Brighton, ON — (June 8, 2013) — Jamie Collard led every lap of the Southern Ontario Sprints feature at Brighton Speedway on Saturday, June 8th, but the victory didn’t come easy. Chris Jones made a late race charge on the leader and fell just 0.016 seconds short at the finish line.
Collard and Keith Dempster led the 19 car field to the green flag in the 20 lap feature. Collard grabbed the early lead and widened the gap over the first five laps. On lap 7 defending series champion Lee Ladouceur suffered engine problems and brought out the first caution of the race.
On the restart Collard was able to stretch his advantage over second place Mitch Brown while Dempster, Jones and Rick Wilson battled for third.
Two red flags slowed the event. The first occurred on lap 11 when Chris Durand caught a rut in corner two. His car snapped viciously right and proceeded to roll off the racing surface. The second red flag came on lap 13. Adam West got into the turn four wall and rolled the #30 on to its side. Both drivers were uninjured.
On the final restart Collard again pulled away from the field with Brown in tow. With five laps to go Chris Jones would slip by Brown and into second place. Each lap Jones would close the gap on the leader and drew within a car length at the white flag.
Lapped traffic allowed Jones to make a move on the inside line in corner three and he pulled even with the leader off of turn four. The two drag raced to the checkered flag with Collard holding on for the win.
“I didn’t hear another car all race” said Collard, “I was just taking it easy getting around lapped traffic in the closing laps.”
The runner-up finish for Jones was bittersweet. “Man, 1/100th of a second… that sucks” he exclaimed “It’s great to finish so well in front of the hometown crowd, but that was just so close”.
The win gives Collard the unofficial points lead after two rounds of SOS competition. The next stop for the Southern Ontario Sprints comes on Saturday, July 14th as the tour returns to Brighton Speedway for round three of the 2013 schedule.
Entries
07x Dain Naida – Tecumseh, MI
2 Brad Lodge – Stouffville, ON
5 Keith Dempster – Alton, ON
7x Jamie Collard – Burford, ON
9 Jim Munsie – Pickering, ON
10 Bob Crawford – Sutton, ON
10B Mitch Brown – Brantford, ON
11J Chris Jones – Demorestville, ON
11z Darren Zumpe – St. Catharines, ON
15 Mike Ferrell – London, ON
15aw April Wilson – Joyceville, ON
25 Warren Mahoney – Lefroy, ON
30 Adam West – Ridgetown, ON
42w Rick Wilson – Joyceville, ON
51 Lee Ladouceur – Alexandria, ON
57 Charlie Sandercock – Trenton, ON
66 Frank Baranowski – Hamilton, ON
67 Chris Durand – Port Stanley, ON
79 Dick Mahoney – Newmarket, ON
84 Tyler Rand – Picton, ON
Heat #1 Results (8 laps)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 11J Chris Jones (3)
2. 51 Lee Ladouceur (2)
3. 84 Tyler Rand (6)
4. 25 Warren Mahoney (1)
5. 15 Mike Ferrell (7)
6. 2 Brad Lodge (4)
7. 9 Jim Munsie (5) DNS
Heat #2 Results (8 laps)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 5 Keith Dempster (2)
2. 11z Darren Zumpe (1)
3. 7x Jamie Collard (5)
4. 57 Charlie Sandercock (7)
5. 10 Bob Crawford (4)
6. 79 Dick Mahoney (3)
7. 30 Adam West (6)
Heat #3 Results (8 laps)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 10B Mitch Brown (1)
2. 42w Rick Wilson (2)
3. 67 Chris Durand (6)
4. 07x Dain Naida (3)
5. 15aw April Wilson (4)
6. 66 Frank Baranowski (5) DNS
A-Main Results (20 Laps)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 7x Jamie Collard (1)
2. 11J Chris Jones (4)
3. 10B Mitch Brown (3)
4. 84 Tyler Rand (9)
5. 5 Keith Dempster (2)
6. 25 Warren Mahoney (10)
7. 42w Rick Wilson (5)
8. 07x Dain Naida (12)
9. 11z Darren Zumpe (8)
10. 57 Charlie Sandercock (11)
11. 79 Dick Mahoney (17)
12. 15 Mike Ferrell (13)
13. 15aw April Wilson (15)
14. 2 Brad Lodge (16)
15. 30 Adam West (18) DNF
16. 67 Chris Durand (6) DNF
17. 51 Lee Ladouceur (8) DNF
18. 9 Jim Munsie (19) DNF
19. 10 Bob Crawford (14) DNF