By NICOLE KLEINSTEUBER
BRIGHTON, ONT – On a hot night, fans were treated to even hotter side by side racing action at Brighton Speedway Saturday night. The night presented by Tri County Lift Truck Ltd. and Independent Starter and Alternator saw the Late Models, Canadian Modifieds, Thunder Stocks, Mini Stocks and Comp 4s dial in for a wild caution riddled night.
Hennessy puts hammers down
After two consecutive second place finishes, Picton’s Andrew Hennessy was determined to park his 87 on Saturday night. No. 11 Kyle Sopaz led the field of 11 late models for nearly half of the Vanderlaan Building Products 30-lap main event as Hennessy muscled his way up to the front from sixth. Sopaz dominated on the cushion as Hennessy tore
up the bottom and on the 13th time by the 87 seized the opportunity to strike, snatching up the lead. Hennessy switched lanes, put the hammer down and ran the high side to victory lane as No. 5 Steve Baldwin chased him on the inside.
“The track had a lot of grip around the top and I thought that was the preferred lane watching the Thunder Stocks, Modifieds as well,” he said in victory lane. “Kyle was running really good but Baldwin was getting up underneath me and made me think that maybe the bottom was better than I thought it was. The top was starting to go away there.
I don’t even remember how I got there and I’m just getting here now.” Baldwin finished second, No. 55 Brad Rayner was third, No. 92 Adam Turner fourth and Sopaz fifth.
O’Blenis holds off Purchase
No. 32 Doug O’Blenis and No. 53 Wade Purchase thrilled fans with an epic chase in the caution-filled OilGARD Anti-Rust Canadian Modified 25-lap feature. O’Blenis mashed the gas pedal as he took 13 mods to green and Purchase pushed through the field from his seventh starting position. It took Purchase a mere five laps before he bested O’Blenis for top spot and then a caution slowed the pace. O’Blenis took his 32 to the limit on the restart and moved out ahead of Purchase to take a better lead as he found his groove on the highside. Lapped traffic proved to be problematic and presented a great opportunity for Purchase and No. 07 Curtis King to close in on the 32. King swung too high coming into turn 4 and it cost him some ground allowing Purchase to again slide into second. O’Blenis and Purchase had fans on the edge of their seats as the pair went neck and neck to the finish line. O’Blenis crossed the line first a second ahead of Purchase. King took home a solid third, No. 1 Shawn Gregory was fourth and No. 48 Derrick Greig was fifth. The driver from Napanee admitted in victory lane he was starting to get a little worried that Gregory and Purchase were going to be unbeatable this season so they got their act together over the past week. He said they “changed everything on the car” and they are good.
Ramsay scores second win
No. 03 Justin Ramsay wasted no time taking command of the Brighton Automotive Thunderstock’s 20-lap feature. Starting fourth, the Belleville driver rode the outside and on the second time by the 03 dominated the lead with No. 26 Kraig Handley challenging him much of the race. In the closing laps No. 85 Austin Reid worked his way into the second spot moving Handley back to third. Ramsay took home his second win on the season with Reid in second, Handley third, No. 0 Tyler French fourth and No. 72 Doug Anderson fifth. “The top of the track is super fast,” Ramsay said in victory lane. “I could go into this corner (pointing to turn 1) without even letting off. That last little slide job I threw out at Handley was pretty neat. I was like ‘I think he’s got me.’ The caution came out and I ended up getting by him anyway.” Ramsay seals his success with the Campbellford Chrysler Driver of the Week honours and will be in the courtyard to greet fans this Saturday, May 21st.
Severn sails to Victory Lane
No. 12 Caleb Severn started on the front row alongside No. 7 AJ Rinaldi in the 15-lap 15-lap Bill’s Johns Mini Stock main event and showed the field early that he would be the driver to beat. Severn jumped out to the early lead and maintained control throughout as Rinaldi rallied to get the lead back. Window bed issues forced Rinaldi to the pits allowing No. 4 Chris Tufford to slide up into second. Tufford challenged Severn as Rinaldi pushed to get back up into the lead. When the checkers fell it was Severn who was victorious with Rinaldi in second. Tufford placed third, No. 95 Chris Lammle fourth and No. 25 Lawrence Evenden fifth.
