PASS tour updates from Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, 7/5/08

[NickHolt]

I had so much fun on Wednesday, I decided to make it back to this tidy third-mile, semi-banked oval - almost a circle - for the Firecracker 150 for the PASS Super Late Models. All green flag racing for the best asphalt teams in the Northeast - according to some. The ACT Tour is probably equal in stature up in these parts.

 

Looks like over 30 SLMs will take the green if they all survive qualifying. They will go 150 green flag laps with no half-way break.

 

Also the PASS modifieds, which are very similar to an IMCA modified or our own Pro Modifieds. Stock front clips and eight inch tires, but slicks instead of treaded.

 

The Beech Ridge Sport Series (THR Super Stocks), Wildcats(THR Thunder Stocks) and Road Runners (CC Speedway Thunderstocks with stock v-6 engines and automatics) are also on tap.

 

Should be fun.

 

Nick

[NickHolt]

Travis Benjamin and Richie Dearborn got out first in the first PASS 14-lap heat of 11 cars. Only the top 7 move to the feature. Adam Bates took over the lead on lap 9 putting Richer Dearborn to second. Lots of action for the top seven spots.

 

Bates takes the win... Richie Dearborn, fastest-in-practice Travis Benjamin, Alan Wilson, DJ Shaw, Ben Rowe and Kelly Moore all move to the main.

 

Second heat has Cassius Clark on the pole with Scott Mulkern outside pole. Clark and Mulkern out first with Trevor Sanborn making a strong bid for second early. Clark extends his lead and takes an easy win with Sanborn, Clark, Mulkern, Steve Knowlton, Derek Ramstrom and Bobby Dragon also qualifying.

 

Third heat... Dereck Ramstrom on pole, David Oliver outside pole. Scott Chubbuck and Johnny Clark look strong in row two. Chubbuck takes over second with 6 to go.. At the end a couple of drivers at the rear of the field got together a few times, but nobody spins. First time if seen any sort of overly aggressive driving in the heats. Overall, all three heat races were run very cleanly with only two cautions for solo spins. Ramstrom takes the win with Scott Chubbuct, David Oliver, Donnie Whitten, Mike Rowe (father of Ben Rowe), Johnny Clark and Steve Berry all make the feature.

 

A consi will decide the rest of the field.

 

The Pass Modifieds ran two quick 10-lap heats with seven cars in each heat.

 

Bill Dixon won the first heat while Gary Norris took the second. These cars for the most part are fairly evenly matched and remind me very much of the Pro Modifieds. Their feature should be a good show.

[NickHolt]

I missed the V-6 Road Runner race, but 22 Wildcats took their green for their 30-lap feature.

 

These guys don't fool around. Three wide racing most of the time and everyone giving 110% for the full house in the grandstands. Lots of side-by-side and three wide racing. These guys get it on but somehow manage to rub without taking each other out. On top of that, all the high-point average guys have to start at the back and work their way up through the field.

 

Gary Babineau won after opening up a little lead as the field got bunched up a bit behind the second and third-place cars. second through five finished in a tight little bunch...

 

Very entertaining race with only one yellow for a spin by someone up front very early in the race...

[NickHolt]

Five PASS SLMs will qualify from the 11-car 10-lap consi. Bub Bilodeau on the pole after getting hung up in traffic in his heat. Alex Haase on the outside pole.

 

Bilodeau out first with Dan McKeage hot on his tail after he gets by Hasse at the start. Both top two drivers from the home track.

 

THe race for the transfer between Mike Harnish and Walt Hammand gets very hot and Harnish, who was involved in some aggressive driving in his heat, takes Hammond out going down the front straight on lap seven. Harnish sent to the rear.

 

Bilodeau out first on the restart and takes the win with Alex Haase, Dan McKeage, Alan Tardiff and Jeremy Davis making the feature the hard way.

[NickHolt]

Twenty-six Sports Series class take the green for their 35-lap feature. I'm not even going to try to keep with who's who, but talk about tight racing! I'm just setting back and watching the action all over the track!

 

The first yellow on lap 15 for a solo spin. The leader on the restart is rookie Bradley Babb with rookie Patrick Thorne to his outside. The side-by-side restarts really make things pretty exciting. 24 cars still in competition.

