by Jay | Jan 5, 2010 | Canada, Maine, New England, PASS
FARMINGDALE, Maine — Johnny Clark is getting an early start on the 2010 PASS North Series season.
Clark, a 4-time PASS North champion, was among the first three drivers to register with the sanctioning body for the upcoming season as he seeks to become the first driver to win five championships in the PASS North Super Late Model ranks.
“There’s no reason to believe we can’t contend for a fifth championship,” said Clark, who won back-to-back series championships in 2008-2009. “The same team is coming back, with (crew chief Robert Green) heading it up. I think it’s going to be a great year for us.”
That year kicks off this coming weekend, Jan. 8-10, at the Northeast Motorsports Expo at the Augusta Civic Center, just a few miles down the road from Clark’s Farmingdale home. Clark will be on hand to sign autographs on Friday night and again on Saturday afternoon.
The racing season begins in earnest with the opener at Speedway 95 in Hermon, Maine, on April 18.
Clark has 19 career PASS North victories to rank second all-time in the series. He’d not only like to break the 20-win plateau this season, but he’d also like to snap a tie with Ben Rowe for the most career PASS championships.
Green, of Benton, Maine, will be back as crew chief on the familiar black, red and yellow No. 54 Port City/Clark’s Car Crushing Chevrolet which won three times in 2009.
“The bottom line is that he wants to win races and that’s it,” Clark said of Green. “That’s really it. He doesn’t go to the racetrack to make friends. That’s a little hard sometimes, because it even goes for our own team, but he simply wants to win races.
“You’ve got to respect that.”
The 30-year-old Clark also won championships in the 2004 and 2006 PASS North seasons, giving him three of the last four series titles. He’s one of only two PASS drivers with multiple championships and more than 15 career wins.
He hopes that the momentum from last year will continue to right through the first half of the 2010 season. Four of the first five series races will be held at tracks where Clark has visited victory lane — Speedway 95, Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, Speedway 660 in Geary, New Brunswick, and Unity Raceway.
But winning isn’t everything on the path to the championship, Clark said.
“You’ve got to be consistent all year,” he said. “The competition is so tough on this tour that you can’t really afford to have any bad races, especially early in the year.
“We’ll be ready, for sure.”
by Jay | Jan 2, 2010 | Maine, New England, PASS
PASS Stars Clark, Rowe, Fogleman highlight Northeast Motorsports Expo autograph sessions
Naples ME (January 1 2010) The New Year is upon us, and race fans from all over northern New England will converge on the Augusta (Maine) Civic Center next weekend for the Northeast Motorsports Expo, the traditional lid lifter to the new racing season. The Pro All Stars Series (PASS) will once again celebrate the New Year in Augusta with autograph sessions from racers in every division.
One of the many highlights of the January 8-10 event will be appearances by 2009 PASS North Super Late Model Champion Johnny Clark and 2009 PASS South and National Champion Ben Rowe. Clark is celebrating his fourth PASS North title, while Rowe now has the distinction of being the only driver to claim all three PASS super late model Championships.
A special guest will join Clark and Rowe in Augusta on Friday and Saturday. PASS South star Jay Fogleman will make the trip from Durham North Carolina to meet and greet northern super late model fans. Fogleman has more than 100 career wins to his credit and track championships at Orange County, South Boston and Ace Speedways. He’s won four times at Martinsville Speedway and has nine wins in the former Hooters ProCup series. In 2009 Fogleman finished fifth in the PASS South super late model standings with three wins, six top five and nine top ten finishes in his fourteen starts. Fogleman chased Rowe for the PASS National Championship title as well, finishing fifth.
PASS officials will be on hand throughout the weekend to answer questions; rules and schedules for all four PASS divisions will be available.
The autograph schedule:
Friday January 8 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM: Jay Fogleman, Ben Rowe, Johnny Clark
Saturday January 9 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Jay Fogleman
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM: Ben Rowe and Johnny Clark
Expect a number of additional drivers to join Clark, Rowe and Fogleman for the autograph sessions. Keep an eye on www.proallstarsseries.com throughout the week for more driver appearances.
