OHSWEKEN SPEEDWAY: LARGE FIELDS EXPECTED FOR SEASON OPENER

(Photo Credit: Dale Calnan/ImageFactor.ca)

by Tommy Goudge (May 25, 2012) - Ohsweken Speedway's 17th annual Season Opener will take the green flag tonight, and large fields are expected in all of the regular Friday Night Thunder divisions. Engler Machine & Tool presents the opening event of Ohsweken's season, which will include the Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Cars, Lighthouse Tattoos Thunder Stocks, HRW Automotive Mini Stocks, and Pierced Parts Bombers, plus the first of six visits by the Modified Lite Stars International Championship Tour.

CORR/PAK MERCHANDISING SPRINT CARS
Fenwick driver Jim Huppunen enters the Sprint Car season opener with a target on his back, as he claimed the 2011 track championship. Burford's Jamie Collard ended last season on a hot streak, and will certainly be one of the drivers to watch this year.

"Tilbury Tornado" Kyle Patrick, Mitch Brown of Brantford, and Grimsby driver Travis Cunningham all finished well in last season's championship standings, while former champions Keith Dempster, Tom Huppunen, and Dave Dykstra are among the many other contenders capable of winning each week.

A veteran of New Zealand's Sprint Car circuit will make some appearances at Ohsweken this year, as Havard Daniels has teamed up with Jamie Turner to try racing on Canadian clay.

The Rookie of the Year chase will be fun to watch, with Thedford's Shane Ross, and Waterdown driver Conor Mahoney ready to race for that title.

LIGHTHOUSE TATTOOS THUNDER STOCKS
Caledonia's Mike Thorne took his first Thunder Stock title in 2011, and he'll be a favourite to win again this year, but he will definitely have competition for the crown. Cory Turner enjoyed a successful rookie season, and will drive Mikey Granton's potent machine this season. Brantford's Chris Dickie, Lee Winger of Caledonia, and Brantford driver Brad Herron all scored feature wins last year, and will have a hand in deciding this year's championship as well.

Brantford's Jake Brown is one of the drivers who will vie for the Rookie of the Year title, but he'll have plenty of competition from the likes of Vittoria driver Ryan Beagle, Caistor Centre's Ryan Turner, and Aaron Turkey of Ohsweken, to name just a few.

HRW AUTOMOTIVE MINI STOCKS
Dundas driver Karl Sault won the 2011 Mini Stock title, and he'll be back on track in 2012 with a host of drivers looking to knock him off his throne. Burlington's Jeremy Hughes scored three feature wins last season, and was just a few flat tires away from contending for the championship.

Hamilton's Jason Lungaro, Mike Taylor of Burlington, and Ohsweken driver Chase Hess also put together several strong runs last year, and should be in contention each week, along with veterans such as Caledonia driver Mike Evers, and Ohsweken's Steve Hess.

The 2012 Mini Stock Rookie class includes Flamboro's Laura Hughes, Sarah Rutherford of Dundas, and Kitchener driver Matt Pleil, among others.

PIERCED PARTS BOMBERS
The Bombers have become a great and very affordable way for drivers to get involved in racing, and the division has graduated many of them to other Ohsweken classes. 2011 champion Rodney Rutherford of Waterdown intends to try Thunder Stocks again this year, but he still has his Bomber car too.

Plenty of talent will be in the Bomber field each week, including Caledonia's Jesse McDonald, who won four features last season and finished a close runner-up in the title chase. Brantford drivers Kathi Dickie and Jeremy May, and Ohsweken's Brady Longboat will also be back, along with a host of others.

MODIFIED LITE STARS INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR
The Mod Lites always put on a good show at Ohsweken, and the drivers are set to go on one of the fastest tracks they run on all season. The Stars tour most recently raced at Merrittville Speedway last weekend, and Port Colborne driver Shawn Sliter got the feature win.

Sliter enjoyed great success at Ohsweken last season, but drivers like Beamsville's Paul Klager, Ridgeway driver Josh Sliter, Jason Corless of Bolton, and Medina, New York's Derek Wagner will keep him honest.

