SOS – For immediate release:
Bill Oldroyd
Ohsweken Speedway – May 27, 2005
‘Friday Night Thunder’ at Ohsweken Speedway was not just a slogan this past Friday as the Southern Ontario Sprints 10th Anniversary season returned to the ‘Big O’ under threatening skies. However, the weather conditions did but distract track owner, Glenn Styres aim at yet another SOS victory. For the 2nd time this season and the 8th time in his career, Styres came home victorious in the SOS Feature event of the night.
Gary Evans of Thorndale paced the 20-car field to the green but on lap one the race was red-flagged when Warren Mahoney from Lefroy lost control in turn three and flipped off the track. The Mahoney car eventually came to rest beside the large packing machine giving the veteran driver a real scare. Fortunately Mahoney was not injured in the crash.
When the race was restated, Belle River’s Jack Pillon immediately jumped into the lead. Veteran race driver Fred Cade, making only his 3rd start in a sprint car, moved up quickly from this 7th place starting position to set claim on the 3rd spot. Cade started his racing career in ASA competing against the likes of Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin. More recently he has competed in the Dirt Modified division.
Another driver making an early move was the current SOS points leader, Adam West. The Ridgetown native started the Feature in 12th but by lap three had already move up to 5th position. The second caution of the night flew on lap six when rookie Andrew Reaume of Blenheim, spun in turn three. This was Reaume’s first race in a sprint car. The top five at this point in the race were Pillon, Cade, West, Dick Mahoney from Newmarket and Craig Downie of Burlington.
The caution would fly again on lap 10 for debris. At this point in the event, Styres was beginning to make his way towards the top spot. Styres, who started the Feature in 11th, was now inside the top five in 4th place while the Eldarodo Logistics machine of Pillon was still in command on the event.
Pillon’s hope of his first Feature victory were dashed on lap fifteen when he spun in turn two attempting to hold off a charging West. This handed the lead to West with Styres now up to 2nd. Running in the third position and having a great run was Jim Porter for Grand Island, NY. Porter started the Feature back in 18th place. Cade was still running strong in 4th with Mark Schulz of Newfane, NY sitting in the 5th position. Schultz is off to a great start in this young season.
West held the lead for a couple of laps but Styres took over the top spot with only a few laps remaining. The last caution of the night came on lap eighteen when a disappointed Porter spun dropping him deep in the field for the restart. This gave another rookie driver his first opportunity at a top-five finish. John Watson of St Thomas had never finished a Feature race in his brief career. On this night he started the Feature in the seventeenth position and ran a very steady race. At the mid-point of the event he was in the 10th position and would make the final restart of the night in 7th.
When the 21-lap Feature was completed, Styres found himself in victory lane, followed by West, Schulz, Cade and Watson who did get his first-ever top 5 finish.
Heat race winners were Pillon, West and Schulz with Pillon also taking the Dash for Cash.
The 10 Anniversary tour will continue with a double-header weekend on June 10th & 11th. The SOS will return to Ohsweken Speedway, Friday June10th. Then on Saturday June 11th, the SOS will make the tow back to Brighton Speedway for a double-Feature make-up from opening day.
Results: 22-car field
Leaf Racewear Heat
1. #18j – Jack Pillon, Belle River, ON; 2. #0 – Glenn Styres, Ohsweken, ON; 3. #17 – Gary Evans, Thorndale, ON; 4. #79 – Dick Mahoney, Newmarket, ON; 5. #17m – Charlie McCann, London, ON; 6. #12 – Willy Northcott, London, ON; dns. #20 – Jeff Daniels, Chatham, ON
Signet Tool Heat
1. #30 – Adam West, Ridgetown, ON; 2. #71 – Craig Downie, Burlington, ON; 3. #10 – Bob Crawford, Sutton, ON; 4. #93 – Daryl Turford, Mitchell, ON; 5. #8 – Brian Lee, Kitchener, ON; 6. #33 – Jamie Collard, Princeton, ON; 7. #22 – Jim Porter, Grand Island, NY
Pennzoil Heat
1. #32 – Mark Schulz, Newfane, NY; 2. #12c – Fred Cade, Niagara Falls, ON; 3. #25 – Warren Mahoney, Lefroy, ON; 4. #42s – Ken Swan, Lockport, NY; 5. #40t – Andrew Reaume, Blenheim, ON; 6. #26 – John Watson, St. Thomas, ON; 7. #75 – Jim Sweers, Westover, ON; 8. #27h – Tom Huppunen, Fenwick, ON
Kenetic Dash
1. #0 – Glenn Styres; 2. #18j – Jack Pillon; 3. #32 – Mark Schulz; 4. #30 – Adam West; 5. #71 – Craig Downie
Wiseco Feature
1. #0 – Glenn Styres; 2. #30 – Adam West; 3. #32 – Mark Schulz; 4. #12c – Fred Cade; 5. #26 – John Watson; 6. #79 – Dick Mahoney; 7. #22 – Jim Porter; 8. #10 – Bob Crawford; 9. #18j – Jack Pillon; 10. #33 – Jamie Collard; 11. #17 – Gary Evans; 12. #40t – Andrew Reaume; 13. #17m – Charlie McCann; 14. #12 – Willy Northcott; 15. #75 – Jim Sweers; 16. #8 – Brian Lee; 17. #71 – Craig Downie; 18. #27h – Tom Huppunen; 19. #93 – Daryl Turford; 20. #25 – Warren Mahoney
dns – #20 – Jeff Daniels, #42s – Ken Swan
Leaf Racewear Award – Mark Schulz
Inside Canadian Racing “Newsmaker of the Race” Award – John Watson
Cortland Innovations “Hard Charger” Award – John Watson
pos car # SPORTSMAN FEATURE
1st #20 Jay Mallory
2nd #19j Rob Ledingham
3rd #56 Dereck Lemyre
4th #77 Bill Willard
5th #11m Mark Dixon
6th #44 Lee Mallory
7th #9j Tim Zack
8th 99c Nick Copolo
9th #4J Andy Imbeault
10th #28 Jay Bain
11th #20k Rick St. Pierre
12th #7 Steve Ruddy
13th #37 Francisco Pereira
pos car # STREET STOCK FEATURE
1st #98 Brad Bacher
2nd #50 Jeff Burke
3rd #11 Michelle Parr
4th #18 Amanda Stoner
5th #40 Terry Osmond
6th #24A A.J.Lewis
7th #20 Daryl Randall
8th #12 Brad Herron
9th #45T sean Hill
10th #1J Jason Fontaine 100% DQ
pos Car # MINI STOCK FEATURE
1st #86 RICK EMBERSON
2nd #265 MIKE EVERS
3rd #81 Ryan Dinning
4th #11 MIKE GIBERSON
5th #05 DAVID GOODACRE
6th 69e Dan Erskine
7th #48 CRAIG ERSKINE
8th #27 Dan stewart
9th #00 Jeff Leegstra
10th #89 sam Miller
11th #10 Kevin Magrin
12th #28 Abel Castelein
13th #14 MARC HALLETT
14th #9 Glen Lienen
15th #77 John Held
16th #222 DAVE MAGRIN
17th #2 LEE WINGER
18th #191 Gord Bates
19th #148 KEVIN MT.PLEASANT
20th #111 ROBBIE ROUNCE
21st #88 Jesse McDonald
22nd #79 Dan Miller
23rd #18 Team #18 *
24th #5 Mike Robinson NS
Copyright © Ohsweken Speedway and Image Factor Media.