By Greg Calnan – A solid field of 23 cars arrived at Brighton Speedway
for the first race of the 2013 Southern Ontario Sprints season. At the
end of the 20 lap feature the near capacity crowd was left with a
memorable finish as teammates Glenn Styres, Jamie Collard and Keith
Dempster swept the podium.

“It’s something we’ve always wanted to do” said Styres. “To have all
three cars in the top three was awesome.”

Collard and Dempster led the 22 car field to the green flag and in the
opening laps it was the outside line that had the advantage. Dempster
would take the early lead while fourth place starter Styres worked
around the pole sitter and into second. By lap five the lead duo were
nose to tail for the top spot. Just two laps later Styres would make his
move to the inside of the second corner and took command of the race.

Through the middle portion of the feature the battle for the runner-up
position was hotly contested. Dempster used the high line to his
advantage and held off several challenges Collard. The bottom lane would
eventually pay off though and Collard slipped by and into second with
just a couple of laps remaining.

Lapped traffic would make things interesting in the final two laps as
Collard was able to close within striking distance of leader Styres. The
two were wheel to wheel through the second corner on the final lap,
however a last attempt dive into corner three would not stick for the
Burford, Ontario native and Styres was able to hold on for the win.
Collard would settle for second with Dempster finishing third.

Mitch Brown, Warren Mahoney and Travis Cunningham spent much of the race
fighting over the 4^th position. In the end Brown would claim the sport
over Mahoney while Cunningham would fail to finish.

After fuel pick-up problems kept Charlie Sandercock from starting his
qualifying heat the hometown favourite impressed by gaining 13 positions
on his way to a 9^th place finish.

The race was slowed by a pair of yellow flags with 20 of the 22 starters
completing the event.

The win for Styres marked his second of the weekend after claiming the
victory one night earlier in the Ohsweken Speedway season opener.

The next stop for the Southern Ontario Sprints comes on Saturday, June
8^th as the tour returns to Brighton Speedway for round two of the 2013
schedule.

Entries
0 Glenn Styres – Ohsweken, ON
01 Kyle Fraser – White Lake, ON
2 Brad Lodge – Stouffville, ON
5 Keith Dempster – Alton, ON
7x Jamie Collard – Burford, ON
9 Jim Munsie – Pickering, ON
10 Bob Crawford – Sutton, ON
10B Mitch Brown – Brantford, ON
11J Chris Jones – Demorestville, ON
11z Darren Zumpe – St. Catharines, ON
15 Mike Ferrell – London, ON
15aw April Wilson – Joyceville, ON
25 Warren Mahoney – Lefroy, ON
30 Adam West – Ridgetown, ON
42w Rick Wilson – Joyceville, ON
51 Lee Ladouceur – Alexandria, ON
57 Charlie Sandercock – Carrying Place, ON
66 Frank Baranowski – Mount Hope, ON
67 Chris Durand – Port Stanley, ON
71 Travis Cunningham – Grimsby, ON
79 Dick Mahoney – Newmarket, ON
84 Tyler Rand – Picton, ON
98 Paul Pekkonen – Brockville, ON

Heat 1 (8 Laps)
1. 67 Chris Durand
2. 15 Mike Ferrell
3. 66 Frank Baranowski
4. 79 Dick Mahoney
5. 2 Brad Lodge
6. 10 Bob Crawford
7. 11z Darren Zumpe

Heat 2 (8 Laps)
1. 0 Glenn Styres
2. 5 Keith Dempster
3. 10B Mitch Brown
4. 42w Rick Wilson
5. 30 Adam West
6. 84 Tyler Rand
7. 01 Kyle Fraser
8. 98 Paul Pekkonen (DNS)

Heat 3 (8 Laps)
1. 7x Jamie Collard
2. 25 Warren Mahoney
3. 71 Travis Cunningham
4. 11J Chris Jones
5. 51 Lee Ladouceur
6. 9 Jim Munsie
7. 15aw April Wilson (DNS)
8. 57 Charlie Sandercock (DNS)

A-Main (20 Laps)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 0 Glenn Styres (4)
2. 7x Jamie Collard (1)
3. 5 Keith Dempster (2)
4. 10B Mitch Brown (8)
5. 25 Warren Mahoney (3)
6. 42w Rick Wilson (11)
7. 11J Chris Jones (12)
8. 51 Lee Ladouceur (15)
9. 57 Charlie Sandercock (22)
10. 10 Bob Crawford (16)
11. 67 Chris Durand (9)
12. 9 Jim Munsie (17)
13. 84 Tyler Rand (19)
14. 15 Mike Ferrell (6)
15. 66 Frank Baranowski (7)
16. 79 Dick Mahoney (10)
17. 2 Brad Lodge (13)
18. 98 Paul Pekkonen (22)
19. 01 Kyle Fraser (18)
20. 11z Darren Zumpe (20)
21. 30 Adam West (14) DNF
22. 71 Travis Cunningham (5) DNF
23. 15aw April Wilson (DNS)

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