Maine’s Biggest Racers Make Maine’s Biggest Race Weekend

By admin September 17, 2007

Naples, ME — Now in only its third year, the PASS 400 Weekend brought to you by Richard Moody & Sons Construction, Norway Savings Bank, and Pullen Heavy Industries at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, Scarborough, ME is rapidly becoming the biggest race event in Northern New England. There will be over 300 race teams competing over the four days from Thursday night September 20th to the big $10,000 to win DJ Equipment PASS North Super Late Model  300 green-flag lap race on Sunday afternoon, but, more importantly, it’s the names of the racers who choose to race PASS that make this the areas biggest show. It’s a Who’s Who of local racing.

In the PASS North Super Late Model 300 qualifying heats on Saturday the 22nd and in the 300 lapper on Sunday afternoon the 23rd, race fans will see Ben Rowe, Johnny Clark, Mike Rowe, Richie Dearborn, Travis Benjamin, Kelly Moore, Brad Leighton, Dave Dion, Cassius Clark, Alan Wilson, Rick Martin, Gary Smith, and a host of Beech Ridge favorites like Bub Bilodeau, Dan McKeage, Alan Tardif, Curtis Gerry, Billy Rodgers, Donnie Whitten, Kevin Kimball, Mike Fowler, among others.

And how about the under 20 crowd, Trevor Sanborn, Derek Ramstrom, and Adam Bates  are currently fifth, seventh, and eighth in the PASS North points chase. And don’t forget Joey Porciello, Jeremie Whorff, and Stephen Berry as part of the young guns chasing the frontrunners in the big fast Super Late Models.

The PASS Outlaw Late Models are full of names you know – Last year’s winner Dennis Spencer will be back to defend his title, 2006 Central Division Champion Jimmy Rosenfield, 2006 North Division Champion Matt Lee, Alan Wilson, Walt Hammond, Jay Sands, Mike Harnish, Brian Whitney, Mike Thomas, Tony Ricci in the Mulkern car, Busch North fan favorite Carey Heath, Charlie and Chuck Colby, Donnie Lashua, Mike Fowler, and many more will be there. And it will be another barnburner as they go at it for 75 green-flag laps in the Norway Savings Bank 75 for $2,000 to win or $1,000 and transfer to the PASS 300 that pays $1000 to start. Either way, the winner takes home $2,000 . . . but has a chance for more if he or she transfers.

Several drivers are going to do double duty in both the Outlaws and the Super Late Models – Mike Fowler, Jay Sands, Alan Wilson and several others have indicated their plans for the big weekend include both races.

The PASS Modified Division will be going at it for 40 green-flag laps in the Price-Rite Fuels 40 on Sunday afternoon. Chris Staples of Brunswick, ME holds a 49 point lead over Troy Morse of Bridgton, ME with Mark Lucas of Harpswell, ME only five markers behind Morse as the season moves into the homestretch. Chris Smith of Scarborough has been Mr. Steady with four thirds in nine races and has a solid hold on fourth in the points. However, the big winners in 2007 have been Gary Norris, Jr of W. Gardner, ME and Jason Taylor of Searsmont, ME with three wins each. With only three races left, it’s far from over if Norris and Taylor keep up their winning ways, but Staples, Morse, and Lucas are no rookies with a host of wins up and down the state of Maine.

Some of the best short track racing this year has been in the new PASS Pullen Sportsman Series featuring some of New England’s best Limited, Sportsman, Street Stock, and Super Street racers. No matter what you call them at your local track, with over 50 cars already participating this season Dan McKeage, Jerry Harrison, Mike Landry, Robert Emery, Jr, Shane Tatro, and Kurt Hewins have put on some great races in the series premier year. And most recently, Gentleman George Baldwin from Lowell, MA bested them all at Canaan Fair Speedway, Canaan, NH on September 3rd. The Pullen Heavy Industries 100 on Sunday afternoon is sure to be exciting.

Cole Watson of Naples, ME dominated last year’s Wildcat 75 with Dan Wink of N. Berwick, Billy Childs, Jr of Leeds, and  Brian Caswell of Buxton right behind. But this is a different year, and with more than fifty cars expected for the Victory Lane Indoor Karting 75, someone will surely surprise these top runners in the Saturday afternoon/evening show along with the T & K and Sons Concrete Roadrunner 25. And Saturday also features all the PASS Super Late Model, Outlaw Late Model, Modified, and Sportsman Series heats and consis.

The weekend starts early on Thursday at 5:45pm with the N. E. Dodge Dealers Mid-Week Series with heats and then four fifty lap features for the Stock 4’s, V8 305s, V8 350s, and the exciting Truck Series.

Friday is practice day from noon to five with FREE grandstand admission for all fans who want to get a taste of what Saturday and Sunday will be like.

Keep up with all the news at www.proallstarsseries.com.

Sources: Bill Quirk/PASS PR

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