Racing resumed on Saturday night at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway with the return of the Pro All Star Series. The touring series was slated to run 150 laps in addition to the track’s weekly divisions, the Wildcats and the Sport Series.
Travis Lovejoy challenged Joe Morse for the early lead in the first Wildcats heat, later stealing away the top spot on lap 5. Dave Cameron was also on the move in the early laps, breaking into the top 5 on lap 7 after starting in the tail end of the field. Travis Lovejoy got loose on lap 8, heading into the dirt as the first caution flag of the night waved.
Joe Morse took the lead on the restart, pulling away from the field. Ryan Lund got loose on the restart, falling to the rear of the field on lap 10. Joe Morse was able to hold off his competitors, taking home the first heat victory of the evening.
Drivers were 3-wide for the lead on the initial start of the second Wildcats heat. Cody Webster took over the lead as Josh Childs crept into the runner-up spot behind him just a few laps later. Cody Webster was able to hold him off, sailing into the heat victory.
Clyde Hennessey made it look easy in the first Sport Series heat, coasting away with the victory in the #8 machine.
Chasing the Checkered driver, Charlie Sanborn, started on the pole in the second Sport Series heat and pulled into the early lead. Bubba Pelton quickly made his way up to the runner-up spot behind Sanborn, hungry for the lead. Joe Pastore took it 3-wide on lap 5 while battling for position, knocking Alex Lacognata into the outer groove. Lacognata later came to a stop in front of the pit entry, bringing out the caution.
Terry Merrill took control of the lead on the restart, later running away with the heat victory.
The #14 of Mark Napolitano spun early in the first 10-lap PASS Modified’s heat, but the field remained green. The move powered the #85 of Jariet Harrison into the lead, with Austin Teras (in Kate Re’s #10 car) moving into the runner-up spot. Harrison was able to hold off Teras for the victory, taking home the heat win.
Ben Tinker pulled into the early lead over Gary Shackford in the second PASS Mod’s heat and never looked back, collecting the heat victory.
Spud Speedway winner, Derek Griffith, and Scarborough’s Garrett Hall started on the front row for the first Pro All Star Series qualifying heat. Derek Griffith quickly pulled into the lead as Ryan Robbins was on the move behind him, moving into third. Garrett Hall was right there on lap 8, challenging Griffith for the lead. He completed the pass that lap and later ran away with the heat victory.
Joey Pole and Joey Doiron started on the front row for the second PASS qualifying heat. Joey Pole pulled into the early lead as Doiron fell back to mid-pack. Trevor Sanborn was all over Joey Pole for the lead on lap 4, later using a crossover move on lap 8 in turn 2 to position himself at the top of the leader board. Sanborn was later able to capture the heat victory.
Maine racing legend, Mike Rowe, powered into the early lead in the final PASS qualifying heat. Reid Lanpher pulled to his inside for the lead on lap 8, hungry for the top spot. Rowe was able to inch Lapher out for the heat victory, beating the #59 to the line by a hair.
Nate Leavitt took away the early lead in the 30-lap Wildcats feature. The #33 of Travis Burrows began blowing up in the early laps of the race, potentially resulting in both Dave Cameron and Joe Morse taking spins on lap 7 in turns 2 and 4. Burrows was black flagged under the caution, being forced to take his #33 machine down to the pits.
Josh Childs was on the move after the race, powering into the top five on lap 10. Joe Morse took another spin on lap 14 in turn 1, collecting both Dave Cameron and returning competitor, David Vaughn. This led to the second caution of the feature.
Dan Bean made his way into the lead on the restart as Cody Webster filed in behind him in second. Bean took home the victory, picking up his second feature win of the season. Cody Webster, Josh Childs, Cole Watson and Nate Leavitt followed, rounding out the top five.
Clyde Hennessey took off with the early lead in the 35-lap Sport Series feature as Terry Merrill made his way into the runner-up spot. By lap 15, there was a 2-car breakaway at the front of the pack.
Alex Lacognata was on the move toward the mid-point of the race, breaking the top 5 on lap 20 after facing troubles during the heat. He made his way to the inside of Devin Curit for fourth on lap 25, taking over the spot.
Bubba Pelton began to smoke on lap 31, retiring his car to the pits that lap. Clyde Hennessey was able to pull off the win, but spun in turn 1 after crossing the finish line. Terry Merrill, Frank Wear, Alex Lacognata and Devin Curit followed, rounding out the top five.
The PASS Modified’s took to the track next for their 40-lap feature. The #14 of Mark Napolitano powered into the early lead as Jariet Harrison fell out of the groove, falling to the rear of the pack. Ben Tinker took a spin on lap 3 in turn 2, leading to an early-race caution.
The #60 of Gary Shackford took over the lead on the restart. Shackford and Napolitano made contact in turn 4 after Shackford took over the lead, leading to Shackford dumping fuel all over the track in his #60 machine. Shackford was black flagged, but failed to come down into the pits. This led to his disqualification from the race.
Austin Teras made his way into the third spot on lap 12, but was later overthrown by Ben Tinker, who had recovered after his spin earlier in the race. Bruce Helmuth took over the lead on lap 18 in turn 2. Tinker made his way around Adam Gray for the runner-up spot on lap 26. He was later all over Bruce Helmuth for the lead on lap 34. Austin Teras was on the move once again, powering back into third on lap 35.
The #27 of Josh Hedges took a spin on lap 36 in turn 3, leading to a late-race caution.
Ben Tinker restarted in the top spot, seeing that he took over the lead just before the caution. Hedges took another spin on lap 37 in turn 3, leading to yet another caution.
Tinker was able to run away with the victory, followed by Bruce Helmuth, Austin Teras, Adam Gray and Jariet Harrison.
Garrett Hall pulled away with the early lead in the Pro All Star Series 150-lapper, but Reid Lanpher was on the move behind him. Lanpher had made his way from fourth to the runner-up spot by lap 8, later capturing the top spot from Garrett Hall on lap 11. By lap 34, the leaders had caught the tail-end of the field. The #9 of Kyle Welch came to a slow on lap 48, making his way down to the pits and ultimately, ending his night early.
Ryan Robbins took a trip to the pits shortly after Welch, where his crew got to looking under his hood for several laps. Robbins later returned to the track, but was out of contention for the win.
Curt Gerry was on the move during the mid-stage of the race, making his way around Joey Pole for seventh on lap 65. He later cleared Brandon Barker for the sixth spot on lap 71, still fighting to break into the top five after starting the race in 15th.
Trevor Sanborn made his way around Garrett Hall for the runner-up spot, but Reid Lanpher had already expanded his lead to a full straightaway over the rest of the pack.
As Garrett Hall fell back to sixth on lap 84, Curt Gerry made his way around both DJ Shaw and Mike Rowe for third. Gerry had tracked down Sanborn for second on lap 121, eventually stealing the spot two laps later.
No driver was able to catch Reid Lanpher, as he went sailing into the victory. Curt Gerry, Trevor Sanborn, Mike Rowe and DJ Shaw followed, rounding out the top five in the caution-free feature.
PASS racing continues on Sunday, July 9th, at Oxford Plains Speedway with the running of the PASS 150.
But, you can catch NASCAR Nite again this upcoming Saturday, July 14th, with all 3 weekly divisions returning to the track.
Get out there and support your local short track.
We hope to see you there!
Thank you again to Drown Excavation and Four Season Synthetic for their endless support for Chasing the Checkered. Contact Drown Excavation for all of your demolition and excavation needs and Four Season Synthetic for all of your oil, lube and filter needs!
