Results June 23rd Times Colonist and the ZONE 91.3 WILROC Sprint Cars Strawberry Cup, Old Time Racers Association and Mini Stocks Aumen Defends Strawberry Cup Scott Aumen successfully defended his Strawberry Cup title last night at Western Speedway winning in classic fashion as he did in the same race in 2006. The race program featured the IMS 4 Mini Stocks, the Old Time Racing Association, along with the WilRoc Sprint Car Series trying to get their race schedule on track for the first time in 2007. Four of their previous events were cancelled due to Mother Nature and Saturday night she gave notice she was still in the area as the races were held up for about a half hour as a brief shower passed over the track. Once the racing surface was dry enough, serious racing was underway with Trophy Dashes, Heat Races, and Main Events. Warren Johnstone and George “The Jet” Jenson won Old Timers Heats, Mitch Egner and Gord Percival took the IMS 4 Mini Stock Heats, and Jim McKay and Jeff Bird won the Heats for the WilRoc Series. Matthew Szauer and Alex Mourner shared the front row for the start of the IMS 4 Mini Stock Main Event. By lap2, Gord Percival assumed the lead and began to pull away from the field. On lap 8, Chad Dobranski, challenging for second spot had his car quit coming to a stop on the backstretch. This moved Ken Schuurman into second followed by Rob Chalmers and Justin Woodske. These two drivers battled for several laps before Chalmers made a slip allowing Woodske and Lois Pollard Grant by him. On lap 18, a yellow flag came out bunching the field for the last few laps. Percival again took off on the green followed by Schuurman, Woodske and Pollard Grant. With only a few laps left, Schuurman dropped out while Percival went on to win his first Feature with Woodske taking second and Pollard Grant in third. Bob Martin and Doug Morton were up front for the Old Time Racing Association Feature Event as the green flag fell. It didn’t take long for fast time setter, Jesse Dardengo starting 4th, to get into contention. On lap 9, Dardengo went by the leader followed by George “The Jet” Jenson. The real battle was for the third spot with Jenson and Denis Morneau trading places for several laps. Meanwhile, Dan Morneau was trying to get through traffic and challenge for the top spots as well. At the checkered flag it was Dardengo, with Jenson holding off the challenge by Denis Morneau with Dan Morneau coming home in fourth spot. The WilRoc Series lined up along the front stretch for introductions as Rocky Horne asked the 2500 fans how many laps they would like to see for the Strawberry Cup Feature? The overwhelming response was fifty laps for the seventeen car field with Jim McKay and Chris Root on the front row. With the drop off the green flag, Root, McKay, and Darren Yates all made a bid for the top spot going through turn one and two. McKay prevailed taking the lead before the first lap was complete with battles shaping up behind him. Six laps down McKay still had the lead followed by Root, Kyle Vantreight, Darren Yates, and Matt Mansell. McKay began to run away while Scott Aumen, the defending Strawberry Cup Champion, was in a battle with Guy Barrett trying to move from his 8th starting spot and up through the field. On lap 14, Vantreight took over the second spot moving to the inside of Root. Two laps later, the yellow flag dropped as Randy Price came to a stop in turn one when the torque arm let go on his car ending his night. On the restart, McKay held the lead with the real battle taking place between Aumen and Root racing side by side for several laps and the fourth spot. The impressive run by Root came to a slow stop on lap 26 when his car quit on turn four again bringing out the caution. On the restart, Vantreight got the jump on McKay and grabbed the lead as Aumen passed Yates for the third spot on lap 28. Two laps later, Aumen blew by McKay and into second using a slower car as a pick. It took Aumen another four laps to catch Vantreight and put the heat on the young driver for the top spot. Again, using a slower car as a pick, Aumen went high on turn four and blasted into the lead dirt track style bringing loud cheers from the fans. McKay, although had dropped to third did not give up catching Vantreight and going by for second spot on lap 44. When the checkered flag dropped, Aumen had defended his Strawberry Cup title in breath taking fashion followed by McKay in the little roadster, Vantreight held on for third with Yates coming in fourth in a most exciting first race of the 2007 season for the WilRoc Sprint Car Series. Photos and Story by Ken Keating, Illusion Photography