 

Babb takes command at halfway of the 35-lap event. It was a real treat to watch the points leader in the class, a young lady by the name of Sally Gherardi, work her way up from the very back through a bunch of traffic.

 

Up front Babb and Larrabee go side by side for at least seven laps until a couple of cars got together to bring out the first "contact" caution.

 

At the lap 27 restart Sally Gherardi is now 9th with Babb and Larrabee still side by side.

 

Frank Wear moves into a strong third as Babb gets a bit loose coming off turn four allowing Larrabee to take the point. Russel Morse works his way into fourth with two to go. Gherardi goes outside and takes an amazing fifth. Larrabee wins with Babb second, Wear third Morse fourth and Gherardi fifth.

[NickHolt]

Up next is the 40-lap PASS Modified. Bill Dixon on the pole. Gary Ellis outside pole.

 

This was a bit rough at the start with Bill Dixon possibly missing a shift and getting freight trained as the field scatters around him... all make it through. But on lap four, several cars stacked in turn one after some pushing and shoving down the front straight.

 

On lap eight, several cars piled up in turn 3-4 to bring out a yellow.

 

Kenny Harrison has the lead but got involved in a bumping session down the front to bring out another yellow before a lap completed. Harrison sent to the rear.

 

Bill Dixon, meanwhile, has worked his way back to the front after his missed shift at the start.

 

Things settle down a bit as the laps wind down with the top nine cars all in a tight bunch and side by side and sometimes three-wide! Tom Oliver and Dixon going at it for the lead at lap 18 with Gary Norris making it a trio for the lead.

 

At lap 27 Tom Oliver finally takes the lead from Dixon.

 

A lap later a caution for contact between a couple of cars who ended up hooked together down the front straight and into the tire wall.

 

On the restart it's Tom Oliver, Gary Norris, Kenny Harrison who had been sent to the rear earlier and Rob Herrick lead the field to the green on lap 29.

 

Herrick takes over third from Harrison on lap 34. The top four must have magnets or something.

 

At the line it's Tom Oliver, Gary Norris, Bob Herrick and Kenny Harrison.

 

What a wild one. Not quite as clean as some of the other classes, but very entertaining.

[NickHolt]

The PASS 150 is next with 33 cars filling the 1/3-mile track.

 

Adam Bates and Cassius Clark on the front row. Derreck Ramstrom and Richie Dearborn on row two. Trevor Sanborn and Scott Chubbuck in row three. Travis Benjamin and Scott Mulkern in row four.

 

It's only 9:00 p.m. and we've finished everything but the 150-lapper...

 

Nice track. Nice field of cars. Nice weather.

 

Other names you might recognize. Bub Bilodeau, Mike Maietta, Bobby Dragon, Kelly Moore, Mike Rowe and Ben Rowe.

 

Before a lap was completed, the back of the field piled up on the back straight after a car grazed the backstraight wall and came back across the track... Complete restart.

 

But some of the favorites like Bub Bilodeau and Kelly Moore and Donny Whitten and Bobby Dragon and several others including Walt Hammond have damage.

 

Dragon rejoins before the green flies.

 

The whole field is side by side for the first several laps with the leaders all in a tight bunch. Finally Cassius Clark takes the lead over Adam Bates.

 

Alex Haase rolls to a stop just off the front straight to bring out caution number 2. ...

 

Clark and Bates line up side by side for the restart. Bates, on the outside takes the lead as again the whole field is side by side behind the two leaders, the only cars on the track who are not side by side.

 

At lap 10 Bates is feeling some pressure from Scott Chubbuck who is side by side with Clark...

 

Dragon pits on lap 14. Mulkern pits on the next lap.. Up front the top 10 cars are nose to tail all bunched up. Lots of give and take going on out there.

 

Now Chubbuck and Bates still battle up front on lap 20 with a slight gap to Clark. Derrick Ramstrom makes a great pass on Ricie Dearborn for fourth and joins the top four up front.

 

The battle for fifth between Daerborn and Trevor Sanborn heats up at lap 25.

 

Finally, after 30 laps, the leaders encounter lapped traffic.

