Ben Rowe scores PASS North Firecracker 150 win

For Immediate Release: Media contact Norm Desjardins – racewithpass@yahoo.com   First PASS North checker of 2011 for the four time PASS North Champion   Canaan NH (7/3) Ben Rowe reclaimed the lead from Richie Dearborn on lap 116 of Saturday night's Pro All Stars Series (PASS) North Firecracker 150 at Canaan Fair Speedway and raced on for his first PASS North win of the season. Alex Gingras and Scott Dragon both earned career best finishes, crossing under the checkers in second and third.   Richie Dearborn and Rowe led the field to the first green flag and it was Dearborn jumping out front early but a red flag at lap seven for Jon Dickerman's slow roll on the back stretch put the action on hold briefly. Dearborn resumed control until Lonnie Sommerville charged by on the outside. Dearborn reclaimed the lead after a lap fifteen caution and kept the point until Rowe reeled him in and drove by for the lead at lap 28.

 

The field stayed clean and green until lap 83 when yellow flag number two flew for Scott Alexander's spin, followed by another caution for Chris Wilkes trip into the front stretch wall,ending a strong run for the Vermonter. Dearborn took advantage of the high line to take yet another turn out front, with Rowe, Gingras, Johnny Clark and Sommerville all giving chase..   Dearborn and Rowe gapped the field, both drivers charging hard for their first win of 2011. Caution number four brought the pair back to the field, and the high line gave Rowe the opportunity he needed. Rowe put the RMR four back out front and Johnny Clark slipped by Dearborn for second but contact from the 33 sent Clark off turn two. Dearborn received the black flag for his part in the incident and retired for the night. Meanwhile the sparks continued to fly when Clark and Donnie Lashua got together, dropping the pair back in the line up.   The front of the field was shuffled by the on track fireworks. Rowe kept his lead but Gingras was now second with Dragon,Donnie Whitten,Sommerville and Travis Benjamin racing in the top five. Rowe clearly had the fast car, but the battle for second on back was a good one. Gingras took control of that spot but Donnie Whitten and Travis Benjamin were battling to find a way around Dragon for the final podium position. With three to go Whitten tried a bottom move that didn’t work out, sending him around and setting up a three lap shoot out to the checkers. There was no beating Rowe on this night, and when the final flag flew it was Rowe,Gingras,Dragon,Benjamin,and Sommerville in the top five.   Richie Dearborn, Ben Rowe and Johnny Clark all claimed heat race wins.Nine cars completed all 150 green flag laps.   Andy Shaw made it three starts and three wins in the PASS Mod feature, using the high side to take the lead from Dana Reed on lap fifteen of the open wheelers forty lapper. Reed came up one spot short in second and Mitch Miller earned a solid third.   Sumner Sessions and Mark Lundblad Jr. led the field to the green but the field didn’t stay that way long as a series of early cautions marred the action. Sessions, Lundblad, Miller, Scott McDaniel and Reed all took turns leading early but once the defending series champ got out front the race stayed clean and green. At the checkers it was Shaw by half a front stretch. Dana Reed and Scott McDaniel scored in the heat races.   The PASS Super Late Models and Mods move on to Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough Maine on Saturday July 9th . Post time is 6:00 PM.   Get all the latest Pro All Stars Series news, stats, and photos at www.proallstarsseries.com. Beech Ridge Motor Speedway can be found at www.beechridge.com   Unofficial Results – PASS North Super Late Model Firecracker 150 Canaan Fair Speedway-Canaan NH 7/2   1 4 Ben Rowe Turner ME 2 27 QC Alex Gingras Quebec City CA 3 10 Scott Dragon Colchester VT 4 17 Travis Benjamin Morrill ME 5 48 Lonnie Sommerville New Brunswick CA 6 54 Johnny Clark Hallowell ME 7 24 Mike Rowe Turner ME 8 05 Ricky Bly Sunapee NH 9 7 Donnie Whitten Wells ME 10 88 Kyle DeSouza E. Providence RI 11 12 John Dabrowski W. Bridgewater MA 12 17A Scott Alexander Orrington ME 13 21 Donnie Lashua Meredith NH 14 2 Matt Matheson Geary New Brunswick CA 15 11 Austin Brehio Hopkinton NH 16 33 Richie Dearborn Hollis ME 17 77 Scott Chubbuck Dresden ME 18 14 Matt Frahm N. Salem NH 19 15 Chris Wilk Center Rutland VT 20 97 Joey Polewarczyk Hudson NH 21 13 Jon Dickerman Weymouth MA DNS Fernandez, Saugus MA   PASS MOD 40 Lap Feature   1 66 Andy Shaw Center Conway NH 2 60 Dana Reed Shapleigh ME 3 85 Mitch Miller West Boylston MA 4 14 Scott McDaniel Livermore ME 5 33 Bill Dixon N Waterboro ME 6 53W Alan Wilson Hebron ME 7 50 Sumner Sessions So. Paris ME 8 28 Mark Lundblad Jr. Conway NH 9 53 Leo Oliveira Raynham MA 10 21 Charlie Small Buxton ME 11 56X Rich Ferreira Raynham MA

