Four-for-Four For Reigning Champion

After winning his seventh career Ontario Pro Challenge title in 2009, it appears as though Dennis Thomson has no plans to let anyone steal the crown away from him in 2010. The Dundas, Ontario veteran sold his championship-winning ride during the off-season to help grow the program’s field, and now armed with a new Ford Mustang, he has been on fire from the beginning of the new season. Coming off wins at both Sunset (June 6 and June 13) and Sauble (June 29), Thomson once again found himself in victory lane on Saturday, July 3 when the Pro Challenge drivers visited Mosport Raceway for the first of two trips to the half-mile facility. While the influx of freshman pilots is providing new faces in the top-10, neither the rookies nor the veteran drivers have been able to step the series’ powerhouse. Following a pair of 10-lap heat races at Mosport Speedwat, which were claimed by the Fords of Tim Norris #88 and Thomson #02, Norris led the field to the green flag to begin the 25-lap feature. With Thomson’s Taurus filling his mirrors, Norris led the opening handful of laps before a major, five-car incident on lap five slowed the proceedings. Once the track was clear, Thomson used his experience to take the low line through Turn Two, edging past Norris for the lead. Once clear of traffic, Thomson never looked back, taking the checkered flag for his fourth feature win of the season. “This is a quirky track,” said Thomson. “You have to have a car that you can work around the bumps to be successful. This is a new car this year, but it feels just as good as the old one. It seems to work really well here.” Norris was hard pressed to maintain his runner-up position, as he led a four car procession to the stripe, followed to the line by the son and father tandem of Josh (#66) and Ken (#99) Nicholson with Dario Valente (#71) rounding out the top five. The top rookie in the race was Owen Smith, who finish a strong sixth ahead of Kyle Batty and freshman Patrick Freel. Tim Forbes and Bob Hopton rounded out the top-10. In the points hunt, Thomson maintains a nice cushion over Nicholson and Forbes. Ken Nicholson and Tim Forbes complete the top-five. The top rookie in the standings is Smith, although he is just three points ahead of Rick Seeley in the chase. The Ontario Pro Challenge drivers are back at it this weekend at Sunset Speedway.