Johnny Clark Is the CAT at Halifax

(Naples, ME August 12, 2006) The Atlantic CAT 250 at Scotia Speedworld in Halifax, Nova Scotia was an international event with three Maritimers and three PASS North regulars from the US in the first six spots on the grid.

A beautiful afternoon fell victim to a sudden rain storm that featured some pea-sized hail just as the Super Late Models were to roll out for the pre-race ceremonies. Everyone took cover, and after a 55 minute delay, it was time to go racing as the big crowd filed back in from the packed parking lots.

The #15 of Scott Alexander of Dartmouth, NS and the #`17 of Travis Benjamin of Morrill, ME led the 25-car field to the green, and the two went side by side for five laps until the first caution of the night came out as the #11 of Marty Prevost of Fall River, NS got into Alan Tardif of Lyman, ME in the #8T sending the PASS rookie spinning off turn four.

On lap 11, a tangle of fours cars put the #89 of Donald Chisholm of Antigonish, NS, the #81 of Bobby White of Kennetcook, NS, the #47 of Corey Williams of Boothbay, ME, and the #19V of Daren Vanderaq of Price Edward Island in the pits and at the back of the pack with the #11 of Marty Prevost going off on the hook.

On the restart, it was Alexander again out over Benjamin with Mike Rowe of Turner, ME moving up to third with the 44S of Wayne Smith of Halifax, NS fourth. Cassius Clark of Farmington, ME in the #8 took advantage of a slide up the track in turn four by Smith’s #44S and jumps to fourth. Benjamin was caught on the outside and was freight trained back to sixth before he could get back in line.

On lap 25, Rowe made a power move on the outside past Alexander and took the lead with Cassius moving to second around Alexander. Two laps later, Cassius went to the outside of Rowe and took the lead after a three lap struggle. Once out front, Cassius started to pull away. Took quick yellows on lap 37 and 38 for the #9 of Stephen Brown of Williamswood, NS stopping at the top of Turn four and a scuffle in turn one that put Rollie MacDonald of Pictou, NS off on the hook and out for the night slowed Cassius’ run..

Third-place runner Ben Rowe of Turner, ME in the Moody #4 slapped the wall on lap 58 and broke an axel, putting an end to his night. John Flemming of Halifax, NS brought the #97 from scratch on the filed to sixth on lap 66 and was coming to the front.

Cassius was mowing them down as he put car after car a lap down, and on lap 89 the #29 of Scott Chubbuck of Brunswick, ME, the current PASS North point’s leader, went down a lap to the streaking Cassius. At the 100 lap mark, it was Cassius, Ritchie Dearborn of Hollis, ME in the #33 up to second, Brad Leighton of Center Harbor, NH in the #25, the #54 of Johnny Clark of Hallowell, ME fourth up from his 16th starting spot. and Benjamin fifth with Mike Rowe back up to sixth after an early pit stop.

At halfway, it was Cassius, Dearborn, Johnny Clark, Leighton, Mike Rowe, Benjamin, and Flemming, with Travis Khiel of Denmark, ME in the #44 the first car one lap down.

On lap 134, the #0 of Shawn Turple of Enfield, NS went around on the backstretch bringing out the yellow, and everyone went to the pits, and we mean everyone. On the restart, it was Johnny Clark at the point after a quick pit stop to adjust the rear stagger. The final yellow came out on lap 147 for oil in turn one after Mike Rowe pulled the #24 to the pits with rear-end problems.

At the 150 lap mark, it was Johnny with Cassius right behind, Chubbuck, Benjamin, Leighton, Dearborn, Flemming, Khiel, Alexander, and the #02 of Mike Mackenzie of Dartmouth, NS making up the top ten.f

As they closed in on the $2000 that Forbes Chev-Olds put up for the leader of lap 200, Johnny was pulling away and put the money in the bank.

At the 225 mark, Cassius made his move off turn four and got Johnny to wiggle a bit and went to the inside for the lead as they entered turn one. Johnny did the crossover move under Cassius as they came out of turn two and regained the lead down the backstretch and pulled away over the last 20 laps.

Johnny held on over Cassius, with Scott Chubbuck padding his points lead with a solid third , followed by Leighton, Benjamin, Dearborn, Flemming , Khiel, Alexander, and Mackenzie tenth in the unofficial finish.

$2,000 to Lead One Lap
------ and It’s Not the Last Lap!!

(Naples, ME – 8/3) Forbes Chev-Olds will pay $2000 to the leader of lap 200 in the PASS North Super Late Model Atlantic CAT 250 at Scotia Speedworld, Halifax, Nova Scotia on Saturday August 12th.

As you may remember, Forbes is the long-time sponsor of the first of two annual visits by the PASS North Super Late Models to Scotia Speedworld. In June of each year, it’s the Forbes Chev-Olds 200 and in August it’s the Atlantic CAT 250. However, the June Forbes race was rained out this year and couldn't be rescheduled. The second PASS visit is the Atlantic CAT 250 scheduled for next weekend, August 11th and 12th, and the good folks at Scotia Speedworld, Forbes, and Atlantic CAT got together and made this happen.