For Immediate Release – Ken Pelkie, SOS Public Relations

The “Cobra” struck at Ohsweken Friday night as Chuck Hebing of Ontario, New York warmed up the crowd dominating a record field of 360 sprints on his way to claiming his first SOS win of the season. “I really like to race here at Ohsweken. The track is always smooth and tacky” exclaimed Hebing during post race celebrations. “I would also like to thank Fred Cade of the Best Western Cairn Croft Hotel in Niagara Falls for sponsoring to-nights race”. Hebing picked up some bonus cash for his feature win while the 17th place finisher, Brad Malloy also collected some extra cash courtesy of the Best Western Cairn Croft Hotel.

Unusually cool temperatures didn’t slow the action as a large field of forty-three cars filed into the pit. Four qualifying heats and two “B” Mains were completed to pare down to the twenty-four car field for the twenty lap feature event.

Veteran’s Dick Mahoney and Garry Evans paced the field to the green flag with rookie’s Rob Pietz and Brad Malloy making up the second row. Evans grabbed the early lead as the duo exited turn two with Brad Malloy taking second. Hebing started his charge to the front early from his twelfth place starting position and was in second by lap four when the caution waved for Dick Mahoney and Joe Middlemiss in turn one. Mahoney restarted and joined the back of the field while Middlemiss retired from the event.

As the green flag reappeared, Hebing made a bid for the lead and was in front as the two exited turn two. The caution reappeared on lap six as Kevin Job, Daryl Turford, and Fred Cade spun coming out of turn four. John Watson was also involved and retired from the event.

With Hebing in command the race for second became the issue as Garry Evans, Warren Mahoney, Adam West and Craig Downie stacked up in the top five. Caution reappeared quickly on lap six as Brad Malloy spun in turn three. He quickly restarted and joined the back of the field.

The green waved again with Evans, Mahoney and West locked up in a fight for second. The three ran wheel to wheel with West claiming the second spot by the half way point. Mahoney and Evans were running third and fourth with Lauterborn moving into the fifth spot. Hebing continued to dominate the field as he lapped up to sixth place Jessica Zemken. Warren Mahoney overtook West for third on lap eighteen with West finishing third over a hard charging Bob Crawford. Mike Lauterborn rounded out the top five. Sixth through tenth were Zemken, Evans, Wilson, Styres, and John Riegling. 

Heat races were won by Garry Evans, Warren Mahoney, Dick Mahoney and Jessica Zemken, while Tom Huppunen and Brad Knab claimed the two “B” Mains.

Next up will be a return trip to Brighton Speedway Saturday, June 10th where Glenn Styres claimed the top prize during the first of five visits to the popular speed plant on the shores of Lake Ontario. Action is scheduled to get underway at 7:00 PM.

RESULTS: 43 cars

Heat #1 69 – Garry EVANS (London, ON); 45 – Chuck HEBING (Ontario, NY); 10 – Bob CRAWFORD (Sutton, ON); 11x – Fred PIGEON (Prince George, BC); 27 – Tom HUPPUNEN (Fenwick, ON); 24 – Bob MacDONALD (Woodstock, ON); 7 - Jim PRICE (Wainfleet, ON); 32 – Keith DEMPSTER (Alton, ON) (DNF); 18 – Stephanie CHRISTIANO (Buffalo, NY)(DNS); 33 – Jamie COLLARD (Princeton, ON) (DNS) 

Heat #2 25 – Warren MAHONEY (Lefroy, ON); 69E – Rob PIETZ (Port Colborne, ON); 41 – Mike LAUTERBORN (Rochester, NY); 1a – John RIEGLING (Chatham, ON); 0 – Glenn STYRES (Ohsweken, ON); 42s – Ken SWAN (Lockport, NY); 17 – Gary EVANS (Thorndale, ON); 75 – Jim SWEERS (Milgrove, ON); 9 – Tim ZACK (Dain City, ON); 18s – Mark SCHULZ (Newfane, NY); 19 – Dean HOFFMAN (DNS)

Heat #3 79 – Dick MAHONEY (Newmarket, ON); 5m – Brad MALLOY (Niagara Falls, ON); 71 – Craig DOWNIE (Burlington, ON); 21x – Kevin JOB (Campbellville, ON); 42w – Rick WILSON (Joyceville, ON); 38 – Brad KNAB (Delevan, NY); 94 – Stan ZANCHIN (Fort Erie, ON); 10m – Robert MIDDLEMISS (St. Catharines, ON) ; 83w –James WHITTAKER (Lynden, ON); 20 – Jeff DANIELS (Chatham, ON) (DNS) 

Heat #4 1z – Jessica ZEMKEN (Sprakers, NY); 30 – Adam WEST Ridgetown, ON); 11m – Joe MIDDLEMISS (St. Catharines, ON); 93 – Daryl TURFORD (Mitchell, ON); 5c – Chris PYLE (Cambridge, ON); 21 – Tim PHILLIPS (Grand Island, NY); 21J – John BURBRIDGE (Simcoe, ON); 15aw – April WILSON (Joyceville, ON); 96 – Jim DAVIES (London, ON)(DNS) 

B Main #1 Huppunen; Collard; Dempster; McDonald; M. Christiano; Swan; Evans; Sweers; Zack; 

B Main #2 Knab; Cade; Zanchin; Phillips; Burbridge; R. Middlemiss; A. Wilson; Whittaker; Hoffman; Davies; Daniels (DNS) 

“A” Feature 45 – Chuck HEBING (12); 25 – W. MAHONEY (7); 30 – WEST (9); 10– CRAWFORD (6); 41 – LAUTERBORN (10); 1z – ZEMKEN (11); 69 – EVANS (2); 42w – R.WILSON (19); 0 – STYRES (18); 1a – RIEGLING (14); 69E – PIETZ (3); 11x – PIGEON (17); 33 – COLLARD (23); 38 – KNAB (22); 12c – CADE(24); 5c – PYLE (20); 5m – MALLOY (5m); 27 – HUPPUNEN (21); 21xJ – JOB (15); 79 – D. MAHONEY (1); 71 – DOWNIE (8); 93 – TURFORD (16); 26 – WATSON (13); 11m – J. MIDDLEMISS (5) 

Unofficial Points after June 9th:

1 Adam West  468 
2 Bob Crawford  451
3 Warren Mahoney  448
4 Glenn Styres  444
5 John Riegling  395

KENETIC Photos Hard Charger after June 9th:

1 Glenn Styres  23 
2 Jamie Collard  22
3 Rick Wilson  20
4 Fred Pigeon  16
5 Tom Huppunen  12

Post Race Awards:

Ohsweken Winners Bonus - Chuck Hebing

Grisdale Racing Products - Bob Crawford

Keizer Wheels - Tom Huppunen

Leaf Racewear - Garry Evans

Ultra Shield
- Chris Pyle
- Brad Malloy
- Tom Huppunen
- Kevin Job
- Dick Mahoney

Kenetic Photos Hard Charger
- Chuck Hebing
- Rick Wilson