More information about the Modified Lite Stars International Championship Tour can be found at www.ModLiteStars.org

TICKETS PLEASE!
Advanced reserved seat tickets for “Tony Stewart at Ohsweken” July 30, World of Outlaws Sprint Cars “Six Nations Showdown” July 31, and the 8th annual Canadian Sprint Car Nationals September 14 and 15 at Ohsweken are on sale now! Please visit www.OhswekenSpeedway.com and call 1-888-720-RACE to order yours today!

RIDE WITH THE PROS
Ohsweken Speedway has two custom-built two-seater Sprint Cars available each race night for rides. Please visit www.OhswekenTwoSeater.com to learn how you can take the ride of your life with one of the stars of the Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Car division!

OUR SPONSORS
About Engler Machine & Tool: Based in Princeton, Indiana, the company was started in 1980 by Tim Engler. His main line of business at that time was plastic injection moulds. Over the years, he has diversified widely, leaning more towards high performance products. He now builds fuel injection systems, custom made tractor-pulling chassis, gears, shafts, specialty CNC products, racing engines, and does custom machining. Tim is an inductee in the National Tractor Pullers Hall of Fame, while Engler Machine & Tool holds 6 land speed records at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Please visit www.EnglerMachine.com for more information on Engler Machine & Tool.

About Corr/Pak Merchandising: Founded in 1997, Corr/Pak Merchandising Inc. is based in Richmond Hill, Ontario, and is a designer and producer of Point of Purchase (POP) displays for retail. Strong emphasis on creative design and speed of response has seen Corr/Pak achieve great success in a very competitive industry. Their in-house capabilities and broad range of trusted suppliers enable them to develop any sort of effective solution for your retail display needs, no matter the materials used – whether corrugated, wood, boxboard, plastic, wire, steel, or any combination of those. Corr/Pak’s support of the Sprint Car division at Ohsweken continues for a fourth consecutive season in 2011. Please visit www.CorrPak.ca for more information on the title sponsor of Sprint Car racing at Ohsweken Speedway.

About Lighthouse Tattoos: The friendly and knowledgeable staff at Lighthouse Tattoos are there to assist you in choosing a tattoo from thousands of in-store designs, or they can create a custom tattoo using your own idea. Lighthouse Tattoos is a clean and sterile environment, and is health department inspected and approved. They provide a fun and relaxing atmosphere to make sure your tattoo experience is a memorable one. Visit the title sponsor of Thunder Stock racing at Ohsweken at 245 Lakeshore Road East in Mississauga, or online at www.LighthouseTattoos.com.

About HRW Automotive: HRW was founded by Robert Workman in 1990. By providing good old-fashioned customer service, HRW has gained a loyal following in the community. You can entrust all of your vehicle’s service and repair needs to the team of automotive professionals at HRW Automotive. Visit the title sponsor of Mini-Stock Racing at Ohsweken Speedway at 163 Baptist Church Road in Caledonia, or on the web at www.HRWAutomotive.com.

About Pierced Parts: Operators of Silver Dragon Alternative Body Fashion retail stores in Brantford, Waterloo, London, and Port Stanley, Pierced Parts offers wicked selections of body jewelry, crazy contacts, and hair dye for the alternative lifestyle. Pierced Parts Studios will also open soon, offering the best jewellery from Silver Dragon, plus professional body piercing services, other fashion accessories, and apparel. Visit the title sponsor of Bomber racing at Ohsweken on the web at www.PiercedParts.com.

THIS WEEK AT OHSWEKEN
Another exciting season of Friday Night Thunder kicks off this week when Engler Machine & Tool presents the 17th annual Season Opener at Ohsweken Speedway. The Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Cars, Lighthouse Tattoos Thunder Stocks, HRW Automotive Mini Stocks, and Pierced Parts Bombers will all be in action, along with the Modified Lite Stars International Championship Tour.

Friday Night Thunder at Ohsweken offers affordable, exciting, family entertainment just a short drive from many Mid-Western Ontario locations. Friday Night Thunder adult general admission is just $12, while seniors and students are $10, and kids age 12 and under are FREE!  Spectator gates open @ 6:00p.m., with the first race taking the green flag at 7:45p.m. this Friday, May 25! Visit www.OhswekenSpeedway.com and Feel The Excitement!