THOMPSON, Conn. – Reigning PASS North super late model champion D.J. Shaw out-dueled fellow Granite State racer Derek Griffith to win Sunday’s 75-lap feature at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.

Shaw, seeking a third series title this year in the Precision JLM/Dale Shaw Race Cars No. 60, used the outside groove to reclaim the lead from Griffith, the defending PASS National Championship Series kingpin.  It was a reversal of fortunes for the top two finishers, as Griffith bested Shaw in last year’s opener at Thompson.

Shaw started ninth on the starting grid while third-starting Griffith quickly moved into contention, chasing early race leader Gabe Brown. Multi-time PASS North and National champion Ben Rowe was an early factor up front, as was six-time PASS North champ Johnny Clark.

Griffith and Shaw looked like they were going to settle the race amongst themselves, but 11th starter Ray Christian III had other ideas, and drove into contention while making good use of restarts to move as high as second in the running order late in the event.

Shaw beat Griffith to the checkered flag by just more than half a second after racing several laps side-by-side. Christian claimed the final podium finishing position ahead of Clark. Jake Johnson finished fifth.

The finish:

D.J. Shaw, Derek Griffith, Ray Christian III, Johnny Clark, Jake Johnson, Garrett Hall, Gabe Brown, Travis Benjamin, Nick Sweet, Devin O’Connell, Mike Hopkins, Cory Casagrande, Angelo Belsito, Ben Rowe, Reid Lanpher, Nick Johnson, Greg Nanigian, Kyle Casagrande, Jimmy Renfrew Jr., Dan Winter, Derek Ramstrom.

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