PASS Central Outlaw Late Models - Round #3 at Canaan Fair 9/2

Canaan Photo Gallery

Photos by Chris Roy
pass@maineracer.com

Walt Hammond Finally Takes The Home Track Checkers

(Naples, ME – September 3, 2006) Walt Hammond could walk to Canaan Fair Motorsports Complex in Canaan, NH if he didn’t have to drag a race car along, but his home track has not been good to him. In the first two PASS Central Division Outlaw Late Model Series races he finished 11th and 17th after starting in the front row for both races at Canaan and Riverside Speedway in Groveton, NH, but his brother Allen talked him into going to Canaan Saturday night since it was just around the corner and he was due for a change in luck.

Walt started fifth after taking third in his heat behind 2005 track champion Zig Geno of Canterbury, NH in the #57 and Pistol Pete Fraser of Nottingham, NH in the #37 who was fresh off a feature win last week at Canaan.

However, at the start it was Walt’s business partner Donnie Lashua of Canaan in the #08 showing his home track experience by jumping out to the lead from the outside pole. By lap 7, Fraser had tracked Lashua down and the two battled for the lead until Pete pulled up between turns one and two with motor problems, bringing out the yellow and putting an end to a great week. On the restart, the field scattered as Ben Erskine of Solon, ME in the #29 got shoved up into the marbles off turn one bringing out the second yellow.

It was Mark Patten of Belmont, NH in the #07 on the outside of Lashua for the restart with Hammond now third. Richie Bertone of Lynn, MA in the #56 and Dave Rosenfield of Middleboro, MA in the #44 did a synchronized spin between turns one and two, and on the restart Carey Heath of Essex, MA #12 got booted down the front stretch in her first time out this season and ended up in the grass with a fire under the car. The fire was quickly extinguished and Carey returned to the fray after a trip to the pits to check the exhaust system.

At lap 48, Hammond got under Patten down the backstretch as Mark’s car wobbled off turn two, and Hammond was now second. At halfway, it was Lashua, Hammond, Patten, Joey Porciello of Lee, NH in the #04p, Derek Ramstrom of W. Boylston, MA in the #35 up from 11th on the start, Geno in the #57, Jimmy Renfrew of Candia, NH in the #55, Mikey Fowler of Scarborough, ME in the #66X back to eighth after a lap two trip off turn one, Jamie Swallow of Stark, NH in the #04s, and Jimmy Rosenfield in the #44 tenth after the early spin.

By lap 58, both Porciello and Ramstrom had gotten by a fading Patten, and on lap 60 Mark spun off the backstretch as the tire finally gave up. On the restart, it was Ramstrom’s turn as his right front went down coming to the green. Everyone got by and the #35 went to the pits without bringing out a yellow and came back several laps down.

Hammond made his move on lap 76 as he went to the outside down the backstretch and beat Lashua back to the line for the lead, with Porciello now third, followed by Geno, Renfrew, Fowler, Rosenfield, Swallow, Dave Davis of White River Junction in the #28, and Chris Lyman of W. Hartford, VT in the #21L.

The final yellow came out on lap 86 as the 66x of Fowler spun off turn one, ruining a great run from the back to sixth after an earlier spin. Mikey got it going but the field had already gone by and he was a lap down.

On the restart, Porciello was outside Hammond and the two went side by side for several laps until Hammond took the lead for good. Porciello made one last run at the #97 with two to go, but at the line it was Hammond for his first win in the PASS Outlaw Late Model Series. It’s been a frustrating year for the Hammond bunch, but to finally get that first win on the tour at his home track made it that much sweeter.

Porciello was next with a fine second-place finish, followed by Geno, Renfrew, Rosenfield, Lashua, Davis, Swallow, Mike Thomas of Lewiston, ME in the #25, and Kris Lyman in the #21L tenth in his first time in an Outlaw Late Model.

Next up for the Outlaws is the Unity 100 at Unity Raceway, Unity ME on Saturday night September 9th. And then it’s the big 100 lapper combo event with the North and Central Divisions on Saturday and Sunday September 23rd – 24th as part of the 2nd Annual PASS 400 Weekend at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, Scarborough, ME.

