Rowe Maine man in Geary
Published Monday June 15th, 2009
In only his third visit to the Geary woods, Ben Rowe of Turner, Me. took his second checkered flag in the Maritime Pro All-Star Series (PASS) 200 Saturday night at Speedway 660.
Rowe moved between second and third until lap 139 when he took over second place. Kirk Thibeau of Fort Fairfield, Me. held him off for nine laps until on lap 148 Rowe flew past him on the outside and never looked back, going the final 52 laps caution free to finish first.
"There was no point I knew I had it (won) until I crossed the finish line," said Rowe. "These races always tend to come right down to the finish."
Rowe's previous win at Speedway 660 came in the PASS series inaugural appearance in 2002. He finished second behind the late Scott Fraser in 2003.
Excited by his success in Geary, Rowe is looking ahead to perhaps competing in the Peterbilt 250 on Labour Day Weekend. "I can't say for sure, but hopefully if it's an open date on our schedule we can come," said Rowe. "After winning two of three races here, we just might be back."
Adam Bates of Warner, N.H. finished second with John Flemming of Halifax, N.S. rounding out the podium finishers.
Saint John's Lonnie Sommerville, who took the lead in lap 42 and went back and forth with Thibeau for the lead through lap 100 before losing tire pressure in his right front tire which caused a spin-out on lap 123, got back in the mix in the last half of the race, finishing seventh overall.
"We were just riding around the track the first 100 laps or so," said Sommerville. "I was the first car through the big wreck on the backstretch. I figure I drove over something that brought my tire pressure down."
"It's an unlucky break seeing as we led most of the way up to that point, but we came back out and still had a good finish," said Sommerville. Shawn Tucker of Fredericton finished ninth while St. Stephan's Greg Fahey finished tenth.
In the early going, D.J. Shaw of Center Conway, NH and Kelly Moore of Scarborough, ME battled for the lead. Sommerville took his turn in the lead. On lap 103, there was an eight car pileup on the backstretch shuffling up the field. Rowe quietly pulled into third place after sitting around the top five.
That set the scene for his charge to the lead in the 148th lap.
In the Martin's Home Heating Sportsman Division, Randy Moore of Saint John dominated in the feature holding the lead in 27 of 30 laps. Cal Hatfield of Rothesay was battling hard for first in the final laps and on lap 30, Moore and Hatfield made contact, spinning out Hatfield in turn four.
"I feel bad," said Moore, "Cal is real good to race against and one of the cleanest drivers I've seen in my racing career. We were going to have a top three finish, but just had a bad break and hopefully luck will be on our side next week.''
The spinout placed both at the back of the field, allowing Myles Harris of Nasonworth to take first place in the feature.
Michael Banks of Lake George finished second, while Burton's Glyn Nott rounded off the podium, finishing third.
The Coast Tire Street Stock division was a family affair showcasing a daughter-father finishing 1-3. Heidi Cooper of Fredericton dominated, leading all 20 laps to take the Feature. Her father, Rocket Rodney Ness of Hanwell took third.
This is the first time both have been on the podium together and only the second first place finish in Cooper's six years of racing. "This is my second first place finish so it's pretty exciting," said Cooper. "It's always a good night when you beat dad."
Brian Fox of Burton took a second place finish in the feature, with a win in his heat earlier.
Next weekend at Speedway 660, the Fredericton Inn Weekly Racing (with AOW) starts at 7 p.m. Another feature on the card is the Mascot Challenge.
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