DEFENDING CHAMPION TJ BRACKETT SCORES FIRST SUPER LATE MODEL VICTORY THIS SEASON AT OXFORD PLAINS SPEEDWAY
Oxford, Maine – Two-time and defending Oxford Plains Speedway Budweiser Super Late Model champion TJ Brackett of Buckfield nailed down his first victory of the season Saturday night in the 50-lap headline race at the historic Route 26 oval.
Brackett took the lead away from Turner teenager and third-generation Oxford racer Gunnar Rowe, who dominated the first half of the race and easily held on to second position after the eventual winner went by.
Winner Brackett, ranked fifth in the championship standings entering the night’s action, closed in a bit on the leader in his title bout, his father, Timmy. The reigning kingpin’s sister, Vanna, made a last-lap charge around recent winner Alan Wilson of Hebron to earn the third and final trophy offered in the top class. She vaulted into second position in the standings behind her father, who finished fifth, behind Wilson.
Rick Spaulding of Lisbon prevailed in an eventful 30-lap feature race for the Allen’s Coffee Flavored Brandy Street Stock division. Spaulding hugged the rail and kept the field at bay, rarely building a lead of over a car length while turning back challenges from every top-five driver in the championship standings.
Jonathon Emerson of Sabattus and Keith Stuart of Naples survived a last-lap scramble that knocked Josh Childs from contention to claim second and third-place honors, respectively. Points leader Zach Emerson of Sabattus was fourth, followed by top-ranked rookie Calvin Rose, Jr. of Turner.
Shaun Hinkley of Oxford returned to victory lane, and the top of the championship standings, with a 20-lap triumph in the Bandits division. Hinkley was chased under the checkered flag by Shawn Knight of South Paris and Waterford’s Jamie Heath.
Hinkley got to the front in quick fashion while both Knight and Heath worked from deep in the starting field, both making three-wide moves pay off en route to the podium. Cam Childs of Leeds was fourth, with the top-five filled out by Michael Cleveland in his first appearance of the year. Hinkley and Troy Smith of Bridgton, the points leader entering the night, won Bandit division heat races.
Scott Alexander of Newburgh led from wire-to-wire in the 25-lap main event for OPS Modifieds. Points leader Ryan Robbins of Dixfield crossed the finish line in second place, with Westbrook’s Matty Sanborn beating out Turner’s Nik Coates for the final podium position.
Jon Lizotte of Mechanic Falls dominated the 15-lap Figure 8 race, finishing a full lap ahead of Norway’s Craig Moore, the runner-up. Mike Neddenreip of Bridgton claimed the third-place trophy. Auburn’s Mike St.Germain and Caleb Emerson of New Gloucester rounded out the top five.
Budweiser Championship Series competition resumes at Oxford Plains Speedway on Saturday (June 13) Post time is 7:00 p.m. For more information visit oxfordplains.com or call (207) 539-8865.
Budweiser Championship Series results from Oxford Plains Speedway; Saturday, June 6, 2015. (Finishing position, car number, driver’s name, home town.)
Budweiser Super Late Model (50 laps) 1 61 TJ Brackett, Buckfield; 2 24 Gunnar Rowe, Turner; 3 3 Vanna Brackett, Buckfield; 4 53 Alan Wilson, Hebron; 5 60 Timmy Brackett, Buckfield; 6 73 Adam Polvinen, Hebron; 7 72 Chris Coolidge, Norway; 8 36 Scott Robbins, Dixfield; 9 44 Kyle Treadwell, Auburn; 10 03 Scott Moore, Anson; 11 94 Shawn Martin, Turner; 12 46 Andy Shaw, Center Conway, NH; 13 28 Mark Lundblad, Jr., Conway, NH; 14 0 Spencer Morse, Waterford; 15 71 Gary Chiasson, Peru; 16 09 Jeremy Davis, Tamworth, NH; 17 96 Justin Gibbons, Bridgton; 18 22 Scott Farrington, Minot.
Allen’s Coffee Flavored Brandy Street Stock (30 Laps) 1 36 Rick Spaulding, Lisbon; 2 24 Jonathon Emerson, Sabattus; 3 8 Keith Stuart, Naples; 4 23 Zach Emerson, Sabattus; 5 8 Calvin Rose, Jr., Turner; 6 63 Bryce Mains, Naples; 7 33 Andrew Breton, Sabattus; 8 4 Jordan Russell, Norway; 9 2 Dale Lawrence, Lewiston; 10 17 Gary Davis, Harrison; 11 99 Paul Harmon, Waterford; 12 3 Josh Childs, Oxford; 13 777 Mike St.Germain, Auburn; 14 71 Jason LaValley, Auburn; 15 7 Robbie Wentworth, Center Conway, NH; 16 41 Caleb Emerson, New Gloucester.
OPS Mods (25 laps) 1 17 Scott Alexander, Newburgh; 2 36 Ryan Robbins, Dixfield; 3 64 Matty Sanborn, Westbrook; 4 4 Nik Coates, Turner.
Bandits (20 laps) 1 2 Shaun Hinkley, Oxford; 2 25 Shawn Knight, South Paris; 3 91 Jamie Heath, Waterford; 4 56 Cam Childs, Leeds; 5 10 Michael Cleveland, n/a; 6 17 Dan Wade, New Gloucester; 7 32 Troy Smith, Bridgton; 8 14 Adam O’Neil, Lewiston; 9 1 Joshua Martel, Greene; 10 15 David Cook, Wilton; 11 69 T. James Devlin, West Paris; 12 33 Matt Hiscock, Turner; 13 44 Rick Montminy, Auburn; 14 39 Brent Freve, Buckfield; 15 8 Joshua Knoll, Mechanic Falls; 16 5 Jacob Hall, Oxford; 17 28 James Record, Oxford; 18 16 Randy Henderson, Buckfield.
Figure 8 (15 laps) 1 27 Jon Lizotte, Mechanic Falls; 2 51 Craig Moore, Norway; 3 17 Mike Neddenreip, Bridgton; 777 Mike St.Germain, Auburn; 5 41 Caleb Emerson, New Gloucester.