(Naples, ME – August 6, 2005)  Rick Martin of Westport, MA in the G. Lopes #14 lead the first and last laps of the PASS Summerfest 50 at Riverside Speedway in Groveton, NH tonight, but it was what he went through from lap two to 149 to get that finish that’s the real story of the race.

Rick took the lead right off the green with Travis Benjamin in the Irving Oil # 17 falling in behind. On lap 13, Cassius Clark in the E. J. Prescott #8 went to the outside of Mike Rowe into third and then took second from Travis. Cassius was strong on the outside, and on lap 26 he got to the outside of Rick. The two went side-by-side for three laps until Cassius completed the pass down the backstretch.

Cassius and Rick separated themselves from Travis, Mike, Johnny Clark in the #54, Corey William’s #47, and Richie Dearborn in the #33. By lap 35, Ben Rowe in the #00 was making noise on the outside with Scott Mulkern’s #84 following him to the outside.

A yellow for a tangle between Benjamin and Dearborn on lap 54 brought Clark and Martin back to the field. Martin powered by Cassius into turn one on the restart and reclaimed the lead with Johnny Clark and Ben Rowe in third and fourth, followed by Mike Rowe and Corey Williams.

At the halfway mark, it was still Martin, Cassius, Johnny Clark, Ben Rowe, and Mike Rowe the top five, with Scott Mulkern coming on the outside. By lap 100, the top five were nose to tail with Mulkern up to sixth.

On lap 109, Michael Ruttkamp of Wilton, CT in the #81 went up and over the left front of the #40 of Eric Chase of Milton, VT coming off turn four and went over on his roof ending up under flagman Bruce Gordon’s flagstand, bringing out a red flag. After a few minutes, Michael climbed out OK, but the car went off on the rollback.

Martin and Johnny Clark slid up in turn one after contact on lap 115, leaving the bottom open for Mike Rowe, and the veteran knew what to do as the #24 car went to the front much to the delight of the big Riverside crowd. But Martin was not to be denied as he powered by Rowe on the outside down the backstretch to regain the lead two laps later

With 25 to go, it was Martin, Mike Rowe, Johnny Clark, Ben Rowe, Cassius, Corey Williams, Alan Wilson in the #53,  Donnie Whitten in the #83, Ge Ge Gravel, and Travis Benjamin in the top ten.

Mike Rowe quickly made a move on Martin in turn one on lap 131 with both cars sliding up, allowing Johnny Clark to slip through on the inside and take the lead with Cassius right behind. The three were under a blanket for the next ten laps until Martin again caught the leaders and powered by them all on the outside to again reclaim the lead.

With 10 laps to go, Martin had pulled out to a ten car length lead, but Travis Benjamin ran into trouble down the backstretch, bringing out the yellow on lap 145. On the restart, Martin pulled away with Johnny Clark and Mike Rowe right behind, but Cassius Clark went around in turn after something apparently broke dumping oil in front of the field, with Corey Williams, Gary Johnson in the #35, and Alan Wilson scattering in turn two.

After a lengthy cleanup of the oil from turn one and through turn two, Martin again took off and held the point over the final three laps. Johnny Clark was second, and Mike Rowe was third, with Ben Rowe fourth, Ge Ge Gravel fifth, Pete Frappier in David Joyce’s #05 in a season’s best sixth, Richie  Dearborn seventh, Corey Williams back up to eighth, Alan Wilson ninth, and Donnie Whitten tenth after having to pit with a  flat with four to go.

In Victory Lane, Martin said, “I love racing with these guys because they are the best in The Northeast, and it was a thrill to pass Mike Rowe on the outside.”