After spending most of the last six years running on regional circuits throughout the eastern United States, Alan Tardiff of Lyman is back running for points this season at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway.

Tardiff, who started racing go-karts at the Scarborough track in 1994 when he was 9 years old, returned to his home track after spending several seasons running on the Pro All-Star Series North and K&N East Pro Series circuits.

Tardiff, 27, hasn’t raced full-time at Beech Ridge since 2005, the year before he was named PASS North’s rookie of the year.

“We’re planning on running the full year at Beech Ridge and running selected races on the PASS North (tour),” he said.

Tardiff’s family roots run deep at Beech Ridge.

His grandfather, Paul Tardiff, raced at Beech Ridge when the track opened in 1949. His father, Mark, owned cars that raced there for nearly two decades.

Tardiff’s return to Beech Ridge got off to a bad start.

On May 26, he blew the engine in his new Super Late Model two laps into the first 40-lap Pro Series feature of the season.

But Tardiff was back on the track on June 9 and finished second in the 100-lap feature. Last Saturday night, he won the 40-lap feature.

Tardiff said the level of competition at the Ridge remains high.

“Most of the same front-runners are still racing up front but a few new guys are up there, too,” he said. “The guys who were tough to race around are still tough to race around.”

THE FLEDGLING Granite State Pro Stock Series will make its lone Maine appearance tonight at Unity Raceway.

Drivers in the series run modified Super Late Models.

The cars are restricted to two-barreled carburetors and have slightly different suspension systems than the four-barreled Super Late Models that run on the PASS North tour.

“There’s a lot of guys who couldn’t afford to race the PASS circuit, but the local New Hampshire tracks didn’t pay high enough purses to keep their cars going,” said Mike Parks, president of the race series.

On May 26, 22 cars ran in the inaugural Granite State event at Monadnock Speedway in Winchester, N.H.

The seven-race series also will make appearances later this summer at Lee USA Speedway, Star Speedway in Epping, Canaan Fair Speedway and Hudson International Speedway.

“My goal for next year is to have 12 races,” Parks said.

The 112-lap main event on the one-third mile track at Unity will be accompanied by the raceway’s regular racing card.

THE PASS NORTH tour is headed to Canada for the second time in three weekends.

Tonight, the tour’s Super Late Models will converge on the Autodrome Chaudiere in Vallee-Jonction, Quebec, for the Habitations Dany Lagace 150.

Two weeks ago, Johnny Clark of Hallowell took the lead for good on the 101st lap of a 200-lap event at Speedway 660 in Geary, New Brunswick, and earned his second win of the season.

A year ago, Clark won the race in Quebec en route to capturing his sixth PASS North title.

AUSTIN THERIAULT, who graduated seventh in his class at Fort Kent High earlier this month, has done his homework in preparing for tonight’s 150-lap American Canadian Tour race for Late Models at White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, N.H.

The past two weekends, Theriault has hauled his car to the New Hampshire track to race in its Late Model division.

Theriault, 18, finished 13th among 30 cars Tuesday night in the Rowdy 251 at Berlin Raceway in Marne, Mich., while driving for Brad Keselowski Racing. Kyle Busch captured the event.

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

pbetit@pressherald.com

Twitter: PaulBetitPPH

 

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