by Paul Betit staff writer , Portland Press Herald

Shaw, the 19-year-old son of a former NASCAR driver, Dale Shaw, will attempt to run the NASCAR Camping World East Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H., and the PASS North 150 at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough.

''We have a helicopter to fly us from Loudon to Beech Ridge,'' said Shaw, who is from Center Conway, N.H.

''Everything will have to go just right.''

The green flag is scheduled to drop on the Heluva Good! 150 in New Hampshire at 5:10 p.m. today. By 6:30, Shaw hopes to be aboard the chopper flying to Maine.

By 7:30, he hopes to land on an impromptu helipad set up in the parking lot across the Holmes Road from Beech Ridge in time to run the 150-lap Super Late Model race, which is expected to start no later than 8:30 p.m.

''It's making me nervous,'' Shaw said. ''I always get nervous anyway. This just makes it a little more stressful.''

While Shaw is racing in New Hampshire, Bobby Babb, a five-time champion at the Ridge, will drive Shaw's Maine car in practice and the qualifying heat.

Last Saturday, Shaw won the 40-lap Pro Series feature in Scarborough.

Competition is expected to be especially keen in tonight's race.

Halfway through the season, only three points separate PASS North's top three drivers - Ben Rowe of Turner, Adam Bates of Warner, N.H., and Johnny Clark of Hallowell.

Shaw, who has three top-10 finishes, is in seventh place.

MOST OF THE regular drivers in the Pro Series at Beech Ridge are passing up tonight's PASS North race.

''I'm going to go watch,'' said Bub Bilodeau, who is second in the Pro Series standings at the Ridge.

''I'm going to bring a chair and sit on the bank.''

According to Bilodeau, a lot of locally based drivers just can't afford to run in the race, which features some of northern New England's top Super Late Model cars and drivers.

''We normally run them but we just blew a motor a week ago,'' he said. ''We've spent a lot of money, and usually the PASS race is a losing proposition. You have to be finish at least in the top five to get your money back.''

Bilodeau estimates it would cost as much as $1,400 to set up his car and pay pit fees. Most of the cars on the PASS North circuit have sponsors to help pick up those costs.

Originally, Billy Rodgers, who is running in a select number of races this season, had planned to compete in the PASS race.

''Unfortunately I can't run it,'' he said.

''The biggest expense is I can't afford to close the shop.''

Last Saturday, Rodgers, who operates Bill's Automotive Repair in Old Orchard Beach, finished second to Shaw in the 40-lap Pro Series feature at Beech Ridge after starting from the 17th position.

Rodgers intends to run in the Firecracker 50 on July 3 at the Ridge.

David Oliver of Standish also is passing up tonight's race. The owner of his car, Scott Blake, his father-in-law, is obligated to be at the NASCAR race this weekend at Loudon, N.H.

A wreck took Oliver's car out of the Pro Series feature last weekend.

''It got tore up pretty decent,'' he said. ''I really don't know what happened. All I know is there was a lot of smoke and I was in the middle of it.''

Oliver doesn't intend to race tonight, but he may check out his car in a practice run this afternoon.

KENNY AND Steve Wallace will be at Oxford Plains Speedway tonight to test their rides in the TD Banknorth 250, scheduled for July 19 at OPS.

The Wallaces are in New England this weekend to drive in Saturday's Nationwide race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Rusty Wallace will serve as grand marshal of the 250, while his brother, Kenny, and his son, Steve, will borrow cars from local drivers to run in the race.

Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 791-6424 or at:

pbetit@pressherald.com

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