New Hampshire Bullring Promises 200 Laps of Great Super Late Model Racing
NAPLES, ME (June 25, 2007) – All-Star Speedway (NH) is one of the tracks on the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) North Super Late Model schedule where weekly competitors can dice it up with tour regulars. A number of veterans who know the place well, like Bobby Gahan, Eric Hudson and Babe Branscomb, are expected to enter the All-Star 200 on June 29th-30th and, of course, the regular stars of PASS North will be there as well – guys like Johnny Clark, Ben Rowe, Mike Rowe, Cassius Clark, Richie Dearborn, Travis Benjamin, Trevor Sanborn, Alan Tardiff and Derek Ramstrom.
Then there is Joey Porciello. The Lee, New Hampshire, driver really doesn’t fit any mold for this race. He’s a PASS North regular, but also a near-weekly competitor in the Pro Stock/Super Late Model class at All-Star. He’s a PASS North rookie, but he drives like a seasoned veteran – winning the season opener at Beech Ridge to start out his 2007 season well.
Oddly enough, though, even though Star is only minutes from Porciello’s hometown, he never raced there early in his career. Until Bobby MacArthur, a former Super Late Model racer himself, bought the track over this off-season, there was not a regular Late Model or Super Late Model class running at All-Star Speedway.
When Porciello did start turning laps at the facility, it was love at first drive. He won last fall’s PASS Outlaw Late Model race at All-Star Speedway. It was his first start there.
“We did pretty well there last year,” said Porciello. “We won the last Outlaw race there. That was my first time racing there. I really liked the place right away. This will be my first time running a PASS [North] race here, so we’ll see what we can do this time.”
Porciello has been running strong at All-Star during the off Saturday nights of the PASS North schedule this year.
“When I’m not racing on the PASS Tour, I’ve been racing there weekly. It’s been a fun thing to do. I’ve taken my old car out and had fun with it.”
Turning all of those laps there has made All-Star one of Porciello’s favorite tracks to compete on.
“It’s fun running a fast car on a tight track like that. It’s a real short track and that is what I’m used to. I haven’t been to any really big tracks, like Thompson, yet.”
Porciello is donning a yellow rookie strip on his bumper this year, but his victory at Beech Ridge to start the season made him stand out from the Class of 2007 right away.
“That first win really boosted my confidence,” said Porciello. “It really helped me. I was hoping that we would win at least one race this year, because I knew that I had a good car under me. But I really didn’t expect it to happen that soon and not at Beech Ridge. Had never really raced on a flat track before, and I didn’t think that would be my first place to win. I thought maybe at White Mountain or All-Star. I’m used to those short banked tracks.”
The All-Star 200 is scheduled for the same weekend as NASCAR Nextel Cup and Busch Series races at the nearby New Hampshire International Speedway. At least one Nextel Cup driver is planning to race at All-Star and numerous crew members and Cup fans have flocked to PASS North races that are near to NHIS in the past. Porciello is looking forward to that.
“That’s pretty cool,” said Porciello. “It’s good experience for me. Having a Cup driver or two will make the race more fun, and it’s always good to race in front of new fans.”
Qualifying for the All-Star 200 is set for Friday night, June 29th, with the 200-lap feature race slated for Saturday evening, June 30th.
For more information on the PASS South Series, contact Jeremy Troiano at (704) 788-2134; for information on the PASS North Series, contact Mike Twist at (207) 499-2565, and for technical and rules information on all of the PASS tours, please contact Scott Reed at (207) 625-3230. To find out more about marketing and sponsorship opportunities with PASS, please contact Steve Perry at (207) 468-0561.