Tim Phillips Completes His Return To Southern Ontario Sprint Competition

The 2005 racing season was not kind to Tim Phillips. The veteran campaigner on the Southern Ontario Sprint tour for the first time in his career had new equipment ready to make an assault at the point title and was enthusiastically waiting for opening day when he was diagnosed with cancer. Putting everything on hold, Phillips aggressively sought out the best treatment available and with determination claimed victory over the disease. Now back in the driver seat, he completed the comeback Saturday night at Brighton Speedway where he captured the SOS feature event before a capacity crowd.

“This seems to have been a long time coming” exclaimed Phillips as he exited the race car in victory lane, “but I am really happy to finally be standing here”. “There are so many people to thank, especially my wife, Jim Porter, and my crew chief, Chris Rhynold for making this happen”.

Twenty three cars answered the call to the starting grid for the twenty lap feature event with Phillips drawing the pole position. Journeyman John Watson joined Phillips on the front row as they paced the field to the green flag. The field cleared turns one and two and were storming down the back stretch when the red flag waved as Dick Mahoney launched into a series of end over end flips off turn three destroying his mount. After catching his breath, a dazed Mahoney exited the badly damaged racer, shaken yet otherwise seemingly uninjured.

Once underway, Phillips grabbed the early lead from Watson while Ken Swan and Brad Malloy chased the leader. Caution waved on lap four as Malloy lost the handle in turn four and rejoined the back of the field for the restart.

With the green waving again, Phillips set a torrid pace for the remaining distance, flawlessly negotiating traffic on his way to the win. Racing throughout the field was exciting with the “Joyceville Jet” providing much of the entertainment. The crowd favorite raced his way from twelfth to second over the distance and along the way staged wicked battles with point leader Glenn Styres, Joe Middlemiss, and Craig Downie. Joe Middlemiss was the highest finishing rookie in the race with third. Swan and Watson rounded out the top five. Styres, Warren Mahoney, Downie, Kevin Job, and Garry Evans finished sixth through tenth. Another rookie, Dean Hoffman just missed a top ten finish with eleventh after starting at the back of the feature field.

Heat races were won by Glenn Styres, John Watson and Tim Phillips while Ken Swan claimed the “Dash”.

Next up on July 15th will be the first of two trips to South Buxton Raceway on the 2006 schedule. Race time will be at 7:00PM.

Be sure to come out to a speedway near you as the series continues on it’s 2006 tour and for all of the latest news and information on the Southern Ontario Sprints be sure to log on to the official website at www.southernontariosprints.com .

Results: 24 cars in Pit

Heat #1

1/ 0 – Glenn STYRES 2/ 79 – Dick MAHONEY
3/ 42w – Rick WILSON 4/ 11m – Joe MIDDLEMISS
5/ 24 – Bob McDONALD 6/ 15aw - April WILSON
7/ 17 – Gary EVANS 8/ 83w – James WHITTAKER

Heat #2

1/ 26 – John WATSON 2/ 11x – Fred PIGEON
3/ 5m – Brad MALLOY 4/ 69 – Garry EVANS
5/ 10 – Bob CRAWFORD 6/ 93 – Daryl TURFORD
7/ 16K – Kyle WILSON 8/ 10m – Rob MIDDLEMISS

Heat #3

1/ 21 – Tim PHILLIPS 2/ 42S – Ken SWAN
3/ 71 – Craig DOWNIE 4/ 21X – Kevin JOB
5/ 25 – Warren MAHONEY 6/ 21J – John BURBRIDGE
7/ 96 – Jim DAVIES 8/ 19 – Dean HOFFMAN

Dash

1/ 42S – Ken SWAN 2/ 0 – Glenn STYRES
3/ 21 – Tim PHILLIPS 4/ 79 – Dick MAHONEY
5/ 26 – John WATSON 6/ 11X – Fred PIGEON

Feature

1/ 21- Tim PHILLIPS (1) 2/ 42W – Rick WILSON (12)
3/ 11M – Joe MIDDLEMISS (8) 4/ 42S – Ken SWAN (4)
5/ 26 – John WATSON (2) 6/ 0 – Glenn STYRES (11)
7/ 25 – Warren MAHONEY(15) 8/ 71 – Craig DOWNIE (7)
9/ 21X – Kevin JOB (10) 10/ 69 – Garry EVANS (9)
11/ 19 – Dean HOFFMAN (24) 12/ 93 – Daryl TURFORD (17)
13/ 10M – Robert MIDDLEMISS(23) 14/ 17 – Gary EVANS (19)
15/ 83 – James WHITTAKER(22) 16/ 15 – April WILSON (16)
17/ 5m – Brad MALLOY (6) 18/ 96 – Jim DAVIES (21)
19/ 21J–John BURBRIDGE(18) 20/ 10 – Bob CRAWFORD (14)
21/ 24 – Bob McDONALD (13) 22/ 16K – Kyle WILSON (20)
23/ 79 – Dick MAHONEY (5) 24/ 11X – Fred PIGEON (DNS)
Post Race Awards:
Ohsweken Speedway Winners Bonus
- Tim PHILLIPS
Grisdale Racing Products
- Tim PHILLIPS
Keizer Wheels
- John Watson
Leaf Racewear
- Dick Mahoney
Kenetic Photos Hard Charger
- Dean Hoffman