 

Bates is very smooth through traffick and opens up a bit of a gap on Chubuck and Clark. Dearborn fades a bit in fifth. Chubbuck makes a great move in traffic to pic off Bates and take over. Ramstrom now puts pressure on Bates.

 

At lap 50 it's Chubbuck by several car lengths over Bates and Ramstrom who wage a fierce battle for second. Finally, on lap 58, Ramstrom gets by Bates for second and takes off in pursuit of the leader Chubbuck, who is half a straight ahead. In fourth it's Clark who is running a very smart race conserving his tires for the long run.

 

Trevor Sanborn very consistent in fifth as is DJ Shaw in sixth. The Rowe father son team are running eighth and nineth at lap 72 and patiently working lapped traffic to their advantage.

 

At lap 90 it's still Chubbuck by several car lengths over Ramstrom. DJ Shaw joins the top five after getting by Sanborn.

 

Tires will be the name of the game from here on out as some cars are starting to slip and slide around at Lap 95.

 

Chubbuck once again has trouble getting around some lapped cars afnd Ramstrom closes in at lap 100

 

At 102 Dearborn, running in sixth, starts to smoke.. smells like a rubbing tire.

 

At 105 it's still Chubbuck with a solid lead, Ramstrom trying to make up ground, Bates hanging tough, Clark running smart and Shaw making up the most ground at this point.

 

Dearborn, on lap 111, gets into the back of points leader Ben Rowe coming off turn and Rowe ends up hard into the wall to bring out the yellow.

 

Lots of cars make pit stops. Couldn't keep up with who did and who did not pit. Dearborn pits for sure to see what's causing the smoke trailing from his car.

 

The lineup is now Chubbuck, Ramstrom who gets to close the gap, Bates, Clark, and Shaw. But wait.. Ranstrom pits just before the green while running second... Bates lines up second.

 

The leaders go side by side for a couple of laps with Bates taking the point on lap 113. Shaw moves into third after a great restart.

 

On lap 118 Chubbuck gives Bates a big look as Shaw closes on the leaders. Clark not far behind as Mike Rowe moves into fifth.

 

With 25 to go, the battle up front gets very heavy as paint is exchanged lap after lap. Meanwhile Shaw, Clark and Rowe close in and watch the battle up front..

 

With 20 to go the top four are nose to tail with Rowe not far behind. Chubbuck and Bates side by side with Shaw first on one bumper and then the other. Shaw moves to the outside of Chubbuck but gets peeled off by lapped traffic...

 

Now the leaders are cledar for half a lap and the top four go get after it...

 

Caution for a spin on lap 141 by Aaron Ricker in turn four stops the excitement that was building big time. Phew. This is some fantastic racing.

 

With a clear track and 9 laps to go this should be good.

 

On the restart Clark, running fourth, gets turned around by Rowe but re-fires to avoid a caution. What a sportsman-like move.

 

Whoa, Chubbuck spins his tires a bit on the restart and Bates and Shaw scoot by as he recovers. The top three are again nose to tail. Shaw looks inside and outside several times and gets beside Bates but can't make it stick.

 

At the checkered, the top three wind up nose to tail with Bates, Shaw, Chubuck, Rowe and Bill Rodgers in fifth and Trevor Sanborn in sixth.

 

I get the word that Rowe was penalized to the rear of the lead lap to finish 9th.

 

This race featured many intense battles and come very close competition. Reminded me a whole lot of some of the TIDA SLM events of years gone by...

 

Unofficial Order of Finish – Pro All Stars Super Late Model 150 – Beech Ridge Motor Speedway – Scarborough ME - July, 5, 2008

 

