By Greg Calnan
(Saturday, September 5, 2015) – Brighton, Ontario – The Southern Ontario Sprints kicked off night one of the Labour Day Classic Weekend at Brighton Speedway in exciting fashion, as local favourite Charlie Sandercock captured his first career sprint car win.
A field of 22 cars were on hand for the opening night of competition. Mitch Brown entered the night with a 44 point lead over defending and five-time champion Glenn Styres. The two would start third and ninth respectively in the 25 lap A-Main.
At the drop of the green flag, pole-sitter Warren Mahoney jumped to the early lead over points leader Brown. The red flag would fly one lap into the race after a multi-car crash that sent Mike Ferrell for a tumble in corner four. Ferrell walked away uninjured, however his night would come to an early end. Dain Naida and Chris Jones were also collected in the accident, but were able to continue. Glenn Styres suffered top wing damage in the incident, and would struggle with the car the remainder of the night.
A number of early-race caution flags slowed the pace of the race, with Brown leading. Rick Wilson looked like a contender for the win before the brakes on his car went away while attempting a pass for the lead. The troubles allowed Sandercock to pass the ‘Joyceville Jet’ for the runner-up position, and begin his trek towards leader Brown.
The inside line proved to be an advantage for Sandercock, as he worked his way by Brown and began to pull away through lapped traffic. The Brighton Speedway crowd was on pins and needles as the laps wound down for the local driver.
Two late-race cautions gave both Brown and Wilson one last chance to get by the leader, however with lapped traffic restarting between them, it allowed Sandercock to pull away for his first Sprint Car win. The current Brighton Late Model point leader, and two-time and defending champion climbed from his car to a huge ovation.
Brown finished second and padded his points lead over Styres, who finished ninth, while Wilson muscled his car to a third place despite having a brake failure.
The Southern Ontario Sprints return to action Sunday night for the second half of the Labour Day Classic Weekend. Race time at Brighton Speedway is 6pm. For more information visit www.BrightonSpeedway.com.
SOUTHERN ONTARIO SPRINTS RACE REPORT
2015 SEASON EVENT #10 – SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2015
BRIGHTON SPEEDWAY – BRIGHTON ON
ENTRY LIST
(Number Name – Hometown)
0 Glenn Styres – Ohsweken ON
01 Kyle Fraser – White Lake ON
2w Lee Winger – Mount Hope ON
5 Keith Dempster – Alton ON
9 Jim Munsie – Pickering ON
10b Mitch Brown – Brantford ON
11j Chris Jones – Picton ON
11t Jamie Turner – Caistor Centre ON
15 Mike Ferrell – London ON
15aw April Wilson – Joyceville ON
18 Ryan Susice – Ransomville NY
19 Cory Turner – Caistor Centre ON
25 Warren Mahoney – Lefroy ON
42w Rick Wilson – Joyceville ON
48 Mike Burkin – Clyde OH
57 Charlie Sandercock – Carrying Place ON
66 Frank Baranowski – Mount Hope ON
71s Shawn Sliter – Port Colborne ON
77 Dain Naida – Tecumseh MI
77x Alex Hill – Six Nations ON
91 Ryan Turner – Caistor Centre ON
98 Paul Pekkonen – Brockville ON
HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps – Top 3 redrew for A-Feature starting positions)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 0 Glenn Styres (2)
2. 25 Warren Mahoney (1)
3. 42w Rick Wilson (4)
4. 48 Mike Burkin (5)
5. 15aw April Wilson (3)
6. 18 Ryan Susice (8)
7. 2w Lee Winger (6)
8. 11t Jamie Turner (7)
Time – 1:41.076
HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps – Top 3 redrew for A-Feature starting positions)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 10b Mitch Brown (2)
2. 01 Kyle Fraser (3)
3. 77x Alex Hill (5)
4. 77 Dain Naida (6)
5. 5 Keith Dempster (7)
6. 66 Frank Baranowski (1)
7. 9 Jim Munsie (4)
Time – 1:42.466
HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps – Top 3 redrew for A-Feature starting positions)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 11j Chris Jones (4)
2. 98 Paul Pekkonen (3)
3. 57 Charlie Sandercock (7)
4. 19 Cory Turner (6)
5. 91 Ryan Turner (5)
6. 71s Shawn Sliter (2)
7. 15 Mike Ferrell (1)
No Time
A-FEATURE (25 laps)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 57 Charlie Sandercock (7)
2. 10b Mitch Brown (3)
3. 42w Rick Wilson (6)
4. 25 Warren Mahoney (1)
5. 48 Mike Burkin (10)
6. 19 Cory Turner (12)
7. 77 Dain Naida (11)
8. 77x Alex Hill (4)
9. 0 Glenn Styres (9)
10. 15aw April Wilson (13)
11. 91 Ryan Turner (15)
12. 11t Jamie Turner (21)
13. 01 Kyle Fraser (5)
14. 98 Paul Pekkonen (2)
15. 71s Shawn Sliter (17)
16. 5 Keith Dempster (14)
17. 9 Jim Munsie (19)
18. 66 Frank Baranowski (16)
DNF. 18 Ryan Susice (22)
DNF. 11j Chris Jones (8)
DNF. 2w Lee Winger (18)
DNF. 15 Mike Ferrell (20)
No Time
A-Feature Lap Leaders – Warren Mahoney (1), Mitch Brown (2-18), Charlie Sandercock (19-25)
Hard Charger – Jamie Turner (+9)
2015 SEASON FEATURE WINNERS:
Glenn Styres – 4 (Brighton June 20, Ohsweken July 3, Brighton July 11, Humberstone August 9)
Mitch Brown – 2 (Brighton Speedway May 16, South Buxton July 4)
Parker Price-Miller – 1 (Humberstone May 17)
Chris Jones – 1 (South Buxton June 6)
Cory Turner – 1 (Brighton August 8)
Charlie Sandercock – 1 (Brighton September 5)