by Jay | Apr 27, 2010 | Beech Ridge, PASS, Thompson
Ramstrom Eyes More Super Late Model Starts
WEST BOYLSTON, Mass. — Hoping to capitalize on the momentum created earlier this month at the season-opening Icebreaker event at his home track, Derek Ramstrom has altered his 2010 racing plans.
The youngest track champion in Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway history, Ramstrom will attempt to win a second consecutive title in the track’s Super Late Model division. After winning both ends of an Icebreaker doubleheader for the Super Late Models, Ramstrom took a hard look at returning to weekly competition full-time.
“It’s a good opportunity and to go out and try and repeat,” said Ramstrom, 18, who originally planned to race only a partial schedule at Thompson. “I have a lot of track time there now, and every week I seem to run better and better. I’m just more on top of my game when I race there and know I can win the championship again.
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by Jay | Apr 27, 2010 | Beech Ridge, Maine, New England, PASS
PASS ready to rock Beech Ridge Saturday
Naples ME (4/26) PASS North’s tenth anniversary season gets underway on Saturday afternoon May 1st at Scarborough Maine’s Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, and racers and race fans from throughout the region are ready for the long awaited opening day.
There’s a healthy list of pre-entries in the headlining PASS super late model division. Adam Bates, Johnny Clark, Ben Rowe, Kelly Moore and Richie Dearborn all have to be considered threats for the opening day win. Travis Benjamin, Scott Chubbuck, Matt Frahm and Joey Doiron all run strong at the Ridge. Gary Smith, Donnie Whitten, Scott Alexander, Chuck Colby and John Higgins are all pre-entered plus fans can expect to see a number of Beech Ridge Pro Series regulars attempt to steal the touring pros’ thunder.
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by Jay | Apr 13, 2010 | Beech Ridge, Maine
Sanborn Returning To Roots At Beech Ridge
PARSONSFIELD, Maine — Trevor Sanborn hopes his home-track advantage will pay off every week this season.
Sanborn recently made firm his plans to compete in Beech Ridge Motor Speedway’s Pro Series division in 2010. It marks Sanborn’s return to NASCAR Whelen All-American Series weekly competition for the first time since 2006.
“It means a lot to me to go back to racing at Beech Ridge,” Sanborn said. “It’s where I grew up as a kid. To go back there and be around all the people and the fans, it’s where I’m comfortable, you know?
“I’m certain we can go there and run for a championship against some really good cars.”
Sanborn owns eight career Pro Series feature wins at the track. After leaving Beech Ridge’s weekly ranks in 2006, he won the PASS North Series Rookie of the Year award in 2007 driving for car owner Jay Cushman. He’s won a pair of PASS South Series events in his career, both in 2008, and made only a couple of starts in 2009.
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by Jay | Feb 8, 2010 | Beech Ridge, Maine, New England
Beech Ridge racers look forward to Racin’ Preview 2010 at the Portland Expo
Portland, Maine – Beech Ridge Motor Speedway will be well-represented by a wide variety of oval track racers at Racin’ Preview 2010, set for Friday and Saturday, February 19-20 at the Portland Expo.
Scarborough’s Beech Ridge Motor Speedway is in its’ seventh decade of providing outstanding family entertainment, these days both with the traditional Saturday night racing program – dubbed NASCAR Nites – and their groundbreaking Thursday Thunder program, successfully imitated by many other Northeastern tracks after being pioneered by track operator Andy Cusack well over a decade ago.
Not only is Beech Ridge Motor Speedway the lone NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racetrack in Maine, it’s also the Pine Tree State’s only oval hosting weekly competition at the Super Late Model division level. Future Maine Hall of Famer Mike Rowe is the reigning champion of that top-tier division, the NASCAR Pro Series.
At least a half-dozen of the sleek powerful NASCAR Pro Series cars will anchor the Beech Ridge Motor Speedway display at Racin’ Preview 2010. Several other divisions from the entry-level Whiz Kidz class up through the ultra-competitive NASCAR Sport Series will be well-represented at the Expo show.
A dozen or more other racetracks and touring series will join Beech Ridge Motor Speedway at Racin’ Preview 2010, including the touring Pro All Stars Series Super Late Models and the open-wheel Modified Racing Series, which will both be in action at Beech Ridge during the 2010 season.
Unity Raceway, Wiscasset Raceway, Speedway 95, Lee USA Speedway, Big Daddy’s Speedbowl, Canaan Fair Speedway and Bear Ridge Speedway displays showcase both dirt and asphalt weekly racing competitors and their racecars, scheduled to test the local tracks just a couple of months following Racin’ Preview 2010.
