BRIGHTON, ON – After rain all morning, the sun broke around 11 a.m. and officials made the decision to go racing on Saturday night at Brighton Speedway to the delight of fans and drivers alike.
Mother Nature granted her good favour and the sun shone over the track as race time approached and fans filled the grandstands on Lange & Fetter Ford night for race one of the Workman Auto Repair School Bus Races as well as the Late Models, Canadian Modifieds, Pro Stocks and Comp 4’s.
The capacity crowd got their money’s worth with a full field of cars in all for classes and 13 busses in the pits. The first feature of the night would see the Brighton Automotive Pro Stocks take the green flag with the field of cars heading through Turn 4. An early caution was raised when the #08 Angie Kirby drove into the left rear of “The Big Smooth” #72 Doug Anderson sending the reigning champ to the pits. The field was reset with Jerry Kimmerly #35 out front followed by #36 Mitch Rosborough and Jay O’Hara #83. The battle was tight and soon lapped traffic became a factor and Kimmerly would attempt to go high around #46 of Adam Switzer as he was being pressured by O’Hara. Kimmerly ended up making contact with Switzer, ending his night and handing the lead over to O’Hara. O’Hara would go on to take his second checkered flag of the season. Across the line behind him was Rosborough, #74 Mike Lucas, #00 Bob Akey and #7 Todd MacDonald.
The Vanderlaan Building Supplies Late Model hit the track up second and after some carnage in the heats all cars were repaired for the feature and set to go for the main event. #87 Andrew Hennessy and #12 Kyle Sopaz would start from the poll and would wage the early battle. Sopaz would pull out to the early lead but it would be outside second row starter #75 Beau Brown that would challenge right off the start. It would soon be #25 Greg Belyea and #29 Phil Potts that would battle with Hennessy, Sopaz and Brown as a blanket could be thrown over the top five cars.
At one point, Belyea was on the bottom and Sopaz on the top side while Potts would drive in the middle to make it three wide. The three of them raced that way for a whole lap before Potts, who was the winner two weeks ago, broke away from the pack. Belyea tried to chase him down and #11 Corey Earl made his way into the second spot from his 11th starting spot to try and chase Potts down. Earl would get close on a couple of restarts but it was Potts with the car to beat on this night and picked up his second feature win of the year, #11 Corey Earl, #12 Kyle Sopaz, #46 Brandon Mowat and #5 Steve Baldwin would round out the top five. Potts’ effort on the night would be enough to earn him and the Fowl Mood racing team Campbellford Chrysler Driver of the Week honours.
Third to the line was the fifteen Bainer’s Radiators Canadian Modifieds, with visiting driver #33 Ryan Scott looking to dominate the field early on after passing poll sitter Adam Whaley. Two time winner #19 Zeke McKeown who started deep in the field would not be content until he made it through the field on his way to the front. Passing Whaley, #18 Kevin Scott, McKeown fought lap after lap chasing the #33 of Scott trying inside and outside until with two laps to go McKeown would go into turn three high and shoot to the bottom to the bottom to get to the best of 33 Scott coming out of turn four to drive by on his way to victory lane. They were followed by Whaley, #11 Dan Ferguson and #55 Jamie Marshal to round out the top five.
The fans were soon thrilled as the Workman Auto Repair School Buses took to the track. The thirteen full sized buses took the green flag and would thrill the fans with exceptional racing in the oversized gladiators, often three and four wide through the corners. #44 Jim Perry started 6th but would get the early start and move to the front. Perry held the lead for most of the feature until lap 14 when lapping #19 Mark Rinaldi, Perry would go high while second place #77 Bernie Rhebergen would go low into turn one. The three busses just would not fit as Rhebergen and Rinaldi collided and ricocheted up into Perry sending Perry around and caused a caution. Rhebergen went off on the hook and Perry would have to restart at the back of the field. That would leave the #9 of Derek “the Maestro” Vergdenhil on the poll for the restart but the #3d Deano LeClair looked like the man on the mission as he would jump out front and lead the last 6 laps not to be denied his first bus victory! LeClair was followed by Perry, Vergdenhil and #24 Rick Sopaz.
The Bills Johns Comp 4 Feature was won by #03 Justin Ramsay as he came from his 15th starting position to take the lead. Ramsay was followed by #43 Brandon Wilkie and #10 Travis McLean for his best finish of the season.
The action continues this upcoming weekend as Brighton Speedway presents a double header event. Saturday sees the return of the winged warriors for round two of six for the Southern Ontario Sprints. Racing alongside will be the Late Models, Canadian Modifieds, Comp 4’s and Stingers. On Sunday in celebration of Father’s Day, Hotch’s Autoparts presents the Father’s Day of Destruction. This afternoon of racing begins at 2PM and features a Juniors Race, Ladies Race, Flag Pole Race, 100 Lap Endurance Race and the Brighton Recycling Demo Derby.
For complete schedule details and more information visit www.brightonspeedway.com.
Brighton Speedway
Race Results Saturday June 9th, 2012
Bainer’s Radiators Canadian Modified:
Feature:1. Zeke McKeown (Havelock, ON), 2. Ryan Scott (Kingston, ON), 3. Adam Whaley (Trenton, ON), 4. Dan Ferguson (Bloomfield, ON), 5. Jamie Marshall (Trenton, ON)
Bill’s Johns Comp 4:
Feature:1. Justin Ramsay (Trenton, ON), 2. Brandon Wilkie (Trenton, ON), 3. Travis McLean (Trenton, ON), 4. Josh Read (Trenton, ON), 5. Mark Packer (Trenton, ON)
Brighton Automotive Pro Stock:
Feature:1. Jay O’Hara (Brighton, ON), 2. Mitch Rosborough (Picton, ON), 3. Mike Lucas (Belleville, ON), 4. Bob Akey* (Trenton, ON), 5. Todd MacDonald* (Shannonville, ON)
Vanderlaan’s Building Supplies Pro Late Models:
Feature:1. Phil Potts (Frankford, On), 2. Corey Earl (Picton, ON), 3. Kyle Sopaz (Carrying Place, ON), 4. Brandon Mowat (Brighton, ON), 5. Steve Baldwin (Trenton, ON)
Workman Auto Repair School Busses:
Feature: 1. Dean Leclair (Brighton, ON), 2. Jim Perry (Quinte West, ON), 3. Derek Vergdenhil (Trenton, ON) 4. Rick Sopaz, (Quinte West, ON) 5. Peter Quick (Quinte West, ON)
From Brighton Speedway
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