Ben Rowe of Turner led from wire-to-wire to capture the 150-lap Pro All Stars Series race at Star Speedway in Epping, N.H., on Saturday night.

It was the second win in his last three starts for the 28-year-old point leader and defending series champion, who outdistanced last week’s winner Tracy Gordon of Strong for the triumph.

Sam Sessions of South Paris finished third, followed by Johnny Clark and Dale Shaw.

Twenty-six cars started the main event, with only six finishing on the lead lap.

Other local finishers were Mike Rowe of Turner, sixth; Cassius Clark of Farmington, eighth; Travis Khiel of Denmark, 11th; and Doug Averill of Litchfield, 25th.

Breakthrough for McCarthy

Most of the talk about who would be the next first-time race winner on the NASCAR Busch North Series has revolved around high-achieving rookies Ryan Moore and Tim Andrews.

Joey McCarthy injected his experience into the discussion and then ended it Saturday night.

The 30-year-old driver from Randolph, N.J., who made his first BNS start in 1996 and is in his third full season on the circuit, earned his initial checkered flag at Holland (N.Y.) International Speedway.

McCarthy moved into second in the series point standings with the victory, 112 points behind Cherryfield native Andy Santerre. A three-time winner already this season, Santerre finished eighth.

Kelly Moore, Matt Kobyluck, Mike Olsen and Andrews followed McCarthy across the line.

Carey Heath of Eliot finished 10th, while Ryan Moore encountered the toughest night of his freshman campaign, coming home 20th out of 23 cars.

Around the state

Phil Mitchell III of Poland enjoyed a busy weekend on Maine’s short tracks.

He traveled to Wiscasset Raceway on Friday night and won the 20-lap Street Stock feature. The next evening, Mitchell was back at his home track, shadowing Chris Coolidge in the early going before finishing second in the Strictly Stock ‘B’ feature at Oxford Plains Speedway.

“I think Chris was just playing with me for a while,” said Mitchell, one of several OPS regulars who have used Wiscasset’s new Friday format to get extra track time.

Another Poland driver, Kyle Coolidge, won his fourth straight Mini Cup feature.

Charlie Colby became Wiscasset’s ninth different Pro Stock conqueror in 10 races this season, while Super Street driver Nick Reno’s win made him the first third-generation victor in the history of the banked, coastal oval.

Duane Love (Modified) and Mike Wilson (Mini Stock) also picked up Wiscasset feature wins.

Reigning Beech Ridge Motor Speedway NASCAR Pro Series champion David Oliver held off Steve Carrier to win the 40-lap main event in Scarborough on Saturday night. Richard Randall ruled the 50-lap Wildcat special.

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