If stock cars from the oval track wars aren’t enough, Racin’ Preview 2010 will also feature Karting stars and cars from Richmond Raceway and racing lawnmowers from two Maine-based facilities: Redneck Raceway and Saco Pathfinders.
Along with today’s racers and their machines, an excellent display of Maine’s racing past will be presented by the Maine Vintage Race Car Association, with a salute to late NEAR and MVRCA Hall of Famer Homer Drew featured.
Doors at the Portland Expo open at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, February 19, with several autograph opportunities and other activities ongoing through 10:00 p.m. Saturday show hours are 9:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. A limited amount of commercial display space remains available.
For further information please call (603) 447-4251 or email [email protected]
Current associate sponsors of Racin’ Preview 2010 include Racin’ Paper, Pave Tek Motorsports of Kennebunk, Redneck Raceway of Acton, Saco Pathfinders, R & D Racing and Fabrication of Limerick, and Wayne Elston’s Speed Shop of Carmel.
by Jay | Nov 22, 2009 | Beech Ridge, Maine
Portland,Maine- Mike Rowe, Russ Morse, Lyman McKeage and Shawn Brackett were the guests of honor at the 61st annual presentation of awards at the Holiday Inn by the bay in Portland Maine Saturday night. The awards ceremony closed out the 2009 NASCAR Whelan All American Series at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in front of a capacity crowd in the banquet room.
Maine racing legend Mike Rowe was honored with the championship awards for the Pro Series division. Rowe received his championship awards from NASCAR and Beech Ridge and addressed the crowd in attendance recalling the NASCAR champions week in Charlotte and spoke some heartfelt words to his RJF Motorsports team. Rowe then recalled an evening this past season where he presented his feature winning trophy to Jordan Emerson, the young Whiz Kid racer injured in a crash 2 years ago and how that brought a big smile to her face. Rowe went one step beyond that on Saturday night as he announced that his championship trophy was going home with Jordan Emerson who was in attendance. Rowe made his way to the table Jordan was sitting at and presented his championship trophy to her much to the delight of the crowd.
Russ Morse stepped to the podium to collect the Sport Series championship awards. Morse capped off a brilliant season by thanking his team and family members who urged him to keep going when at times he didn’t think his heart was in it. This was the first championship for Morse in his 9 year racing career. Lyman McKeage collected his 3rd Beech Ridge championship on Saturday night. The elder statesman of the Wildcat division won the title by a scant 17 points and gave much of the credit to his team and family members who work tirelessly maintaining a fleet of 5 race cars that they use in various racing series’.
Shawn Brackett was the Road Runner champion for the 3rd consecutive year. Despite the fact that the Road Runner division is growing and the competition is getting tougher, Brackett stepped up his game to stay at the head of the class. Brackett thanked his family for the sacrifices they make so he can race as well as thanked his sponsors and team.
Several highly coveted awards were presented lead by the Driver of the decade award. Mike Maietta Sr. was the first winner of this prestigious award and Saturday night the award was presented to Bobby Babb. The annual Driver of the year award was announced and to nobody’s surprise Mike Rowe was the recipient of the award. The award for Outstanding new driver was presented to third generation racer Justin Cusack.
Rookie of the year awards went to Bradley Babb (Pro Series), Justin Cusack (Sport Series), Matt Gain (Wildcat) and Matt Dow (Road Runner). Most Improved drivers were Aaron Ricker (Pro Series), Nate Leavitt (Sport Series), Dan Bean (Wildcat) and David Turner (Road Runner).
The 2010 NASCAR Whelan All American Series at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway will kick off in May. Expect to see return visits from the Pro All Star Series and the American Canadian Tour as well as the True Value Modifieds.
by Jay | Sep 17, 2009 | Beech Ridge, Maine, PASS
Martin and Mcdaniel both winners on PASS 300 Sunday
The PASS Sportsman and Mod series each play a big role in PASS 400 weekend, and Sundays’ extra distance features showed why both divisions have grown to be fan favorites.
First up was 100 laps for the PASS Sportsman Series and with $2,000.00 to the winner it was guaranteed to be a wild one. Dan Mckeage and Richie Morse led the car field to the green. The pair ran side by side for the first five stanzas with Morse taking the advantage at the start/finish line and Mckeage filling the hole on the bottom. Carey Martin held the third spot but he was under siege from Nate Leavitt. Martin took second away from Mckeage shortly after and left Mckeage and Leavitt to battle for third. The caution first flew on lap 16 for a minor incursion, just as Martin powered around Morse for the lead. The caution flew one lap later, turning the tables on Martin, but when the field went green Martin managed to hold the lead on the bottom; Morse dropped into second and Lyman Mckeage came up to challenge Morse. Lyman had the better car at lap 25, taking second from Morse who was now feeling the heat from both Scott Dorr and Nate Leavitt. Dorr took over the third spot on lap 29 and went looking for McKeage and Martin.
