PASS North Support 50 Legs 150 – Star Speedway (NH) – 5/5/18
Last updated: May 6, 2018 at 9:59 am
(Updated throughout the day – Be sure to refresh this page frequently)
Defending champion Travis Benjamin celebrates his first win of the 2018 season. (Speed51.com photo)
What Won the Race: Travis Benjamin held off Reid Lanpher in a spirited battle over the last 50 laps to win the Support 50 Legs 150.
The Finish:
| 1 | 7 | Travis Benjamin |
| 2 | 59 | Reid Lanpher |
| 3 | 97 | Joey Polewarczyk, Jr |
| 4 | 35 | Derek Ramstrom |
| 5 | 54 | Johnny Clark |
| 6 | 60 | DJ Shaw |
| 7 | 12G | Derek Griffith |
| 8 | 51 | John Peters |
| 9 | 4 | Ben Rowe |
| 10 | 7L | Glen Luce |
| 11 | 00 | Bryan Kruczek |
| 12 | 40VT | Nick Sweet |
| 13 | 41 | Tracy Gordon |
| 14 | 94 | Garrett Hall |
| 15 | 03 | Joe Squeglia, Jr |
| 16 | 15 | Mike Hopkins |
| 17 | 5M | Dillon Moltz |
| 18 | 16 | Travis Stearns |
| 19 | 23 | Glenn Martel |
The Skinny: Travis Benjamin started from the pole position and won the race, but it wasn’t as easy as it sounds. Johnny Clark took over the lead from Benjamin early on before Reid Lanpher took command on Lap 66. Benjamin made his way back towards the front and reclaimed the lead on Lap 100 after contact with Lanpher in turn two. From there, the two drivers swapped paint and raced side-by-side throughout the final 50 laps before Benjamin came out on top.
Winning Quote: “Reid and I raced really, really hard. We hit, we beat, we banged, he moved me and I moved him. But nobody wrecked each other, so it was a lot of fun.” – Travis Benjamin
Bonus Quote: “That was probably one of, if not the, funnest races I’ve ever driven.” – Reid Lanpher
Winning Crew Chief: Mark Lyden
Winning Chassis: Distance
Winning Engine: RPM Engines
On the Move: Ben Rowe started 17th and rode a rollercoaster of a race to an ninth-place finish, a gain of eight positions.
Biggest Loser: Joe Squeglia started second and contended for the lead early, but was forced to retire early and finished 15th, a loss of 13 positons.
Pre-Feature Notebook:
-Nick Sweet will race here at Star Speedway today before racing in the American-Canadian Tour Community Bank 150 at Thunder Road (VT) tomorrow.
-2017 ARCA Racing Series champion Austin Theriault is in the pit area today helping out fellow Maine native Travis Stearns.
-Defending Beech Ridge track champion Reid Lanpher is entered for today’s race. The team isn’t yet committing to running the full PASS North schedule, as they plan to take it week by week.
-Travis Benjamin was fastest in the final practice session for the PASS North Super Late Models.
-Tracy Gordon made contact with the fronstretch wall during his heat race and spun on the frontstretch the following lap. He went to the pit area and did not return.
