PR- Eric LaFleche Photo – Sharlene Morris Myers
(Oxford, Maine) – Derek Griffith is by all accounts having a breakout year on the Pro All Stars Series (PASS). Currently sitting fifth in the season points battle, the Hudson, NH youngster took aim at a pair of races held at the Oxford Plains Speedway this past weekend.
“We went up to Oxford to try and just get more seat time, said Derek. That track is certainly tricky; I think the key to getting around it is really just experience.”
Griffith and the No. 12 FEP Insurance/LCM Racing Toyota race team headed up on Saturday to take in a weekly 50-lap event. Unloading very quick has been the norm this year, thanks in part to Crew Chief Louie Mechalides, “Louie has us dialed in, right out of the shop, he is invaluable to what we’re doing this year”, says Griffith.
Derek would finish in third place on Saturday after starting I sixth on the twenty-car field and feeling confident for the Sunday PASS 100-lap “non-winners” race. This race would see the top-3 finishers receive a provisional starting position [if needed] into the 2016 H.P. Hood Oxford 250.
Derek was among the fastest of the 36 Super Late Models on hand, consistently in the top-5 through all practice sessions. The car changed throughout the day and unlike Saturday, the car became loose. “We had an awesome car for the weekly 50-lapper, said Griffith.
The car did the total opposite on Sunday, but we got some great notes to build upon for the 250.”
Griffith ended up coming away with a fourteenth place finish on Sunday and hopes to build on that when they return to the 3/8th-mile Oxford Plains Speedway on August 28, 2016 in his pursuit of capturing his first Oxford 250 crown.
Derek will be back in PASS Super Late Model action this Saturday, July 9th as the series heads to Beech Ridge Motor Speedway for the Southern Maine Chrysler Dodge Jeep 150. Post time is set for 7:00 PM. The last time the series visited Beech Ridge, a mechanical issue forced Derek to bow out early and he ended up in 33rd position.
Follow Derek on Social Media on Facebook at Facebook.com/derekgriffith18 and Twitter at Twitter.com/derekgriffith12