WILSON wins one-HANDED AT BRIGHTON SPEEDWAY
by Tommy Goudge and Greg Calnan (August 8, 2009) - It was a night filled with excitement as hometown favourites battled it out for the Southern Ontario Sprints feature win at Brighton Speedway. Chris Jones started outside the front row and took the lead on the opening lap of the twenty lap main event. Battling illness, the Demorestville native led the first eighteen laps before Rick Wilson made his move. Healing from a broken hand sustained away from the track, Wilson edged Jones at the line for his first SOS win of the season.
The feature began with Justin Martin and Chris Jones on the front row, and it was Jones jumping out to the lead while Martin settled into second. Rick Wilson utilized the top side of the Speedway to get around Adam West and into the third spot and quickly went to work on Martin. The points leader was not about to give up the position easily however, and the two battled over the runner-up spot during much of the first half of the race.
The first caution flag of the feature flew on lap eight for the stopped machines of April Wilson and Warren Mahoney in turn two. Wilson clipped an infield tractor tire and broke the front end on her machine to finish her evening. Mahoney was able to restart and would later salvage a seventh place finish to minimize the damage to his points position.
The green flag was back out for two laps before Kyle Wilson spun to a stop on lap ten. Another short green flag run ended on lap eleven when Jason Martin tipped over in turn four to end his night and bring out the red flag. Martin emerged from his machine uninjured, and actually climbed back in and attempted to restart, but fuel issues sent him pit side.
The race would go green for the last nine laps as Rick Wilson did everything in his power to overtake Jones, who was running a strong race out front. Wilson was finally able to get alongside the Jones #11 with two laps to go, and would gain just enough of an advantage to claim his first feature win of the season and allow the large throng of fans to roar their approval.
“You think (Chris) wanted to win that race?!” said Wilson of Jones’ strong run afterwards in victory lane, “He did a great job tonight. I’m glad to get a win in front of my home fans - these are my people!”
NOTES:
- Former TQ Midget driver Jim Munsie made his first career start in a sprint car aboard the Mahoney Racing #9j on Saturday night. It was his first night of racing competition in nearly fifteen years. The Pickering driver kept his car in one piece and came home with a twelfth place finish in the feature.
- Chris Jones returned to SOS competition for the first time since May after engine problems kept him out of action for much of the season. Jones’ runner-up finish in the feature is the best of his Sprint Car career.
- Bob Crawford suffered a broken torque tube during heat race action, but was able to jump in the Mahoney backup nicknamed “Lefty” to start the feature.
- SOS and Brighton Speedway Officials worked together to run the sprint car feature early in the program due to threatening weather in the area. A fast-paced evening helped to have the SOS portion of the program finished just after 9 p.m.
- Justin Martin continued his consistent season with a third place finish, extending both his SOS tour points lead, and moving him out of a tie for the lead in the Riverside Bar and Grill Brighton Championship series. Martin’s lead over 2005 champion Adam West in the tour standings is now unofficially eleven markers, while West took over the runner-up spot in the Brighton standings and sits seven markers behind.
- The SOS tour next heads to South Buxton Raceway on August 22 before going back to Brighton on September 5 and 6 for the season ending Labour Day Classic Weekend.
RACE REPORT - SATURDAY, AUGUST 8, 2009
SOUTHERN ONTARIO SPRINTS 2009 SEASON EVENT #6
Brighton Speedway - Brighton, Ontario
ENTRIES
(Number Name - Hometown)
01m Jason Martin - Shedden
01w Kyle Wilson - Joyceville
7m Justin Martin - Shedden
9j Jim Munsie - Pickering
10 Bob Crawford - Sutton
11j Chris Jones - Demorestville
15aw April Wilson - Joyceville
25 Warren Mahoney - Lefroy
27 Jamie Collard - Burford
30 Adam West - Ridgetown
33j Erin Joyce - Alcove, QC
42w Rick Wilson - Joyceville
66 Frank Baranowski - Mount Hope
71 Travis Cunningham - Grimsby
79 Dick Mahoney - Newmarket
84 Tyler Rand - Consecon
98 Paul Pekkonen - Brockville
HEAT RACE #1
(8 laps – Top 3 finishers redraw for feature starting positions)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 42w Rick Wilson (2)
2. 11j Chris Jones (6)
3. 7m Justin Martin (4)
4. 84 Tyler Rand (1)
5. 79 Dick Mahoney (8)
6. 98 Paul Pekkonen (5)
7. 01m Kyle Wilson (7)
8. 9j Jim Munsie (9)
9. 10 Bob Crawford (3) DNF
HEAT RACE #2
(8 laps – Top 3 finishers redraw for feature starting positions)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 71 Travis Cunningham (1)
2. 30 Adam West (3)
3. 27 Jamie Collard (4)
4. 25 Warren Mahoney (6)
5. 01w Kyle Wilson (5)
6. 66 Frank Baranowski (2)
7. 15aw April Wilson (7) DNF
8. 33j Erin Joyce (8) DNF
'A' FEATURE
(20 laps)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 42w Rick Wilson (4)
2. 11j Chris Jones (2)
3. 7m Jason Martin (1)
4. 30 Adam West (3)
5. 27 Jamie Collard (6)
6. 71 Travis Cunningham (5)
7. 25 Warren Mahoney (8)
8. 79 Dick Mahoney (9)
9. 84 Tyler Rand (7)
10. 98 Paul Pekkonen (11)
11. 01w Kyle Wilson (10)
12. 9j Jim Munsie (16)
13. 66 Frank Baranowski (12) DNF
14. 01m Jason Martin (13) DNF
15. 15aw April Wilson (14) DNF
16. 10 Bob Crawford (15) DNF
17. 33j Erin Joyce (17) DNF
UNOFFICIAL TOP 5 IN POINTS AFTER ROUND #5
Rank. Number Name Total (positions gained/lost)
1. 7m Justin Martin 597 (--)
2. 30 Adam West 586 (--)
3. 25 Warren Mahoney 577 (--)
4. 10 Bob Crawford 546 (--)
5. 84 Tyler Rand 519 (--)
NEXT SOS EVENT:
Saturday, August 22nd, 2009
@ South Buxton Raceway
South Buxton, Ontario
www.SouthBuxtonRaceway.com
www.SouthernOntarioSprints.com