by Jay | Oct 8, 2009 | PASS
Naples ME ( 10/8/09) The Pro All Stars Series (PASS) South super late model teams roll into South Boston (VA) Speedway next weekend for their longest (250 laps) and richest ($44,100 purse) race of 2009 and the PASS National Champion will be crowned when the checkered flag falls.
The Mason-Dixon Meltdown is fast becoming a fall tradition. With 250 laps on tap for the PASS super late models and another 250 lap feature for late model stock cars, the popular event will give the fans in the stands their fill of side by side, nose to tail full fendered short track racing that the Virginia oval is famous for.
The Meltdown is the final round of the four race PASS National Championship series, where Ben Rowe holds a comfortable 57 point lead over Mark Gibson and 71 points over Ryan Blaney for the title. Rowe has been dominant in the series, winning races one and three at Hickory Motor Speedway and Southern National and finishing third at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway. Those are numbers that are hard to beat, giving Rowe the inside track for the title.
The PASS National Champion will receive a Leavitt Racing Components super late model chassis and a complete Quarter Master racing clutch, bell housing and starter package in addition to the Champions hardware. That’s an additional $7,500.00 in product awards for the four race series plus all the cash that’s on the line.
Rowe also carries a 56 point lead into race 13 of the 14 race PASS South series standings. Rookie Ryan Blaney, Preston Peltier, Justin Wakefield and Heath Hindman sit second through fifth. The Turner Maine racer has four PASS North super late model titles on his resume and hopes to join his father Mike Rowe, the inaugural PASS South Champion in 2006, as a PASS South title holder.
Practice for both divisions is set for Friday, October 16 from 1:00 PM until 3:00 PM. Grandstand gates will open at 3:00 PM on Friday and will be followed by time trials for both races at 4:00 PM.
The Grandstand gates swing open on Saturday October 17 at 11:00 AM. A NASCAR Late Model last chance 50-lap race will get the green flag at noon and will be followed by a Fan Appreciation Session on the four-tenths mile asphalt oval. The first feature race of the day will get the green flag at 3:00 PM.
by Jay | Oct 5, 2009 | PASS
Naples ME (10/3/2009) – Ryan Blaney will need to bring a note to school on Thursday October 15th. He needs to be excused from class on Friday, but he’s not going to the dentist’s office or on a family vacation. On Friday October 16th he will be at “SoBo”, Virginia’s famed South Boston Speedway to prepare for Saturdays Pro All Stars Series (PASS) South portion of the Mason-Dixon Meltdown, a 250 lap super late model feature that brings together the top guns of super late model racing every fall.
The racing teenager sits second in the PASS South standings, trailing series point leader Ben Rowe by 56 markers in the chase for the title. His statistics are impressive; in twelve starts, Blaney has four top five and eleven top ten finishes, two pole awards, and 87 laps led. Those are impressive numbers, even for a young man that comes from a family of champions on both dirt and asphalt.
Blaney’s got one stat that he wants to change at South Boston, and that’s the goose egg in his PASS win column. His results show that he’s been out front and he’s been close to the top of the podium. A pair of third place finishes at Dillon and Orange County is his best to date, certainly nothing to sneeze at in a series so deep in talent. But, he’s won in every form of racing he’s attempted and he’s got the talent and team to make it to the top of the heap. He’s a rookie in the high horsepower super late model machines and his remarkable consistency has given him the kind of track time he needs to make his way to victory lane. Blaney knows that sitting in the pits watching with a wrecked race car does nothing for his learning curve, or for the respect he needs to race side by side with veterans like Ben Rowe, Jay Fogelman, and Preston Peltier.
Blaney and his team have two more shots at Pro All Stars victory lane, the Mason-Dixon Meltdown Saturday October 16th at South Boston and the PASS season finale, The Howler at Greenville-Pickens Speedway. Don’t count the young racer out at either venue. Ryan Blaney is a winner, from a family of winners. There’s little question that this talented racer will continue to carry on that tradition.
