Ben Rowe Tops PASS at Canaan
Fifth Race-August 5th at Canaan USA Speedway
CANAAN, NH — Ben Rowe combined patience, a fast racecar, and some racing luck to earn his third consecutive Pro All Stars Series victory Sunday 8/5 at Canaan USA Speedway.
The driver of the Mechanical Services/ Hi-Tech Insulation Chevrolet captured the Sunoco Pole Award with a lap of 14.115 seconds, with Steve Knowlton, PASS newcomer Bobby Dragon, Adam Friend and Kenny Wright rounding out the top five in time trials. Rowe’s luck continued on the re-draw, pulling the number one spot and wiring the 10-lap Pole Dash.
Rowe led the twenty six car field to the green with Dragon on the outside pole, Friend and Knowlton in row two and Andy Shaw and Racin’ Ralph Nason making up row three.
Rowe jumped out to an early lead but soon faced a challenge from Steve Knowlton, as the S.A. Sting Camaro pilot appeared to have the fastest car in the early laps. Nason, Kenny Wright and Andy Shaw had all moved around a fading Bobby Dragon who eventually retired the Race Basics 71VT. Knowlton looked inside and outside on Rowe, and made the outside move stick for the lead just as the caution flew on lap 72. Ralph Nason had made his way by Rowe as well, but Knowlton had to pit for a punctured tire and the last green flag lap scored rule placed Rowe on the point once again with Nason second, Wright’s Newmarket Sand and Gravel Monte Carlo third, Andy Shaw fourth and Larry Gelinas fifth. Knowlton returned to the rear of the field after pitting to replace his flat.
On the restart, Nason bounced into the front stretch wall and failed to come up to speed, sending the field scrambling to avoid the 10x. The wreck ended the day for Larry Gelinas as well as Zig Geno.
Rowe maintained the point with Kenny Wright now up to second, Shaw’s Currier RV/Matco Chevrolet in third and Jim McCallum fourth. Rowe remained in front but Knowlton was working his way back to the point and looked like he still had the car to mount a challenge. By lap 108 Knowlton was up to the second spot and began to reel in the 00. Knowlton made the inside move work on lap 118 and took the lead away, the two racing nose to tail as they worked lap traffic.
Knowlton attempted to lap a fading Andy Shaw on lap 131 and caught Shaw’s rear bumper. Both drivers spun and Shaw received the black flag. The wreck ended Knowlton’s run as well, putting Rowe back on top. Kenny Wright suffered driveline woes and finished his day in the pits with just seven to go; Rowe held off a hard charge by series point leader Sam Sessions to take down the checker, with Adam Friend driving a smart and patient race to come home third. Pete Frappier earned his first PASS top five with a solid fourth and Jim McCallum survived a last lap spin to earn fifth.
David Avery earned the Northern Race Tires Rookie of the Race award for his eighth place finish. Heat winners were Gelinas and McCallum.
In Street Stock 100 action, Robert Hagan and Pat Floyd dueled lap after lap before Floyd found his way around Hagan on lap 72 and cruised to victory after Hagan’s 91 experienced rear end problems. Mark “Sparky” McGiver put on a show for the fans, coming back from an early wreck to earn the second spot. Steve Bennett Jr. was third, Terry Merrill fourth and Bobby Allen fifth.
CANAAN USA 150
1; #00-Ben Rowe
2; # 0-Sam Sessions
3; #92-Adam Friend
4; #05-Pete Frappier
5; #2x-Jim McCallum
6; #29-Louie Mechalides
7; #5-J.R. Baril
8; #10-David Avery
9; #4-Danny Bubar
10; #33-Richie Dearborn
11; #64-Danny Bezanson
12; #37x-Tom Oliphant
13; #02-Kenny Wright
14; #29x-Jarod Robie
15; #88x-Steve Knowlton
16; #66-Andy Shaw
17; #75-Gary Smith
18; #38-Chuck LaChance
19; #57-Zig Geno
20; #37-Larry Gelinas
21; #10x-Ralph Nason
22; #1x-Henry Hudson
23; #71vt-Bobby Dragon
24; #35-Gary Johnson
25; #50-Bobby Gahan
26; #99-George Philbrick
Sources: ProAllStarsSeries.com