Story By: MARK THOMAS / PRO ALL STAR SERIES – BARRE, VT – Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. of Hudson, New Hampshire came out on top in a thrilling finish to Sunday afternoon’s Pro All Stars Series Super Late Model race at Thunder Road International Speedbowl.
Polewarczyk, no stranger to Late Model success on the high-banked, quarter-mile oval, dedicated his first Super Late Model win to the late Tom Curley, ACT President and former co-owner of the Green Mountain State’s premiere racetrack, who Polewarczyk called instrumental to the development of his stock car racing career.
Lining up tenth on the starting grid, Polewarczyk’s march to the front of the field was delayed by a flat tire and subsequent pit stop. But the Granite State competitor was not to be denied, prevailing in several battles for position en route to Mekkelsen RV victory lane.
20-year-old hotshoe Reid Lanpher of Manchester, Maine earned runner-up honors and unofficially took over the top spot in Pro All Stars Series North Super Late Model competition. Lanpher’s performance was particularly notable since it was his first-ever appearance at the tough, tight racing facility.
Bobby Therrien of Hinesburg, Vermont raced from dead last on the starting grid to a third-place finish in an impressive run also hampered by an unscheduled pit stop. DJ Shaw of Center Conway, New Hampshire, the defending champion of the T-Road PASS event, settled for a fourth-place finish after being forced to run his backup car.
Ben Rowe of Turner, Maine took a couple of turns pacing the field early in the 150-lapper, crossing the finish line in fifth position. Garrett Hall of Scarborough, Maine was sixth under the checkered flag. Derek Ramstrom was seventh after leading a spell before a tire went flat and he was forced to the pit area.
Derek Griffith of Hudson, New Hampshire was the eight-place finisher, ahead of Turner, Maine’s Glen Luce. Gabe Brown of Center Conway, New Hampshire, a 15-year-old Super Late Model rookie, salvaged a top-ten finish despite bouncing off Thunder Road’s famous frontstretch wall.
The next Pro All Stars Series Super Late Model race is scheduled for Saturday, June 2 at Petty Speedway in River Glade, New Brunswick, Canada. The next United States-based race for the PASS North Super Late Models is scheduled for Father’s Day, Sunday, June 17, at Speedway 95 in Hermon, Maine. For more information please visit proallstarsseries.com or call (207) 539-8865.
Results from the Mekkelsen RV 150 Pro All Stars Series North Super Late Model race at Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre, Vermont on Sunday, May 27 showing starting position, car number, driver’s name, driver’s hometown:
Unofficial Super Late Model finish (150 laps) 1 Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., Hudson, NH; 2 59 Reid Lanpher, Manchester, ME; 3 5 Bobby Therrien, Hinesburg, VT; 4 60 DJ Shaw, Center Conway, NH; 5 4 Ben Rowe, Turner, ME; 6 94 Garrett Hall, Scarborough, ME; 7 35 Derek Ramstrom, Worcester, MA; 8 12 Derek Griffith, Hudson, NH; 9 7 Glen Luce, Turner, ME; 10 2 Gabe Brown, Center Conway, NH; 11 40 Nicholas Sweet, Barre, VT; 12 09 Jeremy Davis, Tamworth, NH; 13 37 Scott Payea, Milton, VT; 14 4 Scott Dragon, Colchester, VT; 15 7 Travis Bejamin, Morrill, ME.
