Photos by Dale Calnan/ImageFactor Media
By Tommy Goudge (August 20, 2021) – Both of Ontario’s touring Sprint Car series are set to head east this weekend; the Pinty’s Knights of Thunder 360 Sprint Car series will take on the Brighton Speedway on Saturday night, while the Crate Sprint Cars of the Action Sprint Tour fueled by Pinty’s will visit Brockville Ontario Speedway on Saturday and Cornwall Motor Speedway on Sunday.
Anticipation is high for all of the events, as Mother Nature foiled two prior attempts by the Knights of Thunder series to bring Sprint Cars back to Brighton for the first time in nearly two years. The event is a home game for eastern Ontario racers such as Tyler Rand, Chris Jones, and Paul Pekkonen. It is also the closest to Quebec that the series will get this season, allowing current KoT championship points leader Jordan Poirier and his team to make a four hour trip to Northumberland County instead of the seven to eight hour trips they have made for races at Merrittville, Humberstone, and Southern Ontario Motor Speedway.
Meanwhile, the Action Sprint Tour will visit Brockville and Cornwall for the first time in the four year history of the series. Drivers and teams from Brockville’s new 1000 Islands RV Crate Sprint Car division are looking forward to defending home turf; all-time Southern Ontario Sprints feature win leader “The Joyceville Jet” Rick Wilson and former SOS champion “The General” Lee Ladouceur are now racing in the Crate division, while Modified standout Matt Billings has won twice at Brockville in Ryan Hunsinger’s #52 Crate Sprint this season and leads the championship standings there. Several Quebec teams are also planning to compete in both weekend events.
CHAMPIONSHIP CHASES
Jordan Poirier has a 49 point cushion in the Knights of Thunder standings over Ryan Turner and Jim Huppunen who are tied for second. Aaron Turkey and Cory Turner round out the current top five, with Travis Cunningham, Josh Hansen, Tyler Rand, Jamie Turner, and Liam Martin holding top ten spots.
Jacob Dykstra holds a 46 point lead in the Action Sprint Tour standings following his fourth AST win of the season, while Allan Downey is currently second, followed by Nick Sheridan, Brett Stratford, and Lucas Smith. The top ten is rounded out with Jesse Costa, Eric Gledhill, Curtis Gartly, Dereck Lemyre.
TICKETS
Spectators ARE permitted at both events this weekend! Visit www.brightonspeedway.com, www.brockvillespeedway.com, and www.cornwallspeedway.com for more information.
KNIGHTS OF THUNDER MEDIA
Website: www.knightsofthunder.com
Twitter: @KoTSprints
Facebook: KnightsofThunderSprintCars
Instagram: @knightsofthunder
YouTube: GForceTV
About the Pinty’s Knights of Thunder Sprint Car Series: Founded in 2021, the Knights of Thunder series is a traveling winged 360 Sprint Car tour based in Ontario, Canada. Each points-paying event on the 2021 schedule will pay a minimum of $2,000-to-win and $250-to-start, and selected events will be broadcast live on GForceTV. The championship winner will be rewarded with $5,000 and a Pinty’s VIP package for the 2022 Bristol Dirt Race, while 10th place in the championship standings will pay $1,000. The 2021 Knights of Thunder Sprint Car Series is made possible with the support of Pinty’s Delicious Foods, Corr/Pak Merchandising, Stoneridge Specialty Insurance, Hoosier Tire Canada, Burger Barn, Nitro 54 Variety, Strickland’s Brantford Chevrolet, and EPIC Racewear. Visit www.knightsofthunder.com for more information.
ACTION SPRINT TOUR MEDIA
Website: www.actionsprinttour.com
Facebook: ActionSprintTour
Twitter: @ActionSprints
Instagram: @actionsprinttour
YouTube: GForceTV
About the Action Sprint Tour fueled by Pinty’s: Founded in 2018, the Action Sprint Tour is a traveling Winged Crate Sprint Car Series based in Ontario, Canada. Action Sprint Tour cars are powered by GM 602 crate engines modified specifically to fit a Sprint Car chassis. The championship winner will be rewarded with $5,000 and a Pinty’s VIP package for the 2022 Bristol Dirt Race, while 10th place in the championship standings will pay $1,000. The 2021 Action Sprint Tour is made possible with the support of Pinty’s Delicious Foods. Visit www.actionsprinttour.com for more information.
EVENT INFO
WHAT:
-Knights of Thunder 360 Sprint Car series – 2021 Season Round 7
-Action Sprint Tour Crate Sprint Car series – 2021 Season Rounds 7 & 8
WHEN:
-Saturday, August 21 – Knights of Thunder @ Brighton Speedway
-Saturday, August 21 – Action Sprint Tour @ Brockville Ontario Speedway
-Sunday, August 22 – Action Sprint Tour @ Cornwall Motor Speedway
WHERE:
Brighton Speedway
775 County Rd 64
Brighton ON K0K 1H0
www.brightonspeedway.ca
Brockville Ontario Speedway
Temperance Lake Rd (Elizabethtown)
Brockville ON K6V 5T4
www.brockvillespeedway.com
Cornwall Motor Speedway
16981 Cornwall Centre Rd
Long Sault ON K0C 1P0
www.cornwallspeedway.com