PATRICK TAKES ROUND ONE OF THE CAN AM CHALLENGE

Bill Oldroyd

South Buxton Raceway – June 18, 2005

The Southern Ontario Sprints returned to where it all began, South Buxton Raceway, for round seven of the 10th Anniversary season. This event was also the first round of the Can Am Challenge between the SOD and SOS sanctioning bodies. Local favourite, Kyle Patrick from nearby Tilbury, known as the ‘Tilbury Tornado’, picked up the victory. This was his second SOS event of the season and both times he has gone to victory lane. Patrick is now competing on a regular basis with the Michigan-based SOD club after a very successful two years running with the SOS, which included Rookie of the Year honors in 2003.

After the race a jubilant Patrick thrilled the large crowd in attendance with several victory donuts on the front stretch and then scrambled out of his racecar and climbed the fence at the start/finish line.

Two other local favourites, current SOS points leader, Adam West from Ridgetown and John Riegling from Chatham, paced the field to the green. Riegling quickly jumped into the lead but the first caution of the night would fly before lap one could be completed. Bob Crawford of Sutton and Les MacMillan from Belmont got together in turn four. A third driver involved was Marcel Pillon, who went off the track to avoid hitting them. This was Pillon’s first sprint car race as he was substituting for his brother Jack. Crawford was forced to retire as a result of this incident.

On the restart, Riegling again took the lead. West was running a close second but on lap two he went high coming off the second turn dropping him back to ninth place. The second caution came out on lap four when MacMillan spun. Patrick, who started the Feature in the ninth position, was already up to second. Jamie Collard from Princeton was in third followed by Newmarket’s Dick Mahoney and SOD driver Louie Carufel from Port Huron, MI.

Patrick would make the pass for the lead coming out of turn two on lap six and would never look back. Riegling stayed a close second as the two drivers began to negotiate lapped traffic. On lap twelve, Collard and Carufel got together while battling for the third position bringing out the caution. The Collard machine suffered damage and had to retire from the race.

On the restart it was Patrick and Riegling heading the pack with Dick Mahoney in third. Warren Mahoney from Lefroy and Mark Schulz of Newfane, NY were fourth and fifth respectively. Rounding out the top ten at the mid-point of the race were Garry Evans from London, West, Jim Porter of Grand Island, NY, Craig Downie of Burlington and John Watson from St. Thomas.

A late race incident between Garry Evans and rookies Watson and Kitchener’s Brian Lee slowed the pace again. Watson was forced pit-side as a result of damage to his sprinter. Then, with only a couple of laps remaining, Riegling spun in turn two dashing any hopes on victory at his home track.

Dick Mahoney suffered a front left flat with several laps remaining but stayed on the track.

However he could not hold off his hard-charging son as Warren Mahoney made a late race pass to finish second, his best finish so far the season. Dick Mahoney came home third with Porter, who started in seventeenth position, finishing fourth and Schulz in fifth.

Heat race winners were Dick Mahoney, John Riegling and Garry Evans. The Fan-Dash for Cash format was changed for this event to coincide with the Can Am Challenge. The top three Americans and top three Canadians from the Heat races would face off against each other. The winner was Canadian, Garry Evans who celebrated his victory with fan, Rose Sterling.

Next on the SOS schedule is another double weekend affair with a race at Ohsweken Speedway on July 8th followed with a return to Brighton Speedway on July 9th. To stay current with all the latest SOS news, be sure to visit the SOS Web Site at www.southernontariosprints.com


Results: 23-car field


Pennzoil Heat
1. #79 – Dick Mahoney, Newmarket, ON; 2. #33k – Kyle Patrick, Tilbury, ON; 3. #77 – Les MacMillan, Belmont, ON; 4. #30 – Adam West, Ridgetown, ON; 5. #93 – Daryl Turford, Mitchell, ON; 6. #40t – Andrew Reaume, Blenheim, ON; 7. #12 – Willy Northcott, London, ON; 8. #18j – Marcel Pillon, Belle River, ON


Wiseco Heat
1. #1a – John Riegling, Chatham, ON; 2. #10 – Bob Crawford, Sutton, ON; 3. 32 – Mark Schulz, Newfane, NY; 4. #47x – Louie Carufel, Port Huron, MI; 5. #71 – Craig Downie, Burlington, ON; 6. #22 – Jim Porter, Grand Island, NY; 7. , ON; dns #12c – Fred Cade, Niagara Falls, ON


Signet Tool Heat
1. #69 – Garry Evans, London, ON; 2. #25 – Warren Mahoney, Lefroy, ON; 3. #33 – Jamie Collard, Princeton, ON; 4. #20 – Jeff Daniels, Chatham, ON; 5. #26 – John Watson, St. Thomas, ON; 6. #17m – Charlie McCann, London, ON; 7. #8 – Brian Lee, Kitchener, ON


Leaf Racewear Dash
1. #69 – Garry Evans; 2. #22 – Jim Porter; 3. #32 – Mark Schulz; 4. #47x – Louie Carufel; 5. #1a – John Riegling; 6. #79 – Dick Mahoney


Kenetic Feature
1. #33k – Kyle Patrick; 2. #25 – Warren Mahoney; 3. #79 – Dick Mahoney; 4. #22 – Jim Porter; 5. #32 – Mark Schulz; 6. #71 – Craig Downie; 7. #30 – Adam West; 8. #47x – Louie Carufel; 9. #69 – Garry Evans; 10. #40t – Andrew Reaume; 11. #1a – John Riegling; 12. #17 – Gary Evans; 13. #12 – Willy Northcott; 14. #17m – Charlie McCann; 15. #8 – Brian Lee; 16. #77 – Les MacMillan; 17. #26 – John Watson; 18. #93 – Daryl Turford; 19. #33 – Jamie Collard; 20. #18j – Marcel Pillon; 21. #20 – Jeff Daniels; 22. #10 – Bob Crawford

dns - #12c – Fred Cade


Leaf Racewear Award – John Riegling

Cortland Innovations “Hard Charger” Award – Jim Porter