Mike
Rowe Holds Off Travis Benjamin
For Another Canadian Win
Veteran Takes Fourth PASS North
Victory of 2007 in Atlantic CAT 250
NAPLES, ME (August 12, 2007) –
There’s been something special about racing in Canada
this year for Mike Rowe. In three Pro All Stars Series
(PASS) North events North of the Border this season, the
veteran from Maine has emerged as the winner twice. The
latest victory came in Saturday night’s Atlantic CAT 250
at Scotia Speedworld near Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Rowe used patience to put himself in a position to win
the race. After starting outside of the top 10 and
watching guys like Richie Dearborn, Johnny Clark, Derek
Ramstrom, Trevor Sanborn and Adam Bates all lead, Rowe
went to the front with just under 80 laps to go. He held
off Travis Benjamin and recorded his fourth victory of
the PASS North season.
“The car was going good,” said Rowe. “But there were
also a lot of good cars. Johnny Clark, Donald Chisholm,
Trevor Sanborn, Travis Benjamin and a few others were
very strong. Benji [Rowe] was very fast, but got in a
wreck early on. There was some good competition and we
just happened to be there at the end of the race.”
Benjamin finished second and gave Rowe a run for his
money late in the event.
“Travis was coming on strong,” said Rowe. “He just ran a
few laps short of winning.”
The runner-up finish was Benjamin’s best career PASS
North result to date, and it comes on the heels of a
streak of bad luck that includes three wrecks in the
previous three events.
“That was a good race for us and it was good to turn
things around,” said Benjamin. “We started ninth, got to
third place and then had a flat right front tire. We
were lucky though, the caution came out at the right
time and with a good car, we were able to get right back
into it. We were up to fifth by halfway and at the end,
we put some pressure on Mike. It was a good race.”
Rowe has won races from Nova Scotia to North Carolina
and just about everywhere in between. The victory at
Scotia stood out for a few reasons in his mind.
“The trophy at this race is the Scott Fraser Memorial
Cup,” said Rowe referring to the late Scott Fraser, a
Canadian racer who died in a 2004 snowmobile accident.
“That is pretty special. That kid was just awesome. I
watched him and Benji [Rowe, Mike’s son and fellow
competitor] race quite a bit. Frank Fraser presented the
Cup to me and it meant a lot. Plus, the fans up there
are so great. The place was packed and we got to meet a
lot of them. It was awesome.”
PASS North point leader Ben Rowe was involved in an
early wreck and finished 15th,
which allowed his father Mike Rowe, currently ranked
second in the standings, to gain ground in the race for
the 2007 PASS North championship. Mike Rowe is in his
first full season of racing for the #2 PT Watts team and
right out of the box, they have been a contender for
wins each week, as well as the season long championship.
Rowe places the credit for that squarely on his team.
“Seth Holbrook, Buster Bean and the whole team are doing
a great job,” said Rowe. “PT Watts gives us what we need
to win races. We have a good group together and it
shows.”
The PASS North Super Late Models will return to action
Sunday, August 19th at
Wiscasset Raceway (ME). |