STILL "LIVIN' THE DREAM"; HUNSINGER WINS MID-SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP AT OHSWEKEN
by Tommy Goudge (July 11, 2008) - Ohsweken, Ontario:
A wild night at Ohsweken Speedway was capped off with an exciting finish in the CORR/PAK Merchandising Sprint Car division feature event when Ryan Hunsinger passed teammate Keith Dempster on the last lap to take home his 2nd feature win of the season. A special Mid-Season Championship edition of Friday Night Thunder was presented by Wiseco Pistons this week, and it was a night of repeats as Terry Osmond (Thunder Stocks), Abel Castelein (Mini-Stocks), and Karl Sault (Fun Stocks) all took home their 2nd feature wins of the season as well.
Mikey Kruchka and John Riegling paced the field to the green glag to start the CORR/PAK Merchandising A-Feature, with the two front-row starters dicing for position in the early going. Unfortunately for Kruchka, the front wing on his #01 came loose after just a handful of laps, changing the handling characteristics and taking Mikey out of contention for the lead. Riegling then began fighting off the advances of Keith Dempster, while many competitors - including Ryan Hunsinger - dealt with a tricky section in turn 1 while trying to keep the leaders in sight. Heavy lapped traffic became a factor during the second half of the event, and the top 5 competitors sliced their way through the traffic while racing very hard for position at the same time. Dave Dykstra saw a strong run in the top 5 come to an end as the engine in his #5d expired just a few laps short of the finish. During the ensuing caution period, John Riegling came to a stop on the backstretch with a fuel issue, leaving Dempster, Hunsinger, and Kevin Job to decide the outcome of the feature event. When the green flag came back out for a dash to the finish, teammates Dempster and Hunsinger raced wheel to wheel with precision, while Job was right behind them, waiting for his chance to pounce. Dempster slipped slightly in turn 2 on the last lap, allowing Hunsinger to seize the moment and get by for the 2nd victory of his rookie season. Dempster settled for 2nd followed by Job, Kyle Patrick, and 17th place starter Brad Malloy, who charged all the way to 5th at the end of the event. Despite the lack of downforce caused by the loss of his front wing, Kruchka held on for a fine 6th place finish, the best result of his sprint car career to date. Glenn Styres, Job, and Dempster took heat race victories.
The ESSO Thunder Stock division feature event began with a moment of silence and a "missing man" formation pace lap to honour David Sault, father of Fun Stock driver Karl Sault, who passed away earlier this week. Kyle Magrin and Mike Thorne then led the field to the green flag to start the event, lengthened from 15 laps to 20 laps for mid-season championship night. Magrin took the early lead, but mechanical issues again plagued Magrin's #24k, forcing him pitside early on in the race. Meanwhile, points leader Cody McPherson had charged through the field and took the lead before the halfway mark, but a flat left front tire took McPherson's #777 out of the event, and left a large group to contend for the victory. 2 and sometimes 3 wide racing took centre stage as the laps wound down, and it was Bernard Niegberg who emerged from the pack with the lead. Nieberg crossed the stripe 1st, but a technical infraction found after the event left Terry Osmond with the victory, followed by 16th place starter Jeremy Bean, Brian Pescetti, Rob Disher, and Lee Winger rounding out the top 5. Heat race wins went to Magrin and Thorne.
A wild and unpredictable ESSO Mini-Stock race ended with a familiar face gracing victory lane as defending track champion and current points leader Abel Castelein brought his #28 across the stripe first. Rick Robinson and Mark Thorne were on the front row to start the special 20 lap feature event, with Robinson taking the lead, but Castelein had started right behind Robinson's #05 on the inside of the 2nd row and quickly began to make his presence felt. After some close door-to-door action, Robinson suffered a flat tire and was forced to pull into the pits, taking him out of contention. Castelein had built a substantial lead, but a red flag for a spectacular roll over by Rick Emberson after contact with Mike Peterson on the front stretch with less than 5 laps to go bunched the field, putting Mitchell Brown right on Castelein's bumper. Emberson was shaken up, but emerged from his badly damaged #86 without injury. A second caution period slowed the action again as A.J. Castelein and Mike Evers got together on the front stretch, collecting newcomer Rick Haimerl in the aftermath. A.J.'s car sustained contact to the driver's side door in the incident, and he was transported to the hospital for precautionary reasons after experiencing pain in his left arm and neck. The race resumed with Brown right behind Abel Castelein, but the young driver couldn't get by the champ, and Castelein took home his first feature win since opening night, with Brown settling for 2nd, followed by Steve Hess, Kevin Hilborn, and Brent Hill. Heat race victories went to Mark Thorne and Rick Robinson.
