OXFORD, Maine – Ricky Rolfe tuned up for next weekend's TD Banknorth 250 Presented By New England Dodge Dealers by essentially qualifying for the race eight days early.
With another convincing Oxford Networks Late Model win at Oxford Plains Speedway, his fifth in the last six races, Rolfe wrestled the division point lead away from Travis Adams.
That entitles Rolfe at least to a spot at the rear of the starting grid for next Sunday's 35th annual summer classic, in what seems the unlikely event that he doesn't qualify on his race-day merits.
"Those were the longest seven laps of my life," Rolfe said of a late-race run of three caution flags after he took the lead from Daren Ripley on lap 26 of the 40-lap showdown. "I just wanted to finish two spots ahead of Travis Adams and take the point lead so we'll have a provisional to fall back on."
Rolfe steered clear of the confusion while closest pursuers Ripley, Jimmy Childs, Tyson Jordan and Shawn Knight fell victim to the late-race attrition on Q97.9 Night.
Shawn Martin snuck through the melees to claim second, followed by Billy Childs Jr.
"That's a good way to go into next week," Martin said. "We'll free up the car a little bit for the 250 and see how it goes."
Childs continues his run of recent top-fives, somewhat apologetic for finding his way to the front after running off the leader board for most of the event.
Rolfe steered clear of the confusion while closest pursuers Ripley, Jimmy Childs, Tyson Jordan and Shawn Knight fell victim to the late-race attrition on Q97.9 Night.
Shawn Martin snuck through the melees to claim second, followed by Billy Childs Jr.
"That's a good way to go into next week," Martin said. "We'll free up the car a little bit for the 250 and see how it goes."
Childs continues his run of recent top-fives, somewhat apologetic for finding his way to the front after running off the leader board for most of the event.
"That car has an attitude problem," said Childs. "No matter what adjustments I make lately, it seems to go the other way."
Kurt Hewins, the only driver to defeat Rolfe in weekly competition since May, charged from the rear of the field to fourth in a ride borrowed from teammate Dennis Spencer Jr.
Kurt Hewins, the only driver to defeat Rolfe in weekly competition since May, charged from the rear of the field to fourth in a ride borrowed from teammate Dennis Spencer Jr.
Carey Martin claimed fifth. Adams ran eighth.
The Late Model encounter highlighted a 16-race card with a whopping nine features.
David Tripp scored his first Allen's Coffee Flavored Brandy Strictly Stock victory of the season. Kim Tripp gave chase but couldn't catch "Dangerous Dave," who started on the pole in the caution-free tilt.
Chris Burgess posted his best finish of the season in third, holding past champions Larry Emerson and Tommy Tompkins at bay.
Two Allen's Mini Stock features book-ended the program and produced six different faces on the podium.
Justin Karkos picked up his second win of the season in round one, running away from Shane Kaherl and point leader Ashley Marshall as drivers from the town of Jay comprised the top three.
"I changed my number this week (to Kyle Busch and Ricky Rolfe's #51), hoping it would change my luck," Karkos said.
Bill Childs Sr. and leading rookie Darrell Moore completed the top five under daylight conditions.
When the sun went down, it was Childs reeling in another rookie, Ken Daigle Jr., nine laps from the finish.
Matt Moore dogged Childs down the stretch and settled for a career-best second. Butch Keene ended his season of miserable luck and snuck past Daigle in the late going for third. Adam Polvinen, who swept last weekend's two holiday features, was fifth.
Josh Childs chased Troy Jordan across the line in a Macdonald Motors Runnin' Rebel race held over from a rainout two weeks ago.
It was the second win of the season for Jordan, who also left Kyle Hewins (third), Ben Krauter (fourth) and teammate Matt Dufault (fifth) in his rear-view mirror.
Childs was unstoppable in the high-point half of the regularly scheduled Agren Appliance Saturday Showdown features, finding a seam underneath early leader Zach Audet in the closing laps to notch his third win of the campaign.
Derek Cook dealt with Jordan in his mirror throughout the event before locking up third, with Scott Farrington in tow.
Leavitt led every lap of the Rebel 'B' main from the pole. David Cook and Larry Melcher settled into a distant second and third. Josh Brown rallied late for his best finish of the season in fourth, with Mike Kyllonen making his first start since the early 1990s good for fifth.
Jake Burns now enjoys seven Call of the Wild RV Center Sport Truck wins in 10 starts, the most of any driver in all eight speedway divisions this season.
Burns took the lead on lap 6 and established a safe distance over rookie standout Ross Spurling. Ryan Farrar recovered from an early spin to take third, with Tom Libby a best-ever fourth and Brian Farrar fifth.