The engines will roar to life at South Boston Speedway on Friday, October 16 and Saturday Oct. 17. Highlighting the weekend’s activities will be a 250-lap race for Blaney and the touring PASS Super Late Model competitors. The PASS race is round four of the four race PASS National Championship Series, where Ben Rowe leads the title chase over Mark Gibson and Blaney. The weekend also features 250 laps for the region’s best NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock Car Division competitors
Practice for both divisions will be held on Friday, October 16, from 1:00 PM until 3:00 PM. Grandstand gates will open at 3:00 PM on Friday October 16 and will be followed by time trials for both races at 4:00 PM.
The Grandstand gates swing open on Saturday October 17 at 11:00 AM. A NASCAR Late Model last chance 50-lap race will get the green flag at noon and will be followed by a Fan Appreciation Session on the four-tenths mile asphalt oval. The first feature race of the day will get the green flag at 3:00 PM.
Check out the track’s website for the complete schedule of events at www.southbostonspeedway.com . Visit the Pro All Stars Series on line at www.racewithpass.com or www.proallstarsseries.com .
by Jay | Sep 29, 2009 | PASS
Naples, ME 9/29/09- Race fans wanted to see super late model action return to one of the nicest facilities in the state of North Carolina but Mother Nature decided that race teams and fans alike would have to wait an extra day for the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) South Southern National 150. That wait wasn’t near as long as Ben Rowe’s wait to return to victory lane in PASS South competition. So for Ben, the extra day wasn’t a big deal as he came from the back of the pack on the event’s final restart to claim his third PASS South win of 2009.
Jay Fogleman ruled time trials for his first career PASS South Pro Photo Productions fast qualifier award, but the top ten redraw put Preston Peltier on the point. Peltier quickly took the lap one lead and held it until a lap forty-two red flag due to a hard hit in the turn two wall by Chris Bowers. Under the red flag, Peltier’s right front tire went flat on his #5 machine forcing him to the pits for a change.
Georgia’s Justin Wakefield was the benefactor of Peltier’s bad luck and took over the top spot with Rowe right on his tail. It wasn’t long before the bad luck demons would strike Wakefield as well when the brakes went away on his #98 Ford giving the lead to PASS South and National point leader Rowe for the first time. Rowe would eventually give the lead up to Cassius Clark with fifty-five laps remaining. A yellow flag flew on lap 107 for a Dean Clattenburg spin which brought Rowe, who at the time was in third place, to pit road for adjustments.
The final forty-three laps went clean and green playing right into Rowe’s strategy allowing him to slice through the field and capture the win. Clay Jones finished a career high of second followed by Preston Peltier in third who recovered nicely from his flat tire. Cassius Clark kept his National Series hopes alive
Jody Measamer was victorious in the PASS LM Trucks. The win was Measamer’s third of 2009. Michael Cooper and series point leader Grant Davidson raced under the checkers second and third.
Next up for PASS South is the Mason-Dixon Meltdown at South Boston (VA) Speedway on Saturday October 17th. The event will mark the series one and only stop in the state of Virginia in 2009; “The Meltdown” is also the fourth and final round of the 2009 PASS National Championship series. For more information including tickets visit the track’s website at www.southbostonspeedway.com or call 434-572-4947.
For more information including schedules, standings, and results for all PASS sanctioned touring series visit their home on the web at www.racewithpass.com or www.proallstarsseries.com . For marketing or media questions contact Norm Desjardins at 603-539-3368 or for technical information contact Scott Reed at 207-625-3230.
