The auto racing season has yet to reach the halfway point but the Sports Series division at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway is already shaping up as one of the most competitive classes around.

Going into tonight’s race, Donnie Morse, a veteran driver from Windham, holds a two-point lead over Corey Bubar, a 19-year-old driver from Windham in his fourth full season racing in the division. Morse has a 10-point lead over Donnie Colpritt of Scarborough in the Scarborough track’s second-tier division.

But things can change in a hurry in the Sports Series class.

“We have 28 or 29 cars going in a race every week, and 10 to 15 of them can win a race,” said Morse, who won back-to-back Sports Series titles in 2000-01.

During the past two weeks, Morse has been able to move up in the standings by taking advantage when his closest competitors have run into trouble.

Two weeks ago, Bubar, who was leading the division points race at the time, finished last in a 26-car field when he wrecked his car midway through the feature race.

Last Saturday night, Colpritt, who won Sports Series titles in 1995 and 2007, lost the points lead when he wrecked his car and ended up finishing 21st out of 25 cars.

“Besides having a good car, luck has got to be on your side, too,” Morse said.

While the Sports Series division at Beech Ridge includes young drivers like Bubar, it also includes drivers who have been competing in the class for nearly two decades.

“For the most part, it’s an affordable class,” Morse said. “If you have a good car and you maintain it, you can run it for a long time.”

Tonight’s race card at Beech Ridge includes a 40-lap feature in the Pro Series, a 35-lap feature in the Sports Series, a 30-lap feature in the Roadrunners and a 20-lap feature in the Wildcats.

In addition, the track will hold a photograph and autograph session for fans.

Qualifying starts at 6:30 p.m.

JULY IS shaping up as the busiest month of the season for the Super Late Model drivers on the Pro All-Stars Series North Division circuit.

Earlier this month, PASS North ran SLM races at Canaan Fair Speedway in Canaan, N.H., Beech Ridge Motor Speedway and Lee USA Speedway in Lee, N.H.

Next Thursday night, the Super Late Models will run in a 100-lap race at Thompson International Speedway in Thompson, Conn.

Next Saturday night on the eve of the TD Bank 250, PASS North returns with a 150-lap SLM race at Oxford Plains Speedway following an absence of nearly a decade.

“Everybody wants to race during July,” PASS North spokesman Norm Desjardins said. “There’s always a good chance of good weather and a lot of people are on vacation and can come to the races.”

PASS North’s Super Late Model season began April 30 at Beech Ridge and will end Oct. 1 at Oxford Plains. Between those dates, 15 SLM races are scheduled and one-third will run during the month of July.

Last Tuesday night, Gary Smith, a veteran driver from Bangor, outdueled five-time PASS North champion Johnny Clark of Hallowell to win The Bastille 200 at Lee USA Speedway. It was Smith’s first PASS North Super Late Model win in 11 years of racing on the regional circuit.

“He ran door to door with Johnny Clark for the last 25 laps and won it,” Desjardins said. “It wasn’t a case of all the fast cars dropping out. He earned it.”

FOUR DRIVERS from Maine were included among the top 10 for the first 25 years of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, formerly known as the Busch North tour.

Heading the list is Cherryfield’s Andy Santerre, who won a record four championships. Scarborough’s Kelly Moore, who won a record 27 races during his 20 years on the tour, is listed at No. 2.

At No. 5 is Newburgh’s Ricky Craven, who set a single-season record with 10 wins in 1991. Number 10 on the list is Kennebunkport’s Dick McCabe, who won titles in 1992 and ’93.

The drivers were honored Friday afternoon prior to the running of the K&N Pro Series New England 125 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway at Loudon, N.H.

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

pbetit@pressherald.com

Twitter: PaulBetitPPH