 

Unofficial Results - PASS North Super Late Model Firecracker 150

Canaan Fair Speedway-Canaan NH 7/2   1 4 Ben Rowe Turner ME 2 27 QC Alex Gingras Quebec City CA 3 10 Scott Dragon Colchester VT 4 17 Travis Benjamin Morrill ME 5 48 Lonnie Sommerville New Brunswick CA 6 54 Johnny Clark Hallowell ME 7 24 Mike Rowe Turner ME 8 05 Ricky Bly Sunapee NH 9 7 Donnie Whitten Wells ME 10 88 Kyle DeSouza E. Providence RI 11 12 John Dabrowski W. Bridgewater MA 12 17A Scott Alexander Orrington ME 13 21 Donnie Lashua Meredith NH 14 2 Matt Matheson Geary New Brunswick CA 15 11 Austin Brehio Hopkinton NH 16 33 Richie Dearborn Hollis ME 17 77 Scott Chubbuck Dresden ME 18 14 Matt Frahm N. Salem NH 19 15 Chris Wilk Center Rutland VT 20 97 Joey Polewarczyk Hudson NH 21 13 Jon Dickerman Weymouth MA DNS Fernandez, Saugus MA

 

PASS MOD 40 Lap Feature   1 66 Andy Shaw Center Conway NH 2 60 Dana Reed Shapleigh ME 3 85 Mitch Miller West Boylston MA 4 14 Scott McDaniel Livermore ME 5 33 Bill Dixon N Waterboro ME 6 53W Alan Wilson Hebron ME 7 50 Sumner Sessions So. Paris ME 8 28 Mark Lundblad Jr. Conway NH 9 53 Leo Oliveira Raynham MA 10 21 Charlie Small Buxton ME 11 56X Rich Ferreira Raynham MA

 

Johnny Clark rolls on, claims third PASS North win of 2011 at L'Autodrome Chaudiere

For Immediate Release: Media, contact Norm Desjardins   Mother Nature loses one to the racers in the PASS North Habitations Dany Lagace 150   Naples ME (6/27) Defending Pro All Stars Series (PASS) North Champion Johnny Clark earned his third super late model win of the young PASS North season Sunday in the PASS Habitations Dany Lagace 150 at L'Autodrome Chaudiere . Ben Rowe and Patrick Laperle chased Clark to the stripe.   PASS North's first trip to Quebec since 2004 was marred by rain. A bleak forecast delayed the event until Sunday, then it was a battle between mother nature, the tenacious Chaudiere track crew and PASS officials to get and keep a raceable track surface. In the end their efforts paid off and the hardy Quebec fans were treated to the kind of racing only super late models can provide.

 