Kyle Hart spun on lap 33 to bring the field back together once again. Martin was a match for Mckeage on the outside but Mckeage battled back to a dead heat on lap 36 and the lead when the pair crossed the stripe on lap 37. The race continued clean and green at the half-way mark with Mckeage by less than a car length over Martin, Dorr, Dan Mckeage, Mike Landry and Morse. The caution finally flew once again on lap fifty eight, and it was Mckeage’s turn to try from the bottom. Martin led lap 58 on the outside but the lead was far from decided. Mckeage retook the top spot one lap later but Martin continued to challenge with Scott Dorr waiting patiently in third. Martin made the outside move stick on lap 65 and Door took second away from Mckeage with Landry fourth and Dan Mckeage fifth. The front four had a healthy margin over the field. But Nate Leavitt and Bobby Nadeau went for a spinner on lap 75, setting up another restart. Martin powered up the inside to keep Dorr in second, but Mike Landry took the second spot away from Dorr five laps later. Dan Mckeage and Frank Ware came together on the back stretch, and the pair got into the back stretch wall.
Now it was Landry’s turn to take on Martin, and despite Martin’s efforts to move the 40 up the race track, Landry battled back on the outside to lead lap 87. Landry cleared Martin but he was never far away, and Donnie Morse had worked his way past Dorr for third. The final caution flew on lap 93, giving Martin another shot at the top spot. He took advantage and took back the point on the races’ final restart. Landry never had an opportunity to try the top and Martin crossed the line first, scoring his first Beech Ridge victory in many years. Donnie Morse came home third with Scott Dorr fourth and Nate Leavitt fifth.
PASS Mods were up next and Sumner Sessions jumped out front early but Scott McDaniel took over the top spot on lap 3. Greg Ellis chased the front pair in third and Steve Bennett Jr. was a ways back in fourth. McDaniel was in another zip code by lap 11, leaving Sessions and Ellis almost a straightaway behind. Point leader Andy Shaw was up to fourth by lap 14, Then third on lap 15 and setting his sights on the front two. Shaw was by Sessions on lap 20 but he had a long way to go to chase down the leader. The race stayed caution free from Green to checker and McDaniel never looked back, beating Shaw to the flag by over a straightaway with Scott Grant third, John Brill fourth and Sumner Sessions fifth.
Unofficial Finish – PASS Sportsman 100 – Beech Ridge Motor Speedway – 9/13/09
1) 18 Carey Martin Brownfield ME 2) 40 Mike Landry Oakland ME 3) 10 Donnie Morse Portland ME 4) 160 Scott Dorr Portland ME 5) 36L Nate Leavitt 6) 34 Richie Morse Waterford ME 7) 63 Ross Morse Buxton ME 8) 11 Marcel Chauvette Waterboro ME 9) 09 Frankie Eldridge Stratham NH 10) 61 R.J. Austin Norridgewock ME 11) 60 Kyle Hart Ctr. Conway NH 12) 2 Robert Emery Limington ME 13) 4 Allan Moeller Dresden ME 14) 22 Steve Bennett Sr. Buckfield ME 15) 8 Clyde Hennessey Windham ME 16) 3 Dalton Gagnon Lyman ME 17) 38 Dan Mckeage Gorham ME 18) 58 Lyman Mckeage Gorham ME 19) 80 Dana Reed Shapleigh ME 20) 02F David Fowler Jr. 21) 20 Frank Wear Scarborough ME 22) 7 Shane Tatro Levant ME 23) 35 Bobby Nadeau Hollis ME 24) 5 David Vaughn Naples ME 25) 7 Dave Chares t Westbrook ME 26) 78 J.T. Thurlow Scarborough ME 27) 19S Duane Seekins Stockton Springs ME 28) 55 Chris Smith Scarborough ME
Unofficial Finish – PASS Mod 50 – Beech Ridge Motor Speedway – 9/13/09
1) 14 Scott McDaniel Livermore ME 2) 66 Andy Shaw Ctr Conway NH 3) 27 Scott Grant Waterboro ME 4) 77 Jon Brill Bridgton ME 5) 50 Sumner Sessions Norway ME 6) 33 Bill Dixon N Waterboro ME 7) 56 Dan Somes Belgrade ME 8) 4 Wayne Whitten JR Arundel ME 9) 12 Steve Bennett Jr. Buckfield ME 10) 53 Leo Oliviera Raynham MA 11) 56x Rich Ferreira Raynham MA 12) 29 Greg Ellis Hermon ME 13) 03 Gary Norris W Gardiner ME 14) 85 Glen Bradbury Hollis Ctr ME 15) 2 Bub Bilodeau Standish ME