by Tommy Goudge
(September 3, 2010) – Season Championship night presented by Rochester Americans was wild and unpredictable on Friday at Ohsweken Speedway. Glenn Styres emerged with the Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Car feature win, while Dave Dykstra needs only to take a green flag during Nationals weekend to claim the season championship. Larry Czinege, Jr. won his second career ESSO Thunder Stocks feature; while Jamie Cox held on to claim the championship. Steve Hess won his third ESSO Mini Stocks feature of the year, and Trevor Goulding claimed the season title. Jesse McDonald won his first Bomber feature of 2010, while Karl Sault won his second championship. Shawn Ireland won the Bomber “Crack The Whip” race, Brian Page and Bill Harju claimed Vintage Car wins, Zeger Van Thuyl won the ESSO Thunder Stocks Mechanics race, and Adam Reidel got the ESSO Mini Stocks Mechanics race win.
CORR/PAK MERCHANDISING SPRINT CARS
Kyle Moffit and Glenn Styres started the twenty-five lap feature on the front row, but the caution flew for Dain Naida spinning wildly in turn one. With the caution waving, the rest of the field did not make it through the second turn before a red flag was needed to stop the race. The incident began as Tom Huppunen spun, collecting Mitchell Brown, Dave Dykstra, Stan Zanchin, Todd Hoddick, and Mike Ling. Zanchin got the worst of the exchange, landing upside down at the exit of turn two requiring the red flag condition. All the drivers emerged uninjured, with only Huppunen and Dykstra able to restart.
Moffit led the first four laps after the restart, but went off track in turn two and tapped the outside wall inflicting enough damage to end his night. Styres assumed the lead and led the rest of the way, but had to survive many restarts along the way as flat tires, crashes, and mechanical issues plagued others in the field. Keith Dempster had one of the harder hits of the night when he contacted the wall in turn one on lap twenty-three. The 2008 champion emerged from his heavily damaged machine gingerly, but uninjured.
As Styres took his second win of the season, Dain Naida came from the back of the pack to take the runner up spot with Tom Huppunen, Jared Zimbardi, and Kyle Patrick rounding out the top five. Heat races for the twenty-three car field were claimed by Jared Zimbardi, Kevin Job, and Tom Huppunen.
Dave Dykstra finished sixth in the feature despite being involved in the crash on the first lap, then changing a flat right rear tire at the midway point putting an exclamation point on his outstanding season.
NEXT WEEK AT OHSWEKEN
Ohsweken Speedway will be idle next Friday, September 10 for the Fall Nationals at Black Rock Speedway, and then back in action for “Fan Appreciation Night” presented by Speedway Variety on Thursday, September 16. The ASCS Patriots vs. Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprints Challenge and ESSO Thunder Stocks will be on the card for the first of three race nights which make up the Sixth Annual Canadian Sprint Car Nationals weekend September 16-18. The first five hundred paid spectators on Fan Appreciation Night will receive a free gift! Gates open at 5:00 on Thursday, September 16 with racing starting at 7:45!
FRIDAY NIGHT THUNDER 2010
ROUND 12 RACE REPORT – SEPTEMBER 3, 2010
OHSWEKEN SPEEDWAY
OHSWEKEN, ONTARIO
EVENT SPONSOR – ROCHESTER AMERICANS
CORR/PAK MERCHANDISING SPRINT CARS
HEAT RACES (8 laps each – Top 4 redraw for feature starting spots):
BS&B RADIATOR HEAT RACE #1
1. 35 Jared Zimbardi (Salamanca, NY), 2. 7 Kyle Moffit (South Dayton, NY), 3. 81 Derek Jonathan (Lewiston, NY), 4. 0 Glenn Styres (Ohsweken), 5. 7x Mike Ling (Mount Brydges), 6. 5 Keith Dempster (Alton), 7. 49 Todd Hoddick (Cheektowaga, NY), 8. 67 Chris Durand (Port Stanley) DNF. No Time.
BEST WESTERN CAIRN CROFT HOTEL HEAT RACE #2
1. 21x Kevin Job (Campbellville), 2. 11 Jamie Turner (Caistor Centre), 3. 5d Dave Dykstra (Port Colborne), 4. 33k Kyle Patrick (Tilbury), 5. 6n Dain Naida (Tecumseh, MI), 6. 31 John Burbridge, Jr. (St. Williams), 7. 94 Stan Zanchin (Fort Erie), 8. 30g Stevin Goldner (Aylmer) DNS. Time – 1:51.183.
GRISDALE RACING PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #3
1. 12c Tom Huppunen (Fenwick), 2. 14h Jim Huppunen (Fenwick), 3. 71 Travis Cunningham (Grimsby), 4. 21j John Burbridge, Sr. (Simcoe), 5. 10 Mitchell Brown (Brantford), 6. 23 Steve Garry (Dundas), 7. 7p Jim Price (Wainfleet) DNF. Time – 1:51.796.
CORR/PAK MERCHANDISING
SPRINT CAR FEATURE (25 laps)
Position. # Name (Starting Position)
1. 0 Glenn Styres (2)
2. 6n Dain Naida (14)
3. 12c Tom Huppunen (6)
4. 35 Jared Zimbardi (8)
5. 33k Kyle Patrick (10)
6. 5d Dave Dykstra (11)
7. 14h Jim Huppunen (9)
8. 11 Jamie Turner (7)
9. 71 Travis Cunningham (4)
10. 21x Kevin Job (5)
11. 21j John Burbridge, Sr. (12)
12. 67 Chris Durand (21)
13. 5 Keith Dempster (16) DNF
14. 81 Derek Jonathan (3) DNF
15. 31 John Burbridge, Jr. (17) DNF
16. 7 Kyle Moffit (1) DNF
17. 23 Steve Garry (18) DNF
18. 7x Mike Ling (13) DNF
19. 10 Mitchell Brown (15) DNF
20. 94 Stan Zanchin (20) DNF
21. 49 Todd Hoddick (19) DNF
22. 7p Jim Price (23) DNS
23. 30g Stevin Goldner (22) DNS
No Time.