Heat 1 - 37 - 57 - 97 - 55 - 04s - 35 - 04p - 22 - 56 - 94 - 87

PASS Central Outlaw Late Models - Round #2 at Riverside 8/5

Patten Survives Wild PASS Outlaw 100 at Riverside

(Naples, ME – August 6, 2006) Mark Patten of Belmont, NH brought his #07 PASS Outlaw Late Model series car to Riverside Speedway, Groveton, NH on Friday to take advantage of the open practice before the big Monster Mayhem show that kicked off Summerfest 2006. However, after only ten laps of practice the Patten team was loading up and heading for home to replace a blown motor. Fifteen year old Derek Ramstrom brought the #35 Charter Communications/West Boylston Auto Parts Monte Carlo all the way from West Boylston, MA to also get some seat time at the tough Groveton oval, but he spent most of the day in the pits working on a leaking transmission.

However, when the green flew on Saturday night, Ramstrom started in fifth and Patten was in the back of the 24-car field in 17th after some problems in his heat race. The kid and veteran were to meet later in the night.

When the green flew in front of the second big crowd in two nights, it was Walt Hammond in the #97 and Chris Staples in the #5 bringing the field of 24 to the flag. However, the green was not out for long as we had three cautions in the first five laps for spins and minor tangles at the back, including one that sent Patten and the #07 to the pits for a quick repair to the hood after he got caught up in someone else’s mess.

The boys settled down and clicked off some laps with Hammond and Staples going side-by-side for a number of laps until the #97 pulled ahead bringing young Jamie Swallow, Jr of Stark, NH in the #1 with him much to the delight of the local crowd. At the 25-lap mark, it was Hammond, Swallow, Staples, Jimmy Rosenfield of Middleboro, MA in the #44, and Derek Ramstrom in the #35.

At lap 34, Donnie Lashua of Canaan, NH slowed after banging the front stretch wall and bending his front end enough to cause him to pull the #08 to the pits for the night.

At the halfway mark, it was still Hammond and Swallow, followed by Rosenfield, Jimmy Renfrew of Candia, NH in theR&R Public Wholesale/Allen Motors #55 up to fourth, Ramstrom fifth, Staples back to sixth, and Patten’s #07 seventh making it into the top ten from the back after pitting early.

After a yellow for a spin on lap 51 in turn four by the #57 of Zig Geno of Canterbury, NH who was fighting a damaged car all night after a lap four incident sent him to the pits with major damage, Renfrew moved to third on the outside of Rosenfield on the restart.

Another batch of yellows for one car spins and for two cars intentionally brining out the yellow for stopping on the track, and the subsequent one-lap penalties, slowed things, and on lap 61 Ramstrom went around in turn four off the bumper of another car, but the kid got it going and rejoined the field at the back.

Renfrew moved to second past Swallow on lap 64, and on lap 69 Hammond and Renfrew, running one-two, tangled on the backstretch, with Staples getting the worst of it as everyone went spinning and Hammond limping to the pits with a flat right front and some body damage. Swallow avoided the mess to claim the lead, and Ramstrom and Patten drove through the middle of all the smoke to second and third, with Mark Belanger of Whitefield, NH in the #99 fourth, and the veteran Rosenfield just riding in fifth waiting for the money laps. Pete Fraser of Nottingham, NH in the Nottingham Fuels #37 was sixth, followed by Dillon Moltz of Waterford, CT in the #Beebe Realty #94, and the #97 of Hammond.

On lap 75, Hammond hit the front stretch wall and went for a wild ride down the front stretch and off turn one, putting an end to a night that showed so much promise early. The crowd let out a collective groan as local favorite Jamie Swallow, Jr had a flat and had to pit while leading, handing the lead to Patten.

With ten to go it was Patten with Ramstrom right on his heels. However, a lapped car who had been shown the passing flag tried to get under Ramstrom in turn three with his left sides in the grass finally spun the #35 coming out of turn four sending the kid to the front stretch wall with the #66X of Mike Fowler of Scarborough, ME climbing over the #35 as he had no place to go. Two good cars were wrecked and Rosenfield went to the pits as well for the night after a great run in the top five all night.

On the restart, Patten held off Renfrew, with Belanger third. Swallow made his way back to fourth, Fraser in the #37 quietly fifth for another top ten, and young Dillon Moltz sixth to nail his first top ten after taking a few weeks off the get the car straight.

