Aug 29, 2016 | American Canadian Tour, Maine Race Tracks, More Maine Racing News, NE Racing News, Oxford Plains Speedway, Touring Series News
EAST MONTPELIER, Vt. – After missing the last two American Canadian Tour races, Emily Packard and the 9x Northstar Fireworks/Packard Fuels team are set to return this weekend to Oxford Plains Speedway for the ACT 100. “I am very excited to go back to Oxford this weekend,” said the 19 year old racer. “I really like the track, and we have had some really decent finishes there, so I am looking forward to this weekend, hopefully there will be a good turnout of cars.” This weekend the American Canadian Tour revisits Oxford Plains Speedway as part of the 43rd HP Hood Oxford 250 weekend, with their 100 lap feature race on Saturday night.
“We tested there last week, and it felt pretty good,” said Emily. “We haven’t been there since April, so obviously the track is completely different now than it was back then, but I feel pretty good about our test and that we will have a decent car this weekend.” In the spring race this season at OPS, Packard restarted in seventh place, finding herself stuck behind lapped cars on what would be the final restart of the race. Losing several positions in the closing laps she would eventually crossing the line in 13the place. “We had a really good car and should have had a better finish,” said Packard, “we just got stuck in the wrong line on that restart.” The East Montpelier native is hoping to better that finish this weekend and build some momentum to take through the remainder of the season. “The last couple of races have been really hard races,” Packard said, “so I really want to go and have a good run. The last race at Seekonk was awful, the car just wouldn’t respond to any adjustments that were made, so the test was really important to getting the car set up for this race.”
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Aug 25, 2016 | Maine Race Tracks, Maine Racing News, More Maine Racing News, NE Racing News, Oxford Plains Speedway, PASS, Touring Series News
PR- Eric LaFleche / Photo – Lindsay Ellison
New Hampshire native is looking to continue building confidence with solid Oxford 250 finish
(Oxford Plains, ME) – Derek Griffith and the No. 12 Provencher Insurance/Hitman Industries racing team will roll into Oxford Plains Speedway for the Hudson, New Hampshire natives second attempt in the prestigious 250-lap Super Late Model event.
The 43rd annual H.P. Hood Oxford 250 is considered by many to be one of the biggest short track racing events in the United States and Griffith, along with over fifty other drivers will be fighting for 40 starting spots in the event that commands a minimum $25,000 winner’s share.
Derek is entering this year’s event with much more experience and success competing with the Pro All Stars Series (PASS). Griffith who recently visited victory lane with the series by capturing the 150-lap event at Lee USA Speedway see’s the 2016 attempt in a much different light than last year, he explains; “In 2015 we really didn’t have much experience at Oxford Plains Speedway, it’s a tricky 3/8th mile oval that really only laps and seat-time can help.
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Aug 21, 2016 | Maine Race Tracks, More Maine Racing News, Oxford Plains Speedway
Matt Williams, Jamie Heath and David Smith also triumphant in Budweiser Championship Series action
Oxford, Maine – TJ Brackett put on one of this season’s most impressive Super Late Model runs, winning the 50-lap main event topping the Budweiser Championship Series racing card Saturday night at Oxford Plains Speedway.
Brackett, a former champion of the top class at the track, became the second driver this season to win twice in weekly Super Late Model competition. Fourteen drivers have won a 50-lap Super Late Model race in 16 events this year. The other driver to win more than once is TJ Brackett’s father, Tim Brackett, the reigning track champion and current points leader.
Shawn Knight of South Paris led a healthy chunk of the race, but wasn’t able to hold off Brackett, who was impressive using the outside groove and able to get it done down low as well after starting the race from 13th position.
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Aug 18, 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 5) – When you mention the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) to any race fan across North America, there’s a good chance that Ben Rowe is the first driver’s name that comes to mind. As the PASS North Super Late Model division’s “Ironman”, Ben Rowe has started every race since the series started in 2001, the only driver to do so. Along the way, Rowe has won 4 PASS North series titles, the 2009 PASS National and PASS South championships, and has won more PASS Super Late Model races than any other driver, nearly 50 when combining both PASS North and South wins.
Rowe, like most every other driver from across the nation, holds the HP Hood Oxford 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway in high regard. As a kid, he watched his dad, Mike, go to victory lane in the 1984 running of the 250 and competed against him in Mike’s wins in 1997 and 2005.
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Aug 15, 2016 | Maine Race Tracks, More Maine Racing News, Oxford Plains Speedway
Street Stock winner Dufault takes championship lead, Heath dominates Bandit class again
Oxford, Maine – Reid Lanpher of Manchester wasn’t planning a trip to Oxford Plains Speedway this weekend, but weather postponements and a rescheduled Sunday night Budweiser Championship Series program offered up an opportunity not only to get some seat time in his EJP Racing Super Late Model, but also prepare for the 43rd HP Hood Oxford 250, coming up on Sunday, August 28 at 1:30 p.m.
Lanpher, runner-up in last year’s HP Hood Oxford 250, picked up a confidence-boosting win from the front row in the 50-lap Super Late Model race, topping the card at the historic Route 26 oval track. Lanpher prevailed in an early battle versus polesitter Dave Farrington, Jr., of Jay.
Bobby Timmons of Windham provided stout competition for Lanpher, making several attempts to get alongside the eventual winner before claiming runner-up honors in front of Farrington. Corey Bubar of Windham and South Paris racer Shawn Knight rounded out the top five.
Lanpher becomes the 14th winner in 15 Budweiser Championship Series Super Late Model 50-lappers this season at Oxford Plains Speedway. Only reigning track champion and current championship point leader Timmy Brackett of Buckfield has won twice this season.
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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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