BRIGHTON, ON – JUNE 3 – On Saturday morning there were a lot of people that were second guessing whether or not Brighton Speedway would be able to get its fifth consecutive night of racing in for the 2012 season.
As the afternoon came around the sun started to come out more and more and track staff were charging full speed ahead for Dibbits Excavating night. The four headline divisions would be center stage along with the ever popular fan appreciation and Larry’s towing Spectator 1 on 1 racing at intermission and the fans were in for a treat.
During intermission all the cars from all four divisions were brought out to the front straight and fans were allowed on to the track to meet and greet their favorite drivers up close and personal. Drivers handed out hero cards, candies and all sorts of other treats for kids and adults alike to enjoy. After the track was cleared eight brave souls hit the track with their street cars in a one on one show down tournament for all the glory. When it was down to the last pair it would be Tyler French in his Honda Civic that would take home the honours, prizes from Larry’s Towing and $100.00 for his efforts.
The first feature to hit the track was the Brighton Automotive Pro Stocks. #3 Paul Read and #45 Matt Schonauer would lead the cars to green. Read would jump to the early lead but not for long as Schonauer would soon take the top spot. #72 Doug Anderson was on the move from his 10th starting spot and would be in second by lap 5. Anderson would go to the high side around Schonauer and the two would battle side by side for two laps before Anderson would pull ahead. Anderson would not look back for remainder of the race, #83 Jay O’hara would battle Schonauer for second but Schonauer would maintain the runner spot followed by O’Hara, #2 Leslie Mowat would come home forth and #23 Rob Perry would make his debut for the 2012 season recover from an early spin and battle back to a top five finish. Mowat was later found with a technical infraction in post-race inspection and removed from the finish.
Up next would be the Bainer’s Radiator Canadian Modifieds. #91 Kraig Handley recovering from a nasty roll the week before would start on the pole alongside #13 Dale Locke. Handley would get the jump and lead the first three laps but third place start #84 Wally Alderdice would take over on lap four. Alderdice would maintain that lead through 22 of the 30 lap Rona Trenton Triple Crown event while point leader #19 Zeke McKeown and last week’s winner #11 Dan Ferguson would battle through the field. McKeown and Ferguson would each take their turn putting Alderdice under pressure until lap 23 when Alderdice would seem to lose power coming out of turn 4 and Ferguson would get by on the high side followed by McKeown and Handley. Just like the week before Ferguson was now under the gun from McKeown but would hold the bottom forcing McKeown to try and go around the high side. And just like the week before there were three late race restarts that would put McKeown alongside Ferguson with two laps left. Ferguson would however be able to the win for the second week in a row with McKeown coming home second and Handley third.
Vanderlaan’s Late Models would be up next and #75 Beau Brown would start on the front row alongside the #87 Andrew Hennessy. Brown would lead the early laps until the #20 of Terry Hunt made his way around Hennessy for second place. Brown and Hunt would make it a two horse race out front until #29 Potts would spin on lap seven and bunch up the field again for the restart. Brown would pick the high side and Hunt down low. Officials would deem Hunt to jump the first restart as he pushed Brown up high and on the second restart Brown would get the jump but Hunt was able to make it stick down low and take the top spot.
Hennessey would now pressure Brown for second and #25 Greg Belyea would run in fourth. Hennessy and Belyea would now both clear Brown but Hunt had a 5 car lead and would not look back. A late race caution was called for #12 Kyle Sopaz that would now put Belyea on the outside of Hunt and Belyea would get the hole shot pulling in front of Hunt. Once clear of Hunt, Belyea would move to the bottom to take Hunt’s line away and it looked like he would be on his way to his first win of the season until #57 Charlie Sandercock would spin with two laps left.
Same set up and the last restart, Belyea on the high side and Hunt down low only this time, leader Belyea would fire first. Belyea would get the jump and once again drop to the bottom to try and take away Hunt’s line. Belyea pushed up the track in turn one into Potts who was sitting forth after charging back through the field after his early race spin. Hunt would waste no time in filling that hole and taking the lead back while #42 Adam Nayler would follow him through for second. #11 Corey Earl and Potts would all get by Belyea who would come home fifth. This was Hunt’s first victory in the class since it began back in 2010 and earned him Campbellford Chrysler Driver of the Week Honours.
Twenty two cars would start the Bills John’s Comp 4 feature and last week’s winner #03 Justin Ramsay would start 18th on the grid. #27 Nathan Day and #43 Tom Vance would be the early leaders up front while Ramsay and #46 Warren Mowat would battle the traffic jam in front of them trying to get to the front. Day would continue to lead at the half way point but Mowat had now made his way into second and Vance held down the third spot. Mowat would assume the lead on a restart with Day, Ramsey and Vance all battling for second, three wide at times. A blanket could have been thrown over the top four when #04 Josh Read would throw himself into the mix. Mowat, Ramsey and Vance would break away and it was a three car race right down to the wire. Mowat would lead right up till going into turn three coming to the checker when Ramsey and Vance would split him making it three wide through turn four as they came to the line, Ramsey would squeak out the win in a photo finish over Vance by inches and Mowat coming home third as they were still three wide over the line.
Be sure to join us next week as Lange and Fetter Ford presents the Workman Auto Repair School Bus Races. The Busses are back for another action packed event and will be joined by the Vanderlaan’s Building Supplies Late Models, Bainer’s Radiator Canadian Modified, Brighton Automotive Pro Stocks and the Bill’s John’s Comp 4’s. Gates open at 5pm and racing starts at 7 pm sharp. Other exciting events coming up in June are Southern Ontario Sprints June 16th, Father’s Day of Destruction Enduro on June 17th and Monster Trucks Krazy Train and Aftershock on June 23rd. For details on these exciting events and more visit www.brightonspeedway.com.
Brighton Speedway Results June 2, 2012
Bainer’s Radiator Canadian Modifieds
Feature: 1. Dan Ferguson (Bloomfield, ON), 2. Zeke McKeown (Havelock, ON), 3. Kraig Handley (Picton, ON), 4. Jamie Marshall (Trenton, ON), 5. Kevin Scott (Trenton, ON), Bill’s Johns Comp 4
Feature: 1. Justin Ramsay (Trenton, ON), 2. Tom Vance (Stockdale, ON), 3. Warren Mowat (Trenton, ON), 4. Travis Mclean (Trenton, ON ), 5. Nathan Day (Colborne, ON), Brighton Automotive Pro Stocks
Feature: 1. Doug Anderson (Trenton, ON), 2. Mike Schonauer (Brighton, ON), 3. Jay O’Hara (Brighton, ON), 4. Rob Perry (Wooler, On), 5. Mike Lucas (Belleville, ON), Vanderlaan’s Building Supplies Pro Late Models
Feature: 1. Terry Hunt (Carrying Place, ON), 2. Adam Nayler (Trenton, ON), 3. Corey Earl (Picton, ON), 4. Phil Potts (Frankford, ON), 5. Greg Belyea (Frankford, ON),
From Angie Rinaldi / Brighton Speedway
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