By Greg Calnan
(Friday, September 11, 2015) – Thorold, Ontario – The Southern Ontario Sprints brought the season to a close with a return to Merrittville Speedway for the first time since 2010. Mitch Brown came into the night needing only to start to clinch the title, but did one better than that by winning the feature race.
Ryan Turner and Glenn Styres led the field to the green flag in the 25 lap main event. Styres used the outside line to grab the lead on the opening lap and pulled away from the field before a caution for a spin by James Thompson on lap 5.
As the race went back to green, Brown began to challenge Turner for the runner-up spot and was able to make the pass and set his sights on leader Styres. The two went back and forth at the front with Brown holding the top spot on lap 15 before giving it back to Styres.
The scariest moment of the evening came on lap 17 as a crash in corner four collected Jim Huppunen and Jamie Turner. Turner’s car took the worst of the damage and momentarily burst into flames. Both drivers were able to walk away.
In the closing laps Brown used the inside line to pull back even with Styres and used lapped traffic to his advantage to grab the top spot. He would hold on for his third SOS win of the season and officially claim the 2015 tour title. Styres was second while Chris Steele finished third.
The race marked the end of the 20th season of competition for the Southern Ontario Sprints. An announcement on a date for the Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet will released in the coming weeks on www.southernontariosprints.com.
SOUTHERN ONTARIO SPRINTS RACE REPORT
2015 SEASON EVENT #12 – FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2015
MERRITTVILLE SPEEDWAY – THOROLD ON
ENTRY LIST
(Number Name – Hometown)
0 Glenn Styres – Ohsweken ON
00 Dane Lorenc – Lancaster NY
2w Lee Winger – Mount Hope ON
5 Keith Dempster – Alton ON
10b Mitch Brown – Brantford ON
11j Chris Jones – Picton ON
11t Jamie Turner – Caistor Centre ON
14h Jim Huppunen – Fenwick ON
15 Mike Ferrell – London ON
18 Ryan Susice – Ransomville NY
19 Cory Turner – Caistor Centre ON
22 James Thompson – St. Catharines ON
25 Warren Mahoney – Lefroy ON
30 Adam West – Ridgetown ON
66 Frank Baranowski – Mount Hope ON
67h Sam Hafertepe Jr. – Sunnyvale TX
71s Shawn Sliter – Port Colborne ON
77 Dain Naida – Tecumseh MI
77x Alex Hill – Six Nations ON
80 Chris Steele – St. Catharines ON
91 Ryan Turner – Caistor Centre ON
HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps – Top 3 redrew for A-Feature starting positions)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 67h Sam Hafertepe Jr. (1)
2. 11t Jamie Turner (3)
3. 25 Warren Mahoney (2)
4. 00 Dane Lorenc (4)
5. 14h Jim Huppunen (5)
6. 5 Keith Dempster (7)
DNS 71s Shawn Sliter
HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps – Top 3 redrew for A-Feature starting positions)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 0 Glenn Styres (2)
2. 10b Mitch Brown (4)
3. 11j Chris Jones (1)
4. 77 Dain Naida (3)
5. 30 Adam West (6)
6. 18 Ryan Susice (5)
7. 66 Frank Baranowski (7)
HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps – Top 3 redrew for A-Feature starting positions)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
1. 80 Chris Steele (2)
2. 91 Ryan Turner (4)
3. 19 Cory Turner (4)
4. 2w Lee Winger (7)
5. 77x Alex Hill (1)
6. 22 James Thompson (6)
DNS – 15 Mike Ferrell
A-FEATURE (25 laps)
Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)
SOS FINISH Feature (Brighton)
1. 10b Mitch Brown (3)
2. 0 Glenn Styres (2)
3. 80 Chris Steele (8)
4. 91 Ryan Turner (1)
5. 67h Sam Hafertepe Jr. (9)
6. 18 Ryan Susice (17)
7. 00 Dane Lorenc (10)
8. 19 Cory Turner (6)
9. 77 Dain Naida (11)
10. 25 Warren Mahoney (5)
11. 30 Adam West (14)
12. 11j Chris Jones (4)
13. 2w Lee Winger (12)
14. 77x Alex Hill (15)
15. 11t Jamie Turner (7) DNS
16. 14h Jim Huppunen (13) DNS
17. 5 Keith Dempster (16) DNS
18. 66 Frank Baranowski (19) DNS
19. 22 James Thompson (18) DNS
A-Feature Lap Leaders – Glenn Styres (1-14, 16-22), Mitch Brown (15, 23-25)
Hard Charger – Ryan Susice (+11)
2015 SEASON FEATURE WINNERS:
Glenn Styres – 4 (Brighton Speedway June 20, Ohsweken Speedway July 3, Brighton Speedway July 11, Humberstone Speedway August 9)
Mitch Brown – 3 (Brighton Speedway May 16, South Buxton Raceway July 4, Merrittville Speedway September 11)
Parker Price-Miller – 1 (Humberstone Speedway May 17)
Chris Jones – 1 (South Buxton Raceway June 6)
Cory Turner – 1 (Brighton Speedway August 8)
Charlie Sandercock – 1 (Brighton Speedway September 5)
Rick Wilson – 1 (Brighton Speedway September 5)
UP NEXT:
Annual Meeting & Awards Banquet – Date TBA
About the Southern Ontario Sprints: Founded in 1996, the Southern Ontario Sprints series is a traveling winged 360 Sprint Car tour based in Ontario, Canada. 2015 marks the 20th year of operation for the Southern Ontario Sprints, brought to you this season by Klotz Canada Synthetic Lubricants, Speedway Motors, The National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum,www.ImageFactor.ca, Kreitz Oval Track Parts, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, andwww.OnDirtRacingNews.com
Website: www.SouthernOntarioSprints.com
Twitter: @SOSsprints
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/SouthernOntarioSprints
YouTube: www.YouTube.com/user/SOSsprints