LOUDON, N.H. – Johnny Clark got his first New Hampshire Motor Speedway victory during the Pro All Stars Series super late model event held Sunday as part of the Northeast Classic.
Clark, the multi-time PASS champion and reigning Oxford 250 winner, first grabbed the lead from Ben Rowe on lap eight. Clark paced the field until the caution flag on lap 24 for Zig Geno’s spin, which saw polesitter Brandon Barker get the jump on the restart.
After a competition caution on lap 30 for two fresh tires and adjustments, the action really picked up. The yellow came back out two circuits later for debris, and on this restart, Derek Griffith made a three-wide move entering turn one to take over the point. In the process, 11-time NHMS winner Eddie MacDonald got shuffled out of second spot just as he looked ready to challenge for the victory.
Jeff White then spun on the backstretch with 12 laps to go for the fourth and final caution. This time, it was Griffith getting shuffled as Barker again leapt off the outside. Barker led the 39th circuit before Mike Hopkins — who’d started last in the 25-car field — blew underneath him to pace lap 40.
Once again, Barker found a way back to the front, going around Hopkins entering turn one the next time around. Clark followed Barker and looked multiple times to his inside over the next six laps. With four laps to go, Clark got the run he needed off turn two.
The veteran snatched the lead entering turn three and then slammed the door on Barker’s crossover attempt. Clark, Barker, Hopkins and D.J. Shaw then ran under a blanket until the final lap, when Hopkins’ bid for second let Clark scoot away for the victory.
Although Hopkins came up short of second on the track, he inherited the spot in post-race technical inspection when Baker was disqualified for an engine infraction.
Shaw became the new third-place finisher. Jeremie Whorff, Ben Rowe, Dennis Spencer, Jake Matheson, Alex Labbe, Griffith and Rowland Robinson Jr. finished fourth through 10th.
The finish:
Johnny Clark, Mike Hopkins, D.J. Shaw, Jeremie Whorff, Ben Rowe, Dennis Spencer, Jake Matheson, Alex Labbe, Derek Griffith, Rowland Robinson Jr., Kate Re, Anthony Constantino, Jeff White, Brian Whalley, Mike Scorzelli, Logan Melcher, Scott McDaniel, Zig Geno, Tyler Tomassi, Eddie MacDonald, Alan Tardiff, Dan Winter, Nicholas Lascuola, Devin O’Connell, Brandon Barker (DQ).