Ben Rowe picked his way through an all-star field of thirty-five Pro Stocks to take command of the race and earn his second Pro All Stars Series victory of 2003 in the Coastal 200 presented by 101.9 WPOR at Wiscasset (ME) Raceway.

Northern Race Tires Rookie of the Year contender Travis Kheil turned in a strong performance to finish in the runner-up spot with mid-race dominator Scott Mulkern racing back through the field to finish third.

Rowe was far from fastest in the early going, timing in an uncharacteristic 17th in Sunoco Race Fuels Time Trials. Richie Dearborn topped thirty six other drivers to nail down his first fast time award, nipping Sam Sessions for the top spot with a lap of 15.058 seconds versus Sessions’ 15.067 run through the clocks.

The Pole Dash re-draw put 2002 PASS Wiscasset winner and hometown favorite Kenny Wright on the pole with Cassius Clark to his outside. Clark drove around Wright to put his Chapman Trucking Ford Taurus out front, fending off multi-time Coastal 200 winner Scott Chubbuck to capture the pole position for the Coastal. Chubbuck would line up second, with Jim McCallum third in his first PASS start of 2003, Sessions fourth, Larry Gelinas fifth and PASS Wiscasset Quik Stop 150 winner Joe Bessey sixth. Johnny Clark, Mike Rowe, Richie Dearborn and Wright rounded out the top ten. Heat winners Travis Benjamin, Tracy Gordon and Mulkern lined up next in the thirty-five car starting field.

Sophomore PASS racer Clark led the field to the initial green but Chubbuck powered by from his outside pole starting position for the lead. Clark settled into second with McCallum third and Gelinas fourth. McCallum looked to the outside of Clark for the second spot on lap 20, just as Clark bobbled coming off four. McCallum and Gelinas shot off the front stretch, taking a wild ride that left McCalllum’s machine nestled on the hood of Gelina’a racer. Clark wound up facing the frontstretch wall and Sam Sessions sustained damage in the fracas as well. The wreck eliminated two of the top five and turned contenders Clark and Sessions into mid pack runners for the balance of the event.

While Chubbuck remained on the point, the lineup behind him was shuffled with Richie Dearborn up to second, Travis Benjamin third, Johnny Clark fourth and Joe Bessey, Mike Rowe, Tracy Gordon, and Mulkern next in line. Ben Rowe had gained five spots to run ninth and Dave Gorveatt rounding out the top ten. Chubbuck kept control on the restart, with Benjamin succumbing to mechanical woes shortly thereafter. Chubbuck remained in command as Mulkern showed his strength, moving up to the second spot over Dearborn, Mike Rowe rookie Kheil and Ben Rowe.

The day’s fourth caution came at the one-third mark and leader Chubbuck, Johnny Clark, Dearborn and Mike Rowe pitted for tires and fuel, handing the lead over to Mulkern. His Community Pharmacies Dodge was extremely strong, holding off the advances of Kheil, Dave Avery and Dave Gorveatt as more of the front-runners took advantage of minor cautions to bolt on fresh tires. Mulkern set a torrid pace but still had not pitted for tires and the drivers that did were picking their way through the field. By lap 120 Rowe’s Double Zero was up to third and he made his move around Gorveatt for second. Mulkern shot into the pits for right side tires on the days’ ninth caution at lap 133, as did Gorveatt with Chubbuck stopping to take on lefts.

Rowe now had the point and he never gave it up. Although Chubbuck nosed ahead briefly on a lap 150 restart, Rowe was able to control the lead and open up a substantial margin over first Chubbuck and then Kheil, as Tracy Gordons solid PASS debut ended while he was running third, victimized by a fluid leak.

Mulkern had clearly lost the handle but a fresh set of left side tires allowed him to charge back through the pack to come home third. Chubbuck faded to fourth with Dave Gorveatt fifth, and Gary Smith sixth. Peter Oakes had a solid run for seventh, as did Randy Turner in eighth. Paul Pierce came home ninth and Chuck LaChance rounded out the top ten.

OFFICIAL ORDER OF FINISH – 2003 Pro All Stars Series Race #4
The Coastal 200 presented by 101.9 WPOR – June 8, 2003 – Wiscasset Raceway – Wiscasset, ME.

1)    00 Ben Rowe - Turner ME - Mechanical Services/Superior Image Chevrolet
2)   24K Travis Kheil - Denmark - ME Kheil Logging/Frechette Tire Chevrolet
3)   84 Scott Mulkern - Falmouth ME - Community Pharmacies Dodge
4)   29 Scott Chubbuck - Wiscasset ME - Cushman Competition Ford
5)   77 Dave Gorveatt - Charlottetown PEI Canada - Johnson Home Style Chevrolet
6)   75 Gary Smith - Bangor ME - Sky Burrill/Uncle Henry’s Chevrolet
7)   41 Peter Oakes - Boothbay ME - Mill Cove Lobster Chevrolet
8)   1 Randy Turner - Freedom ME - MobbWeb Chevrolet
9)   3 Paul Pierce - Lincolnville ME - Pierce Plumbing Chevrolet
10) 38 Chuck LaChance - Cushing ME - Fuller Automall Ford
11) Darren Ripley - Washington ME - Ron’s Truck Repair Chevrolet
12) 10  David Avery - Lincoln NH - White Mt. Motorsports Park Chevrolet
13) 60 Dale Shaw - Center Conway NH - Hill’s RV’s/Plum Potter Dodge

14) 03 Garry Norris Jr. - W. Gardiner ME - Norris Flooring Chevrolet
15) 54 Johnny Clark - Hallowell ME - DNK Select Chevrolet
16) 85 Doug Averill - Litchfield ME - VIP Auto Parts Chevrolet
17) 33 Richie Dearborn - Hollis ME - Chadwick BaRoss Chevrolet
18) 8 Cassius Clark - Farmington ME - Chapman Trucking Ford
19) 02 Kenny Wright - Woolwich ME - New Market Sand and Gravel Chevrolet
20) 0 Sam Sessions - S. Paris ME - Call of the Wild RV Chevrolet
21) 66 Tracy Gordon - Strong ME - SNF Crane Chevrolet
22) 24X Mike Rowe - Turner ME - K&K Excavating Chevrolet
23) 21 Scott Delano - Chevrolet
24) 6 Joe Bessey - Rangeley ME - Aubuchon Hardware Chevrolet
25) 7 JR Baril - Haverhill MA - Clark Motorsports Chevrolet
26) 11 Vinny Annarummo - Swansea MA - Pond View Recycling Chevrolet
27) 0x Bill Penfold - Yarmouth ME - VIP Charter Coaches Chevrolet
28) 64 Dan Bezanson - Plaistow NH - Howard Construction Chevrolet
29) 1x Dick Houlihan - Berkley MA - J&R PreCast Chevrolet
30) 53 Alan Wilson - Hebron ME - T&K Concrete Chevrolet
31) 24 Andy Shaw - Center Conway NH - C. Robie Chevrolet
32) 35 Garry Johnson - Hollis ME - Johnson Trucking Chevrolet
33) 17 Travis Benjamin - Morrill ME - Belfast Variety Ford
34) 2 Jim McCallum - Fall River MA - Hydro Stop Roofing Pontiac
35) 37 Larry Gelinas - Scarborough ME - Digby’s Variety Chevrolet