Joey Doiron: NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Beech Ridge Motor Speedway Race Preview
THE STORY
Joey Doiron of Berwick, Maine, enters NASCAR Whelen All-American Series competition when he races in the season-opening event for the Pro Series division at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough, Maine, on Saturday, May 28. Doiron, who has a career-best PASS North Series finish of fourth at the track in 2010, has never competed in a 40-lap weekly event at the track. It will be his second time out this season with a car that made its 2011 debut at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Wilkesboro, N.C., early last month.
THE FACTS
WHO: Joey Doiron, Berwick, Maine
TEAM: No. 73 JBJ Machine/Dale Shaw Race Cars Chevrolet
CREW CHIEF: John Doiron, Berwick, Maine
BEST CAREER BEECH RIDGE PRO SERIES FINISH: N/A
LAST RACE BEECH RIDGE PRO SERIES FINISH: N/A
WHAT: NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Pro Series 40
WHERE: Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, Scarborough, Maine (.333-mile oval)
WHEN: 6:30 p.m., Saturday, May 28
PASS North Series
LAST RACE: May 7, Star 150, Star Speedway, Epping, N.H. (10th)
NEXT RACE: June 11, PASS 200, Speedway 660, Geary, N.B. (.333-mile oval)
CURRENT POINTS POSITION: 11th
DID YOU KNOW?
Joey Doiron will take out the car he raced at North Wilkesboro. After a cut tire caused a wreck in that car, this will be its first time back out on a track.
In his spare time, Joey Doiron competes in go-kart races both indoors (during the winter) and outdoors.
Joey Doiron finished 4th in the 2010 PASS season opener at Beech Ridge in 2010. He also started on the outside pole for the PASS 300 at the track last September.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
JOEY DOIRON, Driver of the No. 73 JBJ Machine/Dale Shaw Race Cars Chevrolet, On taking an unproven car with a new engine to Beech Ridge: “It’s more of a test for us this week, just because we haven’t raced that car. We just want to go out and shake it down. It was nice to have a week off (with a PASS rainout at White Mountain Motorsports Park last Saturday), just so we could go through things another time. We didn’t have a bunch of time to do that last week because we were working so hard just to get the car ready.
“We’re still going to try and win this weekend, obviously, but we also want to make sure the car is good.”
On having good friends DJ Shaw and Brad Babb in the race on Saturday, too: “Ah, (laughing) f we can go over there and come out without any wounds to our friendship, it will be a positive.”
On why he likes Beech Ridge so much: “It’s just home. I’ve always gone there. All my friends race there. Track-wise, I’ve always just done really well. It’s more about finesse with your stuff and being there at the end than at some other places.
“That doesn’t necessarily apply to a weekly race as much, a 40-lap sprint race, don’t have to race for 100 laps just trying to save it for the last 50 laps.”
On approaching a 40-lap Pro Series race differently than a 150-lap PASS North Series race: “The sprint race part of it will be a little different. I guess you just go and treat it like it’s a 40-lap heat race and go after it as hard as you can.
“You don’t need to have anything left at the end.”
UP NEXT
The PASS North Series heads north of the border for the PASS 200 at Speedway 660 in Geary, N.B., on Saturday, June 11… Joey Doiron will be looking for redemption at Speedway 660 after he finished 25th in that race after being wrecked on Lap 8 of the 200 scheduled laps.