OHSWEKEN: Huppunen, Dinning, Brown and Rutherford mid-season champs

By Tommy Goudge (July 10, 2009) – A wild evening of racing ensued at Ohsweken Speedway in the Mid-Season Championship event presented by Wiseco Performance and Evers Financial Group.  When the checkered flag fell, three familiar faces and two new ones had visited Engine Pro Winner’s Circle, while the rest will try again next week when Christmas in July comes to Ohsweken featuring a toy drive, visit from Santa, and autograph night, along with the Southern Ontario Sprints Tour and a regular card of racing!

In Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Car action, Mikey Kruchka and Jamie Collard led the field to the green flag, but the red flag quickly came out for a hard crash involving Dain Naida in turn two.  Naida was shaken up and made a trip to the hospital, but was released and back at the track later in the evening.  Also involved in the incident were Keith Dempster, Stan Zanchin, and John Burbridge, Jr. who took their cars to the pits for repairs, but would return, albeit at the back of the pack.

Back under green flag conditions again, Collard took the early lead and began to stretch out his advantage, while Kruchka and teammate Kevin Loveys battled for the runner-up spot.  Behind them, division points leader Tom Huppunen was making a beeline to the front after starting thirteenth.  Another red flag came out on lap five when Wayne Ashton’s car tipped over on the front stretch, and Adam West took his car to the infield with broken steering.

Back to green again, Huppunen had made his way to fifth.  With eight laps in the books, Kevin Job and Huppunen both got by Loveys, while behind them Glenn Styres had moved into seventh after starting eighteenth.  Huppunen then made his way around Job on lap twelve and looked to put the pressure on Kruchka, who was in turn trying to get by Collard for the race lead. 

On lap fourteen, Kruchka made his move, blasting by Collard on the outside while Huppunen got by for the runner-up spot three laps later.  Huppunen wasted little time after that, passing Kruchka for the lead on lap nineteen and driving away for his fifth feature win of the season.  Kruchka kept the second spot, while Collard hung on for third, followed by Styres and Keith Dempster in fifth.  Heat races for the twenty-two Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Cars were claimed by Kevin Job, Travis Cunningham, and Keith Dempster.

The ESSO Thunder Stocks got their twenty-five lap feature underway with Kyle Magrin and Mike Thorne on the front row, and it was Thorne getting the lead.  Jamie Cox and a host of others were on the move, however, and Thorne began to drop through the pack as the race wore on.  Cox took over the lead, but was feeling pressure from Ryan Dinning on the outside.  Midway through the race, Cox got loose coming out of turn four and Dinning made contact with Cox’s #44.  Cox spun out of the lead, but got his car going again to keep the green flag out.  Dinning held the lead through a couple of late race cautions to come home with the feature win, his first in the Thunder Stock division, while Brad Herron, Jeremy Bean, Shayne Pierce, and Billy Bleich, Jr. rounded out the top five.  Heat races for the seventeen ESSO Thunder Stocks were won by Herron and Dinning.

ESSO Mini Stocks action began with Paul Goodale and Cam Hill on the front row, with Goodale taking a lead he would hold through much of the twenty lap event…that is until Mitchell Brown once again showed up at the front of the pack.  Brown, Abel Castelein, and Trevor Goulding all looked to be contenders for the feature win, but it was Brown coming out of the battle with the lead late in the event, while Castelein, Goodale, Goulding, and Mike Taylor would come home in the top five.  Heat races for the twenty-four ESSO Mini Stocks in attendance were claimed by Castelein, Goodale, and Steve Hess.

Vintage Cars made an appearance, bringing eleven fine-looking machines including Illinois driver Phil Claussen.  Claussen started at the tail of the ten lap feature, but had no intention of staying there and quickly made his way to the front, where three wide action ensued.  Claussen got by the #6 of Lowry Siemens and drove away with the win, while Siemens finished second.  Claussen also won the heat race for the vintage cars.

A wild Bomber feature that began with Adam Riedel leading much of the race ended with Rodney Rutherford taking his second win of the season, while Riedel settled for second followed by Jesse McDonald, Kacey Huffman, and Karl Sault.

Friday Night Thunder resumes on Friday, July 17 when Gales Auto Aftermarket presents Christmas in July with the Southern Ontario Sprints Tour, along with the ESSO Thunder Stocks, ESSO Mini-Stocks, and Bombers, plus Autograph Night and a visit from Santa! Friday Night Thunder at Ohsweken Speedway offers affordable family entertainment just a short drive away from most mid-western Ontario locations. Friday Night Thunder Adult General Admission for this special event is just $15, while Seniors and Students are $8, and kids 12 and under are FREE!  Bring a new, unwrapped toy for the Christmas in July toy drive and receive $5 off Adult admission or $2 off Seniors/Students admission.  Please visit www.OhswekenSpeedway.com for more information. On Friday night, gates open at 6:00p.m., with the first race at 7:45p.m.

