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Naples, ME – July 3, 2006) It finally happened. The first PASS Outlaw Late Model Central Divison 100 is in the books. It took three attempts to get the race in at Canaan Fair Motorsports Complex, Canaan, NH, but it was worth the wait for several drivers.
A great field of 29 cars attempted to qualify through three heats and a consi for the 25 starting spots in the 100 green-flag lap race prior to the big Celebrate America Fireworks show. The local racers showed the way with Walt Hammond of Canaan and Donnie Lashua of Enfield, NH taking the first two heats and the front row for the 100 lapper. In row two it was the winner of the third heat and 2005 Canaan Pro-Stock champion Zig Geno of Canterbury, NH and Brunswick, ME driver Chris Staples in the #5. Canaan regulars Chris Curtis of Rutland, MA and Brian Henry of Lebanon, NH made up the third row. The consi went to Jimmy Rosenfield of Middleboro, MA.
Lashua and Hammond traded the lead over the first few laps, and then things settled down as Hammond took the lead and ticked off 18 laps until the 37 of “Pistol Pete” Fraser of Nottingham, NH got helped up into the marbles in turn one, taking Mike Fowler of Scarborough, ME in the # 66X with him.
A series of yellows over the next ten laps claimed the #99 of Marc Belanger of Whitefield, NH, who took a wild ride off turn two, the #4X of Peter Jarvis of Ascutney, VT, and the #04 of Joey Porciello of Lee. NH.
On lap 36, Geno moved to second past Lashua, with Staples fourth, Curtis fifth, Fowler back to sixth, Mark Patten of Belmont, NH in the #07 seventh, and Jimmy Renfrew of Candia, NH in David Joyce’s #55 eighth.
At the halfway mark, Mike Harnish of Skowhegan, ME in the #22 tangled with young Kraig Coffin of Uxbridge, MA in the #3, sending both to the pits. It was still Hammond and Geno battling for the lead, but on the restart Geno broke and Lashua took second. A lap later, Fowler took second from Lashua, with Curtis and Staples in behind. Over the next several laps, Fowler and Lashua traded place as Hammond pulled away to a three car-length lead.
On lap 74, Henry in the #20 checked up in turn four and got booted to the infield. On the restart, it was still Hammond, but some experienced faces were asserting themselves into the top ten. Rosenfield was up to fourth, Renfrew to sixth, Dale Shaw in the #60 seventh, and the #35 of Derek Ramstrom of W. Boylston, MA patiently up to eighth from his 18th-place starting spot.
On lap 82, Geno spun off turn one after returning from the pits and the yellow flew again. On the restart, the fireworks really started as Hammond and Fowler banged together off turn two and the top seven cars were all involved. Staples limped to the pits along with Shaw who had the entire driver’s side door peeled off, Renfrew, and Curtis. Rosenfield and Hammond, who both went off on the hook, were done for the night. Fowler escaped the carnage and rejoined the field at the back of the pack.The veteran Patten and the rookie Ramstrom scooted through the mess along with Mike Thomas of Lewiston, ME in the #25 and Dillion Moltz of Waterford, CT in the #94
While under caution, Staple, Geno, and Renfrew rejoined the field, and Patten went to pits and was done for the night. With 18 laps to go it was Derek Ramstrom leading the field to the green. Ramstrom had to survive two more restarts and challenges by Fowler, Staples, and Thomas, but the kid had what it took to hold them off as he took the checkers for his first win in an Outlaw Late Model car.
It was not a real surprise to some observers to see the 15 year-old holding the checkers in Victory Lane. He has been racing in Quarter Midgets since he was six and last year was a winner in the Allison Legacy Series. So far in 2006, he has a fourth, a third, and second in his last three races, including a fourth at Unity on June 18th in a PASS Outlaw Late Model Series Northern Division race following a ninth at Bangor’s Speedway 95 after he was running fourth with one to go and suffered a mechanical failure. In four PASS Outlaw Late Model races he has finished out of the top ten only once, and that was 11th at Unity in April in his first visit to “Maine’s Toughest Oval.”
In weekly series PASS Outlaw Late Model races at Canaan, he has a second and an eighth in the two races that have been run so far in a rain-soaked season.
While it was raining everywhere in New England on June 9th, Derek took two exams in high school on that Friday morning and then jumped into the hauler with his dad and crew and drove to Florence, SC to attempt to qualify for the PASS Super Late Model South Series race the next day at Florence Motor Speedway. Derek made the show, but got caught up in someone else’s wreck. The win Sunday, his performance so far in 2006, and this kind of drive and determination to learn and to get seat time against the best shows that this kid’s a racer.
