It Was Richie Dearborn Night at White Mountain

(Naples, ME – September 18, 2005) A full field of Infinity Business Group sponsored  PASS Super Late Model/Pro Stocks took the green flag Saturday night at White Mountain Motorsports Park in the HK Powersports 150.

After an hour and a half rain delay, the #75 of Gary Smith and the #54 of Johnny Clark brought the field to the green with Richie Dearborn and Alan Tardif of Lyman, ME in the #8T in third and fourth. It was Tardif’s second PASS start of the year as he prepares for the PASS Pullen 400 Weekend at his home track at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway next week.

There were a number of new teams at White Mountain in preparation for the 300 lapper next week including David Bath of Arundel, ME, Brockie Gerry of Freyburg, ME, T. J. Brackett of Buckfield, ME, Todd Patnode of W. Swansea, NH, Joey Porciello of Lee, NH, Wayne Helliwell, Jr, of Dracut, MA. Alexandre Gingras of Quebec City, Quebec was also in attendance but blew a motor in practice.

The first yellow of the night came out on lap five after the bad luck dog bit Donnie Whitten again with a flat left front. Whitten made it back and stayed on the lead lap. On the restart, Johnny Clark jumped out to the lead bringing the #17 of Travis Benjamin with him from third.

After a quick spin on lap 13 by T. J. Brackett in the #97 brought out the second yellow, Dearborn of Hollis, ME in the Chadwick-BaRoss #33, who set fast time in the Sunoco Time Trials, moved to the point after getting under Clark.

On lap 24, Garry Johnson’s #35 went around in turn one bringing out the third caution of the night. The points leaders were making their way to the front as we went back to green. Johnny Clark, who was tied for second in points with Mike Rowe,  was second to Dearborn, Cassius Clark, third in the points and two behind Johnny and Mike, was up to third, and the points leader Ben Rowe was sixth, right behind Mike in fifth.

On lap 52, the final caution of the night came out as Garry Johnson slide off turn two and into the wet grass in the infield down the backstretch. Unfortunately, the #35 came to rest on top of the tire barricade around the light pole in turn three and had to be taken off on the flatbed.

On the restart,  it was Dearborn, Johnny, Cassius, Ben Rowe up to third, Mike fourth, and Patrick Laperle of St. Denis, Quebec up to fifth, as he too prepares for the big show next weekend.

Travis Benjamin, who was caught on the outside on a green race track on several restarts, was fighting his way back to the front as the laps were clicking off. On lap 72, he took fifth from Mike Rowe with a power move on the outside after getting by Laperle on the inside.

After a side-by-side battle for several laps, on lap 83 Laperle was able to get by Mike for sixth as Mike’s #24 was developing a loose condition both entering and exiting the corners. However, several laps later Mike returned the favor and slipped under Patrick to take the position back.

Ben was closing in on the leaders, but it took him a number of laps to get by Johnny Clark for second as Dearborn pulled away. At the 100 lap mark, it was Dearborn out front, Ben Rowe second and closing, Johnny Clark third, Benjamin up to fourth, Cassius back to fifth, Mike Rowe sixth, Laperle seventh, Corey William’s #47 with another solid run in eighth, Alan Wilson’s #53 ninth, and Donnie Lashua’s #08 tenth.

By lap 125, Dearborn was out front and working lapped traffic to perfection as he was lapping into the top ten. Ben had to work his way through the same lapped traffic but got caught behind several two-wide battles for position that slowed him as Dearborn pulled away. Over the last 25 laps, Benjamin chased down the loose-in and -out #54 of Johnny Clark and took third as the laps wound down.

At the line, it was Dearborn in a powerful statement leading up to Beech Ridge next week, Ben adding several points to his points lead in second, Travis third, Johnny Clark fourth, Cassius fifth, and Mike Rowe sixth, followed by Laperle in seventh, Corey Williams eighth, Alan Wilson ninth,  Donnie Lashua tenth, and Donnie Whitten coming back from the lap five problem to salvage an 11th place finish..

Ben Rowe did what he had to do to protect his lead and pad it by four to an unofficial 28 point lead over Johnny, with Mike and Cassius tied just four behind Johnny as we head into the final two races of the 2005 season.

The 300 lapper at Beech Ridge next weekend will be a real test with no time trials and the luck of the draw determining the starting position in the heat races. With close to 60 cars expected luck will play a role for sure.

So, when we get to Star Speedway on October 1st for the IBG- PASS Season finale, what we see today make look a whole lot different after next week.

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