Mosport Speedway Race Recap: July 18, 2009

MOSPORT SPEEDWAY RACE RECAP- JULY 18, 2009

94.9 ‘the Rock’ radio had Mosport Speedway rocking last weekend as they joined with the Five Points Mall (located in Oshawa) to sponsor the evening’s stock car racing menu. Despite an hour long rain delay, the Speedway was able to complete its schedule which included a twin, 25-lap special feature for the Late Models.

The Late Models
Two of the fastest Late Model drivers in Ontario squared off at Mosport Speedway on Saturday night, with defending champion Dwight Brown going toe-to-toe with current points leader Dan Kimmerly.

In Race One, Brown was quick to assert his position, wrestling the point away from Shannon Kimmerly’s #01S Dom’s Auto Parts Impala on the second lap. Immediately locked in behind were John Baker Jr. (#23), Craig Perry (#37) and Kimmerly Sr. (Shannon’s father).

As Brown steadily worked away from the pack, Shannon was busy holding off a charge from Baker. Dan, in his #01 Hoskins Welding Pontiac, took the long route through the first two corners to move past Baker on lap 20, and into third place.  

The running order remained static to the checkered flag with the #20 Bourque Transmission Monte Carlo of Brown crossing the stripe six car lengths in front of Shannon, Dan an equal distance further back in third.  

The racers were then given a ten-minute break to refuel and check their cars, and numbers were drawn to assign the starting positions for Round Two. Amazingly the top five finishers drew grid positions at the front, with Baker’s #23 Freeman Motorsports Fusion leading the field to the green.  

On the opening lap of race two, Dan Kimmerly was able to work alongside of pole sitter Baker and for two full circuits ran door-to-door. Coming off of Turn Four on lap two, Kimmerly worked the outside line and edged past Baker’s Ford to assume the race lead. One lap later Brown was also able to work around Baker, the Beeton, Ontario-based driver then sett his sights on Kimmerly’s disappearing back bumper. A caution period on lap seven (for the #20X of Andrew McFadden who suffered a cut front tire and stopped on the front straight), allowed Brown to close up on Kimmerly, and on the ensuing restart the two front runners plunged into Turn One. Baker in a similarly intense dice with Shannon Kimmerly tucked in behind.

Unfortunately for the race leader, the combination of a cooling, damp track and cold tires pushed Kimmerly’s car high in Turn Two, opening a hole for Brown to charge through and into top spot.  

With the positions reversed, Brown led Kimmerly in a high speed sprint to the finish, as the lead pair opened up an advantage of nearly half of a lap on the remainder of the Late Model field by the time the checkered flag flew.  

“I had a Kimmerly behind me a lot tonight,” laughed Brown. “I got lucky on the restart, Dan doesn’t make too many mistakes. I was wondering what I was doing right to deserve this.”  

In the frantic scramble for the third place result, Baker was able to hold on to the spot despite Shannon’s best efforts, as the pair took the checkered flag bumper-to-bumper. Scott Harrison (#68) who had taken the green flag from fifth place maintained his position earned his second top five finish of the night.

The THORSONS EVT Six or Less
Neither current Six Or Less points leaders Ryan Oosterholt and Jeff Scott did not won the heat races run last Saturday night- that distinction went to Tony Debello (#27) and Kevin Pickford (#19).

But the feature event belonged to the two past and primary championship contenders.  

Taking the green flag mired deep in the 14-car Six Or Less pack, Scott and Oosterholt began the charge to the front in pursuit of early race leader Drew Smith (#89 Alba Electric Sunfire). Within two laps, Scott had joined a three-car breakaway at the front of the field. The Hampton-based driver emerged from a three-wide scramble in Turn One to take over the point on the third lap.  

Oosterholt in his #79 Mosport International Karting Cavalier took another two laps to break free of the opposition, but on a lap six caution he was able to close up to within striking distance of the race leader.  

Once again under green, the pair set the tone for the sprint, dashing away from the pack, locked in formation as the laps wore down. Another yellow flag on lap 10 allowed both drivers to catch their breath, but when racing resumed the battle was back on. Scott used some ‘defensive’ maneuvering to keep his young rival behind him. At the checkers it was Scott in his #96 Nofties Fries Sunbird scoring his third feature win of the season, leading Oosterholt to the line by less than a car length.  

“Ryan is not easy to keep behind you,” admitted Scott. “You simply can’t make a mistake.”  

Crossing the stripe with a strong third place showing was series rookie Tyler Betts (#86 Pingle’s Farm Cavalier). Tony Debello (#27) and Drew Smith (#89) rounded out the top five finishers.

The R.P.Oil Ltd. Modifieds
Looking for any distraction that might hinder the dominating #66 Roy Nichols Motors Modified of Jim Rossiter, primary points challenger Gary Tryon tried a little bit of ‘bumper tag’ on the ‘Professor’. Unfortunately, the strategy backfired as an irritated Rossiter simply put his head down and pulverized the Modified field, taking the checkered flag by ten car lengths over Tryon. The win was Rossiter’s fifth consecutive feature victory.  

“I didn’t appreciate that pressure on my back bumper,” expressed Rossiter. “If Gray wants to see it, I’ll open it up and show him what I’ve really got.”  

With Rossiter streaking away from the pack, Tryon in his #82 Vinyl Kreationz Mod had his mirrors full of an extremely quick new arrival, Rob Warnes. Making his season debut, this third generation racer piloted his #95 Modified to a fourth place finish in the 8-lap heat dash, and with the car better sorted, put the pressure on Tryon, and eventually crossed the line a half-car length away from second. Keeping a watchful eye on the battle in front of him was Randy Hollingsworth (#62 Stewart Electric), who was ready to pounce should problems arise. The event rolled on with the veteran taking the checkers with a well-deserved fourth place.  

Bill Pickford (#61 Techtonix Const.) had entered the night tied for second place overall with Tryon, but a broken rocker in the powerplant knocked him out of the evening’s proceedings.

The Bob’s Towing Sportsman
Looking to do well in front of his primary sponsors, Bill Northam’s #85 Five Points Mall Chevrolet took a hit, as did his points totals in a heat race incident with the #31 of Merv Walt. Knocked from contention with a suspected broken transmission, Northam could only watch as his nearest points rival Terry Shaw swept both the 8-lap heat dash as well as the victory in the ten lap feature.  

Coming to the green flag from pole position, Walt spun the tires on the  #31 Frame Shop Grand Prix, which allowed outside front row-starter Shaw (#27 Ford Thunderbird) to grab the early lead. Working a defensive, tight line, Shaw was able to fend off Walt for his first career Sportsman division feature win.  

“The last time I won a feature was in 2000 when we won the ThunderCar championship,” recalled Shaw. “This win has been a long time coming.”  

Dale Wood (#10 Monte Carlo) stayed within striking distance of the leaders, but settled for third, while ‘Cowboy Dan’ Price in his #09 1955 Pontiac rounded out the lead lap finishers. 

Coming up this week: The THORSONS EVT 6 or Less Cars, the R.P. Oil Modifieds and the Late Models will be joined on track by the 5/8 scale 1930s and 1940s sedans of the Ontario Legends Series for their final visit of the season to the Speedway. Mosport is also pleased to welcome THORSONS EVT 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. Photos by Rod Henderson