From a blown engine in Friday practice to the win on Saturday was more than Mark Patten expected. After the race Mark said that he was tight and wasn’t sure he could have held the #35 off, but that’s why we race the full 100 laps. You never know what will happen.

PASS North Outlaw Late Models - Round #4 at Unity Raceway 7/9

Gary Norris, Jr Bests PASS Outlaws At Unity

(Naples, ME – July 10, 2006) It was obvious that Gary Norris, Jr was seriously looking for a big change when he rolled out a brand new Outlaw bodied #03 at Unity Raceway, Unity, ME for the PASS Outlaw Late Model North Division 100 on Sunday evening July 9th. The first two races in the North division were not kind to the W. Gardner, ME runner. At the first race of the season at Unity he finished 14th, and Gary finished 20th at Speedway 95 in Bangor, ME when he got booted under caution on lap five and ended up down the frontstretch embankment. He recovered for a third at the second Unity race, but that wasn’t good enough, and so out came the orange Outlaw bandit.

Gary won the second heat and started the 100 lapper second outside of young Derek Ramstrom of W. Boylston, MA, the winner of the first heat and fresh off his first victory in the inaugural PASS Outlaw Late Model Central Division race at Canaan last week.

Norris and Ramstrom went side by side for the lead until lap three when the #02 of Greg Morris of St Albens, ME, the #33 of Craig Anderson of S. China, ME, and the #23 of Randy Hogan of Milford, Me tangled off turn four with Hogan ending up in the ditch and on the hook. In a show of sportsmanship, Randy waved to the crowd as he sat in the window as the car was towed down the frontstretch. Anderson and Morris returned, but Hogan was done for the night.

On the restart, it was Ramstrom jumping out front, but on lap seven Norris got to the inside entering turn three and took the lead, bringing current point leader Matt Lee of Albion, ME in the #00 with him.

Norris and Lee pulled away as Ramstrom and Ben Erskine of Solon, ME in the #29E battled for 13 laps for third. It was Erskine on the inside and Ramstrom with the momentum on the outside until Erskine’s tires started to get tired down on the inside groove. When Erskine fell back, Mike Harnish, Jr of Skowhegan, ME in the #22 took his turn in the battle for third, but Ramstrom held him off too after a nine lap battle.

The front three of Norris, Lee, and Ramstrom pulled away from the rest of the field and started clicking off the laps. On lap 56, the second caution of the night came out as Craig Anderson spun off turn four. Caution s breed cautions, and on lap 57 George Fernald, Jr of Benton, ME in the Outlaw-bodied #91 spun coming out of turn four. Harnish pitted under the caution out of fourth with mechanical problems that only got worse as the laps ticked off.

At the 75 lap mark, it was still Norris, Lee, Ramstrom, and Erskine as the only cars on the lead lap, with Joe Decker of Cheserville, ME in the #01 and Jay Sands of Seabrook, NH in the #36 a lap down in fifth and sixth. It remained that way to the end, and the popular Norris drove the very pretty orange #03 Outlaw into Victory Lane for his first win.

Heat 1 - 35 - 5 - 00 - 33 - 25 - 23 - 02 - 36

Heat 2 - 03 - 91 - 29 - 125 - 22 - 01 - 15

PASS Central Outlaw Late Models - Round #1 at Canaan Fair 7/2

Fireworks Everywhere at PASS Outlaw Late Model 100

(Naples, ME – July 3, 2006) It finally happened. The first PASS Outlaw Late Model Central Divison 100 is in the books. It took three attempts to get the race in at Canaan Fair Motorsports Complex, Canaan, NH, but it was worth the wait for several drivers.

A great field of 29 cars attempted to qualify through three heats and a consi for the 25 starting spots in the 100 green-flag lap race prior to the big Celebrate America Fireworks show. The local racers showed the way with Walt Hammond of Canaan and Donnie Lashua of Enfield, NH taking the first two heats and the front row for the 100 lapper. In row two it was the winner of the third heat and 2005 Canaan Pro-Stock champion Zig Geno of Canterbury, NH and Brunswick, ME driver Chris Staples in the #5. Canaan regulars Chris Curtis of Rutland, MA and Brian Henry of Lebanon, NH made up the third row. The consi went to Jimmy Rosenfield of Middleboro, MA.

