Every Late Model driver in the northeast would like to have a Oxford 250 win on his resume. Over 70 plus drivers will be vying for that coveted checkered flag in the 42nd Annual event at Maine’s Oxford Plains Speedway
With the 42nd Annual AIM Recycling Oxford 250 Presented By Kenny U-Pull only days away, race teams and fans from across North America are making their way towards the historic Oxford Plains Speedway in Maine. Over 70 of the very best Super Late Models from all over the continent are expected to try and qualify for the richest single day motorsports event in the world. Despite practices on Friday and Saturday for the prestigious event, the field will be determined by a series of heat races and consolation races that will provide plenty of drama as drivers attempt to make the cut for the $25,000-plus to win top prize.
Since 1974 when Joey Kourafas bested nearly 100 other drivers to win the inaugural AIM Recycling Oxford 250 Presented By Kenny U-Pull, the heat races and the difficulty to qualify are part of what has made this race legendary. Whether a champion or a rookie, much of what can make or break your weekend depends on the draw to determine starting positions for the heat races. But a bad draw does not necessarily spell imminent doom. 3-time AIM Recycling Oxford 250 winner has never started better than 10th on the way to any of his victories. As a matter of fact, Rowe started back in 37th and had to advance to the 250 via the consolation race for his most recent win in 2005.
In addition to trying to become the first 4-time winner of the AIM Recycling Oxford 250, Mike Rowe is seeking his first Pro All Stars Series (PASS) North Super Late Model championship. Despite winning the inaugural PASS South Super Late Model title in 2006, the 64-year-old legend has never managed to win New England’s top racing championship. Rowe comes into this year’s 250 as the PASS AIM Recycling Super Late Model points leader over defending series champion, DJ Shaw and 2-time defending Oxford 250 winner, Travis Benjamin. With a 40-plus car starting field for the AIM Recycling Oxford 250 on Sunday, a bad finish, or even worse yet, failing to qualify for the race could prove to be disastrous in the race for the championship.
Likewise, the race for the PASS National Championship is even tighter coming to Oxford Plains. Berwick, ME’s Joey Doiron leads the national championship fight by a single point over 2-time PASS National Champion, Ben Rowe, and just six points over Durham, NC’s Tate Fogleman. Of those three, only Ben Rowe has a 250 win taking the checkered flag twice in 2003 and 2004.
“I know exactly how hard the 250 is to win,” says Ben Rowe, who is also the all-time winningest driver in PASS history. “People all over the country know about the Oxford 250, but this race means everything to the people of New England. You just never know what’s going to happen throughout qualifying and the entire day.”
Perhaps more than anything entering Sunday’s 42nd Annual AIM Recycling Oxford 250 Presented By Kenny U-Pull is how wide open this year’s race is. Most observers will agree that there is no clear-cut favorite and that a surprise winner is not out of the realm of possibility. New Hampshire drivers Bryan Kruczek and Jeremy Davis have emerged as dark horses for the win. Kruczek has been able to score his first two career PASS wins this season and Jeremy Davis went to victory lane for the first time in his career at Autodrome Montmagny.
The winner could come from the weekly Super Late Model competitors that race at Oxford Plains Speedway. The top five drivers in weekly points, Tim Brackett, Kyle Treadwell, Alan Wilson, Vanna Brackett, and Scott Robbins, have all entered the 250 and have more knowledge of the quirks that make up Oxford Plains Speedway than most of the drivers who are attempting to qualify.
Among the 70 drivers who have recently entered for this weekend’s race include two former race winners. Eddie MacDonald returns seeking his first Oxford 250 win since going back-to-back in 2009 and 2010. MacDonald will be making his second PASS start of the season following his win in the inaugural Super Late Model race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. And, Jeramie Whorff, the 2006 250 winner, returns with the Dick Woodman team as he looks for another chance at victory.
A busy week of racing action at Oxford Plains Speedway leading up to the 42nd Annual Oxford 250 Presented By Kenny U-Pull begins on Friday, August 28 with practice for the PASS Super Late Models, along with features for the PASS Modifieds, Outlaws, Ladies, Rebels, Cruisers, Street Stocks and Bandits. On Saturday, August 29, there will be more practice for the PASS Super Late Models, followed by features for the Valenti Modified Series, Street Stocks, OPS Modifieds, Wicked Good Racers, Classic Lites, and the New England Mini Stock Tour (NEMST). Then, on Sunday, August 29, the day will begin at 9 AM with rotating practice for all divisions, followed by heat and consolation races at 1:30 PM featuring the PASS Super Late Models. The PASS Modifieds, Rebels, and Street Stocks will then have feature races followed by the green flag for the 42nd Annual AIM Recycling Oxford 250 Presented By Kenny U-Pull at approximately 5:30 PM. Additionally, the INEX Legends cars have been added to all 3 days of racing during the weekend at Oxford Plains Speedway.
Source: Oxford Plains/PASS Tour PR