Official Results PASS South/PASS National Series Round 3 – Southern National 150 – Kenly NC 9/27/2009
1) 4n Ben Rowe 2) 15 Clay Jones 3) 5 Preston Peltier 4) 8 Cassius Clark 5) 20 John Stancill 6) 10 Ryan Blaney 7) 91 Heath Hindman 8) 18 Bradley McCaskill 9) M3 Shelton Mcnair jr 10) 62 Mark Gibson 11) 23 Jimmy Weller 12) 48 John Batten 13) 98 Justin Wakefield 14) 53 Brad Bischoff 15) 39 Dean Clattenburg 16) 48H Brandon Head 17) 4s Jay Fogleman 18) 16 Joey Coulter 19) 79 Chris Bowers 20) 35 Devin Jones
by Jay | Sep 23, 2009 | PASS
Naples, ME 9/22/09- It’s been almost a year since the pit gates of Southern National Speedway have swung open to greet race teams. However, with the cooperation of track owner Kirk Leone and Pro All Stars Series (PASS) South owner Tom Mayberry, the silence will be replaced with 150 laps of green flag racing from some of the top super late model drivers in the country this weekend. The “Southern National Comes Alive 150” will mark not only the twelfth stop on the fourteen race PASS South tour but it will also double up as the third race of the four race PASS National championship series between both the PASS North and PASS South drivers.
The track has stood idle since last season’s Thanksgiving Classic race in which three time 2009 PASS South series winner Preston Peltier claimed the victory, starting shotgun on the field after showing up the day after qualifying had taken place. Durham, NC resident Jay Fogleman also scored a win last season at Southern National, winning the USAR Pro Cup race.
Several other drivers including Joey Coulter, Brad Bischoff, and two youngsters in Devin Jones and Bradley McCaskill have all filed entries for this weekends’ return to Southern National. Jones is coming off a pair of top ten runs at the Hickory Motor Speedway, while McCaskill has shown fans of PASS super late model racing that the small time guy with the family operation can still get it done as he posted a season best finish of fourth last race out at Hickory. Southern National track champion and current PASS South competitor John Batten will be fielding two cars, one for himself and one for Brandon Head who will be making his return to racing.
When it comes to the PASS National series championship picture, it’s Maine versus North Carolina. Ben Rowe, the PASS South points leader, holds the top spot over 2009 PASS North champion Johnny Clark. Defending national champion Cassius Clark from Farmington, Maine still has an outside chance of defending his title as he currently sits sixth in national points. Mark Gibson is right behind the top two in third, with Jay Fogleman and Ryan Blaney fourth and fifth. All three made the long haul north to Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Maine for the PASS 300 two weeks ago, giving themselves a shot to make their bid for the title. They are all vying for a Leavitt Super Late Model chassis and a complete Quartermaster clutch package that will be awarded to the 2009 National champion series titlist.
Not only will the PASS South super late models be in action but the PASS truck series will also make a return to the Kenly North Carolina facility. Jody Measamer is coming off of a win at Hickory Motor Speedway in the series’ last outing but it has been all Grant Davidson this season when you look at the championship standings. With just two races remaining before the first ever PASS truck series champion is crowned, Davidson holds a thirty six point lead over second place man Measamer. Plus, one of the strongest fields of 4 cylinders racers of the season will add local flavor to Saturday’s big event.
There’s an optional practice session scheduled for Friday afternoon September 25; the pit area opens at 2:00 PM and rotating practice runs from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM. Saturday September 26 is race day at Southern National. The pit area opens at 1:00 PM and rotating practice is on track from 3:00 until 4:30 PM. Time trials hit the speedway at 5:15 and racing gets the green at 6:15 PM. The speedways’ address is 8071 Newsome Mill Road in Lucama North Carolina.
For more information including schedules, standings, and results for all PASS sanctioned touring series visit their home on the web at www.racewithpass.com or www.proallstarsseries.com . For marketing or media information contact Norm Desjardins at 603-539-3368 or for technical information contact Scott Reed at 207-625-3230.
by Jay | Sep 19, 2009 | Canada, New England, PASS
Johnny Clark finishes fifth, earns fourth PASS North Super Late Model Championship
Naples ME (9/19/09) Richie Dearborn started on pole in Friday’s Pro All Stars Series (PASS) North Night of Champions 150 at White Mountain Motorsports Park and never looked back to win the PASS super late model feature. Dearborn led every lap and was never really challenged, despite the best efforts of Ben Rowe (second) and Kelly Moore (third). The victory was the fourth Pro All Stars Series win for Dick and Deb Dearborn’s family race team, moving the Hollis Maine veteran up to sixth in the career win column. His last feature win came during the 2007 season at Hermon Maine’s’ Speedway 95. Dearborn is the tenth different PASS North feature winner of 2009.
