OXFORD, Maine – Dennis Spencer, Jr. made up for the first few weeks of mid-pack finishes with a dominating performance in the Oxford Networks Late Model Feature on Sun Journal Night. Spencer, Jr. made the move around pole sitter and race leader Al Hammond on lap 8, and opened up a sizable lead on the field. Scott Luce moved into second a few laps later and gave chase, but could not get any closer than within a few car lengths of the Spencer’s speedy #3. Tommy Ricker once again put on a strong performance as he charged through the field. Ricker moved up to 12th by lap 15, and jumped to 7th by lap 22. With just 10 laps to go he caught third place runner Tim Brackett, who made another strong run in his #60 before getting passed by Ricker for the third and final podium spot with just 5 circuits remaining. Spencer, Jr. beat Scott Luce by two car lengths with Ricker a distant third. Tim and T.J. Brackett rounded out the top 5.
In earlier races, Matt Moore beat out Darrell Moore for his first career Allen’s Coffee Flavored Brandy Mini Stocks feature win. Matt took first in his Mini Stock heat, and started on the pole for the feature race, jumping out to an early lead that he would not relinquish. Greg Watkins had a strong run in third spot before something appeared to break in the motor as his #29 fell back through the field quickly. Butch Keene tried to dodge high but got a piece of Ashley Marshall, before spinning down the track and collecting Jeff Beaule for the first yellow of the race. After another caution, Matt Moore once again stayed strong on the restart holding off Darrell for the win. Steve Barker finished third after having to scramble to put his old car together in time for the race.
The Allen’s Coffee Flavored Brandy Strictly Stock feature was a déja vu of last week’s race. For the second time in a row, Gene Hatch jumped out to an early lead before succumbing to the relentless charge of Kurt Hewins on lap 21, just two laps earlier than when Hewins completed the pass in last week’s feature. Skip Tripp came home third, also for the second time in a row, ahead of a gaggle of cars jousting for position.
In Ladies action, Deanna Robertson led from the pole but Missy Morgan looked like the car to beat early on, jumping from the rear of the field to third place in just 3 laps. Morgan moved to second while Tori Burgess, Vanna Brackett, and Dottie Patria battled it out for third. On lap 10, Patria spun her car in turn 3, dropping far behind the leaders. Morgan pulled within a few car lengths of Robertson before heartbreak struck when the engine let go in her #26 car with only 3 laps left. Robertson cruised to the win while Brackett overcame an extremely tight race car to finish second. Burgess was third followed by Patria who overcame her early spin to finish fourth.
In Oxford Outlaws feature number 1, Missy Morgan’s troubles continued as she was bumped out of the racing groove on a first lap, four wide battle, and slid into the backstretch wall. The carnage continued a lap later when John White spun in turn 1 and Todd Bisbee contacted the outside wall after contact with Scott Heathcoat. John Patria emerged as the early leader, and raced to victory. Jim Drake finished second followed by Chris Coolidge who got around Randy Robitaille for third with just 4 laps to go.
In the second Outlaws feature, rookie Pat Malloy led nearly the whole way in his Dale Jarrett look-a-like car, before the speedy Josh Childs got around him on lap 16 and ran away with the win. Zach Bowie captured the last spot on the podium, and David Childs finished fourth after recovering from a first lap wreck, in which he had to drive high through the dirt to get around the spinning Mike Childs.
The Oxford Acceleration Series returns for its Wednesday night races this week, before the American Canadian Tour comes to Oxford Plains for the second ACT 150 of the season on Saturday.
Ladies Feature
1- 21 Deanna Robertson
2 – 23 Vanna Brackett
3 – 07 Tori Burgess
4 – 34 Dottie Patria
5 – 28 Sue Veinott
6 – 29 Shannon Wheeler
7 – 26 Missy Morgan
8 – 44 Annie Chartier
Outlaw Feature #1
1 – 34 John Patria
2 – 16 Jim Drake
3 – 25 Chris Coolidge
4 – 51 Randy Robitaille
5 – 30 Scott Veinott
6 – 39 Ron Abbott Jr
7 – 67 Mike Haynes
8 – 63 Robert Ferguson
9 – 10 Scott Ellis
10 – 21 Todd Bisbee
11 – 62 Missy Morgan
12 – 29 Randy Desmaris
13 – 11 Curt Chapman
14 – 23 John White
15 – 43 Rodney Englehaupt
16 – 14 Scott Hethcoat
Outlaw Feature #2
1 – 3 Josh Childs
2 – 78 Pat Maloy
3 – 04 Zach Bowie
4 – 5 David Childs
5 – 38 Addison Bowie
6 – 19 Steve Moon
7 – 07 Chris Burgess
8 – 1 Mike Blue
9 – 89 Kyle Curtis
10 – 12 Dennis Morang
11 – 57 Gerry Richard
12 – 54 Jonathan Baldwin
13 – 22 Phil Knowlton Jr
14 – 00 Mike Childs
15 – 35 Guy Childs
16 – 9 Ryan Robbins
Mini Stock Feature
1 – 14 Matt Moore
2 – 12 Darrell Moore
3 – 51 Steve Barker
4 – 33 Danny Morris
5 – 8 Calvin Rose Jr
6 – 10 Jimmy Childs
7 – 29 Greg Watkins
8 – 3 Kevin Bishop
9 – 31 Jeff Beaule
10 – 18 Nik Coates
11 – 77 Ashley Marshall
12 – 6 Nathan Guptil
13 – 2 Butch Keene
14 – 09 Joe Turner
15 – 01 Bill Childs Sr
Strictly Stock Featue
1 – 55 Kurt Hewins
2 – 7 Gene Hatch
3 – 12 Skip Tripp
4 – 23 Zack Emerson
5 – 36 Rick Spaulding
6 – 24 Larry Emerson
7 – 42 Kim Tripp
8 – 39 Jerry Freve
9 – 29 Chris Mosher
10 – 53 Richard Damon
11 – 06 Craig Coolidge
12 – 63 Matt Williams
13 – 2 Joshua Lovell
14 – 15 Ed Burlock
Late Model Feature
(Unofficial pending shock inspection)
1 – 3 Dennis Spencer Jr
2 – 07 Scott Luce
3 – 6 Tommy Ricker
4 – 60 Tim Brackett
5 – 61 TJ Brackett
6 – 94 Shawn Martin
7 – 1 Al Hammond
8 – 7 Glen Luce
9 – 15 Ben Ashline
10 – 51 Ricky Rolfe
11 – 97 Joey Polewarczyk Jr
12 – 11 Billy Childs Jr
13 – 63 Don Wentworth
14 – 23 Dave Farrington Jr
15 – 48 Kenny Harrison
16 – 12 Nick Brown
17 – 26 Corey Morgan
18 – 14 Joey Lovejoy
19 – 71 Gary Chiasson
20 – 8 Gerald Parlin
21 – 44 Neil Martin
22 – 84 Matt Sanborn