Travis Benjamin led early on from the front row, eventually surrendering the lead to Ben Rowe.. Benjamin lost a tire and suffered a bone jarring crash that led to a red flag at lap sixty.The wreck ended a promising evening for the Morrill Maine racer.   When the field took flag man Mike Mayberry's green Clark was next to Ben Rowe up front, moving up from eleventh on the grid. Laperle lookedvlike Clark's serious challenger, taking over the second spot and trying to use the bottom to get by the leader. Laperle could get to Clark's numbers but couldn't take away the lead. Those challenges took their toll on the Quebec star's equipment and Clark was able to build a formidable lead. Ben Rowe took the second spot from Laperle at lap 125 and that's the way they raced to the finish.   Scott Chubbuck had an up and down day, surviving contact to race back fourth. Alex Gingras had yet another sold run in fifth despite mechanical issues and a spin.Points contender Lonnie Sommerville lost some ground, falling out on lap 58 with mechanical problems.   Clark and Ben Rowe each earned a heat race win. Eight of the twnety starters completed all 150 green flag laps.   The PASS North super late model trail moves to New Hampshire's Canaan Fair Speedway on Saturday July 2 for the Firecracker 150. They'll be joined by the PASS Mods for a spectacular night of racing that includes monster trucks and firworks. All the details can be found at www.proallstarsseries.com and www.canaanspeedways.com .   Unofficial Results: PASS North Habitations Dany Lagace 150 – Autodrome Chaudiere, QC 6/26   1) 54 - Johnny Clark - 150 2) 4 - Ben Rowe – 150 3) 91 - Patrick Laperle – 150 4) 77 - Scott Chubbuck – 150 5) 27qc - Alex Gingras – 150 6) 24 - Mike Rowe – 150 7) 28 - Kirk Thibeau – 150 8) 61 - Mario Gosselin – 150 9) 21 - Jean Dery – 149 10) 60 - DJ Shaw – 149 11) 12 - John Dabrowski – 149 12) 75 - Gary Smith – 148 13) 88 - Kyle Dessouza – 148 14) 2 - Matt Matheson – 145 15) 84 - Martin Latulippe – 145 16) 16 - Kevin Roberge – 103 17) 17a - Scott Alexander – 64 18) 17 - Travis Benjamin – 60 19) 48 - Lonnie Sommerville – 58 20) 73 - Joey Doiron - 46

 

ÉCLATANTE VICTOIRE DE JOHNNY CLARK EN PASS

Communiqué pour diffusion  2011-06-26   Du jamais vu à l'Autodrome Chaudière   Les vingt voitures présentent de la Série Pass ont donné tout un spectacle aux amateurs de son, d'habilité et de vitesse, dans le cadre du «HABITATIONS DANY LAGACÉ PASS 150. Spectateurs patients pour tout dire, car le programme a été retardé à huit reprises suite aux caprices de dame nature. Avec tous ces délais, la finale a débuté vers les 19h00 devant un ciel presque bleu.   Pendant les trente-huit premiers tours, Travis Benjamin #17 et Benji Rowe #4 s'échangent la position de tête. Au 39ième passage, Rowe prend les commandes et Johnny Clark #54 le suit. Vingt-deux tours plus tard, Benjamin suite à une crevaison frappe le mur entre la courbe 3 et 4 et sa soirée de travail est terminée.

 

Du 62ième tour au 76ième tour Rowe et Clark tourne côte à côte et c'est au 77ième passage que Clark prend la pôle devant Patrick Laperle #91 et Benji Rowe. Toute une bataille entre Clark, Laperle et Rowe jusqu'à la fin de l'épreuve. Laperle et Rowe s'échange la deuxième position à tour de rôle.   Au 125ième tour, Clark domine toujours, mais Rowe a le meilleur sur Laperle. Et c'est ainsi que ce termine cette finale de 150 tours avec Johnny Clark comme grand vainqueur, suivi  de Mike Rowe et de Patrick Laperle. Scott Chubbuck # 77 et Alexandre Gingras #27 complète le «Big Five».Belle performance de Jean-François Déry et de Kevin Roberge.   Sport compacte Coupe BESYBUY Pièces d'Autos Trente-deux voitures pour cette finale de 100 tours sans aucun drapeau jaune. Les honneurs de cette 1er tranche de la Coupe Bestbuy revient à Dominic Jacques, VOITURE # 7 de Vallée-Jonction, suivi de Philippe Poulin, voiture #33 de St-Georges et de Steeve Godbout, voiture #100,9 de St-Lambert. Domination complète de ces trois pilotes qui ont mené la course dans l'ordre du début à la fin. Steeve Ladouceur de Mirabel, Dominic Jacques de Vallée-Jonction et Ian Phaneuf de St-Charles-Sur-Richelieu ont remporté leur qualification respective. Kamikaze et Limité En Kamikaze la victoire finale revient à Martin Bisson de Saints-Anges, suivi de Martin Gagnon de St-Agapit et de Jessy Bolduc de St-Georges. En Limité, Stéphane Lecours remporte la semi finale. La finale a été remise au 1er juillet.   PROGRAMME À VENIR :   C'est VENDREDI, 1er Juillet à 19H30 que se tiendra le prochain programme avec la deuxième visite de la Série Sportsman Québec dans le cadre du MIX 99.7 Sportsman 100. Trente voitures d'inscrites dont Pier-Luc Labbé #25 de St-Joseph et Karl Drouin #39 de Vallée-Jonction, deuxième et troisième au classement qui mettront tout en œuvre pour déloger Sylvain Labbé #40 de St-Joseph, le meneur au championnat.   La Série Vintage en sera à leur seule visite de la saison avec Langis Caron et plus de vingt-cinq voitures en piste. Les LIMITÉ et KAMIKAZE également de la partie. Un rendez-vous du vendredi soir 19h30 à ne pas manquer.   André Gagnon, Relationniste Autodrome Chaudière, Vallée-Jonction

