By Clayton Johns
OHSWEKEN, Ont. – August 2, 2017 – After a week hiatus following the most successful week in track history, Ohsweken Speedway returns to action on Friday, August 4 for Lucas Oil Night at the Race featuring the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints.
Last week’s Burger Barn Northern Summer Nationals and Arrow Express Six Nations Showdown featuring the World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series and NASCAR star Kyle Larson that completed the month of July for the track made for the most successful week in Ohsweken history. Over the course of two nights, nearly 14,000 fans passed through Ohsweken’s gates.
Now, Ohsweken plans to build on the momentum when it returns to action on Friday night with the third and final challenge race of the season for the Kool Kidz-Corr/Pak 360 Sprint Cars who take on the tough group of New York-based Empire Super Sprint racers.
Also on the schedule are the Strickland’s GMC Crate Sprint Cars, Middleport Mechanical Thunder Stocks, HRW Automotive Mini Stocks and Gale’s Auto Aftermarket Bombers for full points races as several drivers look for a coveted parking spot in Lucas Oil Victory Lane.
Race time is 7:30pm with Pit Gates scheduled to open at 5:30pm and Spectator Gates opening at 6:00pm. Admission for adults is just $14, $10 for seniors (65+), Youths (13-17), while kids age 7-12 are only $3. Children 6 and under are free.
Kool Kidz-Corr/Pak 360 Sprint Cars vs. Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints
Entering Friday’s event, Jason Barney of Brewerton, NY is the current Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints championship point leader and also gained valuable track time competing in last week’s Burger Barn Northern Summer Nationals and the Arrow Express Six Nations Showdown. He has three wins with the ESS this season.
However, Coleman Gulick of Binghamton, NY is the current 1000 Islands RV Centre Canada Tour point leader, but holds just a four-point advantage over Barney in those standings. They’ll have to contend with Kool Kidz-Corr/Pak Sprint Car point leader Dylan Westbrook, who beat the ESS earlier this season at Merrittville Speedway. Westbrook is also the most successful 360 Sprint Car driver in the Northeast this season with nine victories.
Paul Kinney of Durhamville, NY, another ESS regular competitor, won last year’s event. It was completed during the Canadian Sprint Car Nationals after the event was rained out following all preliminary action during the original August date. Brantford, Ont. driver and Ohsweken regular Mitch Brown topped the ESS during the 2015 edition of the race.
Ohsweken Speedway owner and promoter Glenn Styres announced this week he will sit out the balance of the season on doctor’s recommendations as he continues to recover from a wreck that occurred during Heat Race action on June 16. Styres has recovered well from the incident, but has decided to return to action when he feels 100 percent at the beginning of the 2018 season.
Strickland’s GMC Crate Sprint Cars
The Strickland’s GMC Crate Sprint Cars return to action following last Monday’s Ackland Insurance Clash of the Crates where Holly Porter of Delhi, Ont. went to Lucas Oil Victory Lane and claimed the $1000 winner’s prize. Entering this week’s action, Porter sits second in the championship standings, just seven points behind leader Mack DeMan of Mississauga, Ont. Behind the top two are Caledonia, Ont. natives Jesse McDonald and Mike Thorne while Scotland, Ont. driver Shone Evans completes the top-five.
Middleport Mechanical Thunder Stocks
Ryan Beagle of Vittoria, Ont. ended the Dave Bailey and Ryan Dinning win streak that dated back to July 2016 with his popular win in the 50-lap Brock Leonard Memorial for the Middleport Mechanical Thunder Stocks last Tuesday night. While Bailey, from nearby Hagersville, Ont., finished outside the top-10 for the first time this season, he still holds a convincing point lead with 73-point advantage over Dereck Lemyre of Hamiton, Ont. Caledonia’s Dinning sits third in the standings ahead of Jim Lampman (Caistor Centre, Ont.) and Ken Sargent (Hamilton, Ont.).
HRW Automotive Mini Stocks
The HRW Automotive Mini Stocks return to their traditional weekly format after a pair of 15-lap Features last Tuesday night that saw Bobby Tolton and Brandon Crumbie race to Lucas Oil Victory Lane. Jon Janssens of Woodstock, Ont. is the current HRW Automotive Mini Stock point leader, but has just a six-point advantage over Caledonia’s Mark Bazuin. Crumbie of Cookstown, Ont. is third in the standings, while rookie driver Nick Masi of Fenwick, Ont. is fourth and Caledonia’s Tim DeBoer completes the top-five. All drivers will be looking to perfect their cars during this week’s event ahead of the prestigious 42-lap Art Hill Memorial on August 11.
Gale’s Auto Aftermarket Bombers
After a week off, the Gale’s Auto Aftermarket Bombers will return to action with Ohsweken’s Lucas Smith at the top of the standings. Gillian Hils of Dundas, Ont. is second in the standings, 48 points back of the lead. Ohsweken residents Paul Longboat, Dustin Longboat and Jerry Burnham currently occupy the final spots in the top-five.
Tickets Available Now!
Advanced reserved seating tickets are on sale now for all of Ohsweken Speedway’s 2017 major events, including the Triple Crown Showdown featuring Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modifieds on August 24, and the 13th annual Canadian Sprint Car Nationals on September 15-16 are on sale now! Visit www.ohswekenspeedway.ticketforce.com or call 519-717-0023 to order and for more information. For the full 2017 schedule of events, click here.
Buy Tickets Here
About Lucas Oil: Lucas Oil Products began with the simple philosophy of producing only the best line of lubricants and additives available anywhere. Lucas has long been directly involved in the racing industry through sponsorships and event promotions at all levels. Seeing a need for better lubricants in this industry, the Lucas people went to work and developed a line of high-performance engine oils and gear oils that are second-to-none. With Canadian headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario, Lucas Oil Products Canada Inc. can be reached by phone at 888-878-6973, or found online at www.LucasOil.ca
About Ohsweken Speedway: Founded in 1996, Ohsweken Speedway is a motorsports complex which includes a 3/8 (0.375) mile clay oval track. The facility is owned by the Styres family, and located in the village of Ohsweken, Ontario, Canada. Ohsweken’s weekly Friday night racing program runs from May to September each year, featuring 360 Sprint Cars, Crate Sprint Cars, Thunder Stocks, Mini Stocks, and Bombers, while the season finishes each year with the annual Canadian Sprint Car Nationals. Ohsweken Speedway also hosts weekly Micro Sprint racing on Thursday nights, and has been a yearly stop on the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series schedule since 2007.
OHSWEKEN SPEEDWAY MEDIA
Website: www.OhswekenSpeedway.com
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OHSWEKEN PARTNERS
Ohsweken Speedway thanks the following partners for their support in 2017: Arrow Express, Kool Kidz Ice & Water, Corr/Pak Merchandising Inc., Renway Energy, Case IH – O’Neil’s Farm Equipment, Hoosier Tire Canada, EPIC Racewear, McDonald’s Restaurants of Paris & Brantford, Ackland Insurance, Strickland’s GMC, Lucas Oil, Burger Barn, Pinty’s Delicious Foods, Creative Edge Signs & Graphics, Insta-Insulation, Middleport Mechanical, HRW Automotive, and Gale’s Auto Aftermarket.
Mack DeMan will compete with his Lucas Oil sponsored No.4 in the Strickland’s GMC Crate Sprint Car division
Photo by Dale Calnan/Image Factor Media