Starting Lineup:
| 1 | 7 | Travis Benjamin |
| 2 | 03 | Joe Squeglia, Jr |
| 3 | 54 | Johnny Clark |
| 4 | 40VT | Nick Sweet |
| 5 | 16 | Travis Stearns |
| 6 | 00 | Bryan Kruczek |
| 7 | 51 | John Peters |
| 8 | 60 | DJ Shaw |
| 9 | 7L | Glen Luce |
| 10 | 5M | Dillon Moltz |
| 11 | 12G | Derek Griffith |
| 12 | 59 | Reid Lanpher |
| 13 | 23 | Glenn Martel |
| 14 | 97 | Joey Polewarczyk, Jr |
| 15 | 35 | Derek Ramstrom |
| 16 | 94 | Garrett Hall |
| 17 | 4 | Ben Rowe |
| 18 | 15 | Mike Hopkins |
| 19 | 41 | Tracy Gordon |
Heat Race Results:
Heat 1 Unofficial Results
| 1 | 7 | Travis Benjamin |
| 2 | 40VT | Nick Sweet |
| 3 | 51 | John Peters |
| 4 | 7L | Glen Luce |
| 5 | 23 | Glenn Martel |
| 6 | 94 | Garrett Hall |
| 7 | 41 | Tracy Gordon |
Heat 2 Unofficial Results
| 1 | 03 | Joe Squeglia, Jr |
| 2 | 16 | Travis Stearns |
| 3 | 12G | Derek Griffith |
| 4 | 5M | Dillon Moltz |
| 5 | 97 | Joey Polewarczyk, Jr |
| 6 | 4 | Ben Rowe |
Heat 3 Unofficial Results
| 1 | 54 | Johnny Clark |
| 2 | 00 | Bryan Kruczek |
| 3 | 60 | DJ Shaw |
| 4 | 59 | Reid Lanpher |
| 5 | 35 | Derek Ramstrom |
| 6 | 15 | Mike Hopkins |
Heat Race Lineups:
Heat 1
| 1 | 40VT | Nick Sweet |
| 2 | 51 | John Peters |
| 3 | 23 | Glenn Martel |
| 4 | 7 | Travis Benjamin |
| 5 | 41 | Tracy Gordon |
| 6 | 94 | Garrett Hall |
| 7 | 7L | Glen Luce |
Heat 2
| 1 | 16 | Travis Stearns |
| 2 | 03 | Joe Squeglia, Jr |
| 3 | 5M | Dillon Moltz |
| 4 | 12G | Derek Griffith |
| 5 | 97 | Joey Polewarczyk, Jr |
| 6 | 4 | Ben Rowe |
Heat 3
| 1 | 54 | Johnny Clark |
| 2 | 00 | Bryan Kruczek |
| 3 | 15 | Mike Hopkins |
| 4 | 35 | Derek Ramstrom |
| 5 | 60 | DJ Shaw |
| 6 | 59 | Reid Lanpher |
Car Count: 19 PASS North Super Late Models
Entry List:
| 00 | Bryan Kruczek |
| 03 | Joe Squeglia, Jr |
| 4 | Ben Rowe |
| 5M | Dillon Moltz |
| 7 | Travis Benjamin |
| 7L | Glen Luce |
| 12G | Derek Griffith |
| 15 | Mike Hopkins |
| 16 | Travis Stearns |
| 23 | Glenn Martel |
| 35 | Derek Ramstrom |
| 40VT | Nick Sweet |
| 41 | Tracy Gordon |
| 51 | John Peters |
| 54 | Johnny Clark |
| 59 | Reid Lanpher |
| 60 | DJ Shaw |
| 94 | Garrett Hall |
| 97 | Joey Polewarczyk, Jr |
Qualifying Format: There will be three qualifying heats to seat the field for today’s 150-lap feature.
Event Schedule: Qualifying heats begin at 5 p.m. ET. Joining the PASS North Super Late Models on the schedule will be the Strictly Stocks, 350 Supermodifieds, Roadrunners and Six Shooters. There will also be a fan meet and greet prior to the PASS Support 50 Legs 150.
Who to Watch For: Derek Ramstrom and Travis Benjamin won the PASS North events at Star last year, making them two driver to keep an eye on. Derek Griffith, who considers Star Speedway to be one of his home tracks, should also be in contention tonight. Local driver Joe “The Show” Squeglia, a former PASS North winner at nearby Lee USA Speedway, could be an underdog to watch.
Title Fight: With three events completed, DJ Shaw leads Travis Benjamin by 10 markers in the PASS North standings.
The Track: Star Speedway is a 1/4-mile bullring located in Epping, NH.
Weather: It’s a great night for racing with temperatures expected to be in the 60s when the green flag waves.
Next Series Race: After three straight weeks of racing, the PASS North Super Late Models will have a week off next weekend before going back to Oxford Plains Speedway (ME) on May 20.
|
