SOUTHERN ONTARIO SPRINTS FINISH SEASON WITH CLASSIC WEEKEND AT BRIGHTON
By Tommy Goudge (August 27, 2008) –
The Southern Ontario Sprints are set to cap off the 2008 season in grand fashion this weekend with the 6th annual Labour Day Classic at the Brighton Speedway. A staple on the SOS schedule since 1997, Brighton is set to host the SOS season finale for the first time ever this year, and the battle for the SOS Championship is set to go right down to the wire, with Glenn Styres ahead of Warren Mahoney by just 8 points heading into the weekend.
Due to rain earlier in the season, fans will get to see an extra feature race this Saturday, August 30; Before the regularly scheduled full program of heats, dash, and $800-to-win 20 lap feature set for that evening, the feature race postponed by rain on July 12 will be run. Following Saturday's events, the final event of the 2008 SOS season is set for Sunday, August 31, with another full program of heats, dash race, and 20 lap feature on tap. The make-up feature on Saturday is for drivers who signed in for competition on July 12 only, while the rest of the weekend is open to all 360 sprint cars which conform to the SOS rulebook. On Sunday night, the winner’s share of the purse is increased to $1,200 for the big finale, and both nights will feature a $75 “hard charger” award for the driver who gains the most positions in each feature, courtesy of Tim Phillips’ Garage of Grand Island, NY.
2 Events were completed earlier this season at Brighton, with Rick Wilson claiming victory in the SOS season opener on May 10, while Glenn Styres broke a 2 year winless streak in SOS competition on June 14, and claimed a 2nd SOS win this season at the Humberstone Speedway on June 29. Those 2 drivers are also at the top of the winner’s list in Labour Day Classic feature wins, and in fact were the first 2 drivers to claim Labour Day Classic weekend wins in the event's first year in 2003, as Styres won the feature on Saturday night, August 30/03 and Wilson won on Sunday, August 31/03. Continuing his string of good results on Labour Day will go a long way towards locking up his 2nd consecutive SOS championship for Styres, and 3rd overall he tries to become the first ever 3-time champion of the club, but Warren Mahoney is just 8 points behind, and is also a candidate to become the first 3-time champ. On August 2 this season at South Buxton Raceway, Mahoney broke a winless drought of just under 5 years, and heads into this weekend as the most recent SOS feature winner this season. Also still in the hunt for the title with 3 features yet to be contested is Keith Dempster, another 2-time SOS champ, who is currently 33 points out of the lead.
With the season-ending SOS events the focal point of the weekend, Brighton Speedway has a variety of other events scheduled in conjunction with the big finale: The weekend kicks off on Friday night, August 29 with a special "$5.00 Friday" event presented by Holiday Inn, featuring Mini-Vans, Flat Track 4 Wheeler Racing, and Comp 4's, with racing getting underway at 7:30p.m.
On Saturday night, August 30, the SOS portion of the weekend kicks off with the July 12 makeup feature, plus a full card of heat races, Dash For Cash presented by Black's Transport, and 20-lap Feature, along with Brighton Speedway's Canadian Modifieds, Pro Stocks, Pure Stocks, and Stingers, with racing getting underway at 7:00p.m.
The action kicks off early on Sunday at 1:00p.m. with a Stock Car Show and Shine, activities for kids of all ages, and a Tailgate Party, BBQ, and Corn Roast, all of which is FREE to attend. Racing begins Sunday at 6:00p.m. on Sunday, August 31 with the final SOS program of the year with heat races, Dash For Cash presented by RBM Carriers, and 20-lap $1,200-to-win Feature race, plus a Mini-Stock Invitational, Pro Stock Duel In The Dirt $1,000-to-win race, and a Fireworks show presented by Mystical Distributing. Sponsors for this huge weekend of racing include Lucas Oil, Rock 107, Mix 97, CJBQ 800, Ultramar, Custom Carts, Mystical Distributing, and Reflection Glass and Accessories. FREE Camping is available at the Speedway, so don't miss this excellent weekend of racing, which promises to be the most exciting Labour Day Classic event in SOS history!
WHAT:
Southern Ontario Sprints Labour Day Classic 2008
www.SouthernOntarioSprints.com
WHERE:
Brighton Speedway
775 County Road 64
Brighton, Ontario
K0K 1H0
Phone: (613)-475-1102 or toll free 1-(866)-681-1102
e-mail: info@brightonspeedway.com
On the Web: www.brightonspeedway.com
WHEN:
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Racing @ 7:00p.m. (July 12 Make-Up Feature for SOS first on schedule.)
Tickets: $18 Adults, $14 Youth and Seniors, $4 Children Ages 7-12, FREE Children Ages 6 and Under, $45 Family Pass
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Racing @ 6:00p.m.
Tickets: $18 Adults, $14 Youth and Seniors, $4 Children Ages 7-12, FREE Children Ages 6 and Under, $45 Family Pass
Please visit www.SouthernOntarioSprints.com for more news and information about the Southern Ontario Sprints. Commemorative 2008 T-shirts, sweatshirts, yearbooks, and posters are now available. 2008 marks the 13th year of operation for the Southern Ontario Sprints, brought to you this season by Pennzoil, Wiseco Performance, Triple X Race Co., Kenetic Photos, and www.ImageFactor.ca.
SOUTHERN ONTARIO SPRINTS HISTORY
BRIGHTON SPEEDWAY
LABOUR DAY CLASSIC WEEKEND WINNERS
August 30, 2003 - #0 Glenn Styres
August 31, 2003 - #42w Rick Wilson
September 4, 2004 - #6g Cody Geldart
September 5, 2004 - #42w Rick Wilson
September 3, 2005 - #42w Rick Wilson
September 4, 2005 - #0 Glenn Styres
September 2, 2006 - Rain Out
September 3, 2006 - Rain Out
September 1, 2007 - #79 Dick Mahoney
September 2, 2007 - #11m Joe Middlemiss
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Tommy Goudge -SOS Media Officer
www.SouthernOntarioSprints.com
tommygoudge@hotmail.com