I'm here. We can start...

Looks like somebody forgot to tell the fans that the opener was today.

Attendance is pretty light on both sides of the oval here at Beech Ridge, with late-arrving fans in the grandstands and even later-arriving Sportsman division cars.

And, in case you were wondering...


* It's been just 75 minutes and we're already into our feature lineup. It doesn't get any better than that, especially as the thermometer continues to drop by the minute.

It may say it's 60 degrees out there, but I'm going to play the part of weatherman and say the "feels like" temperature -- which I ordinarily detest -- is minus-12.

* It never fails -- 15 cars plus 50 laps equals first-lap collisions.

The Sportsmen haven't disappointed, either. Maybe they heard "fif-teen" lap feature instead of "fif-ty" lap feature....

* Wait a minute! There's only 15 Sportsman cars here? I thought this was supposed to be the big, cost-effect, all-inclusive PASS division. Guess not.

Of course, it should be pointed out, that the Beech Ridge regulars are heavy competitors in the PASS Sportsman ranks and word is most are opting to save their stuff for their track championship efforts -- which doesn't begin until next weekend.

* There are 31 Super Late Models on hand this afternoon for the PASS North Series Cabin Fever 150. Cassius Clark, Travis Benjamin and Scott Mulkern won heat races. Rick Martin took the checkers in the consi.

* Andy Shaw won the PASS Modified season-opener, leading West Gardiner's Gary Norris and Mark Lucas across the finish line.

For Norris, Beech Ridge's victory lane was a welcome sight.

"I will remember this one," said Norris, who drives the No. 03 -- a brand new machine -- for owner Jeff Rich of Litchfield. "Last year I was sitting 2nd and lost it. So to get the opening race and finish 2nd this time is good.

"We'll keep digging."

That's the spirit.

* Weird to see a PASS event just a few miles from the Cushman Competiton shop in Gray and not have a Ford-powered Cushman car in the field.

Actually, there's not a Cushman car of any kind here this weekend. What's the deal?
"Just waiting for you to come up with some money to get it on the track," Cushman said to me. "I hear you newspaper guys have all the money."

Umm, yeah. Something like that. What can I say -- I'm just living the dream, man.

*****

PASS Sportsman 50
1. Terry Merrill, 2. Ron Smith, 3. Richie Morse, 4. Duane Seekins, 5. Shane Tatro

PASS Modified 35
1. Andy Shaw, 2. Gary Norris Jr., 3. Mark Lucas