Beech Ridge a pivotal race for PASS North, National Championship title contenders
The Pro All Stars Series (PASS) returns to Scarborough Maine’s Beech Ridge Motor Speedway for the fifth annual PASS 400 weekend on September 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th , and the four day short track extravaganza will go a long way toward determining both the 2009 PASS North and PASS National super late model Champions
With just two events remaining on the PASS North schedule, Johnny Clark has a solid lead in the point standings. The defending champ currently enjoys a 40 point margin over Ben Rowe (2370-2330) in the title chase, with Adam Bates at 2310, Derek Ramstrom at 2290 and Kelly Moore in fifth with 2277. With two points available per finishing position and a minimum of 32 cars scheduled to take the grid in the seasons longest race, an upfront finish by Rowe combined with a bad day for Clark could easily tighten the standings. But so far in 2009, Clark has the Beech Ridge advantage with second and seventh place finishes compared to Rowe’s pair of ninth place runs. Both drivers have ten top 10 finishes in eleven starts, so it’s a tossup in that category. But Clark is the defending PASS 300 race winner, so he knows the extra distance setup and strategy that could carry him to a second consecutive $10,000.00 payday.
Adam Bates has had a virtual stranglehold on Beech Ridge victory lane of late. Bates has two wins, two second place runs and a fourth in his last five Beech Ridge starts, and despite a grinding wreck at Thompson International Speedway that completely destroyed his only super late model, he’s managed to regroup and battle back from adversity to remain near the top of the point standings.
There have been seven different winners in the last seven PASS North super late model races, and the last two have been first time wins scored by Randy Turner (Unity ME) and Tom Scully Jr. (Seekonk MA). There are plenty of talented drivers that haven’t crossed the stripe first in 2009, and there’s no doubt that another first time winner could emerge in the 300.
The PASS National Championship four race mini-series hasn’t been on track since May when Ben Rowe scored at Hickory Motor Speedway, but Beech Ridge is round two of the series, where Rowe leads by a scant two point margin over Jeff Fultz. Ryan Blaney is third, followed by Texan Trey Mitchell and South Carolina’s Hal Goodson. It’s all but impossible to miss one of the four races and remain in contention for the title, so you can expect all of the front runners to be on hand for the
PASS 300, including Cassius Clark, the defending National Series Champion. Clark sits 21st in the National standings after a bad result at Hickory in the spring, but he will be looking to pull himself up in the title chase at Beech Ridge. Johnny Clark is seventh in the National standings and may make a run at the title if the team fares well in round two. The National Championship Series continues at Southern National Raceway Park in Lucama North Carolina on Saturday September 26th and wraps up at South Boston (VA) Speedway on Saturday October 17th with the Mason-Dixon Meltdown.
PASS 400 weekend kicks off on Thursday September 10 with a wild night of racing for the Beetle Bugs/Runnin’ Rebels,Trucks, Mad Bomber/Outlaw type cars and Beech Ridge 305s. Racing goes green at 6:00 PM. Friday is a practice day for all weekend divisions. Saturday it’s qualifying races for the PASS Mods, Sportsman and Super Late Models as well as heats and features for the Road Runners (30 laps),the Nelcar Legends (50 laps) and the Wildcats/Strictlys in a big 75 lap showdown.
Sunday is filled with PASS feature racing; a “B” feature for the PASS Super Late Models followed by 100 laps for the PASS Sportsman and a 50 lapper for the PASS Mods. Time and weather permitting, a driver meet and greet will follow while the Super Late Model teams set up the infield pit area for their longest (and richest) race of the year, the $10,000.00 to win PASS 300. Both Saturday and Sunday’s racing gets the green flag at noon.
Beech Ridge Motor Speedway is located at 70 Holmes Road in Scarborough Maine. The Speedway is on line at www.beechridge.com .
. For more information including schedules, standings, and results for all PASS sanctioned touring series visit the series homes on the web at www.racewithpass.com or www.proallstarsseries.com . For marketing or media questions contact Norm Desjardins at 603-539-3368.Direct rules and other technical questions to Scott Reed at 207-625-3230.
Souces: PASS North PR