Guy Childs Sr. honors late brother Perley with emotional holiday evening win; Heath, Burns, Brackett stay red-hot
OXFORD, Maine – With a heavy heart and a heavy right foot, Guy Childs Sr. began his family's healing process Wednesday night the best way he knew how: By honoring his late brother, Perley, with a win at Oxford Plains Speedway.
Childs would not be denied in the first Chimney Tech Outlaw feature, charging from 17th starting position to the lead at the halfway point and running away with the 30-lap victory.
Guy, Perley and Bill Childs began the racing tradition for one of Oxford's most prominent competitive families in the Street Stock division in the late 1970s.
Perley Childs suffered a stroke over the weekend and passed away earlier Wednesday.
"I wasn't sure if I should race on the same day my brother passed away or not," Childs said in victory lane. "This is for him. I want to thank Oxford Plains Speedway for putting on all these shows for us. I want to thank my adopted daughter, Christina Spaulding, her husband Rick, and my wife Linda. They're wonderful people, and I love them all. There just isn't much else to say."
As the first Childs to take a turn behind the wheel, Perley was essentially the patriarch of a family that has produced 12 different feature winners and 155 OPS main event victories since 1977. Only the Rowe family has celebrated more wins, with Mike and sons Ben and Tom combining for 188.
Guy Childs' win was his first in the Acceleration Series. Stan Morgan finished second in the Outlaw opener, followed by Joe Geroux, Carey Robertson and Ralph Felker.
After notching his first career win in his last start 11 days ago, Tyler Belanger immediately backed it up with a triumph in Wednesday's second Outlaw chapter. Belanger was leading Bob Ferguson, Addison Bowie, John Spencer and Dan Brown when the race was red-flagged for rain at lap 22, well past the halfway point at which it became official.
The third and final Outlaw race will be made up next Wednesday, July 11, at the start of an Acceleration Series card with all five divisions in action. There is also a Macdonald Motors Runnin' Rebel held-over event from May 30 on that docket.
Call of the Wild RV Sport Truck and Allen's Coffee Flavored Brandy Ladies drivers made up their rained-out May features on the holiday program.
Lee Spurling held off a furious charge from point leader Jake Burns to take the first 30-lap Truck decision, his second checkered flag of the campaign. Rick Hebert, Marvin Hamilton and Doug Degroat followed.
Burns returned the favor with a narrow victory over Spurling in the encore. It's his sixth win overall and fourth in his last five starts. Hamilton, Degroat and Yogi Hiscock completed the top five.
Deanna Bisbee overtook Christina Spaulding (driving the #00 car that Childs later took to his emotional win) for the first 30-lap Ladies checkered flag. Point leader Vanna Brackett charged to third in an ill-handling car, chased across the line by Patty Brannon and rookie Missy Roussel.
With Bisbee prohibited from the second race due to an incident in last week's Ladies event, Brackett took advantage and sped to her fourth win of the summer. Spaulding was second again, with Dottie Patria hitching a ride in husband John's car to run third and stay in the championship chase. Cathy Manchester recovered from an early spin to finish fourth ahead of Sue Veinott.
Jamie Heath prevailed for the eighth time in nine starts in the new and growing Crazy Horse Racing Engines Renegade division, which started its first seven-car field in a 10-lap sprint.
John Childs also gave a terrific performance in memory of his uncle, cashing in second, while Skip Turner kept Gerard Cote at bay and captured his first trophy of 2007. Runnin' Rebel standout Kyle Hewins rallied from a slow start to grab fifth in his first Renegade start.
Saturday and Sunday mark a huge doubleheader weekend at OPS. The American-Canadian Tour Time Warner Cable 100 is Saturday at 6:30 p.m. Motor Mayhem, including Twin Enduro 100s, gets the green flag Sunday at 1 p.m.
CHIMNEY TECH OUTLAW #1 (30 laps): 1. Guy Childs Sr., Turner; 2. Stan Morgan, Auburn; 3. Joe Geroux, Bowdoin; 4. Carey Robertson, Leeds; 5. Ralph Felker, Poland; 6. Maurice Martel Jr., Greene; 7. Scott Veinott, Greene; 8. Ed Burlock, Lewiston; 9. Michael Auger, West Paris; 10. Jonathan Baldwin, Auburn; 11. Jamie Phillips, Falmouth; 12. Todd Foss, Raymond; 13. Rick Vining, Bridgton; 14. Josh Morang, Norway; 15. Roger Cousineau, Turner; 16. Fred Clavet, Buckfield; 17. Gerry Richard, Leeds; 18. Robert Davis, Norway. DQ: Jerry Goss, Mechanic Falls.
CHIMNEY TECH OUTLAW #2 (shortened to 22 laps, rain): 1. Tyler Belanger, Sumner; 2. Bob Ferguson, New Gloucester; 3. Addison Bowie, Auburn; 4. John Spencer, Auburn; 5. Dan Brown, Peru; 6. Zach Bowie, Lisbon Falls; 7. Kevin Plummer, Oxford; 8. Josh Paradis, Sumner; 9. Mark MacDonald, Center Conway, N.H.; 10. Jay Wilkins, Gray; 11. Scott Ellis, Lewiston; 12. Kevin Leighton, Minot; 13. Jim Drake, Hebron; 14. Dennis Morang, South Paris; 15. Randy Allen, Casco; 16. Leo Hatch-Auger, Norway; 17. Don Veinott, Sabattus; 18. Rodney Englehaupt, Oxford; 19. Thom Bell, Minot.
