GUNSLINGER GETS ANOTHER LABOUR DAY WIN; MARTIN WINS SOS CHAMPIONSHIP
By Tommy Goudge (September 6, 2009) – Something about Labour Day weekend seems to agree with Ryan Hunsinger. The Brantford driver held off a determined Rick Wilson to claim the feature win on Sunday night for his third career SOS triumph, all of which have come on Labour Day weekend. Meanwhile, Justin Martin entered the evening forty-one points ahead of Adam West in the battle for the SOS championship and clinched the title with an eighth place finish.
Travis Cunningham and Dick Mahoney started the final SOS feature of 2009 on the front row and it was Mahoney getting out to the early lead while the racers jockeyed for position behind him. Ryan Hunsinger and Rick Wilson both made their way around Cunningham during the first two laps, while Justin Martin moved around both his competitors for the title and into eighth before brother Jason Martin spun on lap two to bring out a caution flag.
Back under green, Hunsinger went to work on Mahoney for the lead, and got it before Jim Munsie spun in turn four to bring out another caution with three laps in the books. During the brief lap of green flag racing, Adam West also made a move around Justin Martin in his quest for the title.
Three more laps of green flag racing followed before Jim Munsie and Kyle Fraser tangled in turn four. Dick Mahoney skidded to a stop to avoid the two rookie drivers and was forced to restart at the tail of the field, allowing Rick Wilson to close up on Hunsinger’s rear nerf bar for the restart.
Another three laps of green flag racing followed as the action really began to heat up at the front of the pack between Hunsinger, Rick Wilson, and Styres, while Adam West and Justin Martin continued their battle in the back half of the top ten. Caution again flew on lap nine for a mix-up between Doug Banks and Paul Pekkonen.
When the race began again, Hunsinger was flirting with the outside groove and slipped high in turn one and two on lap twelve, allowing Wilson and Styres to get by. The red flag would fly before the lap was completed for a rollover by Jason Martin in turn two, however, allowing Hunsinger a second chance in the lead. Martin would emerge unscathed from his damaged #01m but was done for the evening.
While the exchange at the front was going on, Keith Dempster and Travis Cunningham were also going at it for the fourth spot, while West, Tyler Rand, and Justin Martin followed, knowing he could finish eighth and clinch the championship from that position no matter where Adam West or Warren Mahoney finished.
Back to racing once again, Hunsinger was holding on to the lead while Wilson looked to go underneath “The Gunslinger” while also holding off a hard-charging Glenn Styres. Wilson made a charge underneath Hunsinger more than once, including some close action coming out of turn two which saw the drivers nearly make contact, while Styres was also right in the thick of things. Dempster also made his way around Cunningham during the green flag run, while West started to pressure Cunningham for the fifth spot.
Another yellow flag flew for a spin by Doug Banks on lap fifteen, while Justin Martin got a scare on lap eighteen when Warren Mahoney jumped the right rear tire of the Martin machine in turn two, sending Mahoney for a wild ride. Martin’s machine escaped without heavy damage, allowing the young driver from Shedden to breath a sigh of relief. Mahoney emerged from his damaged machine sore but without serious injury, however the same could not be said for his car.
Back to green for a dash to the finish, Hunsinger was not about to make any more mistakes, and held on for the feature win, while Keith Dempster got by both Styres and Wilson to take the runner-up spot before the checkered flag flew. Wilson settled for third, followed by Styres, West, Cunningham, Rand, Justin Martin, Jamie Collard, and Chris Jones.
“I don’t know what I was doing there,” said Hunsinger of his lucky break. “I knew Glenn and Rick were behind me and I guess I got a bit nervous or something and missed the corner…those are two of the best 360 sprint car racers.”
Hunsinger also claimed the win in weekly action on Friday night at Ohsweken and has seven total career sprint car feature wins now, four of which have come on Labour Day weekend.
“Every weekend should be Labour Day,” said Ryan of his victory, “We could win fifty races a year!”
Heat races for the twenty cars in attendance were claimed by Rick Wilson, Warren Mahoney, and Ryan Hunsinger, while Hunsinger also claimed the R.B.M. Carriers Dash for Cash.
NOTES:
- Doug Banks from Kingston made his debut Saturday behind the wheel of a third Wilson Racing machine in place of Kyle Wilson, who was not able to attend on Sunday. Banks had previously competed in drag racing and motorcycle racing events.
- Tyler Rand claimed seventh in the feature to lock down the 2009 SOS Rookie of the Year title over Travis Cunningham.
