Bill
Oldroyd
South
Buxton Speedway July 24, 2004
The
local drivers dominated as the Southern Ontario
Sprints series returned to where it all began, at
South Buxton Speedway back in 1996.
This was the first time in five years that
the SOS has raced on the tight, D shaped
oval of South Buxton Speedway and the packed house
was not to be disappointed.
Every race on this night was won by a
driver from the South Western Ontario region and
was capped of with a suburb drive in the feature
by John Riegling of Chatham.
Riegling, for the second time this season,
lead every lap on his way to victory.
After
the race Riegling said I use to think that
this track was a horsepower track but I think it
is more of a set-up track now.
Some of the other drivers have more power
than I do but I was able to take the win tonight
because I had the set-up figured out.
The
feature race got underway with Riegling taking the
lead on lap one from pole-sitter, Daryl Turford of
Stratford. However
all eyes were focused on Kyle Patrick from Tilbury
as he appeared to be on a mission.
With his new sponsor, Hooters proudly
displayed on his wing, the Tilbury Tornado
had already captured his heat race and the Dash
for Cash. In
just two laps, Patrick came from his eighth
starting position to take over third spot and was
challenging for second.
Turford
was running a strong race in second position until
his power steering went away on lap six, forcing
him to retire.
This handed the position to Patrick who was
now set to chase down the race leader, Riegling.
Cody Geldart of Mossley and Keith Dempster
from Alton had moved through the field to take
over the third and forth positions, respectively.
Current
series points leader, Glenn Styres from
Ohsweken was in a new sprinter night and was
finding it difficult to move up from his sixth
place starting position.
Styres was in the fifth position and being
challenged by Adam West of near-by Ridgetown.
Another driver on the move was Mark Schulz
from Newfane, NY.
In the early stages of the race, Schulz had
moved into seventh from his eleventh starting
position.
At
the mid-point in the race it was still Riegling
out in front but Patrick was keeping the pressure
on as he attempted to take top spot several times.
Dempster had moved into third with Geldart,
Styres, Schulz and West all in hot pursuit.
The
race was slowed four times for minor spins with
the last caution coming out on lap fourteen.
Patrick had just done a 360 in turn four
dropping him to forth place but with this caution
he was moved back into second for the re-start.
On the re-start, Riegling was able to open
up about a ten car-length advantage.
By this point in the race, Patricks
tires were going away and he was not able to mount
any late race charge, allowing Riegling to take
the victory.
Geldart would finish in third place,
followed by Schulz and Dempster rounding out the
top five. Styres
would have to settle for a seventh place finish
and see his points lead again diminish to a mere
twenty-nine points over second place Geldart.
The
top-finishing rookie on the night was Willy
Northcott from London.
Northcott drove a very steady race coming
from his fifteenth starting position to finish in
ninth place.
Heat
race wins on this night would go to Riegling, West
and Patrick, who also took home victory in the
Dash for Cash.
Next
up the series will be running another double
weekend with a race Friday, July 30th at Ohsweken
Speedway followed with a return to Brighton
Speedway, Saturday, July 31st.
For
all of the latest news, be sure to log on to the
official website of the Southern Ontario Sprints
at www.southernontariosprints.com
Wiseco
Heat
1.
#1a John Riegling, Chatham, ON, 2. #5
Keith Dempster, Alton, ON; 3. #25 Warren
Mahoney, Lefroy, ON; 4. #17 Gary Evans,
Thorndale, ON; 5. #77 Les MacMillan, Belmont,
ON; 6. #10 Bob Crawford, Sutton, ON; 7. #18
Stephanie Christiano, Tonawanda, NY
Pennzoil
Heat
1.
#30 Adam West, Ridgetown, ON; 2. #6 Cody
Geldart, Mossley, ON; 3. #93 Daryl Turford,
Stratford, ON; 4. #17m Charlie McCann, London,
ON; 5. #99 Al Gaukel, Cambridge, ON; 6. #18j
Jack Pillon, Belle River, ON
Signet
Tool Heat
1.
#33k Kyle Patrick Tilbury, ON; 2. #0
Glenn Styres, Ohsweken, ON; 3. #32 Mark
Schulz, Newfane, NY; 4. #79 Dick Mahoney,
Newmarket, ON; 5. #12 Willy Northcott, London,
ON; 6. #27 Paul Ballantyne, Brantford, ON
Kenetic
Photos Dash For Cash
1.
#33k Kyle Patrick; 2. #5 Keith Dempster;
3. #30 Adam West; 4. #6 Cody Geldart; 5.
#1a John Riegling; 6. #0 Glenn Styres
Leaf
Racewear Feature
1.
#1a John Riegling; 2. #33k Kyle Patrick;
3. #6 Cody Geldart; 4. #32 Mark Schulz; 5.
#5 Keith Dempster; 6. #30 Adam West; 7. #0
Glenn Styres; 8. #25 Warren Mahoney; 9.
#12 Willy Northcott; 10. #10 Bob Crawford;
11. #27 Paul Ballantyne; 12. #18j Jack
Pillon; 13. #99 Al Gaukel; 14. #77 Les
MacMillan; 15. #17 Gary Evans; 16. #17m
Charlie McCann; 17. #18 Stephanie Christiano;
18. #79 Dick Mahoney; 19. #93 Daryl
Turford
DNS
- #21h Gregg Haskell
LEAF
RACEWEAR AWARD - Mark
Schulz
