Jimmy Childs, two-time Mini Stock champ, Late Model rookie, gets breakthrough win

OXFORD, Maine – Thirty wins. Two championships. Jimmy Childs' credentials in more than a decade as a Mini Stock driver at Oxford Plains Speedway were undeniable.
Running up front in an Oxford Networks Late Model is an entirely different challenge, though. Three months full of ups, downs, speed bumps and forks in the road left one of the speedway's most confident competitors questioning himself.


"I usually win at least one or two races a year, but I was beginning to doubt whether I would get one this season."
Childs left no doubt in anyone's mind Saturday night, leading all but the first three laps and finishing nearly four seconds ahead of Shawn Martin in the 40-lap main event of New England Dodge Dealers Championship Night.
Shawn Knight, the driver Childs is chasing in the Lampron's Energy Rookie of the Year battle, finished third ahead of point leader and reigning champion Travis Adams and Kurt Hewins.
"I've been waiting a long time for this," said Childs. "We've got it dialed in pretty good."
"One of these nights we're going to win another one of these races," said Martin. "We're on a pretty nice streak of seconds, so that's great. Congratulations to Jimmy. He had everyone covered."
Joe Hutter and Sumner Sessions prevailed in double Allen's Coffee Flavored Brandy Strictly Stock features.
Sessions led the nightcap under caution eight laps from the scheduled distance. With a light mist falling at 9:20 p.m., race officials called for the checkered flag in deference to the scheduled fireworks display.
Central Maine Pyrotechnics' third of four gigantic presentations of the season at OPS went off without a hitch to wrap up the night.
Justin Karkos posted his division-leading fifth Allen's Coffee Flavored Brandy Mini Stock win of the season. Josh Childs matched that total with an overpowering victory in Macdonald Motors Runnin' Rebel action.
Jake Burns tied another record with his 10th triumph of the season in Call of the Wild RV Sport Truck, while Bob Weymouth snagged his second OPS victory of the summer in the New England Legends Cars.

OXFORD NETWORKS LATE MODEL (40 laps): 1. Jimmy Childs, Leeds; 2. Shawn Martin, Turner; 3. Shawn Knight, South Paris; 4. Travis Adams, Canton; 5. Kurt Hewins, Leeds; 6. Tim Brackett, Buckfield; 7. Michel Lavoie, Laval, Quebec; 8. Dennis Spencer Jr., Oxford; 9. Ben Ashline, Pittston; 10. David Vaughn, Naples; 11. Travis Stearns, Auburn; 12. Don Wentworth, Otisfield; 13. Matt Sanborn, West Baldwin; 14. Neil Martin, Freeport; 15. Tommy Ricker, Poland; 16. Gerald Parlin, South Paris; 17. Nick Brown, Bath; 18. Corey Morgan, Lewiston' 19. Joey Doiron, Berwick; 20. Billy Childs Jr., Leeds.
ALLEN'S COFFEE FLAVORED BRANDY STRICTLY STOCK #1 (30 laps): 1. Joe Hutter, Leeds; 2. Zach Emerson, Sabattus; 3. Matt Williams, Brownfield; 4. Mike Short, Auburn; 5. Skip Tripp, Poland; 6. Glen Henderson, Sabattus; 7. Kim Tripp, Oxford; 8. Tommy Tompkins, Carthage; 9. Rick Thompson, Naples; 10. Sumner Sessions, Norway; 11. Michael Roe, West Paris; 12. Chris Burgess, Lewiston; 13. Mike St. Germain, Auburn; 14. Dean Coolidge, Oxford; 15. Shane Green, South Paris; 16. Larry Emerson, Durham.
ALLEN'S COFFEE FLAVORED BRANDY STRICTLY STOCK #2 (shortened to 22 laps by rain): 1. Sumner Sessions, Norway; 2. Glen Henderson, Sabattus; 3. Mike Short, Auburn; 4. Skip Tripp, Poland; 5. Kim Tripp, Oxford; 6. Zach Emerson, Durham; 7. Matt Williams, Brownfield; 8. Mike Blue, Leeds; 9. Chris Burgess, Lewiston; 10. Rick Thompson, Naples; 11. Shane Green, South Paris; 12. Larry Emerson, Durham; 13. Tommy Tompkins, Carthage; 14. Michael Roe, West Paris; 15. Mike St. Germain, Auburn.
ALLEN'S COFFEE FLAVORED BRANDY MINI STOCK (30 laps): 1. Justin Karkos, Jay; 2. Butch Keene, Turner; 3. Billy Childs Sr., Leeds; 4. Steve Barker, Jay; 5. Darrell Moore, Mechanic Falls; 6. Ashley Marshall, Jay; 7. Kevin Bishop, South Paris; 8. Matt Moore, Mechanic Falls; 9. Brad Dwinal, Freeport; 10. Shane Kaherl, Jay; 11. Ken Daigle Jr., Lisbon; 12. Craig Moore, Woodstock; 13. Greg Watkins, Bridgton; 14. Nathan Guptill, North Turner; 15. Bob Guptill, Mechanic Falls; 16. Wayne Titus, Minot; 17. Bill Thibeault, Oxford; 18. Bill Mooney, New Gloucester; 19. Rick Giguere, Auburn.
MACDONALD MOTORS RUNNIN' REBEL (20 laps): 1. Josh Childs, Oxford; 2. Kyle Hewins, Leeds; 3. Scott Farrington, Minot; 4. Troy Jordan, Turner; 5. Bill Dunphy, New Gloucester; 6. John Childs, Leeds; 7. Derek Cook, Livermore Falls; 8. James Wood, New Gloucester; 9. Calvin Rose Jr., Turner; 10. Dwayne White, Livermore; 11. Mike Kyllonen, Mechanic Falls; 12. Jason Berry, Turner; 13. Dustin Couture, Auburn; 14. Cody Smith, Oxford; 15. Matt Dufault, Turner; 16. Charlie Webster, Auburn; 17. Tyler Smith, Oxford.
CALL OF THE WILD RV SPORT TRUCK (20 laps): 1. Jake Burns, Gray; 2. Ross Spurling, New Gloucester; 3. Devon Smith, Norway; 4. Corey Williams, Sumner; 5. John Lizotte, Mechanic Falls; 6. Kevin Oliver, Gray; 7. Doug Stevens, West Sumner; 8. Joe Bedard Jr., Hartford; 9. Ryan Farrar, Oxford; 10. Herb Farrar, Sumner; 11. Ron Cummings, South Paris; 12. Brian Farrar, Sumner.
NELCAR LEGENDS (20 laps): 1. Bob Weymouth, Topsham; 2. Terry Kirk, Durham; 3. Chad Harrington, Richmond; 4. Jason Stone, Montague, Mass.; 5. Jim Mayrand Jr., South Deerfield, Mass.; 6. Anthony Pagliarulo, Groveland, Mass.; 7. Alan Smith, Lincoln; 8. Max Zachem, Preston, Conn..; 9. Ed Getty, Gray; 10. Patrick Stewart, Beverly, Mass.