Spencer storms to Late Model victory Daigle wins first in wild Mini finale
OXFORD, Maine – The reborn paint scheme of motion picture race car Lightning McQueen caught just about every fan's eye when Dennis Spencer Jr. rolled onto the track Saturday night at Oxford Plains Speedway.
As for Spencer, he thought the prettiest sight of the evening was the one in his rear-view mirror.
With Travis Stearns and Daren Ripley dicing it out side-by-side for some 20 laps and holding back Shawn Martin in the process, Spencer was untouchable on the way to his first 40-lap Oxford Networks Late Model victory of the season.
It was Spencer's 25th career checkered flag at the track where he began racing as a high school student in the early 1990s.
"When I saw them battling back there, I knew it was good for me," said Spencer.
Spencer became the second different driver to win a Late Model feature for car owners Conrad and Kerrie Childs this season. Kurt Hewins accomplished the feat less than a month ago.
Series point leader Ricky Rolfe, winner of five of his last six weekly starts in the top division, sat out the race. He is on a cross-country road trip with his family.
Travis Adams reclaimed the division lead with an eighth-place finish. Martin moved into second in the chase by driving around first Ripley, then Stearns, over the final second laps to claim the runner-up trophy.
Stearns was third for the best finish since his breakthrough Late Model win in May. Ripley's fourth was the best of his brief OPS career, while Hewins ran fifth.
Eight features highlighted a busy weekly card only five nights after the TD Banknorth 250, where Spencer celebrated a top-10 finish for the second straight year.
Twin 30-lap Allen's Coffee Flavored Brandy Strictly Stock features were the primary supporting attraction.
Justin Karkos kicked off the night with his division-leading fourth win of the season.
"I had a little bit if luck starting up front, since I didn't race at the start of the season," said Karkos, whose points handicap was lowered by a myriad of mechanical problems in those early starts.
Kevin Bishop charged to his best finish of the season, with Ken Daigle Jr. notching the first trophy of his rookie campaign in third. Butch Keene and Darrell Moore completed the top five.
The same trifecta topped the nightcap. This time, Daigle collected the checkers for the first time in what some considered controversial fashion.
Daigle lost the lead to Bill Childs Sr. on a lap 20 restart. As the leaders raced out of turn four to complete the 22nd circuit, Daigle's front bumper brushed Chidls from behind. Childs spun and was collected by a passing Bill Thibeault, heavily damaging both rides.
"I feel bad about that," Daigle said. "He's been good to me all year long, and I definitely got into him and spun him. I didn't mean to do it. I'll take the win, but I'm sorry that happened."
Because most of the field hadn't completed lap 22 when the caution flew, the scoring reverted back to lap 21. Daigle, who wasn't penalized for his role in the incident, crossed the line second on that circuit and thus was scored as the leader.
Bishop had the first shot at Daigle on the restart. Karkos closed to his back bumper over the final five laps, but the newcomer held on.
"He did a great job," Karkos said. "I know what a big deal that first win is."
Moore finished fourth in front of Ashley Marshall as those two drivers continue to battle for the series point lead.
Mike Short now leads all Allen's Strictly Stock drivers with four victories. It took him five laps on the outside of Matt Williams to gain second and another five to dispatch David Tripp, finally picking up the point on lap 21.
"That's harder than I had to work all of last weekend," said Short.
Tripp topped Williams in the tussle for second, backed by B.J. Chapman and Larry Emerson.
Steve Brill and Jerry Goss ruled two caution-free Chimney Tech Outlaw 20-lappers.
Brill hoped to hand over his ride to son Jon for the night. When told that Jon was ineligible because he is a former Strictly Stock champion, Brill roared to the lead on lap 2 and stormed to the victory himself.
"I thought it would be a good idea to get up front and get the hell out of there," Brill said.
Scott Ellis and Dennis Morang wound up at the front of a tight pack behind Brill, second and third, respectively, for their best finishes of the season. David Smith and Gerry Richard were next.
Goss took over from John Patria on lap 5 and extended his lead while Rick Spaulding and David Childs worked the outside of early runner-up Guy Childs Sr.
Spaulding crept within two car lengths but couldn't make the winning move.
"It was a good night to get out there and lead as early as I could," said Goss, who posted his second triumph of the season.
Guy Childs held off nephew David for third at the stripe. Patria picked up fifth.
Reigning Allen's Ladies champion Vanna Brackett ran and hid from her pole starting position and cruised to her third victory of the season.
"We never work on the car," claimed Brackett, who was chased to the line by another former champion, Lisa Vining.
Dottie Patria, currently the point leader on both Wednesday night and in the Agren Appliance Saturday Showdown, couldn't make up the lost early ground without a caution and settled for third. Lisa Brooks and Kimberly Sessions followed.
Venerable Russ Nutting, whose last previous OPS win came in 1985, emerged victorious in a 20-lap exhibition for the Wicked Good Vintage Racing Association.
OPS returns to action at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday with the Acceleration Series. The New England Dodge Dealers Summer Celebration, featuring five divisions of racing and a gigantic fireworks display, is Saturday night at 6:30 p.m.
