(Naples, ME – October 7, 2007) The PASS Modifieds were led to the green by Tim Churchill in the #66 and Scott McDaniel in the #14 with the #33 of Bill Dixon close behind. Dixon lost a tire and brought out a yellow on lap 4, putting a quick end to what was looking like a good day.
By lap 10, Gary Norris, Jr in the #03 had worked his way to the point and was setting sail, looking for his fourth win of the season. However, the #1 of Chris Smith, the most recent winner at The PASS 400 Weekend at Beech Ridge, had other ideas, and on lap 18 he took over second.
At halfway, it was Norris, Smith, the #63 of Tom Oliver, and the team cars of the championship chase leader Chris Staples in the #5 and Mark Lucas in the #9. Jason Taylor in the #8, currently in fourth in the points chase, was coming on.
A quick yellow for a tangle between Scott McDaniel and Ron Gooden, Jr in turn three on lap 24 tightened the field. On the restart, Norris pulled out to a three car-length lead, but Smith wasn’t finished for the day. With ten to go in the 40-lap feature, Smith was knocking on Norris’ back door. Lucas, Staples, and Taylor were mixing it up behind Oliver who was third patiently waiting for Smith and Norris to sort it out.
At the checkers, it was Norris for win number four, Smith a fender behind, Oliver third, Lucas by a foot over Staples, and Taylor right on Staples at the line for sixth.
The PASS Sportsman cars rolled out for their 75-lap feature with the 35X of Kris Watson and the #40 of Mike Landry on the front row with points leaders Dan McKeage in the #38 and Jerry Harrison in the #48H in the second row.
Things change quickly in PASS Sportsman racing, and before they made it to turn two Watson pushed up taking Landry and Harrison high with him, and McKeage was the leader by the time they hit the backstretch. Several cars, including Landry, had to pit.
McKeage and Harrison were out front with Justin Karkos in the #18 settling in at third. Everything changed again on lap 14 when McKeage had a flat right front in front of the entire field sending everyone scrambling to avoid the slowing #38. On the restart, it was Karkos and Landry with Harrison and the #03 of local All Star competitor Tony Carroll right behind.
At the 25 lap mark, it was Landry in cruise control, Harrison, the #47 of Nate Weston, the #35 of Bobby Nadeau, the #55X of Kurt Hewins fifth. At lap 47, the “Traveling Man” Pete Fiandaca in his legendary #135 orange coupe went around in turn three bringing out the yellow.
At the 50 lap mark, it was still Landry out front in the great looking #40, followed by Weston, Harrison, Carroll, the 2007 All Star Speedway Super Street Champion Ron Bolduc in the #95 after battling his way into the top five, and McKeage back up to sixth after visiting the pits.
The first shower of the night hit on lap 60 bringing out a yellow, but the cars kept the track dry and after a 15 minute delay they went back green for the finish. Weston tried Landry on the outside for several laps, but the #40 was too strong and Weston was forced to fall in line ahead of Harrison, McKeage, Bolduc, and Carroll.
McKeage was strong on the outside, and over the last ten laps passed Harrison for third and added two points to his lead going into the season finale on Sunday afternoon October 14th at White Mountain Motorsports Park, N., Woodstock, NH as part of the big two-day PASS Championship Weekend.
Landry took the checkers at lap 75, followed by Weston, McKeage, Harrison, Bolduc, and Carroll.
The rains came again at the end of the All Star Modified 75 with John McKennedy taking the checkers. It rained hard for 45 minutes but ended at about 9:30. The track drying took about 45 minutes and the PASS Super Late Models rolled out for their 150 lap feature. After about 20 laps behind the pace car to get some more heat into the track, the field got the one to go, but then the rains came again and that was it. It was not possible to dry the track again before the 11:00 curfew – a race cannot start after 11:00 at All Star on Saturday night and a Sunday date requires a special permit.