By Tommy Goudge
(September 13, 2012) – The long wait is over, and it’s time for Ohsweken Speedway’s signature event – the Canadian Sprint Car Nationals presented by Arrow Express. The big weekend officially begins on Friday, September 14, and finishes Saturday night, September 15 with the $12,000-to-win feature event, along with a practice session on Thursday night, September 13.
NIGHT BEFORE THE NATIONALS
The Night Before the Nationals at Ohsweken has a busy slate, including twin fifteen lap features for the Sprint Cars, plus the Ohsweken Shootout, and Dave MacLeod Memorial Mr. Sprint Car Challenge.
The winner of each fifteen lap feature will receive a guaranteed starting spot in Saturday night’s Canadian Sprint Car Nationals feature race, as Shane Stewart and Dustin Daggett did last year.
The Ohsweken Shootout will feature twelve drivers in a ten lap dash for cash on Friday night. Top drivers from selected ASCS Sprints on Dirt, Patriot Sprint Tour, Empire Super Sprints, Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Car division, Southern Ontario Sprints, and National Racing Alliance events will make up the Shootout field.
The Dave MacLeod Memorial Mr. Sprint Car Challenge is back again this year with one-on-one match races for the top drivers in points from each affiliate sanction, plus some “Wild Card” entries.
A good field of Vintage Cars is also expected to be on hand to compete as the support division on Friday night.
CANADIAN SPRINT CAR NATIONALS
Saturday features the eighth annual Canadian Sprint Car Nationals presented by Arrow Express, with well over seventy of the best Sprint Car drivers from all over North America expected in competition, including former winners Shane Stewart of Brownsburg, Indiana, and Steve Poirier of Saint-Mathieu-de-Beloeil, Quebec.
The successful affiliate sanctioning program is again in place this year, with teams slated to participate from Ohsweken’s weekly Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Car division, the Empire Super Sprints and Patriot Sprint Tour based in New York, Michigan-based ASCS Sprints on Dirt, the National Racing Alliance from Ohio, and the Southern Ontario Sprints club.
This year’s edition of the Nationals again features a purse increase, with the winner now set to take home twelve thousand dollars, and every feature starter guaranteed at least eight hundred fifty dollars. The feature race length remains at thirty-five laps, and the starting field at thirty cars.
Time trials will be utilized, with the same format as last year; The field will be split into six groups, which will run time trials and heat races together. The fastest driver from each group will draw to determine the inversion for the start of his or her heat race. The fastest driver overall in time trials will receive the Lane Automotive Fast Time award, while the fastest Canadian driver will receive the Bicknell Racing Products Fastest Canadian award.
The top three finishers in each heat race will qualify for the feature, and each heat race winner will participate in an “Outlaw style” redraw for feature starting positions. Three B-Mains and the Non-Qualifiers Little Feature will fill out the remainder of the Canadian Sprint Car Nationals feature field.
The Mod-Lite Stars International Championship Tour will also make its final appearance at Ohsweken for 2012 on Saturday night. Derek Wagner has dominated the other Ohsweken visits by the tour this year, while Paul Klager has also picked up a win this year.
STAY WITH US!
Plenty of un-serviced camping space is once again available at the speedway all weekend for a nominal one-time fee of twenty dollars. The pit area washrooms and concession stand will also be open twenty-four hours a day during the Nationals, and the concession will feature breakfast and lunch menus.
GET CONNECTED
Ohsweken Speedway is online on all of your favourite media platforms, including Facebook (www.facebook.com/OHSWEKENSPEEDWAY), Twitter (www.Twitter.com/OhswekenSpdway), and YouTube (www.youtube.com/OhswekenSpdway), along with the official Ohsweken Speedway website at www.OhswekenSpeedway.com. Don’t forget to use the #CSCN hashtag if you’re tweeting about the Canadian Sprint Car Nationals this weekend!
ON THE AIR
The Race Time Radio broadcast crew will be at the track with live audio coverage of the Canadian Sprint Car Nationals online at www.RaceTimeRadio.com each night. The races will be rebroadcast on SiriusXM Sports Express 157 on Tuesday, September 18, and Wednesday, September 19, both at 5:00p.m. Eastern Time.
