BARRE, Vt. – Derek Griffith grabbed his first victory at Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl during Sunday’s PASS North super late model event.
The defending PASS National Champion took the top spot for the first time from early leader Derek Ramstrom on lap 71. However, defending PASS North champion and current point leader D.J. Shaw wasn’t far behind.
Griffith and Shaw then went tooth and nail during the race’s middle stages. Shaw got underneath Griffith to put the bumper in front on lap 88, but Griffith used a lap car as a pick two circuits later to get the lead back.
Following the race’s third caution on lap 111 of the 150-lap event, Shaw used a crossover move to get inside for the lead once again. Griffith pulled a similar move a few laps later and pulled away before surviving a five-lap sprint to the finish after one final yellow.
Shaw and Joey Polewarcyk Jr. went back-and-forth following the final restart for the runner-up spot after Northfield’s Evan Hallstrom shut down during the caution while running third. After Polewarczyk initially grabbed the position, Shaw got back by with two laps to go, leaving Polewarczyk in third.
They were chased to the line by Travis Benjamin, Garrett Hall, Gabe Brown, Nick Sweet, Ben Rowe, Reid Lanpher, and Ramstrom.
The finish:
Derek Griffith, D.J. Shaw, Joey Polewarczyk Jr., Travis Benjamin, Garrett Hall, Gabe Brown, Nick Sweet, Ben Rowe, Reid Lanpher, Derek Ramstrom, Evan Hallstrom, Bobby Therrien.