Ryan Blaney Dominates for First Career PASS South Win

Naples, ME 3/15/10- Fans who have followed the PASS South series for the last year and a half have all wondered and even asked him to his face, “Ryan when are you going to win your first race?” That question along with a statement on who might be the guy to beat for the 2010 PASS South series championship was answered in front of a stellar crowd at the Dillon Motor Speedway in Dillon, South Carolina as fifteen-year-old Ryan Blaney stole the show and earned the win, dominating the South Carolina Clash 150.

The youngster bested the thirty-four cars all day during practice and then backed it up in Pro Photo Productions qualifying, setting the fastest time over the thirty-one cars that took time. With the large field in attendance, PASS officials were forced to have a last chance race for those who did not lock themselves in by qualifying inside the top twenty. Kernersville, North Carolina driver Duane Linville led from start to finish ensuring himself a spot in the night’s 150 lap main event.

The first forty laps proved to be the most exciting as cars sliced and diced for position after the series’ mandatory top ten qualifying redraw. The biggest mishap of the night came on lap thirteen when multiple cars went spinning, including top runners Jay Fogleman, Preston Peltier, and Dylan Presnell after the #79 of Chris Bowers didn’t quite get up to speed on a restart, causing the field to stack up. Most of the cars in the incident were able to continue after minor repairs to their machines. The final caution of the night came just thirty-eight laps into the 150 lap event but it was lap forty-eight that was the lap to remember for Ryan Blaney as he took the lead when Georgia’s Justin Wakefield went up in smoke with motor trouble.

While the difference between first and second was over fifteen seconds, the battle between local favorite Hal Goodson, Steve Legendre, and Preston Peltier, who ran second most of the night after working his way back through the field, was quite interesting. As the leader, Blaney, was taking the checkered flag coming out of four just a car length behind the three drivers battling for position, Peltier slowed on the back straightaway as if the race was over while Goodson and Legendre raced back to complete their final lap since the three never went a lap down.  Goodson managed the runner up spot while Legendre scored his career best PASS finish of third leaving Peltier in the fourth position at the line. Spencer Wauters made it back to back fifth place finishes as he rounded out the top five for the second consecutive season.

Next up for the Pro All Stars Series will be the “Easter Bunny 150” at the Hickory Motor Speedway on Saturday April 3^rd. The event will double as both a PASS South and PASS National point race making the chances of huge car count an easy possibility. For more information on the event or any PASS events visit their website at www.proallstarsseries.com.      

Official Results – PASS South Super Late Model South Carolina Clash – Dillon Motor Speedway – Dillon S.C. – 3/13/2010

. #10 - Ryan Blaney 2. #16g - Hal Goodson 3. #20 - Steven Legendre 4. #26 - Preston Peltier 5. #5 - Spencer Wauters 6. #10s - George Gorham 7. #48 - John Batten 8. #11 - Cooper Fassen 9. #93 - Tayla Orleans 10. #67 - Duane Linville 11. #91 - Heath Hindman 12. #39 - Kenzie Ruston 13. #47 - Trey Mitchell 14. #15h - Joe Heigl 15. #4 - Jayt Fogleman 16. #29 - Andy Loden 17. #7 - Dana White 18. #98 - Justin Wakefield 19. #23 - Jimmy Weller 20. #35 - Devin Jones 21. #02 - Tim Nooner 22. #16 - Joey Coulter 23. #83 - Dylan Presnell 24. #05 - Alex Fleming 25. #79 - Chris Bowers 26. #15 - Clay Jones 27. #19 - Chris Bohlman   DNS #91 - David Quackenbush