himself and second place West, including Dempster, who was not able to maintain the same pace he had shown earlier in the evening when he won the second heat race. When the green flag came out, Styres again opened up his lead over West, who was trying to find a way around the lapped cars, and Stelter worked his way by Pietz for third, while ninteenth starting Dave Dykstra made his way into the top six.
With the end of the race in sight, Jason Pietz spun to a stop to bring out a caution flag, creating a two-lap dash to the finish. With lapped machines still between he and West, Styres was not seriously challenged on the restart and took the victory, followed by West, Stelter, Pietz, and Chris Jones. Dykstra, Jim Porter, Warren Mahoney, eighteenth starter Ryan Hunsinger, and twentieth starter Tim Zack rounded out the top ten.
NOTES:
- A season high twenty-seven cars turned out for the Humberstone event, despite threatening skies. Rain in the afternoon and again during heat race action caused a brief delay, but Humberstone officials kept the track in great shape and got the action restarted quickly.
- Regular Humberstone sprint car drivers Jim Price, Jim Porter, Tim Zack, Rob Pietz, Stan Zanchin, John Burbridge, Jr., Dave Dykstra, and Nick Cupolo all joined the fray for their first SOS action of the season, while the #29 normally driven by Daryl Turford was piloted by local driver Jason Pietz for the evening. Tom Huppunen, Rob Ledingham, Joel Lehman, and Justin Martin also made their first SOS starts of the season. The night marked the first career SOS races for Ledingham, Cupolo, Burbridge, Jr., and Dykstra, as all are rookies to sprint car competition this year after success in the DIRTcar Sportsman ranks.
- John Burbridge, Sr. returned to SOS competition on Sunday night for the first time after scoring a career-best second place finish in the season-opening event at Brighton, but scratched for the evening due to engine problems. Bill Baldwin's #14 was also scratched for the night as Bill was feeling ill and couldn't get behind the wheel. With two scratches reducing the field to twenty-five, and the night already delayed by weather, SOS officials decided to cancel the B-Main, and add an additional starter to the A-Main lineup.
- With second place point man Rick Wilson not in attendance, and Keith Dempster finishing sixteenth, the points standings were shaken up substantially. Unofficially, Glenn Styres moved from fifth to first, while Chris Jones is now second, just one point behind Styres. Meanwhile, Adam West and Warren Mahoney have moved into a tie for third, while Dempster is now 5th, but just thirty-three points back of the lead. Official points will be available later this week.
- Saturday night's scheduled event at the South Buxton Raceway was cancelled due to weather. Possible dates for rescheduling are being discussed, but nothing is yet finalized.
Race Report - Sunday, June 29, 2008
Southern Ontario Sprints 2008 Season Event #4
Humberstone Speedway - Port Colborne, Ontario
ENTRIES
0 Glenn Styres - Ohsweken
4z - Joel Lehman - Guelph
5 Keith Dempster - Alton
5d Dave Dykstra - Port Colborne
7 Jim Price - Wainfleet
7m Justin Martin - St. Thomas
9jr Tim Zack - Dain City
10 Bob Crawford - Sutton
11j Chris Jones - Demorestville
14 Bill Baldwin - Courtice
15 Mike Ferrell - London
19jr Rob Ledingham - Port Colborne
20 Jeff Daniels - Chatham
21j John Burbridge, Sr. - Simcoe
22 Jim Porter - Grand Island, NY
25 Warren Mahoney - Lefroy
27h Tom Huppunen - Fenwick
29 Jason Pietz - Welland
30 Adam West - Ridgetown
31 John Burbridge, Jr. - Simcoe
36 Mike Stelter - Ontario, NY
69 Rob Pietz - Port Colborne
77x Ryan Hunsinger - Brantford
79 Dick Mahoney - Newmarket
81 Derek Jonathon - Lewiston, NY
94 Stan Zanchin - Fort Erie
99c Nick Cupolo - Thorold
HEAT RACE #1
(8 laps - Top 6 Transfer to A-Main)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 25 Warren Mahoney (4)
2. 69 Rob Pietz (6)
3. 79 Dick Mahoney (2)
4. 11j Chris Jones (5)
5. 20 Jeff Daniels (3)
6. 27h Tom Huppunen (8)
7. 5d Dave Dykstra (7)
8. 7m Justin Martin (9)
9. 15 Mike Ferrell (1)
HEAT RACE #2
(8 laps - Top 6 Transfer to A-Main)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 5 Keith Dempster (3)
2. 19jr Rob Ledingham (6)
3. 36 Mike Stelter (5)
4. 10 Bob Crawford (2)
5. 81 Derek Jonathon (1)
6. 99c Nick Cupolo (7)
7. 9jr Tim Zack (8)
8. 4z Joel Lehman (5)
9. 21j John Burbridge, Sr. DNS
HEAT RACE #3
(8 laps - Top 6 Transfer to A-Main)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 0 Glenn Styres (3)
2. 30 Adam West (2)
3. 22 Jim Porter (5)
4. 94 Stan Zanchin (6)
5. 31 John Burbridge, Jr. (4)
6. 77x Ryan Hunsinger (1)
7. 7 Jim Price (7)
8. 29 Jason Pietz (8)
9. 14 Bill Baldwin DNS
'A' FEATURE (20 laps)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 0 Glenn Styres (4)
2. 30 Adam West (3)
3. 36 Mike Stelter (10)
4. 69 Rob Pietz (9)
5. 11j Chris Jones (6)
6. 5d Dave Dykstra (19)
7. 22 Jim Porter (8)
8. 25 Warren Mahoney (5)
9. 77x Ryan Hunsinger (18)
10. 9jr Tim Zack (20)
11. 19jr Rob Ledingham (12)
12. 10 Bob Crawford (2)
13. 99c Nick Cupolo (17)
14. 79 Dick Mahoney (1)
15. 94 Stan Zanchin (11)
16. 5 Keith Dempster (7)
17. 7m Justin Martin (22)
18. 4z Joel Lehman (23)
19. 81 Derek Jonathon (14)
20. 7 Jim Price (21)
21. 29 Jason Pietz (24)
22. 15 Mike Ferrell (25)
23. 20 Jeff Daniels (13) DNF
24. 31 John Burbridge, Jr. (15) DNF
25. 27h Tom Huppunen (16) DNF
Lap Leaders: Crawford (1), D. Mahoney (2), West (3), Styres (4-20)
Hard Charger: Dykstra (gained 13 positions)
Caution Flags: 3 (lap 2, lap 17, lap 19)
Red Flags: 1 (lap 17)
UNOFFICIAL TOP 10 IN POINTS AFTER ROUND #4
Rank. Number Name Total (Positions Gained/Lost)
1. 0 Glenn Styres 599 (+4)
2. 11j Chris Jones 598 (+1)
t3. 25 Warren Mahoney 577 (+1)
t3. 30 Adam West 577 (+3)
5. 5 Keith Dempster 566 (-4)
6. 10 Bob Crawford 516 (+1)
7. 79 Dick Mahoney 504 (+1)
8. 81 Derek Jonathon 480 (+1)
9. 42w Rick Wilson 450 (-7)
10. 15 Mike Ferrell 423 (+1)
NEXT SOS RACE:
Saturday, July 12 @ Brighton Speedway - Brighton, Ontario
www.BrightonSpeedway.com
www.SouthernOntarioSprints.com
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