BRIGHTON (April 19, 2016) – Brighton Speedway’s 49th season of racing is set to kick off on Saturday, April 30 with the Monster Energy Season Opener presented by UCB Canada. Four of the five home track divisions will be in action on opening night, including the Vanderlaan Building Products RUSH Pro Late Models, Bainer’s OilGARD Canadian Modifieds, Brighton Automotive Pro Stocks and Bill’s Johns Comp 4s. The Quinte Septic Stingers make their season debut on May 7.
After a spirited 2015 season drivers in the RUSH Pro Late Model division are gearing up for some of the toughest championship competition in recent years. Here’s a look at what to expect in 2016.
Sandercock A Marked Man
Four-time defending Pro Late Model champion Charlie Sandercock is a marked man entering the 2016 season. The Trenton, Ont. native has claimed 17 wins in 33 starts over the past two seasons, the most of any driver. Sandercock will face a familiar cast of tough competitors vying to knock him off his championship pedestal.
Brighton native Phil Potts is among the best candidates to challenge Sandercock for the win. Potts suffered some bad luck with a couple of major wrecks last season, but still managed to finish third in the championship standings with two wins to his credit.
With second-place finisher Corey Earl putting his career on hiatus for a year, look for 2015 fourth-place finisher Steve Baldwin to make a push at the front of the field. Baldwin was held winless in 2015 after three victories a year prior, but impressed with 10 top-five finishes and 14 top-tens.
Last year’s top-ten finishes included several drivers who made big improvements including Kyle Sopaz, Brandon Mowat, Adam Turner, Adam Nayler, Caley Weese and Tyler Rand. Sopaz had a breakout year in 2015 with three wins and 10 top-five tallies while Rand enjoyed a successful rookie Late Model season after making the switch from a Sprint Car.
Adam Turner meanwhile acquired a new car to start the 2015 season. The new Lazer chassis led to two wins and 13 top-ten finishes. Turner should be a contender each week after a year to figure out the specifics of his new asset.
Sophomore drivers Andy Mayhew and Nathan Bosma showed tremendous growth throughout their debut seasons. Mayhew earned a top-five to his credit before the year was over while Bosma claimed a top-ten finish.
Add to the mix several drivers who will run part-time schedules, including Terry Hunt, Greg Belyea, Mark Rayner, Norm Mayhew and Austin King, to create a tough list of competitors that will compose a full field.
Pro Late Model drivers have several dates to look forward to on the 2016 schedule. The drivers will battle the Go Nuclear Late Model Series invaders in the 50-lap “School’s Out” Shootout on June 25. One week later, drivers will race against the clock as Time Trials set the starting line-up for the Canada Day Championships on July 2. The Pro Late Model season concludes on September 24with the Excel Tower Service Great Crate Race. The 65-lap event is the biggest Crate Late Model race of the year in the Northeast.
The Vanderlaan Building Products RUSH Pro Late Models will begin their season on Saturday, April 30 at the Monster Energy Season Opener presented by UCB Canada. Admission is just $2 with the donation of a non-perishable food item to the Brighton Fare Share Food Bank on race day.
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About RUSH Late Model Racing: The RUSH Dirt Late Model Series sanctions weekly crate late model racing at 14 dirt tracks in five U.S. states (Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia) and one Canadian province (Ontario). The weekly series boasts a points fund of over $27,000. The Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Late Model Touring Series will host 18 events in 2016. The tour will visit 13 different racetracks in three states (New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania) and Ontario while awarding $5000 to the tour champion and paying down the top 12 positions. Overall, the RUSH Dirt Late Model Series will put $170,000 in cash and contingencies directly in to the hands of local racers.
RUSH Late Model marketing partners include: Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Pace Performance, Hoosier Tire, Bilstein Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, Bazell Race Fuels, MSD Ignition, Maxima Racing Oil, Jones Racing Products, Alternative Power Sources, Precise Racing Products, ARbodies, The Brake Man, K&N Filters, Lincoln Electric, TurboStart, Beyea Headers, FK Rod Ends, Bobby Lake Motorsports, Crate Innovations Inc., Velocita-USA, High Gear Speed Shop, CrateInsider.com, B.R.A.K.E.S., RockAuto.com, and Valley Fashions.
Brighton Speedway’s 2016 season is proudly supported by the following corporate sponsors: ABC Taxi, Adecco, AeCON, Bainer’s OilGARD Anti-Rust, Bay Marine, Behan Construction, Bellevue Fabricating Ltd., Bill’s Johns, Brighton Automotive, Brighton Recycling, Budweiser, Campbellford Chrysler, Canadian National Autism Foundation, CANEX, Classic Hits 95.5 Classic Rock 107.9, Coca-Cola, Comfort Zone Heating & Air Conditioning, The Community Press, Cool 100, Deerhaven Farm and Garden, Dibbits Excavating, Electro Cables, Excel Tower Service, Gord’s Water, Greig Truck & Trailer, Humber Nurseries, Hotch’s Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire, ImageFactor.ca Motorsport Designs, John’s Equipment, JJ Stewart Motors, Kiwanis Club of Trenton, Lange & Fetter Ford, Lester’s Hot Dogs, Lucas Oil, McDougall Insurance and Financial, Monster Energy, Mix 97 My FM 93.3, Mystical Distributing, NOCO Fuels, Owasco RV, Part Source, Quinte Septic, Rapid Rad, Read’s Accounting, Rona Trenton, Sanderson Tire and Automotive, Stoneridge Specialty Insurance, Sunoco Racing Fuels, Towne and Country Liquidation, TAS Communications, UCB Radio Canada, Ultramar CST, Workman’s OK Tire, Vanderlaan Building Products and VanZuylen Tire and Alignment.
About Brighton Speedway: Brighton Speedway is a 1/3-mile clay stock car racing oval located on the shores of Lake Ontario in Brighton, Ont. The speedway hosts five weekly stock car divisionson Saturday nights from May to September. The weekly Pro Late Model division competes under RUSH Late Model Weekly Series sanctioning.
Brighton Speedway mailing address: 775 County Road 64, Brighton, ON, K0K 1H0.
Media Contact: Clayton Johns Media
claytonjohns@brightonspeedway.com
Photo Credit: Rod Henderson
Photo attachment: Charlie Sandercock (No.57) races Tyler Rand (No.84) in Brighton Speedway RUSH Pro Late Model action during the 2015 season.
