Ben
Rowe Wins Big At Star |
2002 Pro All Stars Series Champion Ben Rowe and his
Mechanical Services/Superior Image Embroidery team performed flawlessly Saturday evening
at Star Speedway, leading from green to checker to earn his third PASS victory of 2003.
Sam Sessions was elevated to second and Johnny Clark to third after apparent second place
finisher Tracy Gordon was disqualified following post race technical inspection.
Thirty cars answered the call for Sunoco Race Fuels Time Trials and Rowe started his night
off right by earning the fast time award with a lap of 13.215 seconds nipping Gordon by
.051 for the top spot. Rowe went on to win the fast car dash and earn the pole position
over Larry Gelinas, Gordon, Richie Dearborn and Sessions. Mike Rowe, Johnny Clark, Cassius
Clark, Scott Chubbuck and Babe Branscombe completed the top ten.
Rowe took the point at the drop of the green and refused to yield, holding off Gelinas
then Gordon who came up to challenge on lap six. The first caution flew for Scott
Mulkern’s flyer off turn one, a spectacular crash that saw Mulkern launch his
Community Pharmacies Dodge over Doug Averill’s racer, ending the night for both
drivers.
Rowe maintained control of the field as Dale Shaw worked his way up from his twelfth
starting spot making his way to third at lap twenty-five. At the fifty-lap mark it was
Rowe over Gordon, Shaw, Johnny Clark and Sessions with Cassius Clark, Gelinas, Mike Rowe
and Richie Dearborn completing the top ten. The top five raced their way to the hundred
lap point in the same order until Shaw made an outside move on Gordon for second on lap
109. Sessions followed Shaw around Gordon for third and the pair battled nose to tail for
the runner-up position until lap 125. Shaw and Sessions came up to lap Chuck LaChance and
Dave Gorveatt, locked in their own battle for position. Gorveatt and LaChance came
together, forcing Shaw to check up and dive low only to find Bobby Allen already there.
The fracas sent Shaw’s American Air Systems Dodge to the pits for repairs and left
Sessions with body damage after contact with Shaw’s rear bumper.
The nights’ final restart formed up with Rowe still on the point, Gordon now back in
second, Johnny Clark third and Sessions fourth with Cassius Clark fifth and Shaw rejoining
the field sixth. Rowe simply motored away from the field, continuing his domination on the
night but Sessions and Clark waged a great battle for what would prove to be second place
with Sessions prevailing. Cassius Clark saw his best finish of the season slip away after
an off track excursion ended his chances for a top five finish.
At the checker it was Rowe scoring the win followed by Gordon (Disqualified in post race
inspection) with Sessions Call of the Wild Monte Carlo second, Johnny Clark’s DNK
Select Chevrolet third and Shaw fourth. Mike Rowe, Chuck LaChance, Cassius Clark, Dave
Gorveatt, Babe Branscombe and Northern Race Tires Rookie Challenge leader Travis Kheil
completed the top ten.
OFFICIAL ORDER OF FINISH – Race
# 6 – PASS 150 – Star Speedway – Epping NH - 6/28/03
1) 00 - Ben Rowe - Turner ME - Mechanical Services/Superior Image Chev
2) 0 - Sam Sessions - So. Paris ME - Call of the Wild/Auburn Metal Fab Chev
3) 54 - Johnny Clark - Hallowell ME - DNK Select Used Cars Chev
4) 60 - Dale Shaw - Ctr. Conway NH - American Air Systems Dodge
5) 24x - Mike Rowe - Turner ME - K&K Excavation Chev
6) 38 - Chuck LaChance - Cushing ME - Fuller Automall Ford
7) 8 - Cassius Clark - Farmington ME - Chapman Trucking Ford
8) 77 - Dave Gorveatt - Charlottetown PEI - Canada PEI Potatoes Chev
9) 55 - Babe Branscombe - Nottingham NH - QBR Chev
10) 24k - Travis Kheil - Denmark ME - Kheil Logging Chev
11) 02 - Kenny Wright - Woolwich ME - Newmarket Sand and Gravel Chev
12) 38x - Bobby Allen - Windham Tree Service Dodge
13) 35 - Garry Johnson - Hollis ME - Johnson Trucking Chev
14) 33 - Richie Dearborn - Hollis ME - Chadwick BaRoss Chev
15) 1 - Randy Turner - Freedom ME - Watson Racing Heads Chev
16) 99 - George Philbrick - Barrington NH - Seabrook Auto Tech Chev
17) 37 - Larry Gelinas - Scarborough ME - Digby’s Variety Chev
18) 54x - GeGe Gravel - Groton MA - S.A. Sting/Downeast Drilling Chev
19) 01 - Wayne Helliwell Jr. Pelham NH Tim Zelonis/Eliminator Inc. Chev
20) 24 - Steve Knowlton - Ipswich MA - Carleton Robie Chev
21) 29 - Scott Chubbuck - Wiscasset ME - Cushman Competition Ford
22) 64 - Dan Bezanson - Plaistow NH - Howard Construction Chev
23) 75 - Gary Smith - Bangor ME - Sky Burrill/Uncle Henry’s Chev
24) 85 - Doug Averill - Litchfield ME - VIP Chev
25) 84 - Scott Mulkern - Falmouth ME - Community Pharmacies Dodge
DQ) 66 - Tracy Gordon - Strong ME - Gordon Lumbering/SNF Crane Chev |
