Buoyed by a successful first season, the Pro All Stars Series has made some significant inroads for year number two.

The first of 16 races was held at Oxford Plains Speedway three weeks ago and PASS will hold its second race on May 18 at Unity Raceway.

The races at Oxford Plains and Unity represent two of the inroads as the series didn’t run at either track a year ago.

“Last year we had 16 licensed drivers. This year we’re up to 38,” said Tom Mayberry, the president of PASS. “We have a lot more drivers from southern New England than we had a year ago.

He figures that 30 of the drivers are committed to do all 16 races while “six to eight will just do the ones in the U.S.”

There are three races at Scotia Speedworld in Halifax, Nova Scotia and one at New Brunswick International Speedway in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

“One of the reasons we’re racing so often in Halifax is the drivers are treated unbelievably well up there,” explained Mayberry. “They go all-out for the drivers. One weekend last year, we had 5,000-6,000 people wait three hours in the rain [delay] for the race.”

He also pointed out that they hold cookouts for the drivers and crews.

In addition to the races in the Maritimes, there will be two races apiece at Oxford Plains Speedway, Unity Raceway, Hermon’s Speedway 95, Star Speedway in Epping, N.H. and White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, N.H. and one in Hudson, N.H. and Thompson International Speedway in Thompson, Conn.

The race at Thompson will be a 200-lapper but won’t be a points race and will be held on Oct. 5-6.

Most of the races are 150-lappers but the first Oxford race was a 100-lapper and the Atlantic Cat 250 on Aug. 17 in Halifax will be a 250-lapper.

Mayberry said the series has picked up sponsors, namely True Value Hardware, DNK Used Cars and Sunoco.

True Value offers a $5 off coupon to fans who have winning tickets for the cars that win heat races; DNK has supplied a Camaro pace car and Sunoco supplies the spec racing fuel at approximately $4.50 per gallon.

“I had been worried about the [escalating] price of racing fuel. I had heard some was going for $30 to $32 per gallon in Florida,” said Mayberry.

He said he continues to have serious conversations with four or five sponsors about sponsoring the entire series.

Mayberry feels the number of races is ideal.

“With the travel involved, 15 or 16 races is about the max. And they all like to run the Oxford 250,” said Mayberry.

The points fund has been expanded to $45,000 and the drivers at each individual race win anywhere from $4,000 to the winner to $350 for the last place finisher.

Sam Sessions of South Paris is the defending series champ and West Buxton’s Gary Drew won the opener at Oxford Plains three weeks ago with Sessions second and Farmington’s Jeff Taylor third.

Speedway 95 opens on Sunday

Speedway 95 in Hermon opens for the season on Sunday at 2 p.m.

“I think we’re going to have a good season,” said co-owner Del Merritt. “Most of the classes should be fairly decent [in car counts]. We’ve added a four-cylinder pick-up truck division on Saturday night.”

Speedway 95 will also continue its popular bargain night racing on Wednesday on June 5.

On Wednesday nights, the admission price is $4 for anyone over 12 compared to Saturday night’s-Sunday afternoon’s $10 fee for fans 18 and older.

Racing will switch from Sunday afternoon to Saturday night on June 15.

Fans 13-17 years-old pay $5 on Saturday night-Sunday afternoon.

The Saturday night-Sunday afternoon racing card will include pro stocks, limited, super street, strictly street, sport fours and the four-cylinder pick-up trucks.

Wednesday nights will offer large enduros, small enduros, small enduros for women and full size pick-up trucks.

There won’t be any major alterations to the track but Merritt said there will be some cosmetic improvements.

Merritt said the crowds at the Wednesday night races were outdrawing the Saturday night crowds at the end of the last season.

“We were really pleased with it,” said Merritt who estimated crowds of around 1,200 for the Wednesday night racing as compared to 1,000 for the weekend events.

“And our total purse money for Wednesday night racing is less than we pay the pro stock winner on Saturday [Sunday]. The total purse on Wednesday is $600-$700 while the Saturday night pro stock winner wins $1,000,” said Merritt, whose major concern is the escalating cost of building and racing a car in the top divisions.

The rising costs forces him to look at increasing the purses to induce the drivers to run at Speedwayt 95 and that could result in rising admission fees.

“We have to get the pricing of the sport down so that a fan can afford to go,” said Merritt.

He has been affiliated with the track for over 30 years and still looks forward to opening day.

“I guess it’s in my blood. I look forward to everyone yelling and hollering at me. And I still enjoy the smell of smoke and gas,” quipped Merritt, who turns 57 on Sunday.

He said the two PASS races on June 22 and Aug. 31 are among the schedule’s highlights.

“There’s always a big car count. Tom [Mayberry] does a super job,” said Merritt.

The feeling is mutual.

“Del was probably the first guy I talked to when I thought about putting the series together and he was the first one to stand up and say he would work with me. He has been a big supporter from day one. We really look forward to going there. The drivers love it there and one of our best crowds was at the second race there last year,” said Mayberry