FRIDAY NIGHT THUNDER 2009
ROUND 9 RACE REPORT – July 10, 2009
OHSWEKEN SPEEDWAY
OHSWEKEN, ONTARIO
EVENT SPONSORS – WISECO PERFORMANCE AND EVERS FINANCIAL GROUP

CORR/PAK MERCHANDISING SPRINT CARS
HEAT RACES (Top 5 Transfer To A-Feature, Top 4 Redraw for Feature Starting Spots):

BS&B RADIATOR Heat Race #1
1. 21x Kevin Job (Campbellville), 2. 30 Adam West (Ridgetown), 3. 94 Stan Zanchin (Fort Erie), 4. 5d Dave Dykstra (Port Colborne), 5. 12c Tom Huppunen (Fenwick), 6. 57 Doug Bowman (London), 7. 01m Jason Martin (Shedden). Time – 1:54.954

BEST WESTERN CAIRN CROFT HOTEL Heat Race #2
1. 71 Travis Cunningham (Grimsby), 2. 21j John Burbridge, Jr. (Simcoe), 3. 6n Dain Naida (Belleville, MI), 4. 01 Mikey Kruchka (Hamilton), 5. 90 James Evans (Beamsville), 6. 67 Chris Durand (Port Stanley), 7. 77x Ryan Hunsinger (Brantford) DNF. No Time

GRISDALE RACING PRODUCTS Heat Race #3
1. 5 Keith Dempster (Alton), 2. 18 Kevin Loveys (Hamilton), 3. 3 Wayne Ashton (Kitchener), 4. 27 Jamie Collard (Burford), 5. 14h Jim Huppunen (Fenwick), 6. 0 Glenn Styres (Ohsweken), 7. 23 Steve Garry (Dundas), 8.  84 Tyler Rand (Consecon) DNS. Time – 1:52.840

CORR/PAK MERCHANDISING
SPRINT CAR FEATURE (25 laps)
Position. # Name (Starting Position)
1. 12c Tom Huppunen (13)
2. 01 Mikey Kruchka (1)
3. 27 Jamie Collard (2)
4. 0 Glenn Styres (18)
5. 5 Keith Dempster (10)
6. 21x Kevin Job (11)
7. 5d Dave Dykstra (9)
8. 18 Kevin Loveys (4)
9. 71 Travis Cunningham (8)
10. 90 James Evans (14)
11. 94 Stan Zanchin (6)
12. 57 Doug Bowman (16)
13. 14h Jim Huppunen (15)
14. 21j John Burbridge, Jr. (12)
15. 67 Chris Durand (17)
16. 84 Tyler Rand (22)
17. 23 Steve Garry (21) DNF
18. 01m Jason Martin (19) DNF
19. 3 Wayne Ashton (5) DNF
20. 30 Adam West (7) DNF
21. 6n Dain Naida (3) DNF
22. 77x Ryan Hunsinger (20) DNS
No Time

ESSO THUNDER STOCKS
HEAT RACES:
Heat Race #1
1. 12 Brad Herron (Brantford), 2. 24k Kyle Magrin (Hamilton), 3. 55 Mike Thorne (Caledonia), 4. 4k Kevin Knapp (St. Catharines), 5. 83 Lee Winger (Caledonia), 6. 108jr Billy Bleich, Jr. (Port Robinson), 7. 17 Rob Disher (Grimsby), 8. 40 Terry Osmond (Cambridge) DNF

Heat Race #2
1. 8 Ryan Dinning (Caledonia), 2. 88 Shayne Pierce (Wainfleet), 3. 37 Jeremy Bean (Stoney Creek), 4. 44 Jamie Cox (Cambridge), 5. 13 Mark Thorne (Waterford), 6. 1 Chris Dickie (Brantford), 7. 11 Mike Azzopardi, 8. 18 Amanda Stoner (Mount Hope), 9. 98 Brad Bacher (Hagersville)

ESSO THUNDER STOCKS A-FEATURE (25 laps)
Position. # Name (Starting Position)
1. 8 Ryan Dinning (3)
2. 12 Brad Herron (5)
3. 37 Jeremy Bean (7)
4. 88 Shayne Pierce (6)
5. 108jr Billy Bleich, Jr. (11)
6. 55 Mike Thorne (2)
7. 98 Brad Bacher (16)
8. 44 Jamie Cox (4)
9. 83 Lee Winger (9)
10. 17 Rob Disher (13)
11. 1 Chris Dickie (12)
12. 4k Kevin Knapp (8)
13. 13 Mark Thorne (10) DNF
14. 18 Amanda Stoner (15) DNF
15. 24k Kyle Magrin (1) DNF
16. 11 Mike Azzopardi (14) DNF
17. 40 Terry Osmond (17) DNS

