OHSWEKEN SPEEDWAY: Determined Dykstra drives to first win at Osweken....plus Champs Crowned

By Tommy Goudge (September 11, 2009) – Dave Dykstra returned to Ohsweken Speedway on Friday night determined to have a good showing after a hard crash last week.  The sophomore driver dominated his heat race and started on the pole in the twenty-five lap season championship feature for the Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Cars.  Dykstra was able to stay ahead of new champion Tom Huppunen for the victory, while Mitchell Brown claimed the ESSO Mini Stock feature and championship, Karl Sault did the same in the Bomber division, and Dave Charczuk claimed the Vintage Car feature.

CORR/PAK MERCHANDISING SPRINT CARS
Dave Dykstra and Kevin Loveys started on the front row for the season championship feature, and the two battled for the lead during the first lap before Dykstra took over on the frontstretch and began to open up a lead.

Plenty of action was going on behind Dykstra when Dain Naida came to a stop with a broken driveline with five laps completed, bringing out a caution flag.  When the race got going again, fifteenth started Kyle Moffit made a bold move to go from ninth to fifth and then to fourth during the first couple of laps, while Tom Huppunen was into the top six.

The yellow flag came back out again on lap seven when John Riegling went for a spin in turn two, but unlike Naida, Riegling was able to return to action.  Under green again, Dykstra continued to lead Loveys, while Travis Cunningham and Moffit went at it for third.  Moffit was able to take over third for a few laps, but slipped high in corner four on lap twelve allowing Cunningham to get by, along with Huppunen who was slowly picking his way through the pack. 

Huppunen disposed of Cunningham on lap thirteen, and took over second from Loveys on lap sixteen with his sights now set on Dykstra, who was in heavy traffic.  Huppunen closed to within just a few car lengths over the remaining laps, but could not get close enough as Dykstra cruised home to his first career Sprint Car feature win.  Huppunen settled for second, followed by Kevin Job, Moffit, and fourteenth starter Alain Bergeron.

Heat races for the twenty-three car field were claimed by Jim Huppunen, Ryan Hunsinger, and Dave Dykstra, while Michael Parent won the Conci.  Tom Huppunen will need to attend next week’s Canadian Sprint Car Nationals to officially claim the Corr/Pak title for 2009, but was honoured as the champion on Friday night.

ESSO MINI-STOCKS
Drew Spencer and Paul Goodale started on the front row of the twenty lap season championship feature for the Mini-Stocks, but it wasn’t long before Mitchell Brown was up into the lead.  Brown would not get away however, as Kevin Hilborn and Steve Hess had followed Brown through the pack into second and third.  The three drivers quickly distanced themselves from the rest of the field, while behind them Abel Castelein looked for a route to the front.

Hilborn and Hess made contact while racing for the runner-up spot, resulting in a flat tire for Hess, while Hilborn gave chase for the lead.  As the two leaders raced through slower traffic, Hilborn nearly took over the lead on more than one occasion, but could never stay out front for good.  Brown held him off for his eleventh feature win of the season, while Hilborn settled for second followed by Castelein, David Goodacre, and Rick Emberson.  Heat races for the nineteen cars in attendance were claimed by Steve Hess and Kevin Hilborn.

Brown was also officially crowned 2009 champion for the ESSO Mini-Stocks on Friday night.

BOMBERS
Brittani Myers and Corrie Cowell started on the front row of the twenty-five lap Bomber division feature, and Myers took the early lead while Chris Mumbler and Karl Sault made their way forward.  Mumbler and Myers would battle for the lead early, but it was Sault who made his way to the front as he has done all season, leaving the rest of the field in his dust.  Sault took the feature win and was officially named Bomber champion for 2009, while Mumbler took the second spot followed by Myers, Kacey Huffman, and Jesse McDonald.

NEXT WEEK AT OHSWEKEN:
Tickets are on sale now for the Fifth Annual Arrow Express Canadian Sprint Car Nationals, coming up next week - September 17, 18, and 19!  Please visit www.OhswekenSpeedway.com and call 1-888-720-RACE to order yours today!

FRIDAY NIGHT THUNDER 2009
ROUND 17 RACE REPORT – SEPTEMBER 11, 2009
OHSWEKEN SPEEDWAY
OHSWEKEN, ONTARIO
EVENT SPONSOR – ROCHESTER AMERICANS
Race Start: 7:45 P.M.
Race End: 9:47 P.M.

CORR/PAK MERCHANDISING SPRINT CARS
HEAT RACES (Top 5 Transfer To A-Feature, Top 4 Re-draw for Feature Starting Spots):
BS&B RADIATOR Heat Race #1
1. 14h Jim Huppunen (Fenwick), 2. 01 Mikey Kruchka (Hamilton), 3. 18 Kevin Loveys (Hamilton), 4. 12c Tom Huppunen (Fenwick), 5.  1a John Riegling (Chatham), 6. 25 Michael Parent (Granby), 7. 84 Tyler Rand (Consecon) Time – 1:52.696

BEST WESTERN CAIRN CROFT HOTEL Heat Race #2
1. 77x Ryan Hunsinger (Brantford), 2. 90 James Evans (Beamsville), 3. 6n Dain Naida (Belleville), 4. 0 Glenn Styres (Ohsweken), 5. 8 Alain Bergeron (St. Pie, PQ), 6. 27 Jamie Collard (Burford), 7. 3 Wayne Ashton (Kitchener), 8. 99 Derek Frohlich (Port Perry). Time – 1:51.962