Connecticut's Max Zachem posted his second straight OPS win in New England Legends Cars competition, with Polvinen second and ageless Russ Nutting third.
New England Dodge Dealers Speedweek is here, with full cards of racing Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 6:30 p.m. in advance of the TD Banknorth 250 on Sunday, July 20 at 2 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (207) 539-8865 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
LATE MODEL (40 laps): 1. Ricky Rolfe, Albany Township; 2. Shawn Martin, Turner; 3. Billy Childs Jr., Leeds; 4. Kurt Hewins, Leeds; 5. Carey Martin, Denmark; 6. Tommy Ricker, Poland; 7. Matt Sanborn, West Baldwin; 8. Travis Adams, Canton; 9. Don Wentworth, Otisfield; 10. Travis Stearns, Auburn.
STRICTLY STOCK (30 laps): 1. David Tripp, Oxford; 2. Kim Tripp, Oxford; 3. Chris Burgess, Lewiston; 4. Larry Emerson, Durham; 5. Tommy Tompkins, Carthage; 6. Mike Short, Auburn; 7. Joe Hutter, Leeds; 8. Skip Tripp, Poland; 9. Glen Henderson, Sabattus; 10. Shane Green, South Paris.
MINI STOCK #1 (30 laps): 1. Justin Karkos, Jay; 2. Shane Kaherl, Jay; 3. Ashley Marshall, Jay; 4. Bill Childs Sr., Leeds; 5. Darrell Moore, Mechanic Falls; 6. Matt Moore, South Paris; 7. Randy Kimball, Mechanic Falls; 8. Kevin Bishop, South Paris; 9. Don Frechette, Turner; 10. Bill Thibeault, Oxford.
MINI STOCK #1 (30 laps): 1. Justin Karkos, Jay; 2. Shane Kaherl, Jay; 3. Ashley Marshall, Jay; 4. Bill Childs Sr., Leeds; 5. Darrell Moore, Mechanic Falls; 6. Matt Moore, South Paris; 7. Randy Kimball, Mechanic Falls; 8. Kevin Bishop, South Paris; 9. Don Frechette, Turner; 10. Bill Thibeault, Oxford.
MINI STOCK #2 (30 laps): 1. Bill Childs Sr., Leeds; 2. Matt Moore, Mechanic Falls; 3. Butch Keene, Turner; 4. Ken Daigle Jr., Lisbon; 5. Adam Polvinen, Oxford; 6. Darrell Moore, Mechanic Falls; 7. Justin Karkos, Jay; 8. Brad Dwinal, Freeport; 9. Kevin Bishop, South Paris; 10. Bill Thibeault, Oxford.
RUNNIN' REBEL #1 (20 laps): 1. Troy Jordan, Turner; 2. Josh Childs, Oxford; 3. Kyle Hewins, Leeds; 4. Ben Krauter, Raymond; 5. Matt Dufault, Turner; 6. Derek Cook, Livermore Falls; 7. Zach Audet, Chesterville; 8. Scott Farrington, Minot; 9. Nathan Guptill, North Turner; 10. Larry Melcher, Livermore Falls.
RUNNIN' REBEL #2 (20 laps): 1. Josh Childs, Oxford; 2. Zach Audet, Chesterville; 3. Derek Cook, Livermore Falls; 4. Troy Jordan, Turner; 5. Scott Farrington, Minot; 6. Matt Dufault, Turner; 7. Kyle Hewins, Leeds; 8. Ben Krauter, Raymond; 9. Nathan Guptill, North Turner; 10. Charlie Webster, Auburn.
RUNNIN' REBEL #3 (20 laps): 1. Jamie Leavitt, Minot; 2. David Cook, Wilton; 3. Larry Melcher, Livermore Falls; 4. Josh Brown, Conway, N.H.; 5. Mike Kyllonen, Mechanic Falls; 6. Rick Spaulding, Lewiston; 7. James Wood, New Gloucester; 8. Randy Nutter, Auburn; 9. Cody Smith, Oxford; 10. Aaron Small, Poland.
SPORT TRUCK (20 laps): 1. Jake Burns, Gray; 2. Ross Spurling, New Gloucester; 3. Ryan Farrar, Oxford; 4. Tom Libby, Gorham; 5. Brian Farrar, Sumner; 6. Joe Farrar, Oxford; 7. John Lizotte, Mechanic Falls; 8. Ryan Varney, Oxford; 9. Joey Bedard, Hartford; 10. Devon Smith, Norway.
LEGENDS (20 laps): 1. Max Zachem, Preston, Conn.; 2. Adam Polvinen, Oxford; 3. Russ Nutting, Limerick; 4. Bob Weymouth, Topsham; 5. Terry Kirk, Durham.