Kippen collects checkers
The Bill’s Johns Comp 4 feature saw 2021 champ No. 43 Devon Kippen take his first season victory in the 15-lap affair. No. 44 Tommy Bailey secured a hard earned second and No. 42jr Aidan Fletcher with a well-deserved third. No. 15 Josh Bogaard was fourth and 11w Adam Flieler subbing for Will Dorie was fifth.
UP NEXT: SATURDAY, MAY 21 Campbellford Chrysler & Brighton Recycling presents Southern Ontario Sprints, Late Model, Canadian Mod, Thunder Stock & Mini Stock. Gates open at 5 p.m and the green flag drops at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $25 for Adults, $20 for Youths & Seniors, $10 for Children 7-12 and $5.00 for Children 6 and Under.
May 14th, 2022 Finish
Bill’s John’s Mini Stock Feature Finish
1 12 Caleb Severin
2 7 Anthony Rinaldi
3 4 Chris Tufford
4 95 Chris Lammle
5 25 Lawrence Evenden
6 72 Austin South
7 22 Tyson Gregory
8 07 Percy Walsh
9 5 Eric Conlin
10 71 Alesha Gerard
11 78 Ethan Dorie
12 11w Mike (Black) Whyte
13 01 Scott Simpson
14 44 SUB Mike Beaudrie Rai-Ann Beaudrie
15 87 Steven Hennige
16 18 Carter Rhodes
17 8 Sebastian Rightmeyer
Bill’s Johns Comp 4 Feature Finish
1 43 Devon Kippen
2 44 Tommy Bailey
3 42jr Aidan Fletcher
4 15 Josh Bogaard
5 11 Will Dorie SUB A.FLIELER
6 20 Cody Sager
7 33 Adam Milton
8 19 Shannon White
9 22 Keith Dunk
10 85j Jordan Monaghan
11 85 Brittany Golden
12 16 Dawson Evans
13 35 Taya Farrell-Sonnenburg
Brighton Automotive Thunder Stocks Feature Finish
1 03 Justin Ramsay
2 85 Austin Reid
3 26 Kraig Handley
4 0 Tyler French
5 72 Doug Anderson
6 92 Adam Turner
7 17 Jeff Humphry
8 48 Adam Wells
9 74 Mike Lucas
10 18 Kyle Anderson
11 88 Patrick Easton
12 41 Ryan Lambert
13 14 Chris Dorland
14 83 Andrew Massey
15 9 Josh Black
16 77 Adrian Hancock
17 23 Doug May
18 16 Kaitlyn O’Blenis
19 97 Dave Barrett
20 1 Brock Gregory
21 01 Kyle Gregory
22 4 Steve Peake
23 76 Cody Driscoll
24 19 Cory White
Bainer’s OilGARD Anti Rust Canadian Modified Feature Finish
1 32 Doug O’Blenis
2 53 Wade Purchase
3 07 Curtis King
4 1 Shawn Gregory
5 48 Derrick Greig
6 40 Ron Wadforth
7 51 Mike Freeman
8 3 Nathan Rinaldi
9 2 Leslie Mowat
10 52 Doug Galt
11 09 Dan Price
12 4 Tom Swerbrick
13 50 Dylan Boyle
Vanderlaan Building Products Late Model Feature Finish
1 87 Andrew Hennessy
2 5 Steve Baldwin
3 55 Brad Rayner
4 92 Adam Turner
5 11 Kyle Sopaz
6 57 Charlie Sandercock
7 77 Caley Weese
8 21 Rich Sanders
9 33 David Vandertoorn
10 01 Andy Mayhew
11 46 Brandon Mowat
