photo by Norm Marx
Epping, NH – Defending Pro All Stars Series North Super Late Model champion Travis Benjamin of Belfast, Maine nailed down his first race victory of the season, prevailing in a close battle versus Reid Lanpher to earn top honors in Saturday night’s Support 50 Legs 150 at Star Speedway in Epping, New Hampshire.
Benjamin’s paint-swapping battle with Lanpher was just the final entertaining duel on the racy quarter-mile oval for the lead. The Weirs GMC-sponsored racer turned back other challengers during the 150-lapper, most notably from Johnny Clark and Joe Squeglia, Jr.
Clark, a six-time PASS North Super Late Model champion, looked like he had a shot at ending his recent dry spell as he swapped the early lead in the race. Squeglia, a proven winner in many stock car classes at Star Speedway, battled Clark for the lead and was still racing with the top-five when he was forced out of the event.
A long, paint-swapping battle for supremacy in the closing laps wildly entertained observers. Lanpher managed to inch ahead of Benjamin briefly while racing in the outside groove several times, but in the end the veteran Petit Motorsports driver prevailed.
Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. of Hudson, New Hampshire made an impressive charge into third position late in the race. Polewarczyk came out on top after racing hard against Derek Ramstrom of Worcester, Massachusetts.
Clark crossed the finish line in fifth position. Two-time PASS North Super Late Model champion DJ Shaw, Derek Griffith, John Peters, six-time champ Ben Rowe and Glen Luce rounded out the top ten.
The next PASS North Super Late Model event is scheduled for Sunday, May 10 at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Maine. For more information visit proallstarsseries.com or call (207) 539-8865.
Results from the Support 50 Legs 150 Pro All Stars Series North Super Late Model race at Star Speedway; Epping, New Hampshire; showing finishing position, car number, driver’s name, driver’s hometown:
PASS North Super Late Model (150 laps) 1 7 Travis Benjamin, Belfast, ME; 2 59 Reid Lanpher, Manchester, ME; 3 97 Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., Hudson, NH; 4 35 Derek Ramstrom, Worcester, MA; 5 54 Johnny Clark, Farmingdale, ME; 6 60 DJ Shaw, Center Conway, NH; 7 12 Derek Griffith, Hudson, NH; 8 51 John Peters, Westbrook, ME; 9 4 Ben Rowe, Turner, ME; 10 7 Glen Luce, Turner, ME; 11 00 Bryan Kruczek, Newmarket, NH; 12 40 Nick Sweet, Barre, VT; 13 41 Tracy Gordon, Strong, ME; 14 94 Garrett Hall, Scarborough, ME; 15 03 Joe Squeglia, Jr., Derry, NH; 16 15 Mike Hopkins, Hermon, ME; 17 5 Dillon Moltz, Waterford, CT; 18 16 Travis Stearns, Auburn, ME; 19 23 Glenn Martel, Belmont, NH.
.