Will the PASS South Rise up at the Mason-Dixon Meltdown?

 

Naples, ME 10/13/09- It’s become a tradition in the Pro All Stars (PASS) South Series; the annual Mason Dixon Meltdown. Since the series inception in 2006 and the first Meltdown at Virginia’s South Boston Speedway, the event has grown as one of the major races to win in the super late model community. Racers from as far south as Texas and as far north as Canada have flocked to compete in the Meltdown in recent years and the 2009 edition is shaping up to be a great one. This year’s Mason Meltdown will feature PASS South super late models along with the NASCAR late model stock cars in a pair of 250 lap features giving race fans a heaping helping of high quality racing action.

 

 PASS South regulars Ben Rowe, Ryan Blaney, Preston Peltier, Justin Wakefield, and Heath Hindman will do battle for 250 laps against a whole flock of northern invaders including defending Meltdown and 2009 PASS North Champion Johnny Clark, Young guns Steve Legendre and  DJ Shaw, Scott Alexander and Cassius Clark, just to name a few. Thirty-plus super late models are expected to fill the pit area inside the 4/10^th mile oval.

 

While the Meltdown has been an annual PASS South scheduled race, never in the history of the event has a southern driver visited victory lane. Leaving one wondering,” will this be the year that will change?” Can one of the two drivers, Preston Peltier or veteran Jay Fogleman, who have both won three races each this season, bring one home for the south? Or will it be one of the Yankee drivers, Johnny Clark, Ben Rowe, or Cassius Clark that becomes our first ever Meltdown repeat winner?    

 

One driver who would fall under the northern invaders category, but has the longest haul of all, will be Saint John New Brunswick Canada driver Lonnie Sommerville. For the second straight year he will make the twenty-two hour haul south for the Mason Dixon Meltdown. The Canadian driver led his fair share of laps a season ago at the Meltdown, and after scoring wins in two of the three biggest races in his own country he has once again decided to see how he measures up against the best super late model racers in the south.

 

Not only will South Boston Speedway fans get to see an individual race winner, but the crowning of the 2009 PASS National champion will also take place. Turner, Maine native Ben Rowe looks to all but have hoisted the PASS National cup as the 2009 PASS National champion by building a comfortable fifty-seven point lead over a pair of North Carolina drivers, Mark Gibson and Ryan Blaney. Rounding out the top five is veteran Jay Fogleman in fourth, followed by defending national champion Cassius Clark. While the points from first to second may be spread out a bit, the battle to finish within the top three and take home a beautifully built cup by series trophy provider Race City Awards, is as tight as it can possibly be. A mere thirty-five points separates second from fifth. But that’s not all! The victor in the four race series will receive a Leavitt Racing components super late model chassis and a complete clutch, bell housing and starter package courtesy of Quarter Master. That’s over $7,500.00 worth of the finest racing components available anywhere, in addition to the $7,500.00 on the line for the race winner.

 

The Mason Dixon Meltdown 500 kicks off with practice for both divisions on Friday, October 16 from 1:00-3:00 pm. Grandstand gates will open at 3:00 pm on Friday October 16 and will be followed by time trials for both races at 4:00 pm. On Saturday October 17 at 11:00 am a NASCAR Late Model last chance 50-lap race will get the green flag followed by a Fan Appreciation autograph session.  The first feature race of the day will get underway at 3:00 pm.

 

For more information including schedules, standings, and results for all PASS sanctioned touring series visit their home on the web at www.racewithpass.com   and www.proallstarsseries.com . For marketing or media questions contact Norm Desjardins at 603-539-3368 For technical information contact Scott Reed at 207-625-3230.