Six-time series champion Johnny Clark notched his first Pro All Stars Series (PASS) victory of 2016 Saturday evening, leading all 150 laps of the Foley Oil 150 at White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, New Hampshire.
Clark, of Farmingdale, held off defending series champion Mike Rowe for top honors, while Massachusetts native Derek Ramstrom filled out the podium.
Scarborough native and two-time PASS North winner Garrett Hall came from last on the 17-car grid to finish fourth, while recent winner Travis Benjamin (Beech Ridge) of Morrill rounded out the top five.
Finishing sixth through 10th in the Foley Oil 150 were Nick Jenkins, Derek Griffith, Ben Rowe, Auburn’s Travis Stearns and polesitter Jeremy Davis.
Reigning PASS Modified class champion Andy Shaw, of Center Conway, New Hampshire, reclaimed the points lead Saturday with an impressive performance. Shaw drove by early leader Bruce Helmuth and pulled away for top honors in the feature.
New Gloucester veteran Ben Tinker charged up through the field to secure second at the finish, while Helmuth settled for third. Ryan Robbins of Dixfield, the points leader prior to White Mountain, came home fourth, while New Gloucester’s Ron Henry completed the top five.
Ryan Kuhn, of East Bridgewater, Massachusetts, outgunned regional legend Shaun Buffington to claim the 25-lap feature for Legends cars. Windham native Austin Teras powered his way to third just a few days after turning 14. Fellow Maine racers Trevor Sanborn and Kevin Girard Jr. rounded out the top five.
Barre, Vermont, native Cody Blake prevailed in a wild, caution-filled battle for the Tiger Sportsman division. Blake held off Shane Sicard and Derrick Calkins for top honors on the high-banked 1/4-mile oval alongside the Pemigewasset River.
Next up for PASS North teams is a return to Star Speedway in Epping, New Hampshire, on Saturday, Oct. 1, for a 150-lap battle.
MacDonald earns fifth ACT win at NHMS
In eight years of American-Canadian Tour (ACT) races at the prestigious New Hampshire Motor Speedway, one man has dominated the action. They may call him “The Outlaw,” yet he’s polished and refined when racing on the “Magic Mile.”
Eddie MacDonald, of Rowley, Massachusetts, started 31st on the 41-car grid and wasted little time powering up into contention during Saturday’s eighth annual tilt. MacDonald was running third when the event’s fourth caution came out for a four-car crash in Turn 1.
MacDonald dove three-wide entering Turn 1 on the second restart attempt (the first failed when Brian Tarbell spun in Turn 2) at lap 45 to pass Jimmy Hebert and Bobby Therrien in one bold move. Although Hebert and Canadian star Alex Labbe chased MacDonald after a late caution, he hung on to earn $8,100.
This was MacDonald’s fifth victory in ACT Invitational competition since 2009.
Labbe drove from 30th on the grid to claim third, while Connecticut native Dillon Moltz wheeled his way from 26th to a solid fourth-place finish. Therrien faded to fifth at the finish after enjoying a strong outing in the Granite State.
Hebert jumped out to the initial lead over polesitter Kyle Welch and appeared to be in control for much of the race. Steuben native Rowland Robinson Jr. nosed ahead for a lap after an early caution, but otherwise, it was all Hebert.
Finishing sixth through 10th in the eighth annual ACT Invitational were Tom Carey, Robinson, Woody Pitkat, Joey Polewarczyk Jr. and Ray Parent. Windham’s Brad Babb was the only other Maine driver aside from Robinson to compete. He finished 33rd after starting 22nd in the Joey Laquerre-owned No. 15 entry.
Farrington bags Pro Stock win at Wiscasset
In 2015, Dave Farrington Jr., of Jay, won the famed Coastal 200 at Wiscasset Speedway. The 2014 NASCAR Pro Series champion at Beech Ridge competes at the mid-coast oval whenever his busy schedule allows, and he had time for another visit this past Saturday night.
Farrington won the 40-lap Pro Stock feature at Richard and Vanessa Jordan’s fine speedplant with another strong performance. Farrington held off Wiscasset veteran Charlie Colby by just over a half-second to earn top honors.
Ellsworth veteran and defending track champion Andy Saunders filled out the podium in third. Bobby Nadeau and Nick Hinkley finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
Jason Oakes powered his way to victory in a 35-lap battle for Super Street Warriors. Sean Johnson finished over a second behind Oakes in the runner-up spot, while Mark Lucas filled out the podium in third. Zac Poland and Barry Poulin completed the top five with solid performances.
Logan Melcher claimed the 20-lap sprint for the Thunder 4 division. The second-generation racer (Larry’s son) from Fayette held off Michael Harrison by a mere .292 seconds at the stripe for top honors.
Curtis Anderson filled out the podium in third, while brothers Michael and Jonathan Golding finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
Jamie Wright drove to victory in a 25-lap feature for the New England 4-Cylinder Pro class. Wright held off a rapidly maturing Kamren Knowles at the line, while Lisbon veteran Jeff Prindall put in another strong effort to secure third.
pwhipple@sunjournal.com
Send questions/comments to the editors.