Northeast Motorsports Expo gets underway Friday January 8th. Doors open at 5:00 PM and the show wraps up at 10:00 PM. On Saturday January 9th show hours are 10:00 AM – 9:00 Pm and Sunday January 10th the Expo runs from 10:00 AM until 3:00 PM.
by Jay | Dec 19, 2009 | Maine, New England, PASS
Center Harbor, NH (December 18, 2009): Former NASCAR Camping World Series East and American Canadian Tour Champion Brad Leighton announced today a partnership with Richard Moody Racing to race in the Pro All Star Series (PASS) Super Late Model Series for the 2010 season. Leighton will run his familiar #55 on RMR’s Ford Fusions. Sponsorship negotiations are still underway.
“I’m very excited to be announcing this deal,” said Leighton. “One of the most important reasons I decided to do this was because of the people – it’s a good team. I worked with (crew chief) Brian Burgess and some of the other team members a few years back when I ran some races with SP2 Motorsports, and he’s a real sharp guy. At that time, SP2 was at the top of their game, and I view this team, Moody Racing, at the same level. This is one of the best teams in the PASS series – no doubt about it.”
Richard Moody Racing has raised the bar on competition in the PASS Series. With driver Ben Rowe, the team earned the 2009 PASS South Championship and finished runner-up in the 2009 PASS North point standings. Their combined regional accomplishments earned them the PASS National title for the 2009 season. In addition, they won a championship in 2007 with Rowe behind the wheel.
Leighton has been equally successful in his driving career. He’s won championships in the American Canadian Tour (1995) and NASCAR Camping World Series East (1999 and 2000), won the New Hampshire Motor Speedway track championship four times (1998, 2000-02), and finished 11th in the American Canadian Tour point standings last season after competing in only eight races. He won at Thunder Road and Lee USA Speedway.
“At this point in my career I don’t view any opportunity as one of filling anybody’s shoes or a seat, or needing too live up to their success,” said Leighton about the new partnership. “Ben (Rowe) has been extremely successful with this team and obviously inherited the genes from his father. I have a lot of respect for both Mike Rowe and Ben. It’s a father and son that have enjoyed success that’s unparalleled in the Northeast and possibly at any short track level.”
Leighton will kick off his duties as RMR’s driver late next month when they head to New Smyrna Speedway in Florida for the Winter Fest 150, a PASS National race.
“Some of the guys in my race shop had worked with Brad in the past and told me that we should talk to him about driving our cars,” said car owner Richard Moody. “I met with him at his hotel in Auburn (Maine) and we got along really well. We want to have fun racing and I think we’ll be extremely competitive. We’re going to put some good cars underneath him and Brad’s record speaks for itself.”
Leighton’s schedule will include venues on both the North and South divisions of the Pro All Star Series. Full details of his schedule, which will include stops on the American Canadian Tour, are pending and will be announced at a later date.
by Jay | Dec 8, 2009 | Maine, Wiscasset Raceway
Wiscasset Raceway re-introduces ENDURO racing for 2010
Your browser may not support display of this image. (Wiscasset, ME) The Center of Speed, Wiscasset Raceway, is going back to the grass roots of racing for the 2010 season. After announcing all Sunday Twilight Racing, Wiscasset Raceway is proud to present another innovation for 2010. A brand new weekly program for real street cars, preparing them for racing competition Enduro style. Enduro racing is an entry class series whose rules are designed to keep costs down. Enduro cars really are “stock.” Most start out as wrecks, which are bought from auctions or junkyards. Enduro cars are much more affordable to maintain as well. For many Enduro racers, the off season means they simply throw a tarp on the car in the fall, and take it off in the spring. These cars are tough. “Speed is not necessarily what will make you win,” says one long time Enduro racer, “it’s more like longevity. You can’t win if you don’t finish.”
Anyone can prepare a street car for competition and bring it to The Center of Speed, Wiscasset Raceway, and compete in 2010. “We will have a v8/v6 Division, The Knox Bros. Auto Parts 4cylinder Division, a Mini Van Division, and a Powder Puff Division for ladies only,” says Doug White, owner of Wiscasset Raceway. “There will be one Division running each week with a Fall Brawl at the end of the season as our grand finale. These Divisions bring back an affordable way for everyone to have a chance to compete.” For more information about Enduro racing in 2010 check the Wiscasset Raceway website at www.wiscassetraceway.info . Steve Smith, sales and marketing manager for Wiscasset Raceway looks ahead to the 2010 season, “We’re looking for ways to make Maine racing more affordable and more exciting for race teams and race fans. We’ve lowered the price of our pit passes and have been working with a number of sponsors on ticket promotions.” Wiscasset Raceway is looking forward to seeing both new and veteran drivers competing in their 2010 Enduro Divisions. As Doug White is known to say, “BE THERE!”
by Jay | Nov 30, 2009 | Maine, Wiscasset Raceway
Wiscasset Raceway and Walker Racing announce Sunday Twilight Racing!
