photo by Norm Marx
Hermon, Maine — Cassius Clark of Farmington survived a rough-and-tumble finish to wrestle victory away from DJ Shaw in Sunday’s Hight Chevrolet 150 Pro All Stars Series Super Late Model race at Speedway 95 in Hermon, Maine.
Clark and Shaw, rubbing doors and fenders while trading paint in the closing laps, suffered mostly minor cosmetic damage until after the checkered flag, when contact from behind left the winner with a wrecked #77 Hight Chevrolet that never made a victory lane appearance with its’ triumphant driver.
Clark, looking as unhappy as any winner could in victory lane, expressed his displeasure at Shaw’s drive, even predicting “I don’t know who will be getting the big trophy in November, but I know it won’t be (Shaw).”
The winner, the reigning PASS Super Late Model champion, entered the afternoon ranked fifth in the championship standings, and winless on the season after ten events. Ben Rowe, suffering through an even worse run than race winner Clark entering the afternoon, led the first dozen laps before his car quit, handing the lead to Gary Smith of Bangor, who went on to suffer a multitude of troubles.
Cassius Clark, after starting fourth, led for awhile as Mike Rowe, Johnny Clark, Joey Doiron, Benjamin and Shaw climbed into contention from much farther back in the starting lineup. Positions changed frequently, especially following restarts, as the contenders formed an entertaining pack of frontrunners.
Shaw and Cassius Clark were the final combatants for top honors, and as the checkered flag waved over Clark he was on his way around and into the earthen barrier off turn one, emerging unscathed physically, but visibly angry with Shaw, who was ordered to appear at the proverbial “trailer” for a post-race discussion with series officials.
Shaw, who started the event from 14th position, led over 40 laps before settling for runner-up honors, unofficially, in the Precision JLM 60. Travis Benjamin of Morrill also led a fair amount of the event’s middle stages, and earned the final podium finish with his Belfast Variety 17.
Mike Rowe and Glen Luce, both from Turner, rounded out the top-five in the Super Late Model rundown. Berwick’s Joey Doiron was the sixth-place finisher, with Curtis Gerry of Waterboro seventh across the finish line. Multi-time series champion Johnny Clark of Farmingdale ended up in eighth position, with Adam Polvinen of Auburn and Winterport’s Ryan Deane rounding out the top-ten.
Joey Pastore led a podium sweep for Gorham, Maine racers, extending his lead in the championship standings with a win in the 50-lap feature race for Pro All Stars Sportsman Series competitors.
Pastore took the lead away from multi-time series champion Dan McKeage and cruised to victory lane for the third time this season. McKeage managed to hang on to second position by a comfortable margin over his father, Lyman McKeage.
Scott Dorr of Portland earned a fourth-place finish, with Kris Matchett leading a healthy portion on the event before crossing the finish line in fifth position.
JR Baril of Haverhill, Massachusetts held off a valiant charge by championship contender Scott Alexander of Newburgh to post the victory in the 40-lap main event for PASS Modifieds, driving the Bill Lake 00.
Alexander, locked in a close title battle with Mark Lucas of Harpswell, nailed down the runner-up finish but didn’t help his title hopes out much with Lucas in third-place under the checkered flag.
Andy Shaw ended up fourth in the Sumner Sessions 0, followed by Poland’s Tyson Jordan. Ron Henry of New Gloucester led the early stages of the event before troubles later on relegated him to a 10th-place finish.
Three events remain on the 2014 PASS North Super Late Model Series schedule. Saturday, September 6 the Autobus La Quebecoise Thunder Valley National 200 National Championship Series event at Autodrome Chaudiere, in Chaudiere Quebec goes off. The annual PASS 400 weekend at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, also a PASS National Championship Series race, is scheduled for Friday–Sunday, September 12-14. PASS North Super Late Models, Sportsman Series and Modified racers conclude their championship seasons on Saturday, September 27 at Oxford Plains Speedway.
For more information please visit proallstarsseries.com
Pro All Stars Series results from the Hight Chevrolet 150; Sunday, August 24, 2014; Speedway 95; Hermon, Maine
Super Late Model (150 laps) 1 77 Cassius Clark, Farmington; 2 60 DJ Shaw, Center Conway, NH; 3 17 Travis Benjamin, Morrill; 4 24 Mike Rowe, Turner; 5 7 Glen Luce, Turner; 6 73 Joey Doiron, Berwick; 7 7 Curtis Gerry, Waterboro; 8 54 Johnny Clark, Farmingdale; 9 73 Adam Polvinen, Auburn; 10 54x Ryan Deane, Winterport; 11 28 Mark Lundblad, Jr., Conway, NH; 12 15 Mike Hopkins, Hermon; 13 00 Bryan Kruczek, Newmarket, NH; 14 90 Craig Weinstein, Walpole, MA; 15 33 Richie Dearborn, Hollis; 16 75 Gary Smith, Bangor; 17 01 Andy Saunders, Ellsworth; 18 96 Wyatt Alexander, Ellsworth; 19 4 Ben Rowe, Turner; 61 TJ Brackett, Buckfield.
Sportsman (50 laps) 1 20 Joe Pastore, Jr., Gorham; 2 43 Dan McKeage, Gorham; 3 58 Lyman McKeage, Gorham; 4 60 Scott Dorr, Portland; 5 17 Kris Matchett, Skowhegan; 6 53x Andy Turbovsky, Winslow; 7 1 Brad Hammond, Turner; 8 01 Rob Drew, Center Lovell; 9 7a D.C. Alexander, Carmel; 10 66x Alex Lacognata, Scarborough.
Modifieds (40 laps) 1 00 JR Baril, Haverhill, MA; 2 17a Scott Alexander, Newburgh; 3 5 Mark Lucas, Harpswell; 4 0 Andy Shaw, Center Conway, NH; 5 86 Tyson Jordan, Poland; 6 14 Scott McDaniel, Livermore; 7 36 Ryan Robbins, Dixfield; 8 22 Doug McClure, Buxton; 9 33 Billy Dixon, East Waterboro; 10 05 Ron Henry, New Gloucester; 11 9 Evan Armington, Lovell; 12 27 Henry Sirignano, Jr., Middleboro, MA.