 

Pro All Stars Series news - Mason Dixon Meltdown race report

Justin Wakefield wins PASS Mason-Dixon Meltdown; Preston Peltier captures  South and National Titles   Newport TN (10/16) The Pro All Stars Series (PASS) headed to Newport Speedway (TN) on Saturday, October 16th, for the “Mason-Dixon Meltdown” to close out the 2010 Super Late Model South and National championship series with both titles up for grabs.  Heading into the night’s action, Ryan Blaney led Preston Peltier by a mere four points, while Peltier led Johnny Clark by 11 in the National Championship standings.  Andy Loden set fast time, but it was Justin Wakefield taking the checkered flag first while Peltier took advantage of Blaney’s misfortune to win the South title as well as the National title.

 

“I don’t have any words for it,” said Peltier, the only South regular in series history to win the National title.  “It is cool.”   31 drivers took to the track for qualifying.  While many drivers wanted to claim the final fast time of the season, it was once again Loden on top of the charts with yet another track record, a 12.362 second lap around the Newport Speedway.   “The car is just really fast,” said Loden.  “I have never really been good at qualifying until this year.  I don’t know really what happened.  We haven’t done anything different.  We just have a fast car for qualifying now.”   Wakefield, Clark, Blaney, Trey Mitchell, Jay Fogleman, Ben Rowe, Heath Hindman, Kyle Bonsignore and Dylan Presnell rounded out the top-10 qualifiers.   11 cars lined up for the six transfer spots in the 15-lap last-chance race.  Bradley McCaskill and PASS newcomer Blake Jones started side by side with Jones getting the jump on the start.  On lap 10, a car spun in front of the leaders, collecting McCaskill and Scott Patton, taking them out of transfer positions.  On the restart, Jimmy Weller and Trevor Sanborn, who were disqualified in post-qualifying inspection, rocketed to the top-two positions and held on up front to transfer into the feature, along with Jones, Kenzie Ruston, Ed Surette and Tim Pinion.   The top-10 redraw placed Mitchell and Loden on the front row, leading Wakefield, Clark, Fogleman, Blaney, Bonsignore, Hindman, Rowe, Presnell and the rest of the field to the green flag for 200 laps of racing.  When the green flag dropped, Loden jumped out to the lead with Clark making his way to the second position.   As Wakefield passed Clark for the second position, the first yellow flew with an incident involving Jake Crum, Jody Lavender and Surette in turns one and two.  All were able to continue.   On the restart, Wakefield jumped to the lead in front of Loden and Mitchell.  As they looked to settle in, the second yellow came out on lap 25 as Jimmy Doyle and Ruston got together, which also involved Jones.  Ruston and Jones were able to continue, but Doyle’s car suffered front end damage, ending his night.   After a lap on the track, Loden went back into the lead, but the third yellow came out on lap 28 for debris after Surette’s car appeared to lose power in front of Lavender, who made contact with Surette’s machine, dispersing debris on the track.   On the outside, Wakefield powered back to the lead when the field went back to green, bringing Blaney with him around Loden.  At lap 58, Wakefield appeared to slip up in turn four, which put Blaney and Loden up in the top-two spots.  A few laps later, at lap 65, Loden passed Blaney to reassume the top spot, and Mitchell went to third as Wakefield’s car started to drop off the pace a bit.  Eventually Wakefield had to pit and lost a lap, but later would get the “lucky dog” and get back on the lead lap.   Shortly after, South points leader Blaney started showing sparks under the right side of his race car.  He stayed on the track, but dropped back through the field, finally pitting on lap 84.  He came back on the track a few laps later, but was a few laps off the lead lap, ending his bid for the South title.   “The right front went flat,” said Blaney.  “We tried to ride it out as long as we could, but we couldn’t get a break.   “We had a good year.  Hopefully we can come back next year and beat them.”   The fourth yellow flag flew on lap 93 for debris.   Loden held the lead on the restart until the competition caution, which came out on lap 115 so drivers could opt to change the two right side tires and make adjustments.  Mitchell, Clark, Rowe and Peltier rounded out the top five at the break.   When the field  went back green Loden held the lead with a hard-charging Clark on his back bumper until the yellow flew on lap 119 for a spin in turn three involving David Flynn and Weller.  Both were able to continue.   Clark decided it was his time to lead, taking  the top spot from Loden on the restart.  Loden didn’t appear satisfied with running second though as he kept the pressure on Clark, retaking the lead at lap 126.  Rowe was running third, but a few laps later, Peltier worked his way around Rowe for the third position.   The caution came out on lap 144 as Presnell appeared to have spun on his own down the backstretch, also collecting Tim Pinion.  Both drivers were ok, but their machines were not as they both had to head to the pits.   The following restart once again had Clark leading the field as Loden and Peltier battled hard for the second spot, trading the position a few times until the yellow flew for debris at lap 158.  During this yellow, Mitchell, who was running in the top five, pitted for adjustments, moving Wakefield back into the top five behind Clark, Loden, Peltier and Rowe.   Clark and Loden held the top-two spots when they restarted, but Wakefield made a bold move, moving up to the third spot before the yellow flew at lap 166 when Steve Legendre and Derek Kneeland got together in turn two.   Loden was able to snag the top spot once again when they went green, but the yellow flew on lap 178 for a single-car spin back in the pack.   Wakefield, who moved to second before that last yellow, worked his way to the lead shortly after the restart by Loden and held on to win the event.   “It was a hard-fought battle tonight,” said Wakefield.  “We had a car to win this race, and I didn’t care what anyone else thought.  We were going to win this and I wouldn’t let anyone get in my way.   “The bleeder came out of the left front caliper and I had no front brakes,” said Wakefield about his early-race issues.  “We tried to stay on the lead lap as best we could.  We got that break at the right time and were able to get it taken care of.  We got back on the lead lap and started picking them off one at a time.   “I am glad to get a Georgia boy on that thing,” said Wakefield about the trophy.  “We are in the South and that is the way it is supposed to be.”   Loden, Rowe, Peltier and Clark rounded out the top five.  Peltier’s fourth-place finish earned him the PASS South Super Late Model and National Super Late Model titles.    “I can’t thank these guys on the crew enough,” said Peltier.  “This Johnson Motorsports team was a big underdog coming into this year.  That was our goal to win this championship, and we did it.   “Earlier in the season one of my car owners told me I was racing like a girl out there and that I needed to go back to the way I was driving, so I went out and got it done tonight.   “It means a lot.  We are a low-buck team and struggle week in and week out.  To get this is really special.”   For more information on the Pro All Stars Series, visit www.proallstarsseries.com.   Unofficial Results – Mason-Dixon Meltdown 200 – Newport (TN) Speedway – October 16 2010   1 Justin Wakefield 2 Andy Loden 3 Ben Rowe 4 Preston Peltier 5 Trevor Sanborn 6 Johnny Clark 7 Trey Mitchell 8 Heath Hindman 9 Jay Fogleman 10 John Batten 11 Jimmy Weller 12 Kenzie Ruston 13 Mart Nesbitt 14 Jake Crum 15 Jeff Myers 16 Ryan Blaney 17 Derek Kneeland 18 Steve Legendre 19 Kyle Bonsignore 20 Dylan Presnell 21 David Flynn 22 Tim Pinion 23 Jody Lavender 24 Lee Tissot 25 Blake Jones 26 Jimmy Doyle 27 Mike Slone 28 Ed Surrette 29 Terry Smith