- Rick Wilson overcame a fifteen point deficit in the Riverside Bar and Grill Brighton Speedway miniseries on Sunday night to claim that title over Justin Martin.
- Martin, Rand, Wilson, and others will be honoured for the accomplishments in 2009 on October 3 at the SOS Awards Banquet. Please log on to www.SouthernOntarioSprints.com for details.
- The SOS championship series is now over for the 2009 season, but the teams and drivers still have the Canadian Sprint Car Nationals at Ohsweken Speedway to think about. The SOS is once again a participating affiliate sanction in the fifth annual event, which takes place September 17, 18, and 19, and the club will also participate in the second annual “Battle at the Border” coming up on October 17 at the Brockville Ontario Speedway.
RACE REPORT – SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2009
SOUTHERN ONTARIO SPRINTS
2009 SEASON EVENT #9
Brighton Speedway - Brighton, Ontario
ENTRIES
(Number Name - Hometown)
0 Glenn Styres - Ohsweken
01 Kyle Fraser - White Lake
01m Jason Martin - Shedden
5 Keith Dempster - Alton
7m Justin Martin - Shedden
9j Jim Munsie - Pickering
10 Bob Crawford - Sutton
11J Chris Jones - Demorestville
14 Doug Banks - Kingston
15aw April Wilson - Joyceville
25 Warren Mahoney - Lefroy
27 Jamie Collard - Burford
30 Adam West - Ridgetown
42w Rick Wilson - Joyceville
66 Frank Baranowski - Mt. Hope
71 Travis Cunningham - Grimsby
77x Ryan Hunsinger - Brantford
79 Dick Mahoney - Newmarket
84 Tyler Rand - Consecon
98 Paul Pekkonen – Brockville
HEAT RACES:
(Top 3 from each redraw for feature starting positions.)
HEAT RACE #1
(8 laps)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 42w Rick Wilson (2)
2. 71 Travis Cunningham (1)
3. 79 Dick Mahoney (3)
4. 7m Justin Martin (4)
5. 15aw April Wilson (5)
6. 14 Doug Banks (6)
7. 01 Kyle Fraser (7)
HEAT RACE #2
(8 laps)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 25 Warren Mahoney (1)
2. 0 Glenn Styres (6)
3. 5 Keith Dempster (3)
4. 11j Chris Jones (2)
5. 27 Jamie Collard (5)
6. 01m Jason Martin (4)
7. 9j Jim Munsie (7)
HEAT RACE #3
(8 laps)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 77x Ryan Hunsinger (1)
2. 30 Adam West (2)
3. 84 Tyler Rand (3)
4. 10 Bob Crawford (4)
5. 98 Paul Pekkonen (6)
6. 66 Frank Baranowski (5)
R.B.M. Carriers Dash for Cash
(4 laps)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 77x Ryan Hunsinger (1)
2. 30 Adam West (4)
3. 0 Glenn Styres (6)
4. 71 Travis Cunningham (2)
5. 42w Rick Wilson (5)
6. 25 Warren Mahoney (3)
'A' FEATURE
(20 laps)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 77x Ryan Hunsinger (3)
2. 5 Keith Dempster (7)
3. 42w Rick Wilson (5)
4. 0 Glenn Styres (6)
5. 30 Adam West (8)
6. 71 Travis Cunningham (1)
7. 84 Tyler Rand (4)
8. 7m Justin Martin (10)
9. 27 Jamie Collard (14)
10. 11j Chris Jones (11)
11. 10 Bob Crawford (12)
12. 79 Dick Mahoney (2)
13. 9j Jim Munsie (20)
14. 66 Frank Baranowski (17)
15. 15aw April Wilson (13)
16. 01 Kyle Fraser (19)
17. 25 Warren Mahoney (9) DNF
18. 14 Doug Banks (18) DNF
19. 01m Jason Martin (16) DNF
20. 98 Paul Pekkonen (15) DNF
UNOFFICIAL FINAL TOP 5 IN POINTS
Rank. Number Name Total (positions gained/lost)
1. 7m Justin Martin 1189 (--)
2. 30 Adam West 1165 (--)
3. 25 Warren Mahoney 1122 (--)
t4. 27 Jamie Collard 1027 (+1)
t4. 84 Tyler Rand 1027 (+2)
NEXT SOS EVENT:
CANADIAN SPRINT CAR NATIONALS (non-points)
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 AND SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19
OHSWEKEN SPEEDWAY
OHSWEKEN, ONTARIO