SUNDAY, AUG. 25th,
2024
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www.barharbor.bank |
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2024 OXFORD
250 LAP
BOARD HERE |
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We would
like to thank
everyone who made
this 250 Weekend a
success.
It takes a lot of
people to make this
thing work.
This year we had the
challenge of Mother
Nature during the
250.
We want to thank all
of the fans who
waited patiently
during the rain
delay.
And a huge thanks to
our volunteer track
drying heroes.
Without your help
the rain delay would
have been really
long. With your help
we were able to get
the race completed
in a reasonable
amount of time.
Thank you so much!
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piersonheatingandcooling.com
presents
the |
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proallstarsseries.com/NESS-SUPERMODIFIEDS
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LIMITEDS
STREET STOCKS
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SHAW -
TAYLOR -
POLLARD
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Photos by
Norm Marx |
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SLM ENTRIES - OPS -
OXFORD 250 - 8-25 |
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Photos by
Sharon
Perry |
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HEWINS -
TINKER -
MORSE |
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Photos by
Norm Marx |
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Photos by
Sharon Perry |
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MCKENNEDY -
BATTLE -
TIMMONS |
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Photos by
Norm Marx |
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Photos by
Sharon Perry |
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SUN. NESS
ENTRIES -
OPS - 8-25 |
MERRILL -
PELTON -
MUNROE |
LIMITEDS |
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FOSTER -
RUSSELL -
SPAULDING
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STREET
STOCKS |
.....coming..... |
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SUBSCRIBE TO
RACINGAMERICA.TV |
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Jeff
Taylor Holds Off
Bubba Pollard
for
Elusive Oxford 250
Triumph |
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by
Tim Packmsn - Racing America
News |
When the
checkered flag
finally waved over
the 51st Bar Harbor
Bank & Trust Oxford
250, it was
nine-time Oxford
Plains Speedway
track champion Jeff
Taylor standing tall
next to his No. 88
in Victory Lane.
After battling
41 other competitors
and enduring a
three-hour rain
delay, Taylor won
the Oxford Plains
Speedway’s
prestigious race for
the very first time
in 28 attempts.
It was a
reflective and
slightly shocked
driver talking about
his win afterwards.
“I honestly
don’t know how we
won,” the
Farmington, Maine
native shared. “I
can’t believe this,
we don’t run
full-time like a lot
of these other
drivers. I can tell
you one thing, that
rain delay really
helped this car out
a lot.
“There
are so many people
who helped us out.
We just threw a team
of volunteers
together to beat
these other teams.
It’s unbelievable,
it really is
something.
In
the closing laps,
Taylor withstood a
fierce challenge
from 2018 Oxford 250
winner Bubba
Pollard. Taylor
successfully
defended the bottom
lane to hold off
Pollard for the win.
“We had the
track position, and
I’ve watched Bubba
Pollard race enough
to know I needed to
just stay on the
bottom. He had the
outside to pass me
if he wanted.”
Pollard came up
one position short
of repeating his
2018 Oxford 250
victory and
appreciated how the
race ended.
“It was good. I
don’t like running
second, but I’m okay
with how it ended
with Jeff winning.”
Pollard said. “This
is big for him, his
family and team.
“This is what
short track racing
is all about. I love
coming up here to
Oxford. There were a
lot of people who
helped me get here
this weekend, and I
can’t thank them
enough.”
The
Oxford 250 starting
line-up had 42
drivers taking the
green flag, which
guaranteed all kinds
of action would take
place around the
3/8-mile Oxford
Plains Speedway.
Adding in pit stops,
tire strategy, race
strategy and weather
strategy made the
event more
interesting.
Leading the field to
green was Ryan Kuhn
and Joey Doiron in
the front row. They
took off and battled
for the lead in the
early going with
Doiron taking the
lead from Kuhn by
lap six.
Negotiating lap
traffic by lap 21
slowed Doiron and
Kuhn down just
enough to allow
their competitors to
close in. One driver
taking advantage of
it was Derek
Griffith, running
third at the time.
At the lap-50
mark, Griffith
worked his way to
second and began
closing in on the
leader of Doiron as
they negotiated the
slower cars. The
first caution of the
night took place on
lap 52 to rerack the
field.
Multiple teams hit
pit road with some
taking two and
others four tires,
while checking tire
pressures to improve
handling.