CALL OF THE WILD RV CENTER SPORT TRUCK #1 (30 laps, makeup from May 30): 1. Lee Spurling, New Gloucester; 2. Jake Burns, Gray; 3. Rick Hebert, Peru; 4. Marvin Hamilton, New Gloucester; 5. Doug Degroat, Oxford; 6. Opie Allard, Harpswell; 7. Yogi Hiscock, Jay; 8. Corey Williams, Sumner; 9. John Lizotte, Mechanic Falls; 10. Kevin Oliver, Gray; 11. Ryan Farrar, Oxford; 12. Joe Farrar, Oxford; 13. Brian Farrar, Sumner; 14. Tom Libby, Gorham; 15. Mark Welch, Hartford; 16. Gale Williams, Sumner; 17. Devon Smith, Norway; 18. Mike Blash, Oxford.
CALL OF THE WILD RV CENTER SPORT TRUCK #2 (30 laps): 1. Jake Burns, Gray; 2. Lee Spurling, New Gloucester; 3. Marvin Hamilton, New Gloucester; 4. Doug Degroat, Oxford; 5. Yogi Hiscock, Jay; 6. Opie Allard, Harpswell; 7. Rene Foster, Minot; 8. Ryan Farrar, Sumner; 9. Kevin Oliver, Gray; 10. Corey Williams, Sumner; 11. John Lizotte, Mechanic Falls; 12. Joe Farrar, Oxford; 13. Kevin Caponi, Hartford; 14. Doug Stevens, West Sumner; 15. Mark Welch. Hartford; 16. Mike Blash, Oxford; 17. Herb Farrar, Sumner; 18. Rick Hebert, Peru; 19. Tom Libby, Gorham.
ALLEN'S COFFEE FLAVORED BRANDY LADIES #1 (30 laps, makeup from May 30): 1. Deanna Bisbee, South Paris; 2. Christina Spaulding, Lewiston; 3. Vanna Brackett, Buckfield; 4. Patty Brannon, Topsham; 5. Missy Roussel, Oxford; 6. Kimberly Sessions, Auburn; 7. Sue Veinott, Sabattus; 8. Debbie Marston, Hartford; 9. Shannon Wheeler, Auburn; 10. Annie Chartier, Mexico; 11. Lisa Brooks, Auburn; 12. Cathy Manchester, Gray; 13. Dottie Patria, Turner.
ALLEN'S COFFEE FLAVORED BRANDY LADIES #2 (30 laps): 1. Vanna Brackett, Buckfield; 2. Christina Spaulding, Lewiston; 3. Dottie Patria, Turner; 4. Cathy Manchester, Gray; 5. Sue Veinott, Sabattus; 6. Missy Roussel, Oxford; 7. Shannon Wheeler, Auburn; 8. Kimberly Sessions, Auburn; 9. Annie Chartier, Mexico; 10. Patty Brannon, Topsham; 11. Debbie Marston, Hartford.
CALL OF THE WILD RV CENTER SPORT TRUCK #2 (30 laps): 1. Jake Burns, Gray; 2. Lee Spurling, New Gloucester; 3. Marvin Hamilton, New Gloucester; 4. Doug Degroat, Oxford; 5. Yogi Hiscock, Jay; 6. Opie Allard, Harpswell; 7. Rene Foster, Minot; 8. Ryan Farrar, Sumner; 9. Kevin Oliver, Gray; 10. Corey Williams, Sumner; 11. John Lizotte, Mechanic Falls; 12. Joe Farrar, Oxford; 13. Kevin Caponi, Hartford; 14. Doug Stevens, West Sumner; 15. Mark Welch. Hartford; 16. Mike Blash, Oxford; 17. Herb Farrar, Sumner; 18. Rick Hebert, Peru; 19. Tom Libby, Gorham.
ALLEN'S COFFEE FLAVORED BRANDY LADIES #1 (30 laps, makeup from May 30): 1. Deanna Bisbee, South Paris; 2. Christina Spaulding, Lewiston; 3. Vanna Brackett, Buckfield; 4. Patty Brannon, Topsham; 5. Missy Roussel, Oxford; 6. Kimberly Sessions, Auburn; 7. Sue Veinott, Sabattus; 8. Debbie Marston, Hartford; 9. Shannon Wheeler, Auburn; 10. Annie Chartier, Mexico; 11. Lisa Brooks, Auburn; 12. Cathy Manchester, Gray; 13. Dottie Patria, Turner.
ALLEN'S COFFEE FLAVORED BRANDY LADIES #2 (30 laps): 1. Vanna Brackett, Buckfield; 2. Christina Spaulding, Lewiston; 3. Dottie Patria, Turner; 4. Cathy Manchester, Gray; 5. Sue Veinott, Sabattus; 6. Missy Roussel, Oxford; 7. Shannon Wheeler, Auburn; 8. Kimberly Sessions, Auburn; 9. Annie Chartier, Mexico; 10. Patty Brannon, Topsham; 11. Debbie Marston, Hartford.
CRAZY HORSE RACING ENGINES RENEGADE (10 laps): 1. Jamie Heath, Waterford; 2. John Childs, Leeds; 3. Skip Turner, Carthage; 4. Gerard Cote, Oxford; 5. Kyle Hewins, Leeds; 6. Bob Morey, Lisbon; 7. Ken Marston, Hartford.