Johnny Clark First Four-Time Winner of PASS 300 at Beech Ridge

SCARBOROUGH, ME – Johnny Clark of Farmingdale broke a season-long dry spell on the AIM Recycling USA Pro All Stars Series North Super Late Model circuit on Sunday, powering his way to an impressive victory over a fast-closing Mike Rowe in the Southern Maine Chrysler Jeep Dodge 300 at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough.

For Clark, a six-time series champion, it was a record-setting fourth triumph in the 300-lap annual September classic at Southern Maine’s stock car racing showcase.  Though he’d won a 50-lap Budweiser Championship Series race this summer at Oxford Plains Speedway, success on the tour he was the all-time kingpin on had been non-existent.

While suffering through an exceptionally-disappointing campaign in the PASS North SIM ranks, Clark’s woes were further compounded by a work accident that saw him break a shoulder and foot just five weeks before the Beech Ridge score.

“I felt pretty good in the car,” said Clark in victory lane.  “We finished second to Cassius (Clark, no relation) in New Brunswick, and frankly he had us covered today and if he didn’t have problems with the car we would have been second to him today.”

The 50-lap victory at Oxford helped turn the season around for the six-time PASS North SLM king.  It came during the first-ever hiatus Clark took from the series voluntarily since its’ inception.  He did miss a few races due to a broken wrist back in 2001, but stepping back after performances he admits were embarrassing was painful.

But throwing clichés out like it ain’t over until it’s over wouldn’t do this race justice.

Mike Rowe of Turner all but clinched the 2015 AIM Recycling USA Pro All Stars Series North Super Late Model Championship with a second-place finish at Beech Ridge.  Rowe, now 65-years-old and already enshrined in the Maine Racing Hall of Fame, extended his advantage atop the season-long rankings in his first season aboard the Petit Motorsports 7.

Rowe got a lap down during the 300 but after a lucky dog free pass and a little fresh rubber things were almost as good as they could be for the legendary racer from Turner.

Cassius Clark crossed the finish line in fourth position after circumstances seemingly conspired to keep the Rollie MacDonald-owned car from victory lane.  Clark, of Farmington, dominated the early stages of the race, and though obviously weak on restarts, the King 13 usually reclaimed the lead a few laps later.

Clark and the 13 team were forced to pit as the laps wound down, due to what appeared to be a furling issue, and Johnny Clark went on to claim victory over a fast-closing Mike Rowe.  Joey Doiron of Berwick claimed third-place hardware, battling back into a trophy position after being a lap down at one point during the marathon grind.

It took a remarkable late charge from the back of the field for Cassius Clark to post a fourth-place finish.  Kelly Moore of Scarborough raced from 15th staring position into trophy contention for most of the day before crossing under the checkered flag in fifth position.

Jeremy Davis of Tamworth, New Hampshire, Dace farrington, Jr., of Hay; Mike Hopkins of Hermon; Glen Luce of Turner and Derek Ramstrom of West Boylston, Massachusetts rounded out the top ten.

Andy Shaw of Center Conway, New Hampshire drove the Sumner Sessions 0 to victory lane following the 40-lap race for PASS Modifieds.  Shaw, the touring division’s defending champion, closed to within three points of Buxton’s Doug McClure, the leader in the championship standings entering the season finale set for Sunday, October 4 at Oxford Plains Speedway.

McClure’s runner-up finish kept him atop the rankings entering the finale, with 2015 Oxford Plains Speedway Mods track champion Ryan Robbins of Dixfield rallying to claim third-place hardware. Newburgh’s Scott Alexander was the fourth-place finisher, followed by Windham’s Jimmy Emerson, who led the event’s early stages.

Clyde Hennessey, Jr., of Windham, was the dominant force in a 50-lap open competition race for Sport Series/Limited Sportsman type cars.  Scarborough’s Frank Wear coasted to a second-place finish, never seriously challenged for runner-up honors.

Harpswell’s Marc Lucas battled Hennessey quite successfully in the early laps before his mount failed him, and Hennessey easily maintained control of the race from that point.  Nate Leavitt of Buxton spent most of the 50-lapper with the hammer down and it paid off with a third-place finish in front of Lyman’s Dalton Gagnon and Dave Charest of Westbrook.

In Northeast Mini Stock Tour action Matt Sonnhalter scored an upset victory in the 50-lap main event, outrunning the division’s dominant driver, Toby Wells of Dublin, New Hampshire, to the checkered flag for his first win on that touring series.

Sonnhalter, of East Thetford, Vermont and Wells were chased ubder the checkered flag by Heywood Harriott of Gorham, New Hampshire.  Jimmy Childs of Leeds and Skowhegan’s Zach Audet rounded out the top five.

The season-ending championship points finale for AIM Recycling USA PASS North Super Late Models and the PASS Modified class is set for Sunday, October 4 at Oxford Plains Speedway.  For more information visit proallstarseries.com or call (207) 539-8865.

