Aug 13, 2016 | Lee Speedway, Maine Racing News, More Maine Racing News, NE Racing News, PASS, Touring Series News
photo by Norm Marx
First win for 19-year-old is final series race before 43rd HP Hood Oxford 250 August 28
Lee, New Hampshire – Pro All Stars Series rookie Derek Griffith of Hudson nailed down his first victory on the region’s premier Super Late Model circuit, scoring near home in Friday night’s 150-lap race at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, New Hampshire.
Griffith was impressive aboard the Louie Mechalides-prepared racecar, chasing former Thompson Speedway Super Late Model champ Derek Ramstrom for the first 50-plus laps, swapping the lead with the West Boylston, Massachusetts native for most of the remaining laps before pulling away from his rivals during the final handful of laps.
Ramstrom claimed runner-up honors after an entertaining, late-race battle with six-time PASS champion Johnny Clark of Farmingdale, Maine. Clark started the race in tenth position and crossed the finish line third behind Griffith and Ramstrom, remaining a serious threat to claim his seventh series title.
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Aug 11, 2016 | Lee Speedway, Maine Racing News, More Maine Racing News, NE Racing News, PASS, Touring Series News
photo by Norm Marx
NAPLES, ME (August 11) – Pro All Stars Series (PASS) Super Late Model racers up and down the East Coast will be busy at two of the premier circuits on the schedule this weekend. New England’s best will go head-to-head on Friday night at Lee USA Speedway in New Hampshire, while the PASS South stars will end their Summer break and return to action at Virginia’s South Boston Speedway on Saturday night.
The Granite State will be the host for the PASS North Super Late Models and PASS Modifieds on Friday night at Lee USA Speedway in their final test prior to the 43rd Annual HP Hood Oxford 250 at the end of the month. Granite State favorite, DJ Shaw, comes to Lee as the defending race winner and with a 50-point advantage over his nearest competitor for the championship, Mike Hopkins. Fellow New Hampshire driver Jeremy Davis, who finished third at Lee last year, will be seeking his first win this season, along with former series champions, Johnny Clark and Mike Rowe. Former HP Hood Oxford 250 winners, Ben Rowe and Travis Benjamin, will each be seeking their second wins of the season, while Todd Stone, Derek Griffith, and last year’s runner-up, Derek Ramstrom, have also filed entries.
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Aug 10, 2016 | Maine Race Tracks, Maine Racing News, More Maine Racing News, NE Racing News, Oxford Plains Speedway, PASS, Touring Series News
photo by Norm Marx
NAPLES, ME (August 9) – Ever since the first HP Hood Oxford 250 was held at Oxford Plains Speedway in 1974, it has attracted not only the best short track racers from New England, but from across North America. In that first event won by Joey Kourafas, the precedent was set that short track racing’s best would assemble at Oxford for the 250. In addition to the talented group of drivers from New England in the field that day, Southern aces Bosco Lowe and 1963 Daytona 500 winner Tiny Lund competed along with a strong group of Canadian drivers led by Jean Paul Cabana. In fact, the early years of the HP Hood Oxford 250 were dominated by Southern drivers such as Butch Lindley, Bob Pressley, and Tommy Ellis. The first Canadian to taste HP Hood Oxford 250 glory was Don Biederman in 1977.
This year, the tradition continues at the HP Hood Oxford 250 with drivers from outside the Northeast coming into challenge New England’s best on their “home” field. With several weeks remaining before the race, the entry list has grown to over 50. Among those who have already entered are Pacific Northwest legend Garrett Evans, who will be attempting the HP Hood Oxford 250 for the first time in his illustrious career. Since first competing with PASS in “The Race” at North Wilkesboro Speedway in 2011, the Wenatchee, WA native has made several PASS South starts, but this will be only his second time ever competing at Oxford Plains. Defending PASS Pro Late Model champion and current PASS South Super Late Model championship contender, Kodie Conner, will make the trip from Kannapolis, NC for his first attempt at the 250.
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Aug 3, 2016 | Maine Race Tracks, Maine Racing News, More Maine Racing News, NE Racing News, Oxford Plains Speedway, PASS
NAPLES, ME (August 3) – Since it’s inception in 1974, the HP Hood Oxford 250 has been an event that can make\ a racecar driver’s career. Annually, one of the better attended races in asphalt short track racing, the HP Hood Oxford 250 will once again take place on August 26-28 at the legendary Oxford Plains Speedway, paying $25,000 to the winner. With additional lap leader bonus money also on the line, this year’s HP Hood Oxford 250 winner could potentially take home up to $50,000.
With his win in the inaugural event, Joey Kourafas cemented his name in the record books. Short track legend and South Carolina racer, Butch Lindley, became the first driver outside of New England to win when he took the checkered flag in 1976. And the race took on international significance when Ontario’s Don Biederman claimed the win just one year later. But, the HP Hood Oxford 250, has also seen surprise winners like Scott Robbins, Jeramie Whorff, and Roger Brown. For many, that was the case when Turner, ME’s Glen Luce dominated to take the win last year. But, Luce has quietly shown himself to be one of the strongest drivers in the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) North Super Late Model division over the last couple of years. And Luce has definitely noticed a difference since winning one of short track racing’s most challenging events.
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Aug 1, 2016 | Maine Race Tracks, Maine Racing News, More Maine Racing News, NE Racing News, Oxford Plains Speedway, PASS, Touring Series News
photo by Norm Marx
Oxford, Maine – Wayne Helliwell, Jr. of Dover, New Hampshire prevailed by inches in a thrilling HP Hood 150 Pro All Stars Series Super Late Model race Sunday night at Oxford Plains Speedway. Helliwell just managed to edge out Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. of Hudson, New Hampshire after an epic battle over the last dozen circuits of the 150-lap race.
Polewarczyk led most of the event’s second half, looking for his second straight PASS Super Late Model win after his career-first score at White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, New Hampshire seven days earlier.
But Helliwell had other ideas, methodically working his way into contention from an 18th starting position to set up the late-race showdown with 12th-place starter Polewarczyk. They raced side-by-side for most of the last twelve laps, swapping lanes midway through the battle.
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Jul 28, 2016 | American Canadian Tour, Maine Race Tracks, Maine Racing News, More Maine Racing News, NE Racing News, Oxford Plains Speedway, PASS, Touring Series News
photo by Norm Marx
NAPLES, ME (July 28) – With the 43rd Annual HP Hood Oxford 250 just a month away, Pro All Stars Series (PASS) Super Late Model teams will have one more opportunity to prepare at Oxford Plains Speedway with this Sunday afternoon’s HP Hood 150. Over 50 teams have pre-entered for the HP Hood Oxford 250 to date and, with over 70 teams expected for the biggest and most prestigious Super Late Model race in the North America, track time at Oxford Plains will be at a premium. In addition, a full slate of local action will be on tap Saturday night at Oxford Plains Speedway, featuring the Budweiser Super Late Models, with an additional practice scheduled for the headline division to give teams as much track time as possible.
Two-time HP Hood Oxford 250 winner, Travis Benjamin, is looking to take advantage of every opportunity available to get on track at Oxford Plains. After getting caught up in an early crash last year, Benjamin hopes this weekend that he and the Petit Motorsports team can get the data that they need to help him get back to victory lane when they return in late August.
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