OXFORD, Maine – Five other drivers have won a Oxford Networks Late Model feature at Oxford Plains Speedway this season, but Travis Adams has been around long enough to know there's something more meaningful about multiple wins.
And then there's the biggest 40-lap win of all: The one in the final weekly event before the TD Banknorth 250. It makes the victor one of the pre-race favorites.
Some drivers shy from that label. Four championships and now 29 wins into a brilliant career as one of Oxford's all-time greats, Adams drove Saturday night like he was campaigning for it.
Adams rallied from a near-disaster when two cars tangled in front of him on lap 2, then drove to the front with authority for his third triumph of the season.
Doing much of his work in the outside lane, as has become his custom, Adams made the winning move around Ben Ashline on lap 29.
"I know Shawn Martin was out here last week kind of bragging about how he was running half-throttle behind me (and Ricky Rolfe) last week," said Adams. "That was all full-throttle right there. That's the only way to go in the last race before the 250. That's as fast as I can go next week, so hopefully that's a good indication."
Ashline was second, representing the third podium finish of the season for the 18-year-old. Don Wentworth claimed third, with Shawn Knight edging Tim Brackett in the closing laps for fourth.
Mike Short (Allen's Coffee Flavored Brandy Strictly Stock) and Jimmy Childs (Allen's Mini Stock) also scored dramatic victories on WTOS Night.
Short was running third just five laps from the Strictly finish when leaders Kim Tripp and Skip Tripp collided in turn three.
"I guess I went to the outside at the right time," Short said.
Skip Tripp, who was not penalized because Kim Tripp left most of the inside racing groove open prior to the contact, held on for second and padded his point lead.
B.J. Chapman, Gerry Burgess and Jerry Harrison completed the top five.
Childs shadowed rookie Jake Burns and pressured the leader into a late mistake, yielding the two-time champion his second victory of the summer.
Burns drifted up the track in turn three on the next-to-last circuit and Childs took advantage of the room, cleanly claiming the lead as the white flag appeared.
"Jake is a great driver and he drove a great race, but just chalk that up to experience," Childs said. "I was in the right place at the right time."
Ashley Marshall also snuck past Burns to pick up second. Justin Karkos recovered from an early pit stop to finish fourth, with Jeff Beaule winning a torrid battle with Kevin Bishop for fifth.
Dana Cook (Macdonald Motors Runnin' Rebel) and John Lizotte (Call of the Wild RV Center Sport Truck) topped the Acceleration Series divisions for their first wins of 2009.
Cook prevailed in his second start of the season in Dustin Salley's #8, pulling away by a comfortable margin over Kyle Hewins and Troy Jordan. Zach Audet and Scott Farrington followed.
Lizotte celebrated memorably after his 10-lap Truck victory, crashing with another car while attempting to make tire doughnuts on the cool-down lap.
He proceeded to spin the tires, anyway, before taking a reverse victory lap after securing his second career set of checkers. Jeff Schmidt (second) and Jeremy Wagner (third) each enjoyed a career-best finish, backed by Herb Farrar and Ryan Varney.
TD Banknorth 250 Speedweek is here, with races scheduled Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Go to www.oxfordplains.com for details and ticket information.
OXFORD NETWORKS LATE MODEL (40 laps): 1. Travis Adams, Canton; 2. Ben Ashline, Pittston; 3. Don Wentworth, Otisfield; 4. Shawn Knight, South Paris; 5. Tim Brackett, Buckfield; 6. Travis Stearns, Auburn; 7. Al Hammond, Paris; 8. Jeff White, Winthrop; 9. Shawn Martin, Turner; 10. Carey Martin, Denmark; 11. Corey Morgan, Lewiston; 12. Scott Robbins, Dixfield; 13. Kenny Harrison, Pownal; 14. Nick Brown, Bath; 15. Jason Larrabee, Raymond; 16. Ron Charpentier Jr., Wales; 17. Gerald Parlin, South Paris; 18. Tommy Ricker, Poland; 19. Matt Sanborn, West Baldwin; 20. Gary Chiasson, Peru; 21. Bruce Haley, Minot.
ALLEN'S COFFEE FLAVORED BRANDY STRICTLY STOCK (30 laps): 1. Mike Short, Auburn; 2. Skip Tripp, Poland; 3. B.J. Chapman, Bridgton; 4. Gerry Burgess, Sabattus; 5. Jerry Harrison, Freeport; 6. Larry Emerson, Durham; 7. Matt Williams, Brownfield; 8. Sumner Sessions, Norway; 9. Jeff Merrill, Turner; 10. Mike St. Germain, Auburn; 11. Kim Tripp, Oxford; 12. Rick Spaulding, Lisbon; 13. Derek Farrington, Freeport; 14. Tommy Tompkins, Dixfield; 15. Zach Emerson, Sabattus; 16. Keith Stuart, Naples; 17. Ed Burlock, Minot; 18. Richard Kimball, Standish.
ALLEN'S COFFEE FLAVORED BRANDY MINI STOCK (30 laps): 1. Jimmy Childs, Leeds; 2. Ashley Marshall, Jay; 3. Jake Burns, Gray; 4. Justin Karkos, Jay; 5. Jeff Beaule, Lewiston; 6. Kevin Bishop, South Paris; 7. Greg Watkins, Bridgton; 8. Danny Morris, Auburn; 9. Steve Barker, Jay; 10. Larry Melcher, Livermore Falls; 11. Matt Moore, South Paris; 12. Ken Daigle Jr., Lisbon; 13. Shane Kaherl, Jay; 14. Darrell Moore, Mechanic Falls; 15. Butch Keene, Turner; 16. Nik Coates, Lisbon; 17. Calvin Rose Jr., Turner; 18. Wayne Titus, Minot.
MACDONALD MOTORS RUNNIN' REBEL (20 laps): 1. Dana Cook, Auburn; 2. Kyle Hewins, Leeds; 3. Troy Jordan, Turner; 4. Zach Audet, Wilton; 5. Scott Farrington, Minot; 6. Matt Dufault, Turner; 7. Jeff Hebert, Auburn; 8. Mark Childs Jr., Mechanic Falls; 9. Corey Beaulieu, Oxford; 10. Jason Berry, Turner; 11. Craig Farrington, Hebron; 12. Jamie Leavitt, Minot; 13. Charlie Webster, Auburn; 14. Roger Bourgoin, Sabattus; 15. Nate Dubuc, Auburn; 16. Gerard Cote, Oxford; 17. Doug Degroat, Oxford; 18. Jamie Heath, Waterford; 19. Bill Dunphy, New Gloucester; 20. Randy Desmarais, Auburn; 21. Michael Carver, Durham; 22. Kyle Treadwell, Auburn; 23. Rob Lowe, Auburn; 24. Ryan Hewins, Leeds; 25. Craig Bartlett, Denmark; 26. John Childs, Leeds; 27. Gene White, Lisbon.
CALL OF THE WILD RV CENTER SPORT TRUCK (10 laps): 1. John Lizotte, Mechanic Falls; 2. Jeff Schmidt, Mechanic Falls; 3. Jeremy Wagner, Bryant Pond; 4. Herb Farrar, Sumner; 5. Ryan Varney, South Paris; 6. Ryan Farrar, Oxford; 7. Corey Williams, Sumner.