by Tommy Goudge
(August 13, 2010) – Jared Zimbardi returned to Ohsweken Speedway for the first time in two months on Friday night, and left with the $1,500 Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Car feature winner’s cheque in his pocket. Jamie Cox won the ESSO Thunder Stock feature, Mike Taylor got his first ESSO Mini Stock win, Trevor Roszell was a first-time winner in the Bombers, and Tyler Martin won the Flagpole Race.
CORR/PAK MERCHANDISING SPRINT CARS
Jared Zimbardi and Travis Cunningham started on the front row for the twenty lap feature, and Zimbardi got the early advantage before Tom Huppunen and Mitchell Brown flipped hard in turn two. Both drivers emerged from their heavily damaged machines uninjured.
Zimbardi again took the lead when the race restarted, while Dain Naida moved up to challenge for second after starting sixth. Naida’s night ended with mechanical problems on lap three however, and lap four found Stan Zanchin stopped against the inside wall in turn two to bring out a caution flag.
A longer green flag run followed and Zimbardi stretched his lead while Cunningham was trying to fight off the advances of eleventh starter Kyle Moffit. Moffit took over the second spot from Cunningham on lap seven and set his sights on Zimbardi, who was about to deal with slower traffic. Moffit inched closer, but could not gain enough to challenge for the lead before Glenn Styres went off course in turn three on lap twelve to bring out another caution.
The race restarted again with Moffit closely following Zimbardi, but disaster struck on the next lap when Moffit went up in smoke. The last caution flag of the night flew on lap thirteen for fluid from Moffit’s machine and Zimbardi was never seriously challenged over the last seven laps. He cruised to victory over two seconds ahead of Travis Cunningham, Kevin Job, Dave Dykstra, and B-Main winner Keith Dempster.
“I didn’t know where anybody was,” said Jared in victory lane. “We’re just happy to get a win. We’ve been coming to Ohsweken for a long time, and we want to keep it that way. Not too many of the ASCS Patriots run more than just the Patriot schedule, but you know we love racing, so that’s why we come up here on our off Friday nights and it’s just a bonus to get a win.”
Heat races for the twenty-six car field were claimed by Moffit, James Evans, and Dykstra, while Dempster won the B-Main.
NEXT WEEK AT OHSWEKEN
Grisdale Racing Products along with OUTHOUSE Image & Design presents “Christmas in August” and Toy Donation drive (new unwrapped toy gives you a 2/1 pass) next Friday, August 20. The ASCS vs. Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprints Challenge, ESSO Thunder Stocks, ESSO Mini Stocks, and Bombers, plus Tillsonburg Outlaw Mini Sprints, and Autograph Night are all part of round ten of Friday Night Thunder. Gates open at 6:00 with racing starting at 7:45! Visit www.OhswekenSpeedway.com and Feel The Excitement!
FRIDAY NIGHT THUNDER 2010
ROUND 9 RACE REPORT – AUGUST 13, 2010
OHSWEKEN SPEEDWAY
OHSWEKEN, ONTARIO
EVENT SPONSOR – METAL WORKS
Race Start: 7:45 p.m.
Race End: 10:55 p.m.
CORR/PAK MERCHANDISING SPRINT CARS
HEAT RACES (8 laps each – Top 4 redraw for feature starting spots, top 5 transfer to A-Feature):
BS&B RADIATOR HEAT RACE #1
1. 7 Kyle Moffit (South Dayton, NY), 2. 21x Kevin Job (Campbellville), 3. 11 Jamie Turner (Caistor Centre), 4. 77x Dain Naida (Tecumseh, MI), 5. 81 Derek Jonathan (Lewiston, NY), 6. 33k Kyle Patrick (Tilbury), 7. 49 Todd Hoddick (Cheektowaga, NY), 8. 96 Shane Butler (London), 9. 7a Al Blanchard (Welland) DNF.
BEST WESTERN CAIRN CROFT HOTEL HEAT RACE #2
1. 90 James Evans (Beamsville), 2. 5m Brad Malloy (Niagara Falls), 3. 30g Stevin Goldner (Aylmer), 4. 0 Glenn Styres (Ohsweken), 5. 12c Tom Huppunen (Fenwick), 6. 5 Keith Dempster (Alton), 7. 67 Chris Durand (Port Stanley), 8. 23 Steve Garry (Dundas) DNF, 9. 1a John Riegling (Chatham) DNF.
GRISDALE RACING PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #3
1. 5d Dave Dykstra (Port Colborne), 2. 35 Jared Zimbardi (Salamanca, NY), 3. 71 Travis Cunningham (Grimsby), 4. 10 Mitchell Brown (Brantford), 5. 14h Jim Huppunen (Fenwick), 6. 01 Mikey Kruchka (Hamilton), 7. 31 John Burbridge, Jr. (St. Williams), 8. 94 Stan Zanchin (Fort Erie) DNF.
B-MAIN (10 laps – Top 5 transfer to A-Feature)
1. 5 Keith Dempster, 2. 94 Stan Zanchin, 3. 49 Todd Hoddick, 4. 1a John Riegling, 5. 31 John Burbridge, Jr., 6. 7a Al Blanchard, 7. 96 Shane Butler, 8. 67 Chris Durand, 9. 01 Mikey Kruchka DNS, 10. 23 Steve Garry DNS, 11. 33k Kyle Patrick DNS.
CORR/PAK MERCHANDISING
SPRINT CAR FEATURE (20 laps)
Position. # Name (Starting Position)
1. 35 Jared Zimbardi (1)
2. 71 Travis Cunningham (2)
3. 21x Kevin Job (4)
4. 5d Dave Dykstra (8)
5. 5 Keith Dempster (16)
6. 11 Jamie Turner (10)
7. 5m Brad Malloy (7)
8. 14h Jim Huppunen (17)
9. 90 James Evans (3)
10. 49 Todd Hoddick (18)
11. 81 Derek Jonathan (13)
12. 1a John Riegling (19)
13. 31 John Burbridge, Jr. (20)
14. 0 Glenn Styres (9)
15. 7 Kyle Moffit (11) DNF
16. 30g Stevin Goldner (5)
17. 94 Stan Zanchin (17) DNF
18. 77x Dain Naida (6) DNF
19. 10 Mitchell Brown (12) DNF
20. 12c Tom Huppunen (14) DNF