Travis Benjamin, of Morrill, earned his first Pro All-Stars Series victory of the 2017 season with a dominant performance in Saturday night’s Make-A-Wish 150 at Star Speedway in Epping, New Hampshire.
After swapping the early lead with six-time series champion Johnny Clark in the opening laps, Benjamin pulled away from the pack, leading by almost four seconds by the time eventual runner-up Ben Rowe made his way into second position.
Benjamin set a blistering pace in his Petit Motorsports No. 7 entry. It took him less than 35 minutes to complete a caution free, wire-to-wire performance in the Associated Grocers of Maine-sponsored ride.
Rowe, the current leader in PASS National points, cut into Benjamin’s lead substantially in the closing laps. No caution ever appeared to aid his quest and he finished a distant 1.32-seconds behind Benjamin. Rowe unofficially moved to the top of the PASS North championship standings by a narrow margin.
Tracy Gordon, of Strong, earned a solid third-place finish aboard his A-One Builders/Gordon Lumber No 41 entry. Early race leader Clark, of Farmingdale, was fourth under the checkered flag. Reigning Oxford 250 champion Wayne Helliwell Jr. rounded out the top five.
Joey Doiron, of Berwick, finished in the sixth position, the final driver on the lead lap. Benjamin and Clark won 12-lap heat races to set the starting grid for the Make-A-Wish 150.
Bubar bags a win at The Ridge
Second generation driver Corey Bubar powered his way to victory in Saturday night’s 40-lap NASCAR Pro Series feature at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway. Bubar held off Manchester’s Reid Lanpher to earn his first win of 2017, while Garrett Hall filled out the podium in third.
Jacob Dore put in another solid finish to cross the strip in fourth, while defending Pro Series champion Curtis Gerry of Waterboro completed the top five. Lanpher appears headed to his second points title in 2017, yet there is still a lot of racing left to do before the final checkered flag waves in Scarborough.
Terry Merrill prevailed in a hotly-contested feature for Sport Series competitors. The driver from Saco held off a hard-charging Clyde Hennessey of Windham for top honors, while Beech Ridge veteran Richard Pelton filled out the podium in third. Matt Dow and Sally Gherardi rounded out the top five.
In Wildcat action, Chaz Briggs held off Lewis Anderson to claim the 30-lap feature. Briggs, of Westbrook, had been shut out of the top five in recent weeks yet found redemption on Saturday night. Alfred’s Dave Cameron continued his consistent season with a solid third place finish, while Adam Lovejoy (Alfred) and Ray Letellier (Buxton) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
Chubbuck, Ripley earn wins at Wiscasset
Short track masters Scott Chubbuck and Daren Ripley earned their second feature wins of 2017 in the headline Pro Stock class on Saturday, as Wiscasset Speedway completed another week of points racing for Group 1 divisions.
Chubbuck, of Bowdoin, won the makeup feature that kicked off the evening’s program at Richard and Vanessa Jordan’s recently-revitalized facility. Chubbuck held off longtime rival Ripley for top honors, while Newcastle veteran Charlie Colby filled out the podium in third.
Nate Tribbett of Richmond and Palmyra’s Ajay Picard completed the top five in that makeup 40-lap tilt.
Ripley, of Thomaston, found redemption as he edged Picard in the nightcap by a mere .226 seconds at the line. Colby capped a successful twin-bill with a third-place finish, while Jeff Burgess (Fairfield) and Kevin Morse (Woolwich) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
In Super Street action Saturday, Harpswell veteran Mark Lucas held off Jason Curtis, of Hollis, to earn his third victory of the season. The 2016 MVRCA Maine Driver-of-the-Year is a master in both open-wheel and full-fendered machines. Hometown favorite Josh Bailey of Wiscasset finished third.
Logan Melcher, of Jay, drove to his fourth victory in four races in the Thunder 4 Mini class. Jeff Minchin Jr. earned a career-best second place finish, while Pownal’s Michael Golding put in a solid effort to claim third. Spencer Sweatt (Albion) and Brian Sweatt (Albion) completed the top five.
Kamren Knowles, of West Gardiner, capped a full list of feature winners on Saturday with his victory in the New England 4-Cylinder Pro class. Edgecomb’s Connor Wenners finished second, while Lisbon veteran Jeff Prindall filled out the podium in third.
Max Rowe (Turner) and Larry Melcher (Jay) rounded out the top five with solid efforts on Saturday.
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