WILSON & STYRES VICTORIOUS AT BRIGHTON SPEEDWAY LABOUR DAY CLASSIC WEEKEND

Bill Oldroyd

Brighton Speedway – September 3rd & 4th, 2005

The third annual Labour Day Classic Weekend at Brighton Speedway was once again a huge success. The stands were packed full of enthusiastic fans both days as they cheered for their favorite SOS drivers. The very popular ‘Joyceville Jet’ Rick Wilson captured victory on day one and then on day two, the 2003 SOS Champion, ‘Ohsweken Flyer’ Glenn Styres fought his way to the top spot on the podium.

Sunday, September 4, 2005

Warren Mahoney, with help from Jim Porter and other drivers and crewmembers worked all day making repairs to the car he flipped the night before. Porter suffered engine problems on Saturday and would drive Mahoney’s back-up car for the final night of the weekend.

Another driver with engine problems was the current SOS point’s leader, Adam West. With the championship still undecided, this was an important night for West. Styres was only 169 points behind going onto this race. Fellow competitor Willy Northcott realizing this, gave up his ride to West for the Feature so the could earn those valuable points towards the championship.

Craig Downie started on the pole for the final event of the weekend with Warren Mahoney along side. Downie grabbed the lead with Bob Crawford running a strong second. On lap two caution would fly for Chris Pyle after a lazy spin in turn two. On the restart Downie again took control of the race however, Glenn Styres who started the Feature in the ninth position, was already up to third by lap three. Another driver on the move was Kyle Patrick coming from his eleventh place on the grid to move into the top five on lap three.

Near mid-race, Styres got around Crawford for second and began to stalk Downie. The top five at the half way point were Downie, Styres, Crawford, and Patrick with Rick Wilson now in fifth. The final caution of the race came on lap fifteen when Gary Evans spun in turn two. Downie and Styres battled each other for several laps with Styres finally able to take over the top spot with less than two laps remaining. Patrick and Wilson also got passed Downie on the last lap to finish second and third respectively. Downie had to settle for fourth after a very strong run with Crawford finishing in fifth.

Heat race winners were Warren Mahoney, John Watson and Rick Wilson with Glenn Styres sharing the Fan-Dash for Cash win with Sam Boyer.

Notes of interest: 

- ‘Fast’ Freddy Cade destroyed his new Maxim chassis sprinter during a first lap crash in the Dash for Cash when he and Rick Wilson tangled in turn two. Fortunately Cade was not injured during the accident.

- The highest finishing rookie in the Feature was Joe Middlemiss with his second top ten of the weekend.

- Next up is the grand finale of the season, the SOS Championship Invitational on Friday, September the 16th followed by the Canadian Sprint Car Nationals on Saturday, September 17th. Also scheduled for the 16th will be the ‘Village Pizza Ohsweken Shootout’ featuring the top three qualifiers from the SOS, SOD, EES and PSG in a 10-lap shootout. This will no doubt be the biggest weekend of sprint car racing ever staged in Canada so be sure not to miss any of the action. For more information visit the SOS Web Site at www.southernontariosprints.com.

Results: 22-car field

Signet Tool Heat
1. #25 – Warren Mahoney, Lefroy, ON; 2. #71 – Craig Downie, Burlington, ON; 3. #10 – Bob Crawford, Sutton, ON; 4. #6 – Dave Schulz, Barker, NY; 5. #33k – Kyle Patrick, Tilbury, ON; 6. #11 – Joe Middlemiss, St Catharines; 7. #17m – Charlie McCann, London, ON; 8. #93 – Daryl Turford, Mitchell, ON

Leaf Racewear Heat
1. #26 – John Watson, St. Thomas, ON; 2. #0 – Glenn Styres, Ohsweken, ON; 3. #12c – Fred Cade, Niagara Falls, ON; 4. #5c – Chris Pyle, Cambridge, ON; 5. #16k – Kyle Wilson, Joyceville, ON; 6. #40t – Andrew Reaume, Blenheim, ON; 7. #12 – Willy Northcott, London, ON

Wiseco Heat
1. #42 – Rick Wilson, Joyceville ON; 2. #30 – Adam West, Ridgetown, ON; 3. #79 – Dick Mahoney, Newmarket, ON; 4. #22 – Jim Porter, Grand Island, NY; 5. #20 – Jeff Daniels, Chatham, ON; 6. #17 – Gary Evans, Thorndale, ON; 7. #8 – Brian Lee, Kitchener, ON

Kenetic Dash
1. #0 – Glenn Styres; 2. #71 – Craig Downie; 3. #30 – Adam West; 4. #25 – Warren Mahoney; 5. #12c – Fred Cade; 6. #42 – Rick Wilson

Pennzoil Feature
1. #0 – Glenn Styres; 2. #33k – Kyle Patrick; 3. #42 – Rick Wilson; 4. #71 – Craig Downie; 5. #10 – Bob Crawford; 6. #25 – Warren Mahoney; 7. #16k – Kyle Wilson; 8. #6 – Dave Schulz; 9. #11 – Joe Middlemiss; 10. #26 – John Watson; 11. #79 – Dick Mahoney; 12. #20 – Jeff Daniels; 13. #30 – Adam West; 14. #40t – Andrew Reaume; 15. #17m – Charlie McCann; 16. #5c – Chris Pyle; 17. #93 – Daryl Turford; 18. #17 – Gary Evans; 19. #22 – Jim Porter; 20. #8 – Brian Lee

dns - #12c – Fred Cade, #12 – Willy Northcott (loaned car to Adam West)

Leaf Racewear Award – Bob Crawford

Inside Canadian Racing “Newsmaker of the Race” Award – Willy Northcott