North Woodstock NH (May 23) Ben Rowe knows his way around White Mountain Motorsports Park. The four time Pro All Stars Series (PASS) Super Late Model Champion now has eight PASS North feature wins at the tidy high banked quarter mile after an exciting battle for the race lead with Travis Benjamin. Benjamin and Rowe got together on lap 135 of the 150 lap feature, and when the smoke cleared Rowe was out front and Benjamin was spun out in the infield.
It was all Rowe for the final fifteen laps, despite challenges from second place finisher Derek Ramstom and Richie Dearborn, who came home third. Chris Staples and Adam Bates were fourth and fifth, series point leader Johnny Clark sixth and Benjamin raced his way back to finish seventh. Donnie Whitten, Donnie Lashua and DJ Shaw completed the top ten. Thirteen cars finished on the leap lap.
Kelly Moore led early from the pole, challenged by Richie Dearborn and Cassius Clark. Clark took over second on lap 37 and Tony Ricci was looking strong in third until a lap 51 caution for Dave Farrington and Mike Thomas’ spins saw a tight pack of front runners get together trying to get slowed up for the yellow. Cassius Clark was a victim, as was Ricci
.
The lineup was jumbled with Moore still in command but Benjamin now sat in second, Ramstrom all the way up to 3rd from 15th on the grid, Ben Rowe fourth. and Adam Bates fifth. Benjamin took over the top spot, and Rowe raced past Ramstrom and Moore for second. Meanwhile, Benjamin ran away and hid from the field, building up a straightaway lead until the caution flew on lap 74 and brought him back to the pack. Rowe took advantage on the restart and led Benjamin at the half way mark, but Benjamin had the lead back by lap 80 and the front two were pulling away from the field when the race reached the 100 lap mark.
Lap 112 saw Kelly Moore go for a wild ride after a tap from Steve Legendre sent the veteran into the backstretch wall, up and over the top of the track exit wall and flipping. Moore‘s NAPA Auto Parts Chevy came to rest on its roof over the protective jersey barriers at the end of the track exit. No one was injured, but Moore’s ride was a total loss.
After an extended red flag to attend to Moore and his race car, the field got the green once again and Rowe took the lead from Benjamin, but Benjamin battled back to retake the point on lap 123. Another restart at lap 132 produced the same results, Rowe taking off to lead from the outside front row. Again Benjamin took the battle to Rowe, fighting back on the bottom. That’s when the pair touched and Benjamin was once again denied at least a podium finish and quite possibly his first PASS win of the season.
Moore, Johnny Clark, and Donnie Whitten each claimed heat race victories.
The PASS North touring pros take a week off before returning to Speedway 660 in Fredericton New Brunswick Canada for a 200 lap battle on Saturday June 13th. Ben Rowe will head south next weekend for round five of the PASS South Super Late Model season on Saturday May 30th for the Salute Our Heroes 150 at Coastal Plains Speedway in Jacksonville North Carolina. Rowe currently holds a 22 point lead in the PASS South Super Late Model standings over Ryan Blaney. Visit www.racewithpass.com or www.proallstarsseries.com for the latest standings for all five PASS touring series. Wednesday nights at seven tune in to “Live to PASS” at www.racetalkradio.com for an hour of PASS news with Alan Dietz and Dennis Michelson.
Unofficial Results
PASS North Super Late Model 150 – White Mountain Motorsports Park – No. Woodstock NH – 5/23/09 with finishing position, (starting position), driver, and home town
1 (12) Ben Rowe Turner ME 2 35 (15) Derek Ramstrom, Worcester MA 3 (4) Richie Dearborn, Hollis ME 4 (22) Chris Staples, Brunswick ME 5 (16) Adam Bates, Warner NH 6 (11) Johnny Clark, Hallowell ME 7 (7) Travis Benjamin 8 (2) Donnie Whitten, Biddeford ME 9 (14) Donnie Lashua, Meredith NH 10 (13) DJ Shaw, Center Conway NH 11 (5) John Danbrowski, W. Bridgewater MA 12 (8) Steve Legendre, St. Johnsbury VT 13 (18) Gary Smith, Bangor ME 14 (3) Cassius Clark, Farmington ME 15 (18) Scott Alexander, Glenburn ME 16 (10) Nick Ribbe, Kingston MA 17 (1) Kelly Moore, Scarborough ME 18 (6) 1C Tony Ricci, Gorham ME 19 (9) Matt Frahm, North Salem NH 20 (19) Mike Thomas, Lewiston ME 21 Dave Farrington Jr. Jay, ME 22 (23) Kevin Roberge P.Q. CA 23 Steve Knowlton Ipswich MA