GRISDALE RACING PRODUCTS Heat Race #3
1. 5d Dave Dykstra (Port Colborne), 2. 11 Chris Jones (Demorestville), 3. 71 Travis Cunningham (Grimsby), 4. 5 Keith Dempster (Alton), 5. 21x Kevin Job (Campbellville), 6. 7 Kyle Moffit (South Dayton, NY), 7. 67 Chris Durand (Port Stanley) Time – 1:51.080

CONSI
(Top 5 Transfer To A-Feature)
1. 25 Michael Parent, 2. 27 Jamie Collard, 3. 5 Keith Dempster, 4. 84 Tyler Rand, 5. 3 Wayne Ashton, 6. 23 Steve Garry, 7. 99 Derek Frohlich, 8. 67 Chris Durand DNF. Time – 2:22.947

CORR/PAK MERCHANDISING
SPRINT CAR FEATURE (20 laps)
Position. # Name (Starting Position)
1. 5d Dave Dykstra (1)
2. 12c Tom Huppunen (11)
3. 21x Kevin Job (8)
4. 7 Kyle Moffit (15)
5. 8b Alain Bergeron (14)
6. 18 Kevin Loveys (2)
7. 71 Travis Cunningham (3)
8. 25 Michael Parent (16)
9. 5 Keith Dempster (18)
10. 14h Jim Huppunen (7)
11. 90 James Evans (4)
12. 27 Jamie Collard (17)
13. 77x Ryan Hunsinger (9)
14. 01 Mikey Kruchka (6)
15. 1a John Riegling (13)
16. 0 Glenn Styres (12)
17. 23 Steve Garry (21)
18. 3 Wayne Ashton (20)
19. 11 Chris Jones (5)
20. 84 Tyler Rand (19)
21. 99 Derek Frohlich (22) DNF
22. 6n Dain Naida (10) DNF
23. 67 Chris Durand (23) DNS
No Time.

ESSO MINI-STOCKS
HEAT RACES:
Heat Race #1
1. 777x Steve Hess (Ohsweken), 2. 28 Abel Castelein (Cayuga), 3. 14 Paul Goodale, 4. 86 Rick Emberson (Paris), 5. 27 Dan Stewart (Hamilton), 6. 02 Mike Taylor (Burlington), 7. 113 Mark Thorne (Waterford), 8. 6x Mike Sarantakes, 9. 55 Rob Slater (Dundas), 10. 22 Johnny Myers

Heat Race #2
1. 72 Kevin Hilborn (Brantford), 2. 10 Mitchell Brown (Brantford), 3. 7x Chase Hess (Ohsweken), 4. 05 Dave Goodacre (Brantford), 5. 11 Mike Giberson (Caledonia), 6. 88 Drew Spencer (Oakville), 7. 77x Ethan Martin (Ohsweken), 8. 265 Jim Cochrane (Drumbo), 9. 79 Steve Miller

ESSO MINI-STOCKS A-FEATURE (15 laps)
Position. # Name (Starting Position)
1. 10 Mitchell Brown (8)
2. 72 Kevin Hilborn (10)
3. 28 Abel Castelein (11)
4. 05 David Goodacre (6)
5. 86 Rick Emberson (7)
6. 27 Dan Stewart (4)
7. 14 Paul Goodale (2)
8. 113 Mark Thorne (13)
9. 55 Rob Slater (17)
10. 79 Steve Miller (18)
11. 265 Jim Cochrane (16)
12. 11 Mike Giberson (3)
13. 88 Drew Spencer (1)
14. 77x Ethan Martin (14)
15. 777x Steve Hess (9) DNF
16. 02 Mike Taylor (5) DNF
17. 6x Mike Sarantakes (15) DNF
18. 22 John Myers (19) DNF
19. 7x Chase Hess (12) DNF

VINTAGE CARS
HEAT RACES:
Heat Race #1
1. 37 Brian Page, 2. 00 Bill Harju, 3. 2 Al Harju, 4. 12 Ken Kapp, 5. 24 Harold Sonnenburg

Heat Race #2
1. 99 Dave Charczuk, 2. 6 Lowry Siemens, 3. 16 Daryl Bray, 4. 50 Mike Leguee, 5. 4 Charles Voit, 6. 69 Bob Leguee

VINTAGE CARS FEATURE
(10 laps)
1. 99 Dave Charczuk
2. 37 Brian Page
3. 2 Al Harju
4. 6 Lowry Siemens
5. 00 Bill Harju
6. 12 Ken Kapp
7. 50 Mike Leguee
8. 4 Charles Voit
9. 16 Daryl Bray
10. 69 Bob Leguee
11. 24 Harold Sonnenburg DNS

BOMBERS A-FEATURE (20 laps)
Position. # Name (Hometown)
1. 81 Karl Sault (Dundas)
2. 00 Chris Mumbler
3. 22 Brittani Myers
4. 13 Kacey Huffman (Hamilton)
5. 88j Jesse McDonald (Caledonia)
6. 13c Corrie Cowell (Delhi)
7. 17 Brittany Gyokeri
8. 03 Bill Rutherford