PASS North Series: Bradley Babb
Oxford Plains Speedway Race Preview
THE STORY
WINDHAM, Maine – Third-generation driver Bradley Babb of Windham, Maine, kicks off his 2013 schedule in the PASS North Series season-opening Ripley & Fletcher Ford 150 at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Maine, on Sunday, April 21. The 2012 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Maine state champion last competed in a PASS-sanctioned race at Oxford Plains in 2011, Babb competed in two PASS events last season at his home track of Beech Ridge Motor Speedway. Babb does have plenty of seat time at Oxford in his career, however, having run multiple ACT Late Model Tour-sanctioned races at the track. He will have a brand new Dale Shaw Race Cars chassis under him this weekend.
THE FACTS
WHO: Bradley Babb, Windham, Maine
TEAM: No. 14 Babb Wood Contractors/McGoldrick Bros. Blasting Chevrolet
CREW CHIEF: Bobby Babb, Windham, Maine
BEST CAREER OXFORD PLAINS SPEEDWAY FINISH: 21st (October 2012)
LAST RACE AT OXFORD PLAINS SPEEDWAY: 21st (October 2012)
WHAT: PASS North Series Ripley & Fletcher Ford 150
WHERE: Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford, Maine (.375-mile oval)
WHEN: Saturday, April 20 – 11 a.m., practice; Sunday, April 21 – 10 a.m., practice; 2 p.m., qualifying; 4:30 p.m., race
PASS North Series
NEXT RACE: May 4, Southern Maine Chrysler Dodge Jeep 150, Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, Scarborough, Maine (.333-mile oval)
DID YOU KNOW?
Bradley Babb became the first third-generation champion in Beech Ridge Motor Speedway’s top division when he won the 2012 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Pro Series championship at the track. His father Bobby Babb and grandfather Robert Babb are both multi-time Beech Ridge champions in the top division.
Bradley Babb was honored at the NASCAR Hall of Fame convention center in Charlotte, N.C., in December as both a state and track champion in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.
Bradley Babb qualified a career-best sixth for the PASS North Series Southern Maine Motors 300 at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway last September and was running inside the Top-10 early in the race when he was collected in an accident that took place in front of him to end his day early.
Bradley Babb was the 2010 ACT Late Model Tour Rookie of the Year.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
BRADLEY BABB, Driver of the No. 14 Babb Wood Contractors/McGoldrick Bros. Blasting Chevrolet, On whether he’s more excited to return to racing after a long winter or to get a chance to race at Oxford Plains Speedway again: “I guess the safer bet for me is say that I’m excited to just get back in a race car. I want to say I’m happy to go to Oxford again, especially knowing we’ll have a good setup and good equipment this time around. But if we go and the setup doesn’t work that well, I’ll just say that we didn’t have a very good car.”
On how similar Oxford Plains Speedway and Beech Ridge Motor Speedway are: “I think they’re pretty similar – but then again I don’t usually run well at Oxford. You can use the power a little bit more at Oxford, but once you use up the tires, it doesn’t really matter what you have for motor. Once the tires are gone, you can pretty much push the car around the track and you’d still have plenty of power.”
On the different mentality of running a 150-lap race versus a 40-lap feature in weekly competition: “You basically just have to run around and save your stuff for a while. Like I’ve said before, I had to learn patience last year, because of being stuck in traffic all the time and having to race from the back (due to weekly division handicapping rules). But at the same time, once you get a hole, you have to be ready to go.
“It’s mainly just about having the car in one piece and being around at the end.”
On his goals for this weekend: “I go to the track every weekend trying to win, but we’ll see how practice goes. If the car isn’t that good, well try and get in and see what we can do to get toward the Top-10. But if it’s going well, we’ll make some adjustments and see what we can do to try and be good enough to win. You try and assess what you have when you get there to go for a win.”
UP NEXT
Bradley Babb returns to his home track and joins the PASS North Series for the Southern Maine Chrysler Dodge Jeep 150 at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough, Maine, on Saturday, May 4… Babb won the season-opening NASCAR Whelen All-American Series feature at Beech Ridge en route to the track championship in 2012.