PHOTO: Clay Dow posted podium finishes at Canaan Dirt, Bear Ridge, and Legion speedways to win the SCoNE Triple Crown title. (Justin St. Louis/VMM photo)

(From series press release)

RUMNEY, N.H. — Clay Dow of Barnstead, N.H., used victories on Friday at Canaan Dirt Speedway and Sunday at Legion Speedway — along with a third-place finish on Saturday at Bear Ridge Speedway — to capture the 2011 Sprint Cars of New England Triple Crown Series and the lion’s share of the $5,020 added points fund.

Going into the final race, Dow was tied for the Triple Crown Series points lead with Dan Douville of Bridgewater, N.H., but Douville’s fifth-place finish in the finale relegated him to the overall runner-up spot.

Jim Lowrey, a dirt Sprint Car rookie who has previously won championships on asphalt in a Supermodified and with the Northeastern Midget Association, got by Legion pole sitter Robby Bodwell to take command of the 30-lap feature. The caution flag flew for the only time during the event when an infield boundary tire was struck and pushed onto the track on lap 13. The caution flag erased Lowrey’s considerable lead and led to several circuits of side-by-side racing until Dow, who started third, was able to make the pass and grab the lead and eventually the win.

“I didn’t think I was going to catch Jim, that caution definitely helped me out,” Dow said in victory lane. “I could see his line and I felt a little grip on the right rear, so I was able to change my line by half a groove. When I felt that grip I also had a feeling I might be able to run him down. I came in high in turn three and I got lucky. He slid up in turn four, which was where he was having trouble the whole race and I was able to get by him. It feels good to win twice in three races, I can tell you that.’

Chris Donnelly mounted a late race effort to advance from seventh to third, while Bodwell drove a steady and workmanlike race to finish a season-high fourth. After spending several frustrating laps unable to pass the hooked-up car of Jake Williams, Douville executed an 11th-hour, high-and-outside move to grab fifth.

The SCoNE action now shifts back to the neck-and-neck points battle in which Donnelly leads Douville 505 to 499 with two races remaining. The Sprint Cars on New England return to Legion Speedway on Sunday, September 11 for the final event in the Super Sunday Series along with the Granite State Mini Sprints, the Northeast Mini Sprints and the East Coast Mini Sprints. The SCoNE points championship is unlikely to be decided before the final race of the year on September 24 at Bear Ridge Speedway during the annual New England Dirt Track Championship extravaganza.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — SCoNE Triple Crown Series Event #3
Sprint Cars of New England — Legion Speedway, Rumney, N.H.
Sunday, September 4, 2011

Pos.-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)

1. Clay Dow, Barnstead, N.H.
2. # Jim Lowrey, Jr., Tilton, N.H.
3. Chris Donnelly, Piermont, N.H.
4. Robby Bodwell, Sanford, Me.
5. Dan Douville, Bridgewater, N.H.
6. # Jake Williams, Center Tuftonboro, N.H.
7. Lacey Hanson, Orwell, Vt.
8. Mark Cole, Lebanon, N.H.
9. # Matt Robie, Hill, N.H.
10. # Will Hull, East Montpelier, Vt.
11. Bruce Kimball, Lebanon, N.H.
12. # Brandon Varney, Center Ossipee, N.H.
Did Not Start: # Tyler Rich, Lyme, N.H.; # Dylan Campbell, Southboro, Mass.

SCoNE Triple Crown Series Final Points
1. Clay Dow, Barnstead, N.H. — 28
2. Dan Douville, Bridgewater, N.H. — 24
3. # Jim Lowrey, Jr., Tilton, N.H. — 22
(tie) Chris Donnelly, Piermont, N.H. — 22
5. # Tyler Rich, Lyme, N.H. — 13
6. Robby Bodwell, Sanford, Me. — 11
(tie) # Jake Williams, Center Tuftonboro, N.H. — 11
8. # Will Hull, East Montpelier, Vt. — 9
(tie) Kevin Chaffee, Fairlee, Vt. — 9
10. Lacey Hanson, Orwell, Vt. — 6