Travis Benjamin crossed the finish line fourth and Johnny Clark claimed fifth, enough to earn the Farmingdale Maine speed merchant a fourth (and second consecutive) PASS North Championship. Clark topped the ultra-completive super late model series stats with three wins, eight top fives and twelve top tens in thirteen starts. His unofficial margin of victory over Rowe for the title is 32 points. Kelly Moore will finish the season third in the standings, while Dearborn will move ahead of Adam Bates for the fourth spot with Bates fifth in the final tally.
Clark led 199 laps on his way to the championship. With the 2009 title Clark moves into a tie with Ben Rowe at four for most PASS championships earned.
Thirty cars attempted to qualify for the 25 car field, with a number of invaders on hand to challenge the series regulars. Tracy Gordon was back in the saddle, driving DJ Howard’s ride. The Strong Maine veteran parked early, finishing 24th. Former White Mountain late model ace Mark Patten ran second early on until his race car gave up. Mike Rowe was back, this time behind the wheel of his familiar PT Watts ride, but the PASS 300 winner didn’t have enough car to challenge for the win and crossed the line eighth. Alan Wilson (11th) and Unity PASS winner Randy Turner (12th) both had solid runs.
Matt Frahm earned his 3rd top ten finish of 2009 with a strong sixth and PASS rookie Steve Legendre returned to the track where his stock racing career began to finish seventh.
The race pace was fast and furious. Super late models tour the banked quarter mile in the low twelve second range and just two minor cautions slowed the field. Eleven cars finished on the lead lap; twenty of the twenty-five starters were running at the finish.
Mike Rowe, Cassius Clark and Johnny Clark each claimed a qualifying race; Scott Alexander won the consolation round.
There’s plenty of PASS Super Late Model racing left in 2009 as the PASS South and Nation al Championship series head down the home stretch. Saturday September 26 is round two of the PASS National series at Southern National Raceway Park in Kenly North Carolina, and then it’s on to South Boston on Saturday October 17 for the Mason-Dixon Meltdown, the final round in the PASS National Championship. One week later the PASS South Champion will be crowned at Greenville-Pickens Speedway when the PASS South season wraps up with “The Howler”.
All the latest Pro All Stars Series news and stats are on line at www.proallstarsseries.com or www.racewithpass.com .
Unofficial Results – PASS North super late model 150 – White Mountain Motorsports Park
North Woodstock NH – 9/18/2009
1) 33 Richie Dearborn, Hollis ME 2) 4N Ben Rowe, Turner ME 3) 47 Kelly Moore, Scarborough ME 4) 17 Travis Benjamin, Morrill ME 5) 54 Johnny Clark, Farmingdale ME 6) 14M Matt Frahm, N Salem NH 7) 20 Steve Legendre, St. Johnsbury Vermont 8) 2 Mike Rowe, Turner ME 9) 98 Adam Bates, Warner NH 10) 21 Donnie Lashua, Meredith NH 11) 53 Alan Wilson, Hebron ME 12) 1 Randy Turner, Readfield ME 13) Nick Ribbe, Kingston MA 14) 17A Scott Alexander, Orrington ME 15) 7 Donnie Whitten, Biddeford ME 16) 12 John Dabrowski, West Bridgewater MA 17) 4X Bradley Babb, Windham ME 18) 71 Corey Robert , Canaan NH 19) 09 Jeremy Davis, Tamworth NH 20) 0 Bill Whorff Jr. Topsham ME 21) 97 Walt Hammond Orange NH 22) 8 Cassius Clark, Farmington ME 23)01 Joe Decker, Chesterville ME 24) 14 Tracy Gordon, Strong ME 25) 07 Mark Patten, Belmont NH
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