Lashua and Hammond traded the lead over the first few laps, and then things settled down as Hammond took the lead and ticked off 18 laps until the 37 of “Pistol Pete” Fraser of Nottingham, NH got helped up into the marbles in turn one, taking Mike Fowler of Scarborough, ME in the # 66X with him.

A series of yellows over the next ten laps claimed the #99 of Marc Belanger of Whitefield, NH, who took a wild ride off turn two, the #4X of Peter Jarvis of Ascutney, VT, and the #04 of Joey Porciello of Lee. NH.

On lap 36, Geno moved to second past Lashua, with Staples fourth, Curtis fifth, Fowler back to sixth, Mark Patten of Belmont, NH in the #07 seventh, and Jimmy Renfrew of Candia, NH in David Joyce’s #55 eighth.

At the halfway mark, Mike Harnish of Skowhegan, ME in the #22 tangled with young Kraig Coffin of Uxbridge, MA in the #3, sending both to the pits. It was still Hammond and Geno battling for the lead, but on the restart Geno broke and Lashua took second. A lap later, Fowler took second from Lashua, with Curtis and Staples in behind. Over the next several laps, Fowler and Lashua traded place as Hammond pulled away to a three car-length lead.

On lap 74, Henry in the #20 checked up in turn four and got booted to the infield. On the restart, it was still Hammond, but some experienced faces were asserting themselves into the top ten. Rosenfield was up to fourth, Renfrew to sixth, Dale Shaw in the #60 seventh, and the #35 of Derek Ramstrom of W. Boylston, MA patiently up to eighth from his 18th-place starting spot.

On lap 82, Geno spun off turn one after returning from the pits and the yellow flew again. On the restart, the fireworks really started as Hammond and Fowler banged together off turn two and the top seven cars were all involved. Staples limped to the pits along with Shaw who had the entire driver’s side door peeled off, Renfrew, and Curtis. Rosenfield and Hammond, who both went off on the hook, were done for the night. Fowler escaped the carnage and rejoined the field at the back of the pack.The veteran Patten and the rookie Ramstrom scooted through the mess along with Mike Thomas of Lewiston, ME in the #25 and Dillon Moltz of Waterford, CT in the #94

While under caution, Staple, Geno, and Renfrew rejoined the field, and Patten went to pits and was done for the night with heat exhaustion. With 18 laps to go it was Derek Ramstrom leading the field to the green. Ramstrom had to survive two more restarts and challenges by Fowler, Staples, and Thomas, but the kid had what it took to hold them off as he took the checkers for his first win in an Outlaw Late Model car.

It was not a real surprise to some observers to see the 15 year-old holding the checkers in Victory Lane. He has been racing in Quarter Midgets since he was six and last year was a winner in the Allison Legacy Series. So far in 2006, he has a fourth, a third, and second in his last three races, including a fourth at Unity on June 18th in a PASS Outlaw Late Model Series Northern Division race following a ninth at Bangor’s Speedway 95 after he was running fourth with one to go and suffered a mechanical failure. In four PASS Outlaw Late Model races he has finished out of the top ten only once, and that was 11th at Unity in April in his first visit to “Maine’s Toughest Oval.”

In weekly series PASS Outlaw Late Model races at Canaan, he has a second and an eighth in the two races that have been run so far in a rain-soaked season.

While it was raining everywhere in New England on June 9th, Derek took two exams in high school on that Friday morning and then jumped into the hauler with his dad and crew and drove to Florence, SC to attempt to qualify for the PASS Super Late Model South Series race the next day at Florence Motor Speedway. Derek made the show, but got caught up in someone else’s wreck. The win Sunday, his performance so far in 2006, and this kind of drive and determination to learn and to get seat time against the best shows that this kid’s a racer.

DNQ - 87 Mike Bitando, 48 Ken Haley Jr., 71 Graylin Bonner, 84 Billy Dugan

Heat 1 - 97 - 5 - 37 - 22 - 60 - 04x - 44 - 21 - 84

PASS North Outlaw Late Models - Round #3 at Unity Raceway 6/18