1) 98-Adam Bates, Warner NH Weaver Bros Construction Chev

2) 60-DJ Shaw ®, Center Conway NH Precision JLM Ford

3) 77-Scott Chubbuck, Dresden ME Hight Chevrolet Chev

4) 53R-Bill Rodgers, Old Orchard Beach ME Mainely Motorsports Chev

5) 22R-Aaron Ricker,Tamworth NH Ricker Auto Salvage Chev

6) 21-David Oliver, Standish ME

7) 44 – Trevor Sanborn, Parsonsfield ME Richard Moody and Sons Ford

8) 8 – Cassius Clark, Farmington ME E.J. Prescott Ford

9) 2- Mike Rowe ME, P.T. Watts Chev

10) 17-Travis Benjamin, Morrill ME Irving/Blue Canoe Variety Ford

11) 54-Johnny Clark, Hallowell ME Clark’s Cars Crushing Chev

12) 75-Gary Smith, Bangor ME Uncle Henrys.com Chev

13) 53 – Alan Wilson, Hebron ME

14) 7C – Jimmy Chambers ®,Atkinson NH Dieselland Chev

15) 22-Harry Olson®, Salisbury MA Olson Heating and Cooling Ford

16) O9- Jeremy Davis, Tamworth NH Cotton Trucking Chev

17) 33-Richie Dearborn, Hollis ME Chadwick BaRoss Chev

18) 25J-Gunnar Josselyn, Farmington ME On The Edge Chipping Chev

19) 97H-Walt Hammond, Orange NH Enfield Plumbing and Heating Dodge

20) 35-Derek Ramstrom, W. Boylston MA W. Boylston Auto Parts Chev

21) 40-Gary Bellefleur, Stetson ME Newport Industrial Fabrication Chev

22) 4-Ben Rowe, Turner ME Hancock Lumber Ford

23) 22H-Mike Harnish, Waterville ME

24) 15 – Steve Berry, Gorham ME Gorham Sand and Gravel Chev

25) 40M-Dan McKeage, Gorham ME

26) 10 – Bobby Dragon, Milton VT Ciotti Racing Products Chev

27) 88-Alan Tardiff, Lyman ME BBI Waste Industries Chev

28) 84-Scott Mulkern, Falmouth ME Community Pharmacies Dodge

29) 51H-Alex Haase, Concord NC Kyle Busch Foundation Toyota

30) 7W-Donnie Whitten, Wells ME Monster Energy Chev

31) 47-Kelly Moore , Scarborough ME NAPA Auto Parts Chev

32) 9-Bub Bilodeau, Standish ME H.P. Hood Chev

[racecar25]

thanks alot nick for the pass north updates!!!!! sounded like a great race.

[NickHolt]

Here's the write up by Norm Desjardins, the PASS Media Man. Norm was lots of fun to be around and really knows his stuff. Well-prepared. Very knowledgable. Been around racing for years. Knows Colt James, Steve Turner and a few others from our neck of the woods.

 

I'm amazed that our stories line up so well... I thought I was making a lot more mistakes than I actually was. They had three number 22's. And several other double numbers which made it very difficult for me to figure out who was who.

 

+++++++++++++++++++

 

For Immediate Release

 

Media, contact: Norm Desjardins – [email protected] or (603) 387-5598

 

Bates Scores first PASS North Super Late Model win at Beech Ridge

 

 

Adam Bates used the high groove to get the best of Scott Chubbuck after a lap 110 restart and kept the field at bay to the checkers to earn his first Pro All Stars Series (PASS) North super late model win at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway Saturday night. The nineteen year old Warner New Hampshire racer beat D.J. Shaw and Chubbuck to the line in a blanket finish. Beech Ridge regulars Bill Rodgers and David Oliver came home fourth and fifth in a race that was short on cautions and long on great racing all over the speedway

 

The feature got off to a rough start with a lap one back stretch melee that scattered the 32 car field .The mess sent Bub Bilodeau, Donnie Whitten, and Kelly Moore to the pit area for the night .Once underway, Bates and Cassius Clark set the pace up front and the pair battled side by side for several laps until Clark finally cleared Bates for the lead.. But Bates reclaimed the point a few laps later and Scott Chubbuck took over second from Clark . Chubbuck claimed the top spot o lap 41, and the super late model veteran set sail, with Derek Ramstrom now giving chase. The field stayed under green for nearly 70 laps with Chubbuck on a rail out front, Ramstrom giving chase in second and Bates, Clark and D.J. Shaw third through fifth.

 

The yellow flag finally flew on lap 110 when Ben Rowe pounded the back stretch wall while racing with Richie Dearborn for a top ten spot. Rowe was done for the night and Dearborn was held a lap for his contact with Rowe.