An entertaining feature on a racey track was the order of the night for the Fun Stocks division, as Karl Sault and newcomer Jesse McDonald fought back and forth for much of the event, but McDonald dropped out of contention after suffering a flat tire, leaving Sault to cruise to an emotional victory. Karl lost his father David earlier in the week, dedicated the win to him, and took an extra victory lap in his honour.
Vintage race cars also made a stop at Ohsweken on Friday night, with Lawry Siemens taking home the checkered flag in their feature event with his great-looking #6, after fighting off the challenges of Daryl Bray and Allan Harju.
Friday Night Thunder returns to Ohsweken next Friday, July 18 when the Best Western Cairn Croft Hotel presents the Southern Ontario Sprints tour along with ESSO Thunder Stocks, ESSO Mini-Stocks, and Friday Night Fun Stocks, plus autograph night! 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 is just $10, while Seniors and Students are $8, and kids 12 and under are FREE! Please visit HYPERLINK
http://www.OhswekenSpeedway.com for more information. Gates open at 6:00p.m. with the first race taking the green flag at 7:45p.m. this Friday, July 18!
OHSWEKEN SPEEDWAY FRIDAY NIGHT THUNDER
OHSWEKEN, ONTARIO
ROUND 9 RESULTS - JULY 11, 2008
EVENT SPONSORS - WISECO PISTONS AND EVERS FINANCIAL GROUP
CORR/PAK MERCHANDISING SPRINT CARS
HEAT RACES (Top 4 redraw for feature starting spots)
BS&B RADIATOR Heat Race #1
1. 0 Glenn Styres (Ohsweken), 2. 77x Ryan Hunsinger (Brantford), 3. 10 Bob Crawford (Sutton), 4. 27h Tom Huppunen (Fenwick), 5. 7 Jim Price (Wainfleet), 6. 66 Frank Baranowski (Hamilton)
BEST WESTERN CAIRN CROFT HOTEL Heat Race #2
1. 21x Kevin Job (Campbellville), 2. 33k Kyle Patrick (Tilbury), 3. 01 Mikey Kruchka (Hamilton), 4. 99c Nick Cupolo (Thorold), 5. 21j John Burbridge, Sr. (Simcoe), 6. 5m Brad Malloy (Niagara Falls)
GRISDALE RACING PRODUCTS Heat Race #3
1. 5 Keith Dempster (Alton), 2. 5d Dave Dykstra (Port Colborne), 3. 1a John Riegling (Chatham), 4. 81 Derek Jonathon (Lewiston, NY), 5. 90 James Evans (Beamsville), 6. 31 John Burbridge, Jr. (Simcoe), 7. 75 Jim Sweers (Hamilton)
CORR/PAK MERCHANDISING SPRINT CAR
MID-SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP A-FEATURE (25 laps)
Position. # Name (Starting Position)
1. 77x Ryan Hunsinger (
2. 5 Keith Dempster (3)
3. 21x Kevin Job (10)
4. 33k Kyle Patrick(9)
5. 5m Brad Malloy (17)
6. 01 Mikey Kruchka (1)
7. 21j John Burbridge, Sr. (14)
8. 10 Bob Crawford (3)
9. 99c Nick Cupolo (12)
10. 0 Glenn Styres (7)
11. 31 John Burbridge, Jr. (18)
12. 27h Tom Huppunen (11)
13. 7 Jim Price (13)
14. 81 Derek Jonathon (5)
15. 90 James Evans (15)
16. 75 Jim Sweers (19)
17. 1a John Reigling (2)
18. 5d Dave Dykstra (6)
19. 66 Frank Baranowski (16)
ESSO THUNDER STOCKS
Heat Race #1
1. 24k Kyle Magrin (Hamilton), 2. 8 Ryan Dinning (Caledonia), 3. 55f Vince Fargnoli (Niagara Falls), 4. 3L Lee Winger (Caledonia), 5. 191 Gord Bates (York), 6. o44 Bernard Nieberg (Caistor Centre), 7. 13 Mark Saul (Hagersville) DNF, 8. 36 John Wood (Binbrook) DQ, 9. 9 Glen Leinen (Hannon) DNS
Heat Race #2
