Event 11 - YAKE AND TIM PHINNEMORE ARE CROWNED MID SEASON CHAMPS
July 5 Report by Brian Watt

Last Saturday July 5th at Sunset Speedway marked the halfway point in the 2003 race season as we ran the mid season championships for the 4 Cylinders and the Limited Late Models. It is hard to believe that the season is half over as it seems like last week was week one. As we reach the mid point the points races are heating up #22 Chris Morrow leads the limited late models by 11 mere points over #3 Ken Bemrose with #57 Ron Quesnelle 5 back of Bemrose and #8 Brendan Adams and #1 Vic Parsons rounding out the top 5. In the thunder car division the race is incredible #16 Amanda Connelly has 938, #94 Doug Harvey 937, #49 Frank Davey 924, #74 Mark Zacchigna 899 and #45 Rob Poole 898 this division is definitely up for grabs and will be decided on the last night of racing. In the 4 cylinder road runners #80 Jimmy Carter has a sizable lead with 1053 points, #88 James Rodgers 997, #10 Mario Poulin 957, #12 Adam Tracey 937 and Rob Snow 916 but it's far from over as stuff happens in racing. The night's sponsor was Barrie Harley-Davidson and they regaled us at intermission as 4 beautiful Harley's toured the 1/3 oval and they handed out trophies to all the evenings winners. This is a first time sponsorship for Barrie Harley-Davidson and we hope it will continue well into the future as everyone loves to see the bikes in action. In the racing the big winners were #12 Lambert Yake in the Limited Late Models mid season championship, #3 Ernie Fummerton in the Thunder Car regular feature, #22 Tim Phinnemore in the 4 Cylinder Road Runners mid season championship and Frank Davey took home his second School Bus race feature. This was the first night for new compound that was added to the track during the week which is suppose to bring in the second groove and judging from the first night it was a huge success as the cars on the outside could hold there position. We will have a better idea on July 19th when the ALSTAR Late Model Super Series returns if the compound works as they will certainly give it a great test.
THE LIMITED LATE MODEL DIVISION MID SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP
As the 18 machines rolled onto the asphalt they all had one thing in mind to capture the mid season championship and it was definitely up for grabs. On the drop of the green flag #1 Vic Parsons and #59 Larry Vitale went door handle to door handle for 3 laps with Vitale finally pulling to the point with Parsons second but lurking in the weeds with a fast machine was the 12 car of Lambert Yake while the Lloyds were side by side father and son Grant and Simon. Yake power by Parsons and Vitale to take over the point and appeared extremely quick on this night while #97 Simon Lloyd, #57 Ron Quesnelle and #3 Ken Bemrose pushed Vitale back several positions. As the laps rolled on the traction material seemed to be the working Yake was still on the point with Parsons, Lloyd who was under siege by Quesnelle while Bemrose, #22 Chris Morrow and #8 Brendan Adams were in hot pursuit. At the halfway point Yake looked untouchable as Parsons could not gain any position with Quesnelle and Morrow getting under Lloyd as he drifted high in the turns. As the laps rolled on Yake had some pressure from Parsons but he was under heaver pressure from the Morrow missile with Quesnelle and Adams looking for a bobble to move up. Morrow was the fastest car on the track but with no cautions to tighten the field he ran out of laps to muster an attack on Parsons and Yake. As these high powered machines roared down the front chute to take the checkered flag Yake was the winner while in behind was great racing at all positions Parsons held off Morrow while the remainder were Quesnelle, Adams, #95 Rompin' Ron Lethbridge, Simon Lloyd, Bemrose and #87 Grant Lloyd. The heat winners were #7 Siebe Tiemersma, Morrow, Adams and Simon Lloyd. Congratulations to Lambert and the crew on a great mid season championship victory his second feature win of the season. Congratulations to all the late model drivers on putting on a great show 35 green flag laps take a bow and I believe the new traction compound had a lot to do with it as the cars appeared more stable leaving the corners which made for exciting side by side racing keep up the great work guys.
THE THUNDER CAR DIVISION
The car to beat on this night appeared to be the #3 machine of Ernie Fummerton as he was poised to repeat the previous weeks accomplishment by hat tricking on the evening with a feature win. On the drop of the green Fummerton wasted little time by roaring to the point while #00 Andrew Cole, #51 Mark Adams, #74 Mark Zacchigna and #45 Rob Poole rounded out the top 5. The first yellow appeared on lap 2 as Cole made heavy contact with the wall on the back chute after appearing to have a tire blow and his night over. On the restart Fummerton was on rail on the point while Adams, Zacchigna, Poole and #16 Amanda Connelly battle for position. While Fummerton appeared to be untouchable in behind was a dog fight as Adams, Zacchigna, Poole, #49 Frank Davey, Connelly and #94 Doug Harvey trade places each turn of the oval in great side to side racing. At the half way point Fummerton was still strong but in behind was bumping, banging and paint trading as the order was Adams, Zacchigna, Poole and Davey side by side lap after lap and Connelly and Harvey in a great battle. As they thundered down the front chute to take the checkered flag from Doug the flagman Fummerton was the winner, a dominant night for Ernie with Adams, Zacchigna, Poole, Davey, Connelly and Harvey like a freight train as they cross the line. The heat winners were Fummerton with 2 and Poole with 2. Congratulations to Ernie and the crew on a dominant feature victory and also completing the hat trick by winning all 3 races he competed in.
THE 4 CYLINDER ROAD RUNNER DIVISION
In the 4 cylinder 35 lap mid season championship it was not a question who would win but by how much as the 22 machine of Tim Phinnemore was on the pole. On the drop of the green flag by starter Doug Phinnemore jumped to the lead and everyone else was running for second. In the early going Phinnemore led with #21 Rob Deasy in behind while #12 Adam Tracey, #8 Rob Snow and #9 Mike Carson round out the top 5. As the laps rolled by Phinnemore was out of sight with Tracey second Deasy third, Snow 4th and #80 Jimmy Carter finally able to crack the top 5. By the halfway point Tracey was black flagged mechanical and Carter had grabbed second with Deasy third, Carson and #22.2 Bob Phinnemore battling for fith while Tim Phinnemore was out of view. As the cars roared down the front chute to take the checkered flag from Doug the running order was Tim Phinnemore, Carter, Bob and Jay Phinnemore, Carson. Snow, Deasy and #88 James Rodgers. The heat winners were Bob Phinnemore with 2, Tim Phinnemore and Deasy.

Once again we would like to thank the fine folks at Barrie Harley-Davidson for their sponsorship and many more in the future as everyone enjoys the bikes.