 

The caution set up a forty lap sprint to the finish, with Ramstrom to the outside of Chubbuck. But a mechanical issue sent Ramstrom to the pits before the green flag fell, ending another promising run for the Massachusetts teenager. Bates moved up to second on the grid and took advantage of the outside line to reclaim the lead and his first feature win in the PASS super late model division. Bates is the fifth different winner in five completed PASS North races this season.

 

The Pro All Stars Series visits Thompson International Speedway Saturday July 12th for the popular Full Fendered Frenzy. Qualifying begins at 4:15 PM with the feature following at approximately 7:30 PM. Get all the latest PASS news on line at www.racewithpass.com . Learn more about Full Fendered Frenzy by visiting www.thompsonspeedway.com .

 

Order of Finish – PASS North SLM 150 – Beech Ridge Motor Speedway – Scarborough ME – 7/5/08

 

1) 98-Adam Bates, Warner NH Weaver Bros Construction Chev

2) 60-DJ Shaw ®, Center Conway NH Precision JLM Ford

3) 77-Scott Chubbuck, Dresden ME Hight Chevrolet Chev

4) 53R-Bill Rodgers, Old Orchard Beach ME Mainely Motorsports Chev

5) 21-David Oliver, Standish ME

6) 44 – Trevor Sanborn, Parsonsfield ME Richard Moody and Sons Ford

7) 8 – Cassius Clark, Farmington ME E.J. Prescott Ford

8) 2- Mike Rowe, Turner ME P.T. Watts Chev

9) 17-Travis Benjamin, Morrill ME Irving/Blue Canoe Variety Ford

10) 54-Johnny Clark, Hallowell ME Clark’s Cars Crushing Chev

11) 75-Gary Smith, Bangor ME Uncle Henrys.com Chev

12) 22R-Aaron Ricker, Tamworth NH Ricker Auto Salvage Chev

13) 53 – Alan Wilson, Hebron ME

14) 7C – Jimmy Chambers ®,Atkinson NH Dieselland Chev

15) 22-Harry Olson®, Salisbury MA Olson Heating and Cooling Ford

16) O9- Jeremy Davis, Tamworth NH Cotton Trucking Chev

17) 33-Richie Dearborn, Hollis ME Chadwick BaRoss Chev

18) 25J-Gunnar Josselyn, Farmington ME On The Edge Chipping Chev

19) 97H-Walt Hammond, Orange NH Enfield Plumbing and Heating Dodge

20) 35-Derek Ramstrom, W. Boylston MA W. Boylston Auto Parts Chev

21) 40-Gary Bellefleur, Stetson ME Newport Industrial Fabrication Chev

22) 4-Ben Rowe, Turner ME Hancock Lumber Ford

23) 22H-Mike Harnish, Waterville ME

24) 15 – Steve Berry, Gorham ME Gorham Sand and Gravel Chev

25) 40M-Dan McKeage, Gorham ME

26) 10 – Bobby Dragon, Milton VT Ciotti Racing Products Chev

27) 88-Alan Tardiff, Lyman ME BBI Waste Industries Chev

28) 84-Scott Mulkern, Falmouth ME Community Pharmacies Dodge

29) 51H-Alex Haase, Concord NC Kyle Busch Foundation Toyota

30) 7W-Donnie Whitten, Wells ME Monster Energy Chev

31) 47-Kelly Moore, Scarborough ME NAPA Auto Parts Chev

32) 9-Bub Bilodeau, Standish ME H.P. Hood Chev

[Tazmaniac04020]

Hi nick,

So I take it you likes our little race track??

 

Yes all of the Sports series drivers are amoung the best. Along with the wildcats they really make up some good racing.

 

We all enjoy it up here as you can see. I bet we'll see you more than you want to show up.

 

My guys and I are still hoping you'd make for our car to get out there bt we'll see.

 

I'm glad you enjoyed the rtacing and yes its that much fun every weekend.

 

Thanks for the comments on our racing. just glad we had an outsider from down south who can enjoy it.

 

Thanks ,

Taz

Edited July 8, 2008 by Tazmaniac04020