OXFORD NETWORKS LATE MODEL (40 laps): 1. Dennis Spencer Jr., Oxford; 2. Shawn Martin, Turner; 3. Travis Stearns, Auburn; 4. Daren Ripley, Appleton; 5. Kurt Hewins, Leeds; 6. Tim Brackett, Buckfield; 7. Jimmy Childs, Leeds; 8. Travis Adams, Canton; 9. Ben Ashline, Pittston; 10. Joey Doiron, Berwick; 11. Billy Childs Jr., Leeds; 12. Corey Morgan, Lewiston; 13. Don Wentworth, Otisfield; 14. Shawn Knight, South Paris; 15. Gerald Parlin, South Paris; 16. Cecil Bryant, Wilton; 17. Tommy Ricker, Poland; 18. Matt Sanborn, West Baldwin; 19. Neil Martin, Freeport; 20. Tyson Jordan, Poland.
ALLEN'S COFFEE FLAVORED BRANDY STRICTLY STOCK (30 laps): 1. Mike Short, Auburn; 2. David Tripp, Oxford; 3. Matt Williams, Brownfield; 4. B.J. Chapman, Bridgton; 5. Larry Emerson, Durham; 6. Glen Henderson, Sabattus; 7. Skip Tripp, Poland; 8. Chris Burgess, Lewiston; 9. Zach Emerson, Sabattus; 10. Sumner Sessions, Norway; 11. Michael Roe, West Paris; 12. Kim Tripp, Oxford; 13. Dean Coolidge, Oxford; 14. Shane Green, South Paris; 15. Rick Thompson, Naples.
ALLEN'S COFFEE FLAVORED BRANDY MINI STOCK #1 (30 laps): 1. Justin Karkos, Jay; 2. Kevin Bishop, South Paris; 3. Ken Daigle Jr., Lisbon; 4. Butch Keene. Turner; 5. Darrell Moore, Mechanic Falls; 6. Bill Childs Sr., Leeds; 7. Ashley Marshall, Jay; 8. Shane Kaherl, Jay; 9. Bill Thibeault, Oxford; 10. Randy Kimball, Mechanic Falls; 11. Bob Guptill, Mechanic Falls; 12. Steve Barker, Jay; 13. Curtis Fanjoy, Oxford; 14. Craig Moore, Woodstock; 15. Chuck Higgins, Lewiston; 16. Greg Watkins, Bridgton; 17. Wayne Titus, Minot; 18. Dave Mooney, Wales; 19. Brad Dwinal, Freeport; 20. Matt Moore, Mechanic Falls.
ALLEN'S COFFEE FLAVORED BRANDY MINI STOCK #2 (30 laps): 1. Ken Daigle Jr., Lisbon; 2. Justin Karkos, Jay; 3. Kevin Bishop, South Paris; 4. Darrell Moore, Mechanic Falls; 5. Ashley Marshall, Jay; 6. Steve Barker, Jay; 7. Bob Guptill, Mechanic Falls; 8. Randy Kimball, Mechanic Falls; 9. Butch Keene, Turner; 10. Greg Watkins, Bridgton; 11. Craig Moore, Woodstock; 12. Curtis Fanjoy, Oxford; 13. Wayne Titus, Minot; 14. Bill Childs Sr., Leeds; 15. Bill Thibeault, Oxford; 16. Matt Moore, Mechanic Falls; 17. Adam Polvinen, Oxford; 18. Shane Kaherl, Jay; 19. Al Roberti, South Paris; 20. Dave Mooney, Wales; 21. Brad Dwinal, Freeport.
CHIMNEY TECH OUTLAW #1 (20 laps): 1. Steve Brill, Bridgton; 2. Scott Ellis, Lewiston; 3. Dennis Morang, South Paris; 4. David Smith, Norway; 5. Gerry Richard, Leeds; 6. Stan Morgan, Auburn; 7. Wayne Estes, Sumner; 8. Kevin Leighton, Minot; 9. Randy Nutter, Auburn; 10. Scott Veinott, Sabattus; 11. Randy Robitaille, Norway; 12. Arthur Chartier, Mexico; 13. Walter Connell III, South Paris; 14. Robert Lowe, Auburn.
CHIMNEY TECH OUTLAW #2 (20 laps): 1. Jerry Goss, Mechanic Falls; 2. Rick Spaulding, Lewiston; 3. Guy Childs Sr., Turner; 4. David Childs, Oxford; 5. John Patria, Turner; 6. Keith Landry, Oxford; 7. Steve Moon, Gray; 8. Dan Brown, Peru; 9. Thom Bell, Minot; 10. Addison Bowie, Auburn; 11. Nik Coates, Lisbon; 12. Zach Bowie, Mechanic Falls; 13. Tom Averill, Peru; 14. Shannon Judd, Jay.
ALLEN'S COFFEE FLAVORED BRANDY LADIES (20 laps): 1. Vanna Brackett, Buckfield; 2. Lisa Vining, Turner; 3. Dottie Patria, Turner; 4. Lisa Brooks, Auburn; 5. Kimberly Sessions, Auburn; 6. Deanna Robertson, South Paris; 7. Debbie Marston, Hartford; 8. Pam Morgan, Minot; 9. Shannon Wheeler, Auburn; 10. Annie Chartier, Mexico.
WICKED GOOD VINTAGE RACING ASSOCIATION: 1. Russ Nutting, Limerick; 2. John Rice; 3. Haggie Pratt, Dexter.