Your browser may not support display of this image. (Wiscasset, ME) At the very beginning of stock car racing the bootleggers would race on Sunday afternoons to see who had the fastest moonshine car. The first Daytona 500 took place on a Sunday. Now Wiscasset Raceway will race on Sundays! The Center of Speed, Wiscasset Raceway, is constantly searching to improve racing in Maine and have decided to break the trend of Saturday night racing and start a new Maine racing tradition with Sunday afternoon Twilight Racing. “We feel that going to Sunday afternoon events will free up time for the fans to take care of normal work and family obligations which often happen on Friday and Saturday,” says Doug White, owner of the Wiscasset Raceway. “This is a great opportunity for race teams throughout the State to have an alternate day to be able to race!” Dave Walker, from Walker Racing, was instrumental in the switch to Sunday racing in 2010. “I’ve heard from 20 or 30 different race teams that would love to race on Sundays,” said Dave. “This will give lots of teams a chance to race more than once every weekend.”
According to Steve Smith, sales and marketing manager for the raceway, Sunday Twilight Racing is just the first of many innovations planned for 2010. “We want to make racing more affordable and more exciting for race teams and race fans,” says Steve. “We have new divisions, big events and lots more in the works for the new year.” Stay up to date on all the breaking news and big events for 2010 on the Wiscasset Raceway website www.wiscassetraceway.info. Doug White adds “We look forward to seeing all of the fans, race teams, and sponsors in 2010 for our new Funday Sunday Twilight Racing. BE THERE!”
by Jay | Nov 30, 2009 | Maine, NASCAR, New England
Modified Champion Gahan Passes
Maine Resident Was The 1966 National Champion
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Ernie Gahan, the 1966 NASCAR Modified national champion, passed away Thursday night at his home in Cranberry Isles, Maine at the age of 83.
Gahan, originally from Dover, N.H., got his start in auto racing at his hometown track – Dover Speedway – in 1948 after serving more than two years as an Army military policeman in Germany following Word War II. After getting his start at Dover, Gahan competed in the NASCAR Sportsman division until 1965, when he moved over to Modifieds.
Gahan compiled 6,560 points during his 1966 run to the title to distance himself from runner-up Bugs Stevens and third place Ray Hendrick. Driving a 1936 Chevrolet coupe, Gahan won 15 of the 71 races he entered that season, but led Hendrick by just 48 points heading into the season finale in Atlanta, Ga. Hendrick was caught up in an early race accident and Gahan crossed the line 10th to earn the crown.
Gahan made 11 starts in what is now known as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series from 1960-66. He was bestowed the Buddy Shuman Award for outstanding contributions to NASCAR following an incident in which he helped Tiny Lund rescue Marvin Panch from a fiery crash prior to the 1963 Daytona 500.
Winner of an estimated 300-plus races during his nearly three decades as a racer, Gahan was a member of the inaugural New England Antique Racers Hall of Fame in 1998 and was a 1990 New York State Stock Car Association Hall of Fame inductee. Additionally, he is a member of the Maine Motorsports Hall of Fame and Beach Ridge Motor Speedway Hall of Fame.
Gahan was in attendance at the 2007 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Awards Banquet as many of the NASCAR Modified champions gathered to kick-off the celebration of 60 Years of Modified Champions. He was honored for his 1966 title at the 2008 Spring Sizzler at Stafford.
“Ernie was part of the Modified legacy that has helped make NASCAR what it is today. He was a great racer and true New England legend,” said Jim Hunter, NASCAR vice president for corporate communications. “On behalf of NASCAR and the France family, our thoughts and prayers go out to Gahan’s family and friends.”
Services for Gahan will be held Wednesday at Purdy Memorial Chapel, 2 Concord Rd., Durham, N.H. The wake will be from 12-2 p.m., followed by the funeral service.