1. 55 Mike Thorne (Caledonia), 2. 777 Cody McPherson (St. Catharines), 3. 17 Rob Disher (Grimsby), 4. 62 Brian Pescetti (Stoney Creek), 5. 11 Michelle Johnson (Caledonia), 6. 40 Terry Osmond (Cambridge) DNF, 7. 18 Dave Bailey (Hagersville) DNF, 8. 1 Chris Dickie (Brantford) DNF, 9. 37 Jeremy Bean (Stoney Creek), DNF
ESSO THUNDER STOCKS
MID-SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP A-FEATURE (20 laps)
Position. # Name (Starting Position)
1. 40 Terry Osmond (12)
2. 37 Jeremy Bean (16)
3. 62 Brian Pescetti (7)
4. 17 Rob Disher (5)
5. 3L Lee Winger (9)
6. 1 Chris Dickie (15)
7. 11 Michelle Johnson (3)
8. 777 Cody McPherson (10) DNF
9. 191 Gord Bates (4) DNF
10. 55f Vince Fargnoli (6) DNF
11. 8 Ryan Dinning (
DNF
12. 18 Dave Bailey (14) DNF
13. 55 Mike Thorne (2) DNF
14. 24k Kyle Magrin (1) DNF
15. 13 Mark Saul (13) DNS
16. 9 Glen Leinen (18) DNS
17. o44 Bernard Nieberg (11) DQ
18. 36 John Wood (17) DQ
ESSO MINI-STOCKS
Heat Race #1
1. 113 Mark Thorne (Waterford), 2. 86 Rick Emberson (Paris), 3. 10 Mitchell Brown (Brantford), 4. 27 Dan Stewart (Hamilton), 5. 777x Steve Hess (Ohsweken), 6. 397 Brent Hill (Ohsweken), 7. 55 Rob Slater (Dundas), 8. 00 Rick Haimerl (Brantford), 9. 88 Kelly Hallett (Wilsonville)
Heat Race #2
1. 05 Rick Robinson (Brantford), 2. 72 Kevin Hilborn (Brantford), 3. 28 Abel Castelein (Cayuga), 4. 7x Chase Hess (Ohsweken), 5. 4p Mike Peterson (Woodstock), 6. 20 Kevin Magrin (Hamilton), 7. 222 John Marsh (Hamilton), 8. 265 Mike Evers (Caledonia), 9. 23 A.J. Castelein (Thorold), 10. 11 Mike Giberson (Caledonia)
ESSO MINI-STOCKS
MID-SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP A-FEATURE (20 laps)
Position. # Name (Starting Position)
1. 28 Abel Castelein (3)
2. 10 Mitchell Brown (
3. 777x Steve Hess (10)
4. 72 Kevin Hilborn (9)
5. 397 Brent Hill (11)
6. 27 Dan Stewart (4)
7. 55 Rob Slater (13)
8. 88 Kelly Hallett (16)
9. 20 Kevin Magrin (12)
10. 222 John Marsh (14)
11. 265 Mike Evers (17) DNF
12. 00 Rick Haimerl (15) DNF
13. 05 Rick Robinson (1)
14. 86 Rick Emberson (6) DNF
15. 4p Mike Peterson (7) DNF
16. 11 Mike Giberson (19) DNF
17. 7x Chase Hess (5) DNF
18. 113 Mark Thorne (2) DNF
19. 23 A.J. Castelein (18) DNF
FRIDAY NIGHT FUN STOCKS
MID-SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP A-FEATURE (25 laps)
Position. # Name (Hometown)
1. 81 Karl Sault (Dundas)
2. 181 Lee Hils (Dundas)
3. 22 Trevor Deboer (Hagersville)
4. 72 Mike Taylor (unknown)
5. 26 Dave Patton (Rockton)
6. 88 Dale Cooke (Hamilton)
7. 5 Steven Hils (Dundas)
8. 88j Jesse McDonald (unknown) DNF
9. 818 Chris Hils (Dundas) DNF
10. 06 Al Van Every (unknown) DNF
11. 13 Kacey Huffman (Hamilton) DNF
UP NEXT @ OHSWEKEN SPEEDWAY -
BEST WESTERN CAIRN CROFT HOTEL PRESENTS
OHSWEKEN SPEEDWAY FRIDAY NIGHT THUNDER ROUND 10
SOUTHERN ONTARIO SPRINTS TOUR, ESSO THUNDER STOCKS,
ESSO MINI-STOCKS, AND FRIDAY NIGHT FUN STOCKS,
PLUS AUTOGRAPH NIGHT!!
JULY 18, 2008 - GATES OPEN @ 6:00 P.M., RACING @ 7:45 P.M.
ADULTS $10, STUDENTS AND SENIORS $8, KIDS 12 AND UNDER FREE!
***************************************
***************************************
Tommy Goudge
Ohsweken Speedway Media
media@ohswekenspeedway.com
Linkback: https://www.canadianracingonline.com/smf/index.php?topic=7867.msg46987#msg46987
