DIRT: MITCH BROWN WINS SOS SEASON OPENER AT BRIGHTON SPEEDWAY

By Greg Calnan (Saturday, May 21, 2016) – Brighton, Ontario – For the third straight year Mitch Brown started the Southern Ontario Sprints season in victory lane. He led from green to checkers to capture the win over Dain Naida and Rick Wilson at Brighton Speedway.

Brown and Wilson led the 18 car field to the green flag in race one of the 2016 SOS tour. The defending champion jumped to the early lead and distanced himself from the field until a lap ten caution for Kyle Fraser. The White Lake, Ontario native damaged the front end of his car in a frontstetch melee.

The caution allowed Dain Naida to reel in the leader for a chance at the top spot. Brown was strong on the restart though and pulled away quickly from the pack. A second caution on lap 15 for a spin by Dylan Westbrook gave Naida another chance to pass the leader, however he was unable to keep pace when the field went back to green.

Brown drove the final ten laps to perfection and scored his first win of 2016 and seventh career SOS A-Main. The victory was his second in a row with the SOS after claiming the checkers in the 2015 season finale at Merrittville Speedway.

Naida was second while Wilson, Glenn Styres and Ryan Turner completed top five.

The Southern Ontario Sprints continue their 2016 season on Saturday, June 4th at South Buxton Raceway in Merlin, Ontario and Sunday, June 5th at Humberstone Speedway in Port Colborne, Ontario.

2016 SEASON EVENT #1 – SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2016

BRIGHTON SPEEDWAY – BRIGHTON ON

(Number Name – Hometown)

0 Glenn Styres – Ohsweken ON

01 Kyle Fraser – White Lake ON

10 Mitch Brown – Brantford ON

11j Chris Jones – Picton ON

11t Jamie Turner – Caistor Centre ON

15 Mike Ferrell – London ON

15aw April Wilson – Joyceville ON

17x Dain Naida – Tecumseh MI

25 Warren Mahoney – Lefroy ON

42w Rick Wilson – Joyceville ON

47x Dylan Westbrook – Oakland ON

66 Frank Baranowski – Mount Hope ON

71s Shawn Sliter – Port Colborne ON

77x Alex Hill – Six Nations ON

91 Ryan Turner – Caistor Centre ON

97 Cory Turner – Caistor Centre ON

98 Paul Pekkonen – Brockville ON

1-10 Jake Brown – Brantford ON

HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps – Top 3 redrew for A-Feature starting positions)

Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)

1. 0 Glenn Styres (2)

2. 17x Dain Naida (5)

3. 91 Ryan Turner (3)

4. 15aw April Wilson (1)

5. 11J Chris Jones (6)

6. 98 Paul Pekkonen (4)

No Time

HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps – Top 3 redrew for A-Feature starting positions)

Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)

1. 42w Rick Wilson (3)

2. 01 Kyle Fraser (4)

3. 11 Jamie Turner (2)

4. 97 Cory Turner (5)

5. 47x Dylan Westbrook (6)

6. 15 Michael Ferrell (1)

No Time

HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps – Top 3 redrew for A-Feature starting positions)

Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)

1. 10 Mitch Brown (1)

2. 1-10 Jake Brown (2)

3. 77x Alex Hill (4)

4. 25 Warren Mahoney (3)

5. 66 Frank Baranowski (5)

6. 71s Shawn Sliter (6)

No Time

A-FEATURE (25 laps)

Finish. Number Name (Starting Position)

1. 10 Mitch Brown (1)

2. 17x Dain Naida (3)

3. 42w Rick Wilson (2)

4. 0 Glenn Styres (6)

5. 91 Ryan Turner (5)

6. 11 Jamie Turner (7)

7. 97 Cory Turner (11)

8. 77x Alex Hill (9)

9. 11J Chris Jones (13)

10. 47x Dylan Westbrook (14)

11. 98 Paul Pekkonen (16)

12. 1-10 Jake Brown (8)

13. 15AW April Wilson (10)

14. 66 Frank Baranowski (15)

15. 15 Mike Ferrell (17)

DNF. 01 Kyle Fraser (4)

DNF. 25 Warren Mahoney (12)

DNS Shawn Sliter

No Time

A-Feature Lap Leaders – Mitch Brown (1-25)

Hard Charger – Paul Pekkonen (+5)

Mitch Brown – 1 (Brighton May 21)

Saturday, June 4, 2016: South Buxton Raceway – Merlin ON

Sunday, June 5, 2016: Humberstone Speedway – Port Colborne ON