MOSPORT, ON - The “night before the 500” is always a big deal in Indianapolis. It’s almost as big as the long-awaited return of stock car racing action at Mosport Speedway. Having endured a one week delay in beginning the season due to inclement weather, the Speedway swung open the gates on May 23rd to welcome the Mosport faithful to another year of the Auto Workers Community Credit Union Saturday Night Racing presented by PartSource.
And what a debut it was!
Three divisions took to the half-mile oval on Saturday with the THORSONS EVT 6 Or Less class and the newly renamed Bob’s Towing Sportsman and Late Models lining up to do battle in search of championship glory.
The THORSONS EVT 6 Or Less
The 6 Or Less class was given the privilege of kicking off the 2009 season with past champions Ryan Oosterholt and Jeff Scott joining Kevin Hinds and Duane Jeffery in claiming victory in the eight lap preliminaries.
Fourteen freshly prepared 6 Or Less racers took the green flag to start the evening’s first feature event, with pole sitter Kevin Pickford in his #19 Dodge claiming the early race lead. A three-wide scramble for second place resulted in the race’s first yellow on lap two, as Trevor Coppins, Tiffany Taylor and Jeff Scott played pinball with each other in turn one, allowing the hard charging trio of Kevin Hinds, Duane Jeffery and Ryan Oosterholt to close onto Pickford’s back bumper.
Once again under green, Pickford maintained his precarious lead, holding off Hinds until the next caution period on lap nine when series’ rookie Tyler Betts (#86) lost a radiator in the first corner. Getting a strong launch on the ensuing green flag, Hinds swept high through the first two turns and powered past Pickford to take the lead. Stretching his advantage, Hinds put his #57 PS Auto Wreckers Grand Am on cruise control and took the checkered flag 10 car lengths ahead of the field.
“I was so pumped up, to take this win in the first race of the season is just awesome,” proclaimed an ecstatic Hinds.
Although Hinds ran out the laps in clean air, behind him frantic battles were raging throughout the field. Jeff Scott (#96) was able to wrestle the runner-up spot away from Pickford, leaving the pilot of the #19 Dodge to fend off a determined Oosterholt for the final podium position.
The Bob’s Towing Sportsman
Over the off-season, a reworking of the ThunderCar rulebook opened up the regulations to allow for an increased presence in this popular division. Now called the Sportsman class, the opening night grid reflected the desired variety of racing machinery.
Brad Stevenson returned to the Mosport racing family and celebrated with a victory in the evening’s debut heat race, while veteran Bill Northam claimed the second heat dash.
In the evening’s fifteen-lap feature race, former Limited Late Model competitor Terry Shaw moving up from his second row starting position to grab the early race lead. Bill Northam had taken the green flag from the tail end of the Sportsman field, but by the third circuit had closed in on second place runner, John Baker Jr. A back-and-forth battle between the two veterans ensued with Northam taking the long route around the second corner to move past Baker on lap five, as the Oshawa driver set his sights on the rapidly disappearing Shaw. Northam slowly reeled in the leader, and with two laps remaining, he tucked low heading into the first corner, hammered on the brakes and muscled his way by the #27 Ford of Shaw’s and into the race lead.
Putting his head down, Northam powered his #85 Five Points Mall Pontiac to the inaugural Sportsman class win, taking the checkered flag three car lengths in front of the dueling pair of Shaw and John Baker Jr.
“I bought this car five or six years ago,” explained Northam. “It was really struggling to be a Late Model, so I decided to go Sportsman racing. This win has been a long time coming.”
Brad Stevenson, still sorting out his new #77, was closing on the leading threesome, but was forced to settle for fourth place and ThunderCar regular Steve Mayhew (#14) rounded out the top five.
The Late Models
Defending series champion Dwight Brown has moved on to other challenges this year, leaving the 2009 Late Model championship wide open, and it looks like there will be no shortage of drivers lining up for a shot at the title.
Queensville, Ontario’s Danny Robinson made his return to Mosport Speedway and powered his immaculate white #2 to a heat victory, an accomplishment matched by 2008 division runner-up Dan Kimmerly.
Charging hard to the green flag, Terry Betts (#86) moved up four positions to grab the lead by the end of the first lap, with John Baker Jr. (#23), Robinson and Kimmerly slotting in directly behind the leader. On lap six (out of 20 scheduled), Robinson and Kimmerly tangled while battling for position, allowing John Baker Jr. to elbow his way onto the point.
Relegated to the back of the Late Model field for their involvement in an accident, Kimmerly and Robinson began an intense pursuit of the race leader. After only four tours of the Mosport half-mile, the two ran bumper-to-bumper and managed to clear the field, save for Baker’s #23 Freeman Motorsports Ford. Swapping positions four times over the final five laps, Kimmerly was able to outpower Robinson in a last lap dash to the line, and the two crossed the line virtually side-by-side, but still well in arrears of race winner Baker.
“I got this ride a couple of years ago and haven’t put it in the Winner’s Circle nearly enough,” admitted the happy race winner. “I gave (car owner) Randy’s (Freeman) cheque book an awful kick this year, but we’ve got the stuff we need to win every night out.”
Series rookie Bryan Sudsbury (#29) fresh from his third place overall result in the 2008 6 Or Less championship, finished in fourth place with Terry Betts holding off a charging Andrew McFadden (#20) for a top five finish.
Coming up this week: The THORSONS EVT 6 or Less Cars, the Bob’s Towing Sportsman and the R.P. Oil Modifieds will be joined on track by the 5/8’ scale 1930s and 1940s Ontario Legends cars for their first of three visits to the Speedway. Mosport is also pleased to welcome Don Butt Auto Body Inc. for their night at the Speedway. Tickets are available at the gate. Adults $13, Students $8 and kids 12 and under are free with a paid adult admission. For more information call (905) 983-9141, email info@mosport.com or visit www.mosport.com.
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