NAPLES, ME (June 30) – Pro All Stars Series (PASS) AIM Recycling Super Late Models Pres. By Kenny U-Pull from across the United States and Canada are busily preparing for their Independence Day weekend debut at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon coming up this Saturday and Sunday. The AIM 60 will be the first time North America’s longest running Super Late Model series has ever competed on a 1-mile oval and they will be joined by the North East Mini Stock Tour (NEMST) and an open race for the Sportsman/Limited Late Models. And, if that was not enough, Sunday’s event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway will be the third race of the PASS National Championship Series, attracting many top PASS racers from the Southeast to the Granite State, including Tate Fogleman and Spencer Davis.
One of New Hampshire’s top short track racers is second generation driver DJ Shaw. Following in the footsteps of his dad, Dale, DJ has made a name for himself in the sport, winning the 2014 PASS AIM Recycling Super Late Model Championship. After a slow start to this season, DJ feels like he and his Precision JLM team have hit their stride after taking their first win of the year last weekend at Lee USA Speedway. Shaw was among a handful of drivers that participated in a test at New Hampshire back in May and he hopes that knowledge can translate to perhaps the biggest win of his career.
“The test went about as expected for us, it took a little longer for myself to get up to speed than I would have liked,” says Shaw. “I don’t think we were too bad, but we needed a little bit more to be as fast as Ted Christopher and some of the other quick guys.”
Generally racing on tracks measuring a half-mile and smaller, the 1-mile New Hampshire Motor Speedway will present challenges to the PASS contingent rarely, if ever, seen. One of the most unique aspects to Sunday afternoon’s race will be the element of drafting. Approaching speeds as fast as the Cup cars and Modifieds that have raced at Loudon for years, Shaw believes fans will see something they have never seen before in the AIM 60, especially not from Super Late Model race cars.
“It’s hard to tell what the draft will do because I didn’t run around too many cars during the test,” says Shaw. “But, I can tell you for sure that if you get a good run off of the corner, it will be important to stay in the gas until the very last moment and try a slingshot move down into the corner.”
As a child, DJ had the opportunity to watch his dad race around New Hampshire Motor Speedway. And, as a matter of fact, he will be one of only a handful of drivers in Sunday’s race who have actually competed there themselves in various types of other machines. That, plus the added momentum of winning last weekend at Lee, has Shaw believing he might be able to capture another win close to home.
“It’s pretty cool being a home state driver going back to the big track,” said Shaw, referring to New Hampshire Motor Speedway. “I’ve shown signs of speed there in the past, but could never really put together a good finish. So I’m really excited to have another shot at it in a car that I’m more familiar with and comfortable in.”
A great field of PASS AIM Recycling Super Late Model Presented By Kenny U-Pull is expected this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the history making AIM 60. Shaw will be joined by Mike and Ben Rowe, Ted Christopher, Derek Ramstrom, and Kelly Moore, all whom have raced at Loudon in the past. Tate Fogleman and Spencer Davis will be making the trek North, along with Kyle Busch Motorsports teammates Kaz Grala and Christopher Bell, RW Motorsports drivers Dalton Sargeant and Vinnie Miller, and Connecticut’s David Garbo, Jr., driving for the North Carolina-based Fathead Racing team. Former PASS AIM Recycling Super Late Model champions Cassius Clark and Johnny Clark will lead the Main contingent along with Scott Mulkern, Reid Lanpher, David Oliver, Richie Dearborn, Glen Luce, Bill Penfold, Dave Farrington, Jr., Mike Hopkins, Billy Brady, Joey Doiron, Dillon Moltz, and Trevor Sanborn. In addition to Shaw, a strong group of drivers from New Hampshire will attempt to make Sunday’s race including Bryan Kruczek, Mark Lundblad, Jr., and Eddie MacDonald. PASS regulars Raphael Lessard and Eric St. Gelais are planning to come down from Quebec, while Kyle Desouza will make the trip from Massachusetts.