ESSO MINI-STOCKS
HEAT RACES:
Heat Race #1
1. 28 Abel Castelein (Cayuga), 2. 265 Mike Evers (Caledonia), 3. 88 Drew Spencer (Oakville), 4. 72 Kevin Hilborn (Brantford), 5. 7x Chase Hess (Ohsweken), 6. 113 Mark Maidment (Jarvis), 7. 31 Dave Bailey (Hagersville), 8. 55 Kevin Slater (Dundas)

Heat Race #2
1. 14 Paul Goodale, 2. 6 Trevor Goulding (Welland), 3. 10 Mitchell Brown (Brantford), 4. 86 Rick Emberson (Paris), 5. 27 Dan Stewart (Hamilton), 6. 04 Wyatt Van Wart (Cambridge), 7. 50 Rick Robinson (Brantford), 8. 9 Jonathan Ayrton (Hamilton)

Heat Race #3
1. 777x Steve Hess (Ohsweken), 2. 397 Cam Hill (Ohsweken), 3. 11 Mike Giberson (Caledonia), 4. 02 Mike Taylor (Burlington), 5. 05 Dave Goodacre (Brantford), 6. 77x Ethan Martin (Ohsweken), 7. 39 Jim Cochrane (Drumbo), 8. 01 Mark Da Silva

ESSO MINI-STOCKS A-FEATURE  (20 laps)
PRESENTED BY EVERS FINANCIAL GROUP
Position. # Name (Starting Position)
1. 10 Mitchell Brown (11)
2. 28 Abel Castelein (10)
3. 14 Paul Goodale (1)
4. 6 Trevor Goulding (12)
5. 02 Mike Taylor (9)
6. 72 Kevin Hilborn (8)
7. 86 Rick Emberson (5)
8. 265 Mike Evers (6)
9. 31 Dave Bailey (23)
10. 50 Rick Robinson (17)
11. 05 Dave Goodacre (14)
12. 11 Mike Giberson (4)
13. 04 Wyatt Van Wart (15)
14. 77x Ethan Martin (16)
15. 27 Dan Stewart (13)
16. 9 Jonathan Ayrton (19)
17. 113 Mark Maidment (22)
18. 01 Mark Da Silva (20)
19. 39 Jim Cochrane (18)
20. 88 Drew Spencer (3)
21. 777x Steve Hess (7) DNF
22. 397 Cam Hill (2) DNF
23. 7x Chase Hess (21) DNF
24. 55 Kevin Slater (24) DNS

VINTAGE CARS
HEAT RACE (8 Laps)
1. 9c Phil Claussen (Oakbrook, IL), 2. 00 Bill Harju (Fisherville), 3. 6 Lowry Siemens (Dunnville), 4. 24 Harold Sonnenburg (Sherkston), 5. #37, 6. 50 Bob Leguee (Chatham), 7. 4 Charles Voit (Buffalo, NY), 8. 69 Mike Leguee (Chatham), 9. 16 Daryl Bray (Rainham Centre), 10. 400 Jim Atkins (Smithville), 11. 12 Ken Kapp

VINTAGE CARS FEATURE (10 laps)
1. 9c Phil Claussen (11), 2. 6 Lowry Siemens (9), 3. #37 (7), 4. 00 Bill Harju (10), 5. 16 Daryl Bray (3), 6. 24 Harold Sonnenburg (8), 7. 400 Jim Atkins (2), 8. 50 Bob Leguee (6), 9. 4 Charles Voit (5), 10. 69 Mike Leguee (11) DNF, 11. 12 Ken Kapp DNS

BOMBERS A-FEATURE (25 laps)
Position. # Name (Hometown)
1. 03 Rodney Rutherford (Waterdown), 2. 113 Adam Reidel (Burlington), 3. 88j Jesse McDonald (Caledonia), 4. 13 Kacey Huffman (Hamilton), 5. 81 Karl Sault (Dundas), 6. 13c Brittany Gyorky, 7. 15 Brad McCarten

UP NEXT @ OHSWEKEN SPEEDWAY
FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2009
GALES AUTO AFTERMARKET PRESENTS:
“CHRISTMAS IN JULY” WITH THE SOUTHERN ONTARIO SPRINTS TOUR
PLUS ESSO THUNDER STOCKS, ESSO MINI-STOCKS, AND BOMBERS
ADULTS $15, SENIORS AND STUDENTS $8, KIDS 12 AND UNDER FREE!
BRING A NEW, UNWRAPPED TOY AND GET $5 OFF ADULT ADMISSION

OR $2 OFF SENIORS/STUDENTS ADMISSION
SPECTATOR GATES OPEN @ 6:00 P.M., RACING @ 7:45 P.M.