BRIGHTON (April 26, 2016) – Brighton Speedway’s 2016 division previews continue with a look at the Brighton Automotive Pro Stocks for the track’s 49th season of racing. Several drivers are looking to make 2016 a banner year after competitive campaigns last fall.
Justin Ramsay became the first driver not named Doug Anderson to win the Pro Stock championship since Kraig Handley in 2009. Ramsay’s 12 wins and 18 top-fives in 19 starts were a recipe for success. Ramsay and Anderson were engaged in a battle almost every Saturday night, with Ramsay winning the war.
While Ramsay looks to defend his title, Anderson has his sights on regaining the title. Both drivers are ultra-competitive, but admit the competition brings the fun to racing. Anderson had a strong season of his own with five wins and 16 top-five finishes. Expect both drivers to be at the top of their game again this year.
Jamie Marshall and Leslie Mowat were both held winless in 2015, but managed to finish third and fourth, respectively, in the championship standings. Marshall was a top-five finisher eight times while Mowat achieved the same result six times. Mowat has reloaded with a new look for this season and hopes to find more of the success that led to her first career win in 2014.
Following an exciting year driving a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air, Wade Purchase will be be back in action in a more traditional Pro Stock look this year. Purchase will look to build on the momentum from a win last May and 11 top-five finishes.
Brandon Murrell enters his third season of Pro Stock racing as a driver to watch. Murrell picked up one win in 2016 and matched Purchases 11 top-five tallies. The Gores Landing driver showed a tremendous amount of progress over the course of the season and should be a candidate to finish at the front each night.
A year removed from his 2014 Comp 4 championship, Rich Sanders enters his sophomore Pro Stock campaign on the rise. His three top-five results are a promising note moving forward.
Brian Cross and Jonah Mutton are two equally tough competitors that are also trending upwards. Cross benefitted from a full schedule last season and earned five top-five finishes in the process. The No.08 car should be able to improve on the mark this time out of the box. Mutton, meanwhile, was a top competitor last year who suffered misfortune in the form of a wreck that sidelined him for nearly a month. Mutton nonetheless finished 50 per cent of his starts in the top-five, a mark many drivers would be eager to achieve.
Other drivers to watch include Ryan Connor, sophomore pilot Samantha Mayhew, and veterans Art Rodgers, Angie Kirby and Rob Dier, to name a few.
To date, two rookie drivers have registered for the upcoming season. Former Comp 4 driver Austin Reid is making the jump to the rear-wheel drive car and should be an instant threat to compete amongst the division’s best. Demorestville native Chris Dorland has also progressed to the division. Dorland’s racing career began in the Stinger division in 2009.
The Brighton Automotive Pro Stock season begins on April 30 at Brighton’s Monster Energy 49th Season Opener presented by UCB Radio Canada. Admission is just $2 with donation of a non-perishable food item to the Brighton Fare Share Food Bank on race day. For more information, visit www.brightonspeedway.com.
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Brighton Speedway’s 2016 season is proudly supported by the following corporate sponsors: ABC Taxi, Adecco, AeCON, Bainer’s OilGARD Anti-Rust, Battlefield Equipment Rentals, Bay Marine, Behan Construction, Belleville Transmission & Auto, Bellevue Fabricating Ltd., Bicknell Racing Products, Bill’s Johns, BJ McColl Fams, Bonn Law, Boyer Chevrolet Napanee, Brighton Automotive, Brighton Recycling, Budweiser, Campbellford Chrysler, Canadian Energy, Canadian National Autism Foundation, CANEX, Classic Hits 95.5, Classic Rock 107.9 The Breeze, Coca-Cola, Comfort Zone Heating & Air Conditioning, The Community Press, Cool 100, CSC Products, Davis Auto Repair, Deerhaven Farm and Garden, Dibbits Excavating, Eastern Overhead Doors, Electro Cables, Excel Tower Service, First Place Trailers, Gerow Propane, Gilmour’s Meat Shop, Gord’s Water, Greig Truck & Trailer, Hellraiser Race Bodies, Hewbrook Incorporated, Hotch’s Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire, Humber Nurseries, ImageFactor.ca Motorsport Designs, JJ Stewart Motors, John’s Equipment, Jones Automotive, KD Transmission, Kiwanis Club of Trenton, KOA Campground of Brighton, Krown Rust Control Trenton, Lange & Fetter Ford, Larry’s Towing, Leaf Racewear, Leclair Electric, Lester’s Hot Dogs, Lucas Oil, Maestro’s Painting, Mark Heating & Cooling, McDougall Insurance and Financial, Mix 97, Monacoe’s Hair Salon & Day Spa, Monster Energy, Motosports of Trenton, My FM 100.9/93.3, Mystical Distributing, NecksGen Head and Neck Restraint, NOCO Fuels, Owasco RV, Part Source, Peter’s South End Garage, Quinte Septic, Rapid Rad, Read’s Accounting, REMAX (Saoirse Graham & Nicole Parks), ROCK 107, Rona Trenton, Sanderson Tire and Automotive, Stewart Electric, Stix & Stones Billiards, Stoneridge Specialty Insurance, Sunoco Racing Fuels, Target Fabrication, TAS Communications, The Trentonian, Therapeutic Massage Centre, Towne and Country Liquidation, Turris Communications, UCB Radio Canada, Ultramar CST, Vanderlaan Building Products, Vandermeer Toyota, VanZuylen Tire and Alignment, The Vinyl Solution, Vito’s Restaurant and Workman’s OK Tire.
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.
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: Gores Landing native Brandon Murrell is just one driver looking for to finish in the top-five this season. Rod Henderson photo.
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