CORR/PAK “NORTHERN SUMMER 360 NATIONALS” NEXT UP AT OHSWEKEN JULY 3

by Tommy Goudge (July 2, 2009) – Another big event takes to the fast three-eighths mile clay oval at Ohsweken Speedway this Friday, July 3 when Corr/Pak Merchandising presents the $3,000-to-win “Northern Summer 360 Nationals”.  Joining the Sprint Cars for this special edition of Friday Night Thunder are the ESSO Thunder Stock, ESSO Mini Stock, and Bomber divisions.

With Ohsweken’s regular competitors from the Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Car division and teams from the ASCS Patriots racing for valuable championship points, plus entries from the ASCS Sprints on Dirt, and Southern Ontario Sprints tours, the second edition of the Summer Nationals promises to be even bigger and better than last season’s inaugural event.  With a unique passing points system in place, the action is sure to be intense all evening.

Dustin Daggett and Bryan Howland took the feature wins in last year’s two-day format, and both are expected in action this Friday night.  Daggett heads to Ohsweken on a hot streak, having won seven features already in 2009, while Howland is currently second in the ASCS Patriots standings on the strength of one feature win and five “top 5’s” in seven races this year. 

Just two markers ahead of Howland in the fight for the ASCS Patriots championship is Jared Zimbardi, a feature winner in weekly action at Ohsweken last season who finished just three points behind Keith Dempster for the 2008 Corr/Pak Merchandising championship.  Other Patriot regulars expected in action Friday include the Breen Brothers – Bobby and Blake – as well as Bubba Broderick, Don Adamczyk, Gary Troutman, and Chris Muhleisen, while Ryan Grubaugh, Dain Naida, Louie Carufel, and Gregg Dalman are some of the SOD drivers expected.

Tom Huppunen leads the local Corr/Pak contingent in the battle against the travelling invaders on the strength of three feature wins in five races, followed in the standings by Glenn Styres, Ryan Hunsinger, Kevin Job, and Dave Dykstra.  Styres claimed victory in a SOD event at Ohsweken on June 12, while Hunsinger is the most recent feature winner at Ohsweken, as he took the victory in weekly action last Friday night.

Styres also leads the Southern Ontario Sprints standings, with two feature wins in three tour events so far this season.  Following Styres in the standings are Justin Martin, Ryan Hunsinger, Bob Crawford, and Warren Mahoney. South Buxton SOS feature winner Adam West is currently sixth, and claimed the sixth spot in last Friday’s Corr/Pak feature at Ohsweken after starting sixteenth.

Meanwhile, the points battle in the ESSO Thunder Stocks division is heating up, as Billy Bleich, Jr. has drawn to within just fifteen markers of leader Shayne Pierce after winning both ends of twin feature night last week, as well as taking the feature victory the previous week.  Jeremy Bean’s consistent season has him sitting third in the standings, followed by Lee Winger, and ’09 feature winners Brad Herron and Jamie Cox.  Pierce entered last Friday’s action having finished no worse than second in Ohsweken Thunder Stocks action, but could muster only fourth and seventh place finishes on twin feature night.

The ESSO Mini Stocks points chase is currently led by Mitchell Brown, who took his fifth feature win of the season last Friday.  Kevin Hilborn’s consistency has kept him with sight of Brown, while Mike Evers, Chase Hess, and Rick Emberson round out the top five.  Rick Robinson is the only other driver to claim victory in the division this season, while defending champion Abel Castelein got back on track with a runner-up finish last week.

In Bomber action, the Jesse McDonald juggernaut was halted last week as Rodney Rutherford outdueled McDonald and points leader Karl Sault for the feature win.  Sault leads Kacey Huffman in the standings, followed by McDonald, Dale Cooke, and “Team 113” which is comprised of four drivers.

Advanced reserved seat tickets for the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars “Six Nations Showdown” July 28 and 29, and Canadian Sprint Car Nationals September 18 and 19 are on sale now. Please visit www.OhswekenSpeedway.com and call 1-888-720-RACE to order yours today! 

Friday Night Thunder resumes on Friday, July 3 when Corr/Pak Merchandising presents the second annual “Northern Summer 360 Nationals” featuring the ASCS Patriots, ASCS SOD, Corr/Pak Sprints, and Southern Ontario Sprints, plus the ESSO Thunder Stocks, ESSO Mini-Stocks, and Bombers! Friday Night Thunder at Ohsweken Speedway offers affordable family entertainment just a short drive away from most mid-western Ontario locations.

Friday Night Thunder Adult General Admission for this special event is just $15, while Seniors and Students are $8, and kids 12 and under are FREE! Please visit www.OhswekenSpeedway.com for more information. On Friday night, gates open at 6:00p.m., with the first race at 7:45p.m.