by Tommy Goudge (August 7, 2010) - Rick Wilson went back to victory lane Saturday night at Brighton Speedway, almost exactly one year to the day of his last Southern Ontario Sprints feature win. Wilson started sixth on the grid for the twenty lap feature, but he didn't stay there long.

Adam West and Travis Cunningham began the feature race on the front row, but Wilson was on a mission and passed them both in turn three during the first lap, after passing three others in the first set of corners. 
Wilson would never relinquish his lead, but behind him the action was intense. Cunningham held the second spot, while Tyler Rand and July feature winner Chris Jones went side-by-side for third, and West slid back through the field uncharacteristically.

Keith Dempster picked his way through the field after starting ninth, while Glenn Styres did the same from eighth. Both challenged in the top five as the race wore on, but could advance no higher than fourth. 
Wilson used the high groove to cruise to the win, while Cunningham rolled the bottom to claim second, followed by Rand, Dempster, and Jones. Styres settled for sixth, while Brad Malloy, Bob Crawford, Adam West, and Dick Mahoney finished out the top ten.

Wilson has had a sub-par year by his standards, but has been traveling and racing in selected World of Outlaws and All Stars series races for the first time.

"Well you know, we've kind of struggled all year," said Wilson in victory lane. "We've been running some Outlaw shows and 410 stuff, and I was struggling on that deal getting qualified, but learning as I go. I took some of my knowledge from before here, and some of the new stuff and I said we're going to try something totally different tonight. I'll tell you what, it was awesome."

Travis Cunningham followed up a third place finish at Brighton in July with a second place on Saturday night.

"To finish second to Rick Wilson at Brighton is not too shabby," said Cunningham afterwards. "He's been going here forever and he's mastered this place. I promise I'll get one one of these days though. Nobody can run the top like Rickey. I can't run the top here unless there's a cushion, and there was no cushion so I was sticking to the bottom."

Tyler Rand's third place coupled with a heat race win cut seventeen points off Glenn Styres' advantage in the championship chase.

"We had a few problems with the injection system," said Rand, the 2009 SOS Rookie of the Year. "We made it back out, won the heat, and did alright in the feature - it was hard. I can't complain, we're trying to hunt (Styres) down. Hopefully we take the lead soon."

NOTES
- Brad Malloy was in attendance for his first SOS action of 2010 on Saturday night. It was Malloy's first appearance at Brighton since August 11, 2007. Both Malloy and Rick Wilson won heat races from sixth on the grid on Saturday.

- Wilson's win was the fourteenth of his career at Brighton Speedway. It came just one day short of a full year since his last Sprint Car feature win, also at Brighton on August 8 last season.

- Tyler Rand again had problems in hot laps at Brighton, and again recovered to win his heat race and finish third in the feature. Rand's run also helped him cut into Glenn Styres' point lead, which now stands at just twelve with three races remaining on the schedule.

- The SOS tour gets back to action for round seven on Saturday, September 4 at Brighton Speedway for the first of two nights of Labour Day Classic action.

RACE REPORT – SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 2010
SOUTHERN ONTARIO SPRINTS
2010 SEASON EVENT # 6
Brighton Speedway - Brighton, Ontario

ENTRIES
(Number Name - Hometown)
0 Glenn Styres - Ohsweken
2 Brad Lodge - Stouffville
5 Keith Dempster - Alton
5m Brad Malloy - Niagara Falls
9 Jim Munsie - Pickering
10 Bob Crawford - Sutton
11 Chris Jones - Demorestville
15aw April Wilson - Joyceville
25 Warren Mahoney - Lefroy
30 Adam West - Ridgetown
33j Erin Joyce - Alcove, QC
42w Rick Wilson - Joyceville
45x Doug Banks - Inverary
66 Frank Baranowski - Mount Hope
71 Travis Cunningham - Grimsby
79 Dick Mahoney - Newmarket
84 Tyler Rand - Consecon
98 Paul Pekkonen - Brockville

HEAT RACES
(Top 3 finishers redraw for feature starting positions)

HEAT RACE #1
(8 laps)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 42w Rick Wilson (6)
2. 71 Travis Cunningham (1)
3. 5 Keith Dempster (5)
4. 79 Dick Mahoney (2)
5. 98 Paul Pekkonen (3)
6. 45x Doug Banks (4)

HEAT RACE #2
(8 laps)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 5m Brad Malloy (6)
2. 30 Adam West (5)
3. 9 Jim Munsie (2)
4. 66 Frank Baranowski (1)
5. 25 Warren Mahoney (3) DNF
6. 15aw April Wilson (4) DNF

HEAT RACE #3
(8 laps)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 84 Tyler Rand (1)
2. 11 Chris Jones (5)
3. 0 Glenn Styres (2)
4. 10 Bob Crawford (4)
5. 2 Brad Lodge (6)
6. 33j Erin Joyce (3)

'A' FEATURE
(20 laps)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 42w Rick Wilson (6)
2. 71 Travis Cunningham (2)
3. 84 Tyler Rand (3)
4. 5 Keith Dempster (9)
5. 11 Chris Jones (5)
6. 0 Glenn Styres (8)
7. 5m Brad Malloy (7)
8. 10 Bob Crawford (12)
9. 30 Adam West (1)
10. 79 Dick Mahoney (10)
11. 9 Jim Munsie (4)
12. 25 Warren Mahoney (14)
13. 98 Paul Pekkonen (13)
14. 15aw April Wilson (17)
15. 45x Doug Banks (16)
16. 2 Brad Lodge (15)
17. 33j Erin Joyce (18) DNF
18. 66 Frank Baranowski (11) DNF

Stealth Racewear "Under the Radar" Award - 10 Bob Crawford

UNOFFICIAL TOP 5 IN POINTS AFTER ROUND #6 Rank. Number Name - Total (Positions Gained/Lost) 1. 0 Glenn Styres - 759 (--) 2. 84 Tyler Rand - 747 (--) 3. 5 Keith Dempster - 709 (+1) 4. 30 Adam West - 688 (-1) 5. 9 Jim Munsie (R) - 646 (--)

NEXT SOS EVENT:
Saturday, September 4, 2010
@ Brighton Speedway
Brighton, Ontario
www.SouthernOntarioSprints.com