HICKORY, N.C. - Derek Ramstrom prevailed in a wild race to claim the victory in the 14th Annual Easter Bunny 150 on Saturday night at North Carolina’s Hickory Motor Speedway.
It marked the Massachusetts racer’s second straight PASS Super Late Model win at Hickory after claiming the checkered flag there last November.
“You know a lot of stuff happened in front of me with the leaders tonight, so things played out in my favor and we earned it,” said Ramstrom in victory lane. “We’ve had a rough start to the season and we really needed this victory. Everyone was racing really hard to halfway because we all thought the rain was coming. It was definitely a good time.”
In qualifying, Preston Peltier took his 23rd career quick qualifying time in PASS competition with a lap of 14.603 seconds (89.488 MPH). After the top 10 qualifiers redrew, Peltier moved back to the sixth starting position, while Tate Fogleman and Mike Hopkins moved up to the front row.
With rain being a persistent threat throughout the day and into the evening, the competition was fierce as Fogleman jumped into the early lead. Peltier and Stephen Nasee moved to the outside groove early on and bypassed Fogleman for the lead on lap 15. The first caution of the night would wave on lap 28 for a spin by Christian Rose on the backstretch.
Following the restart, Peltier slipped in turn two, allowing Hopkins to move by on the outside and into the lead. But after a caution on lap 36 for a spin by Molly Helmuth and Ray Christian III, Hopkins relinquished the lead, pitting to evaluate a vibration in his car. This handed the lead back to Peltier, who would be dogged for the next 100 laps by Senoia, Georgia’s Bubba Pollard.
Defending series champion Derek Griffth was eliminated in a crash on the front stretch on lap 71, which also collected current points leader Jake Johnson. Five laps later, Jerrick Johnson spun in turn four, collecting Kyle Plott and Matt Craig, among others.
Over the next 60 laps, Peltier and Pollard would trade the lead back and forth as they also traded sheet metal on occasion. It would come to a head with 16 laps to go as the two made contact down the backstretch and again in turn four, sending Pollard spinning. Peltier would be placed at the rear of the field with Pollard for his involvement in the incident.
This put Fogleman out front again, until lap 140 when he was bypassed on the outside for the lead by Hopkins. The caution would wave just three laps later for wall contact by Craig in turn two.
On the restart, both Fogleman and Corey Heim were able to move around Hopkins and into the top two positions. But with four laps to go, Fogleman spun after contact from Heim to bring out the caution, resulting in both cars going to the rear.
On the final restart, Ramstrom was able to get by Hopkins for the lead and led the final four laps for his first ever triumph in the Easter Bunny 150. Brandon Setzer followed in third, with Travis Stearns in fourth and Justin Crider in fifth.
Pollard, Gracie Trotter, Trey Jarrell, Nasse, and Nicholas Naugle rounded out the top ten.
The PASS North Super Late Models will be in action on Sunday, April 28 at Maine’s Oxford Plains Speedway. For more information, visit ProAllStarsSeries.com.
PASS Super Late Model Series
Hickory Motor Speedway – Hickory, NC
Easter Bunny 150 – April 20, 2019
Unofficial Race Results
1. 35 – Derek Ramstrom
2. 15 – Mike Hopkins
3. 6 – Brandon Setzer
4. 16me – Travis Stearns
5. 7c – Justin Crider
6. 26p – Bubba Pollard
7. 2 – Gracie Trotter
8. 21 – Trey Jarrel
9. 51n – Steven Nasse
10. 08 – Nicholas Naugle
11. 33 – Preston Peltier
12. 76 – Jerrick Johnson
13. 78 – Corey Heim
14. 21b – Trey Bayne
15. 24j – J.P. Josiasse
16. 16 – Molly Helmuth
17. 8f – Tate Fogleman
18. 54 – Matt Craig
19. 96 – Wyatt Alexander
20. 7 – Travis Benjamin
21. 28 – Jared Irvan
22. 92 – Jason Staley
23. 21x – Branson Butcher
24. 45 – Kodie Conner
25. 50 – Jett Noland
26. 4p – Kyle Plott
27. 13 – Wes Burton
28. 15ma – Jake Johnson
29. 12g – Derek Griffith
30. 4n – Ben Rowe
31. 93ct – Ray Christian III
32. 43 – Devin O’Connell
33. 26 – Christian Rose
