2017-11-20

Late-Race Contact Propels Brandon Setzer To $15,000 PASS Win At Hickory

Late-Race Contact Propels Brandon Setzer To $15,000 PASS Win At Hickory

 

  • For Immediate Release

 

HICKORY, NC (November 18) – Hometown favorite Brandon Setzer took the lead after contact with Garrett Hall coming to the white flag to go on and win the Mason-Dixon MegMeltdown 300 for the Pro All Star Series (PASS) Super Late Models Saturday afternoon at Hickory Motor Speedway.  Setzer's third PASS Super Late Model win was the biggest of his career as he took home the $15,000 winner's prize.

            "He [Hall] had the best car, I hate it ended like that, but the lapped car just screwed him up," said Setzer, driver of the Romeo Guest Construction/The Jewelry Exchange Ford #6.  "As soon as he [Hall] went to the outside I saw the lapped car waving to the inside and I said, 'Oh, I've got a hole,' I filled the hole, he tried to come back down, but at that point I couldn't back out.  Man, this means the world to me.  I could've won the Daytona 500 and not be this happy."

            In qualifying, Kodie Conner beat two-time PASS North champion Travis Benjamin by 0.001 seconds to claim his second career pole.  After the top 10 qualifiers redraw, former PASS champions DJ Shaw and Tate Foglemanwould move to the front row, while Conner moved back to the fifth starting position.

            The 300 lapper got off to a slow start with five cautions in the first 21 laps, including one on a lap 17 restart that knocked 2017 PASS South Super Late Model champion, Matt Craig, and Garrett Evans from contention.  Shaw and Fogleman would trade the lad back and forth before Shaw would eventually settle for the lead on lap 38.  By this time, Cassius Clark, whose team had struggled to cross the American/Canadian border for four days before arriving just in time for the race, had charged from the rear of the field into the top 10.

            Shaw would pit on lap 99 after a caution for the stalled car of Jeff Batten, handing the lead over to Benjamin. After making it as high as fourth, Clark would have to pit under green on lap 125 with a flat left rear tire, losing three laps in the process.  Another group of leaders pitted on lap 130 after Roy Hayes made contact with the turn four wall, but Benjamin again stayed out and continued to lead. 

            While Cole Butcher and Spencer Davis would take turns up front, Benjamin would make his way back to the front each time.  But, Benjamin would pull to a stop while leading on lap 183 after his car ran out of fuel.  On the restart, Garrett Hall would take the lead from Davis for the first time in the race.  On lap 225, Derek Ramstrom spun from third allowing Setzer, Shaw and others to pit for four tires, while Hall stayed out to maintain the lead.  The final caution of the night would wave when Dennis Spencer, Jr. spun entering turn three, collecting Clark and Gracie Trotter.  With the free pass, Benjamin would be able to take the pass around to get back on the lead lap.

            Hall continued to lead with Setzer in his tire tracks over the final laps.  Shaw moved into third, until Benjamin came charging through the field to take the spot with 19 laps to go.  Hall and Setzer continued to weave their way through lapped traffic until they encountered the car of David Calabrese.  With two laps to go, as they entered turn three, Hall looked to pass Calabrese on the outside.  Calabrese instead moved up, causing Hall to check up.  Setzer took advantage of the opening, turning inside Hall and making contact.  Hall spun up the track causing Benjamin to check up while Setzer would go on to take the win over Shaw, Conner, Davis and Ben Rowe, who claimed his fifth PASS National Championship.  Rounding out the top 10 were Hall, Travis Stearns, Nicholas Naugle, Benjamin, and Spencer.

            The Mason-Dixon MegaMeltdown 300 from Hickory will air on MAV TV in mid-January, 2018 so please check local listings.  Look for more on the newly crowned champions, Ben Rowe and Matt Craig, later this week.

The 2017 PASS Super Late Model is complete, but continue to monitor  ProAllStarsSeries.com over the coming weeks for more on the upcoming season.  Be sure to "Like" the Pro All Stars Series on Facebook or follow us on Twitter at @PASSSLM14.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Race Results

 

Race Results

 

Mason-Dixon MegaMeltdown 300

PASS South

November 18, 2017

Hickory Motor Speedway – Hickory, NC

Finish Position, Driver

1.         6 – Brandon Setzer                   300

2.         60 – DJ Shaw                          300                                         

3.         45 – Kodie Conner                  300

4.         55 – Spencer Davis                  300

5.         4n – Ben Rowe            300

6.         94 – Garrett Hall                      300

7.         16me – Travis Stearns              300

8.         08 – Nicholas Naugle               300

9.         7b – Travis Benjamin                300

10.       46 – Dennis Spencer, Jr.           300

11.       24 – Mike Rowe                      299                 

12.       53 – Cole Butcher                    299

13.       7L – Glen Luce            296

14.       49 – Jeff Batten                        294

15.       43 – Davis Calabrese               294

16.       98 – Jody Measamer                291

17.       24j – JP Josiasse                      291

18.       7f – Dave Farrington, Jr.           281

19.       55t – Gracie Trotter                  245

20.       35 – Derek Ramstrom              243

21.       13 – Cassius Clark                   243

22.       54 – Matt Craig                        238

23.       12j – Trey Jarrell                      191

24.       8f – Tate Fogleman                   152

25.       15 – Roy Hayes                       125

26.       61 – TJ Brackett                      71

27.       12g – Derek Griffith                  63

28.       9 – Chris Dilbeck                     42

29.       47 – Gabe Brown                     38

30.       4m – Kyle McCallum               22

31.       09 – Kayla Eshleman                22

32.       64 – Garrett Evans                   21

33.       99 – John Gustafson                 16

DNS    41 – Trevor Sanborn

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