Brownville racer will compete on PASS super late model tour

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer

    BROWNVILLE — Nick Jenkins, who started racing go-karts when he was 9 years old, will be competing on the Pro All-Stars Series (PASS) super late model tour this season – 15 races on nine tracks in northern New England and Canada.
    Jenkins, 32, has teamed up with Chris Fiore of Harmony, who owns the Glass Eel Variety Store in Hartland, and Canadian car builder-driver Martin Latulippe for the 2014 season.

Contributed photo

PASS IN 2014 – Nick Jenkins of Brownville, pictured in his Late Model, will run the Pro All-Stars Series super late model tour this year.

    “We’ll be running a two-car team,” Jenkins said. “They’re building a new super late model for me at Martin’s shop. So I’m really excited. I especially like the idea of PASS going back to Speedway 95. They haven’t been there for six or seven years.”
    The PASS tour will also be at Oxford Plains Speedway and Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough for three races each this season.
    The Glass Eel Variety Store sponsorship came about when Jenkins, who owns and operates a spray foam insulation company, was doing some work at the business. “As it turns out the owner, Chris Fiore is a big racing fan but he’s never been involved as a sponsor,” Jenkins said.
    Jenkins primarily raced a late model – a less-expensive car – at Speedway 95 and Wiscasset but converted it to a super late model for some races at Autodrome Chaudière, a quarter-mile track 40 miles south of Quebec City. “I really enjoyed that track,” he said. “Martin (Latulippe) and I talked about teaming up for a while, but didn’t have the finances. Now with Chris’ help, we’re doing it.”
    Jenkins won’t let his late model gather dust this summer, however. He plans to run it at selected races at Speedway 95 and Wiscasset Speedway, a venue that he said he was quite impressed with last season.
    “We really liked the people there. They’re a lot more laid-back and always willing to help. The whole atmosphere is positive,” Jenkins said.
    Richard and Vanessa Jordan of Kingfield bought Wiscasset Speedway at an auction in July 2012 and reopened the track last season. Their major event this year will be a 200-lap late model race on Sunday, May 25. “Chris (Fiore) also has an eel business in Waldoboro, so he has a lot of friends on the coast too,” Jenkins said.
    Meanwhile, Jenkins, like other Maine motorsports fans, will be waiting patiently for the snow to melt over the next month.
    The first PASS super late model race is scheduled for Saturday, April 12 at Oxford Plains Speedway, part of a tripleheader with the PASS modifieds and sportsman series.
    The PASS super late model race at Speedway 95 will be Sunday, Aug. 24.