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HUPPUNEN CLAIMS MERRITTVILLE WIN; TURNER TAKES 2018 CHAMPIONSHIP

Photo by Kevin Miller/Nitroman Media

By Tommy Goudge

THOROLD, Ontario (September 8, 2018) - Merrittville Speedway was a site of firsts on Saturday night as Jim Huppunen claimed his first career Southern Ontario Sprints tour win, while Cory Turner clinched his first SOS championship with a fifth place finish.

Ryan Turner and Jim Huppunen made up the front row for the final championship race of the 2018 SOS season, and Huppunen mastered the slick surface to take the win. Scott Kreutter put on a show charging from the eighth row to finish second, followed by Dylan Westbrook, Ryan Turner, and Cory Turner. Ryan Susice, Mitch Brown, Travis Cunningham, Jamie Turner, and Jake Brown rounded out the top ten.

The win was a special one for Huppunen, who is from the area and grew up a Merrittville regular. It was also Huppunen's first win away from Ohsweken Speedway, where he is a two-time track champion.

Ryan Susice, Ryan Turner, and Jim Huppunen took qualifying heat race victories, while Holly Porter won the Zanchin Truck & Trailer Dash for Cash. Cory Turner entered the event with a 55 point lead over Ryan Turner, with Dylan Westbrook another 51 points behind; while Ryan did cut into the lead, Cory kept his brother in sight and locked up the title. Information regarding the 2018 Southern Ontario Sprints Awards Banquet will be released shortly. Stay tuned to www.southernontariosprints.ca for details.

While the championship has been decided the postseason heats up this weekend as SOS heads back to Ohsweken Speedway as an affiliate sanction of the Canadian Sprint Car Nationals for the 14th consecutive year. Visit www.ohswekenspeedway.com for additional information.

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SOUTHERN ONTARIO SPRINTS RACE REPORT
2018 SEASON EVENT #10 - SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2018
MERRITTVILLE SPEEDWAY - THOROLD, ONTARIO, CANADA

ENTRY LIST
(Number Name - Hometown)
0 Holly Porter - Delhi, Ontario
0c Cole MacDonald - Waterdown, Ontario
9b Scott Burk - Charing Cross, Ontario
10 Mitch Brown - Brantford, Ontario
11 Jamie Turner - Caistor Centre, Ontario
14h Jim Huppunen - Welland, Ontario
15 Mike Ferrell - London, Ontario
18 Ryan Susice - Ransomville, New York
21 Kyle Phillips - Grand Island, New York
22 Shawn Sliter - Port Colborne, Ontario
22x Al Gilleta Jr. - St. Catharines, Ontario
25 Warren Mahoney - Lefroy, Ontario
38 Brad Knab - Delevan, New York
47x Dylan Westbrook - Scotland, Ontario
49 Scott Kreutter - Alden, New York
55 Mike Thorne - Caledonia, Ontario
66 Frank Baranowski - Mount Hope, Ontario
71s Josh Sliter - Port Colborne, Ontario
90 Travis Cunningham - Grimsby, Ontario
91 Ryan Turner - Caistor Centre, Ontario
97 Cory Turner - Caistor Centre, Ontario
110 Jake Brown - Brantford, Ontario

HEAT RACE #1 (Started) 8 laps - 2:01.377

1. 18 Ryan Susice (1), 2. 47x Dylan Westbrook (8), 3. 110 Jake Brown (2), / 4. 55 Mike Thorne (3), 5. 25 Warren Mahoney (4), 6. 9b Scott Burk (5), 7. 22x Al Gilleta Jr. (6), 8. DNS 15 Mike Ferrell (7)

HEAT RACE #2 (Started) 8 laps - NT

1. 91 Ryan Turner (1), 2. 90 Travis Cunningham (2), 3. 11 Jamie Turner (5), / 4. 0 Holly Porter (4), 5. 21 Kyle Phillips (3), 6. 0c Cole Macdonald (7), 7. 66 Frank Baranowski (6)

HEAT RACE #3 (Started) 8 laps - 2:07.272

1. 14h Jim Huppunen (5), 2. 97 Cory Turner (1), 3. 10 Mitch Brown (6), / 4. 22 Shawn Sliter (3), 5. 49 Scott Kreutter (2), 6. 38 Brad Knab (7), 7. 71s Josh Sliter (4)

ZANCHIN TRUCK & TRAILER DASH FOR CASH (Started) 4 laps - 1:02.560

1. 0 Holly Porter (2), 2. 21 Kyle Phillips (5), 3. 55 Mike Thorne (1), 4. 22 Shawn Sliter (3), 5. 49 Scott Kreutter (6), 6. DNS 25 Warren Mahoney (4)

A-FEATURE (Started) 25 laps - NT

1. 14h Jim Huppunen (2)
2. 49 Scott Kreutter (15)
3. 47x Dylan Westbrook (3)
4. 91 Ryan Turner (1)
5. 97 Cory Turner (4)
6. 18 Ryan Susice (7)
7. 10 Mitch Brown (6)
8. 90 Travis Cunningham (5)
9. 11 Jamie Turner (8)
10. 110 Jake Brown (9)
11. 55 Mike Thorne (10)
12. 0 Holly Porter (11)
13. 22 Shawn Sliter (12)
14. 25 Warren Mahoney (13)
15. 21 Kyle Phillips (14)
16. 0c Cole MacDonald (17)
17. 9b Scott Burk (16)
18. 38 Brad Knab (18)
19. 22x Al Gilleta Jr. (19)
20. 66 Frank Baranowski (20)
21. 71s Josh Sliter (21)
22. 15 Mike Ferrell (22)
    Hard Charger - Scott Kreutter +13

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2018 SOUTHERN ONTARIO SPRINTS SCHEDULE & WINNERS

1. May 19 - Brighton Speedway - RAIN
2. June 16 - Brighton Speedway - Dylan Westbrook (1)
3. June 23 - Merrittville Speedway - RAIN
4. July 7 - Brighton Speedway - Cory Turner (1)
5. July 28 - Brighton Speedway - Ryan Turner (1)
6. August 17 - Ohsweken Speedway - Scott Kreutter (1)
7. August 18 - South Buxton Raceway - Dylan Westbrook (2)
8. September 1 - Brighton Speedway - Steve Lyons (1)
9. September 2 - Brighton Speedway - Ryan Susice (1)
10. September 8 - Merrittville Speedway - Jim Huppunen (1)
    NP. September 14 - Ohsweken Speedway (Night Before the Nationals)
    NP. September 15 - Ohsweken Speedway (Canadian Sprint Car Nationals)

SOS MEDIA
Website: www.SouthernOntarioSprints.ca
Twitter: @SOSsprints
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/SouthernOntarioSprints
YouTube: www.YouTube.com/user/SOSsprints

About the Southern Ontario Sprints: Founded in 1996, the Southern Ontario Sprints series is a traveling winged 360 Sprint Car tour based in Ontario, Canada. 2018 marks the 23rd year of operation for the Southern Ontario Sprints tour. The 2018 schedule consists of 12 events at four different race tracks in Ontario; each SOS tour event pays a minimum of $1,200-to-win and $240-to-start. Visit www.SouthernOntarioSprints.ca for more information.

SOS SUPPORTERS
The Southern Ontario Sprints would like to thank their 2018 partners, including Brighton Speedway, Merrittville Speedway, Ohsweken Speedway, South Buxton Raceway, the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum, www.ImageFactor.ca, and Kreitz Oval Track Parts.

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