BRIGHTON – May 1st, 2004 - The Southern Ontario Sprints opened their 9th season at Brighton Speedway in Brighton Ontario on May 1st and if you were over 18, victory lane was not a place you would visit on this night. Sixteen-year-old Cody Geldart of Mossley Ontario was unstoppable as he won his heat race and then went on to capture his first career feature win. Another young gun and last year’s SOS Rookie of the Year, eighteen-year-old Kyle Patrick of Tilbury Ontario was also a heat race winner and took the checkered in the Dash for Cash as well.

The feature began with Vinnie Christiano of Tonawanda NY. on the pole and Adam West from Ridgetown ON. along side. Going into turn one on the first lap, rookie Jack Pillon of Belle River ON. took a violent flip bring out the red flag. He was able to climb from his car after several minutes and was visibly shaken but luckily did not suffer any major injuries. Pillon will not doubt have a lasting memory of this night as it was his first appearance in a sprint car. Pillon won the Impact Racing Certificate for being the first flip victim of the year.

West would grab the early lead but soon came under pressure from Geldart who had started in the fourth spot. By lap six, Geldart had taken over the lead followed by West, Patrick and Christiano. Meanwhile, defending SOS Champion Glenn Styres of Ohsweken ON, who had started in tenth spot, was making his way to the front. By lap four he had taken over fifth place and was challenging for forth by lap six.

The race was slowed two times in the early going for minor spins in corner one which was a challenge for the drivers all night long. Early season mechanical woes also slowed the field twice during the first half of the race when cars came to a stop on the track.

Geldart had opened up a sizable lead by the mid-point of the race but Styres continued to battle his way to the front and was now in second spot. West was third followed by Patrick, Warren Mahoney from Lefroy ON., Christiano, Tim Phillips of Grand Island NY., and Bob Crawford of Sutton ON. Four other drivers, Stephanie Christiano of Tonawanda NY, Dick Mahoney of Newmarket ON., Daryl Turford of Stratford ON. and Curt Sherwood from Sanborn NY were forced out with mechanical problems

West and Patrick staged an intense battle for the third spot for several laps with Patrick eventually winning the battle on lap fifteen. Styres would continue to chase down Geldart and came within a car length several times during the last two laps but Geldart was not rattled and went on to take his first career feature win.

After the race Geldart was asked if he knew Styres was that close “I knew he was coming and I felt I messed up a couple of times in the corners but was determine to take the win”.

Styres has been helping Geldart out during his young career. Earlier in the evening, Styres had given Geldart some very sound advice. Styres said “I knew that the advice that I was giving Geldart might come back to hurt my chances but I told him that he needed to make his car wider when exiting the corners. That’s exactly what he did in the feature.”

Signet Tools Heat
1. Kyle Patrick, Tilbury, ON, 2. Tim Phillips, Grand Island, NY, 3. Warren Mahoney, Lefroy, ON, 4. Vinnie Christiano Jr., Tonawanda, NY, 5. Dick Mahoney, Newmarket, ON
6. Daryl Turford, Stratford, ON

Pennzoil Heat
1. Cody Geldart, Mossley, ON, 2. Adam West, Ridgetown, ON, 3. Bob Crawford, Sutton, ON, 4. Stephanie Christiano, Tonawanda, NY, 5. Jack Pillon, Bell River, ON, 6. Curt Sherwood, Sanborn, NY, 7. Glenn Styres, Ohsweken, ON, 8. Jim Porter, Grand Island, NY

Wiseco Dash for Cash
1. Kyle Patrick, 2. Cody Geldart, 3. Adam West, 4. Tim Phillips

Leaf Racewear Feature
1. Cody Geldart, 2. Glenn Styres, 3. Kyle Patrick, 4. Adam West, 5. Warren Mahoney, 6. Vinnie Christiano Jr., 7. Tim Phillips, 8. Bob Crawford, 9. Stephanie Christiano, 10. Dick Mahoney, 11. Curt Sherwood, 12. Daryl Turford, 13. Jack Pillon

LEAF RACEWEAR AWARD - Jack Pillon