150 at Motor Mile
CONCORD, NC (May 12, 2008) – The Pro All Stars Series has been the
home to many short track stars in the northern and southern world of
Super Late Model racing. Most PASS winners have been veterans, such
as Ben Rowe, Mike Rowe, Freddie Query, Dale Shaw, Sam Sessions and
more. Recently an influx of newcomers have graced victory lane.
Johnny Clark led the charge in the North a couple years ago; then came
Cassius Clark, Ryan Lawler and Corey Williams. Now PASS is entering
new territory with its youngest ever victor.
Zach Stroupe's triumph Saturday in the "Mom 150" at Motor Mile
Speedway in Radford, VA, will be recorded in PASS history books in
more than just one place. At 15, he became the youngest winner ever
in either of PASS' Super Late Model Tours. The previous record was
held by Corey Williams' victory last year at Orange County Speedway in
Rougemont, NC, when he was 21 years old. Stroupe, coincidentally,
also then becomes the first teenager to win in PASS Super Late Model
action. Derrick Ramstrom, now a competitor on PASS' North circuit won
a PASS Outlaws Late Model event as a teenager.
The PASS South "Mom 150" at Motor Mile will also be remembered as a
feverish fight between some of the current top young prospects in
Super Late Model racing. In fact, Williams grabbed his
second-straight fast-time award in qualifying by circling the .416
mile oval in 15.328 seconds. Stroupe and Cassius Clark were second
and third with identical times of 15.350.
After the redraw, former NASCAR Elite Series winner Justin Wakefield
jumped to the lead from his pole starting spot at the start of the
150-lap event. On lap 23, Clark's number-8 caught on fire, and when
he tried to pull onto the apron from the outside groove, he and
Stroupe's #51 made contact. Stroupe was able to continue, but Clark's
car was done for the day with engine difficulties and other damage as
a result of the conflict.
After several other cautions, Stroupe was able to put his car out
front on a lap-25 restart. While Stroupe battled Wakefield and then
pulled away from the field, several cautions slowed the race,
including one between series regulars Dean Clattenburg and rookie John
Stancill.
During a restart on lap 86, another youngster made his mark in the
race. Trevor Sanborn, driving a Richard Moody team car to Ben Rowe,
pulled ahead of Stroupe before another caution flew for an incident
between Ginny Quinones and Brian Johnson.
Stroupe fell back to third on the ensuing restart when Kyle Busch
Motorsports (team owned by the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competitor)
driver Alex Haase moved by. Stroupe stayed glued to the battle that
Sanborn and Haase put on. The youngster had the fans on their feet
until contact between the two sent Sanborn spinning on lap 101. Haase
was penalized for the contact by PASS officials and put to the rear of
the field.
Stroupe, who was directly behind the two when the incident happened,
took over the lead and then lost it to Corey Williams during the
ensuing restart. Stroupe would continue to hound the winner of the
season opening Easter Bunny 150 at Hickory Motor Speedway. Then on a
lap-119 restart, Stroupe charged on Motor Mile's outside groove to
take over the lead for what would prove to be the final time. Despite
challenges from Williams, the Bob Dillner Inc. Racing (team for the
SPEED NASCAR television commentator) driver would lead the final 31
laps for his first-ever Super Late Model victory.
"We knew that we had a car that could survive on the outside, but we
didn't want to risk it early since we knew it would burn the right
front up," said Stroupe of Iron Station, NC. "We went down there and
held it tight. We held it as close to the bottom and next to Corey's
door. It ate off that corner and down the backstretch to clear him.
"We needed this; the crew deserved it. Bond Suss (crew chief of BEC)
has been working hard. This is only his fourth race with us, but it
is pretty cool to win it for him. I'm happy for Bob (Dillner); it is
his first Super Late Model race win. It is real cool finally getting
the one that we have been needing; we have been close many times. We
have finished fourth and sixth and have knocked on the door. It held
together and we finally won one, and it's pretty exciting. Plus, it's
exciting to win a PASS race. This is a good series and a tough one
with a lot of good competitors. Ben Rowe was here and so was Cassius;
the 44 (Sanborn) ran really well, and Haase was up front, too, so I'm
happy to say I was able to beat them here tonight."
But, of course, for Stroupe as a teenager, winning one for Mom in the
"Mom 150" was probably the best gift he could have hoped for his
mother.
"It is pretty cool," added Stroupe. "My mother has been there since
the beginning, from Go-Karts to Bandos to Legends, Pro Challenge and
now. For the last 11 years she has been going to my races, which is
pretty cool for me. This one is for her, too."
The PASS South Super Late Models return to action with the
third-annual "Orange Blossom Special," Saturday, June 7th, at Orange
County Speedway in Rougemont, NC. Please stay tuned to
racewithpass.com for more details, and be sure to contact PASS through
the contact page on the website for marketing opportunities.
This race also serves as a tune-up for the next PASS National Super
Late Model Series race on Saturday, July 19th, which is also at Orange
County Speedway. It is the second race of a four-race Super Late
Model Tour. Corey Williams won the first event in Hickory, NC, in
March. The third event is September 21st at Beech Ridge Speedway in
Scarborough, ME, and the finale is at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in
Greenville, SC. A driver's best three finishes will count toward
determining a champion.
UNOFFICIAL FINISH
"Mom 150"
Motor Mile Speedway, Radford, VA
150-laps
1) #51 Zach Stroupe
2) #47 Corey Williams
3) #51H Alex Haase
4) #91 Heath Hindman
5) #44 Trevor Sanborn
6) #09 Kevin Barrett
7) #98 Justin Wakefield
8) #30 Rodney Brooks
9) #5 Spencer Wauters
10) #22 Perry Brown
11) #26 Brian Johnson
12) #39 Dean Clattenburg
13) #62 Mark Gibson
14) #24 Brian Royalty
15) #20 John Stancill
16) #00 Ginny Quinones
17) #05 Alex Fleming
18) #18 Bradley McCaskill
19) #42 Tim Pinion
20) #4 Ben Rowe
21) #8 Cassius Clark
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