OUR SPONSORS
About Arrow Express: Arrow Express proudly presents the Six Nations Showdown and Canadian Sprint Car Nationals at Ohsweken. Contact them by phone at (519) 445-1688, or visit their website at www.arrowexpresssports.com
About Corr/Pak Merchandising: Founded in 1997, Corr/Pak Merchandising Inc. is based in Richmond Hill, Ontario, and is a designer and producer of Point of Purchase (POP) displays for retail. Strong emphasis on creative design and speed of response has seen Corr/Pak achieve great success in a very competitive industry. Their in-house capabilities and broad range of trusted suppliers enable them to develop any sort of effective solution for your retail display needs, no matter the materials used – whether corrugated, wood, boxboard, plastic, wire, steel, or any combination of those. Corr/Pak’s support of the Sprint Car division at Ohsweken continues for a fifth consecutive season in 2012. Please visit www.CorrPak.ca for more information on the title sponsor of Sprint Car racing at Ohsweken Speedway.
Ohsweken Speedway welcomes Bell Helmets, Electromotive Engine Controls, and Klotz Synthetic Lubricants to the list of Canadian Sprint Car Nationals contingency sponsors, which also includes Best Western Cairn Croft Hotel, BS&B Radiator, Wiseco Piston, Diversified Machine Incorporated, King Racing, Rod End Supply, Pancho’s Racing Products, XYZ Machining Inc., Rocket Headers, Manton Pushrods, ISC Racer’s Tape, J&J Auto Racing, Hoosier Tire, Kinser Air Filters, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, KSE Racing Products, Awesome Racewear, Hepfner Racing Products, Saldana Racing, Zemco Speed Equipment, Winters Performance, Seals-It, BMRS, and Slade Shock Technology.
THIS WEEK AT OHSWEKEN
The Night Before the Nationals on Friday, September 14 features Twin 15’s for the Sprint Cars, the Ohsweken Shootout, and Dave MacLeod Memorial Mr. Sprint Car Challenge, plus Vintage Cars. Spectator Gates open at 5:00 p.m., with the first race taking the green flag at 7:45p.m.
Arrow Express presents the eighth annual Canadian Sprint Car Nationals this Saturday, September 15, plus the Mod-Lite Stars International Championship Tour. Time trials begin at 6:30p.m., with the first race getting underway at 7:45p.m.
Tickets will be available at the gate each night, with Friday tickets priced at $20 for Adult Reserved, $15 for Adult General Admission, $5 for Kids age 6-12, and FREE for Kids age 5 and under, and Saturday tickets priced at $40 for Adult Reserved, $25 for Adult General Admission, $5 for Kids age 6-12, and FREE for Kids age 5 and under.
Ohsweken Speedway offers affordable, exciting, family entertainment just a short drive from many Mid-Western Ontario locations. Please visit www.OhswekenSpeedway.com and Feel The Excitement!
CANADIAN SPRINT CAR NATIONALS FEATURE WINNERS
2005 – Kenny Jacobs
2006 – Steve Poirier
2007 – Steve Poirier
2008 – Wayne Johnson
2009 – Shane Stewart
2010 – Shane Stewart
2011 – Sam Hafertepe, Jr.
“OHSWEKEN SHOOTOUT” WINNERS
2005 – Nick Mulheim
2006 – Dustin Daggett
2007 – Rick Wilson
2008 – Steve Poirier
2009 – Steve Poirier
2010 – Jessica Zemken
2011 – Jamie Collard
“DAVE MCLEOD MEMORIAL MR. SPRINT CAR CHALLENGE” WINNERS
2007 – J.R. Stewart
2008 – Steve Poirier
2009 – Steve Poirier
2010 – Jessica Zemken
2011 – Wayne Johnson
“NIGHT BEFORE THE NATIONALS” FEATURE WINNERS
2005 – Adam West
2006 – Kyle Patrick & Justin Barger
2007 – Rained Out
2008 – Jason Barney & Dustin Daggett
2009 – Brian McDonald & Shane Stewart
2010 – Glenn Styres & Dustin Daggett
2011 – Shane Stewart & Dustin Daggett