Results from the Southern Maine Chrysler Jeep Dodge 300

showing finishing position, car number, driver’s name, driver’s hometown, sponsor, car owner

1 54 Johnny Clark, Farmingdale, clarkscrapmetals.com, John Clark III

2 7 Mike Rowe, Turner, Saco Bay Tackle, Lux Enterprises, Petit Motorsports

3 73 Joey Doiron, Berwick, FBJ Machine, John Doiron

4 13 Cassius Clark, Farmington, King Racing Competition Parts & Fabrication, Rollie MacDonald

5 47 Kelly Moore, Scarborough, RC Moore, Rox Moore

6 09 Jeremy Davis, Tamworth, NH, GE Brown General Contractor, Mike Davis

7 23 Dave Farrington, Jr. , Jay, Kulwicki DDP, Hilltop Collision Center, Wood Pellet Warehouse, David & Mona Farrington

8 15 Mike Hopkins, Hermon, Hopkins Landscaping & Paving, Mike Hopkins

9 7L Glen Luce, Turner, Stevens Electric & Pump Service, Glen Luce

10 35 Derek Ramstrom, W. Boylston, MA, Matthews Truck Service, Ramstrom’s Service Center, Rick Ramstrom

11 77 Trevor Sanborn, East Parsonsfield, Hight Chevrolet Buick GMC, Corey Hight

12 33 Richie Dearborn, Hollis, Robie Builders, Dick Dearborn

13 48 Bobby Timmons, Windham, Southern Maine Chrysler Jeep Dodge, Mulkern Racing LLC

14 22 Scott Farrington, Minot   , Dunkin Donuts, Scott Farrington

15 59 Reid Lanpher, Manchester, Mission Trailers, Team EJP, docks.com, Reid Lanpher Racing LLC

16 61 TJ Brackett, Buckfield, Trenworth & Sons Trucking, TJ Brackett

17 4 Ben Rowe, Turner, Hancock Lumber, Richard Moody & Sons Construction, RMR

18 14 Scott McDaniel, Livermore, Damon’s Garage, R.N. Damon

19 75 Gary Smith, Bangor, Uncle Henry’s, Bud & Ray’s Auto Body, Gary Smith

20 12h Robbie Harrison, Gorham, Wireless Construction, Alan Berry

21 42 Corey Bubar, Windham, Investment Properties LLC, Rick Lockwood

22 94x Garrett Hall, Scarborough, Portsmouth Ford Quicklane, Garrett Hall

23 05 Jacob Dore, Sanford, Kash For Kans, Jacob Dore

24 46 Dennis Spencer, Jr., Turner, Crazy Horse Racing, Mitch Green

25 38 Alan Tardiff, Lyman, iracing.com, Marc Tardiff

26 55 Brent Dragon, Milton, VT, RR Charlebois Freightliner, Brent Dragon

27 17 Travis Benjamin, Morrill, Belfast Variety, Morrill General Store, Ron Benjamin

28 88 Jeff Taylor, Farmington, Fox Designs, Jeff Taylor

29 16 Travis Stearns, Auburn, Richard Green Trucking, LaQuinta Inn & Suites, Richard Green

30 00 Bryan Kruczek, Newmarket, NH, Ouellette Associates, Traditional Mortgage, Kruczek’s Garage Joseph Kruczek

31 21 David Oliver, Standish, HP Hood/Helluva Good, SPD Racing LLC

32 2 Matt Matheson, Oromocto, NB, Modern Ventures Ltd., Matt & Tim Matheson

Limited Sportsman / Sportsman / Sport Series open (50 laps) 1 8 Clyde Hennessey, Windham; 2 20 Frank Wear, Scarborough; 3 36 Nate Leavitt, Buxton; 4 11 Dalton Gagnon, Lyman; 5 07 Dave Charest, Westbrook; 6 7 Grant Aither, Kingston, NH; 7 31j Nick Campbell, Arundel; 8 15 Mike St. Pierre, Buxton; 9 47 Charlie Buxton, Windham; 10 Natasha Dyer, Arrowsic; 11 5 Marc Lucas, Harpswell; DNS 03 Dave Langlais, Shapleigh.

PASS Mods (50 laps) 1 0 Andy Shaw, Center Conway, NH; 2 22 Doug McClure, Buxton; 3 36 Ryan Robbins, Dixfield; 4 17 Scott Alexander, Newburgh; 5 12 Jimmy Emerson, Windham; 6 21 Mike Carignan, Lebanon; 7 7 Steve Reno, West Bath; 8 33 Billy Dixon, East Waterboro; 9 2 Matty Sanborn, Westbrook; 10 14 Jon McCarron, Etna.

NEMST (50 laps) 1 33 Matt Sonnhalter, East Thetford, VT; 2 2 Toby Wells, Dublin, NH; 3 17 Heywood Harriott, Gorham, NH; 4 5 Jimmy Childs, Leeds; 5 19 Zach Audet, Skowhegan; 6 88 Emerson Cayer, Contoocook, NH; 7 2 Rob Greenleaf, West Bath; 8 07 Pete Zakarite, Niantic, CT; 9 43 Dana Shepard, Putney, VT; 10 18 Jacob Rheaume, Rochester, NH; 11 24 Joe Baxter, Pascoag, RI; 12 18 Justin Larsen, Peru; 13 7 Eric Pelletier, Dayville, CT; 14 83 Brady Romano, Livermore Falls; 15 90 Desmond Skillings, Antrim, NH; 16 20 Pete McCollett, Readfield; 17 22 Shaun Waites, Jr., Raymond, NH; 18 84 William Schoeler, Warwick, RI; DNS 55 Nicholas Anderson, Oxford, MA; DNS 41 Loren Smith, Allenstown, NH.