Doiron and Griffith
led the way on the
Lap 53 restart and
quickly tried to
separate themselves
from the field. Kuhn
was in third with a
hard-charging Bubba
Pollard working the
high side.
After another
restart on Lap 56,
Pollard really let
the leaders know he
was there to race by
taking over second
place. After looking
to the outside and
inside of the leader
Kuhn, Pollard
powered his way past
Kuhn with 181 laps
to go.
From
there, they raced
side-by-side for
multiple laps
battling for the
lead until a caution
three laps later
showing Doiron as
the leader. With all
eyes on the Senoia,
Georgia native of
Pollard to the
outside of Berwick,
Maine’s Doiron, the
race resumed to see
who would lead next.
With 34 cars
still on the lead
lap, Doiron
continued to lead
Pollard as Griffith
now joined the top
three. Pollard
surrendered second
to Griffith with 165
laps remaining, who
then fell into the
clutches of DJ Shaw
who took over third
place on lap 89.
Under two more
cautions, Pollard
and many other
leaders hit pit road
for tires, mostly
two, and
adjustments. The
phrase “cautions
breed cautions” was
in full effect from
laps 98 to 105.
On the ensuing
restarts, Doiron
worked the wheel
holding off
Griffith, Shaw and
Sanborn. Behind
them, their fellow
competitors were
racing two and three
wide to gain
positions.
After a long-green
flag run, and just
nine laps from the
halfway point of the
race, Mother Nature
showed up as rain
forced the field
onto pit road.
After the
three-hour rain
delay, the 34
remaining cars tried
to get a feel for
the freshly washed
surface. Doiron and
Griffith set the
pace from the front
row when the green
flag waved.
Behind them, a
three-car pile-up
happened on the
frontstretch with
them all coming to
rest under the flag
stand.
On Lap
122, a light rain
started again
bringing out the
caution. This time,
cars remained out to
keep some heat in
the track to
continue racing
sooner.
Once
the Oxford 250
restarted, a 10-car
wreck took place on
Lap 124 in Turn 1
sending several cars
pit side and done
for the night. Until
this point, the
leader of Doiron had
still not been to
pit road.
Race strategy for
his team was
paramount as to when
he would pit, and
how many tires he’d
take. Other teams
were also paying
attention, because
the second-place car
of Griffith had been
passed and was back
to fourth.
Garrett Hall and
Mike Hopkins were
now in second and
third, respectively,
and chasing down the
leader of Doiron.
With 113 laps
remaining, the
caution came out and
this was when Doiron
hit pit road taking
four tires, fuel and
adjustments.
Hall and Hopkins
also came to the
attention of their
crew to take four
tires. Griffith
decided to remain
out and take over
the lead, Moltz
would line up second
for the restart.
Griffin would be
passed for the lead
by DJ Shaw with 95
laps remaining, who
overtook him on the
outside and quickly
separated himself
from the second to
seventh positions.
On lap 175, Shaw
had a 4.1-second
lead over Griffith,
Moltz and Pollard,
who had returned to
the top five running
order after an
earlier pit stop put
him back to 28th
place. Five laps
later, Pollard had
moved to second and
was on the charge.
A caution 10
laps later allowed
Griffith to finally
pit for tires, but
problems changing
the left front cost
him valuable track
position. Also
pitting was Pollard,
giving up second
place.
Shaw
and Gabe Brown
showed the way for
the restart, which
was followed by
another caution. The
pace of the race
picked up with a
long green flag run
that included
Pollard breaking
back into the top
five, Taylor taking
over second, Brown
to third and Pollard
fourth.
With
43 to go, Pollard
raced his way to
third with the
leader of Shaw
working his way
through lap traffic.
Taylor started
looking to the
outside of Shaw with
35 laps remaining as
Pollard closed in on
them both.
The scoreboard
showed 30 laps
remaining when Shaw,
Taylor and Pollard
were running within
.1 seconds of each
other battling for
position. Taylor
took the lead five
laps later, but now
lap traffic was
becoming a factor as
Pollard leaped into
second.
Pollard was filling
the rearview mirror
of Taylor as he
chased him around
the track. Looking
to the inside and
outside of the
leader, Pollard was
looking for a way to
take the lead.
Taylor was
looking for his
first Oxford 250
victory, Pollard his
second as he kept
trying to the
outside. That didn’t
work, so Pollard
backed off a bit to
cool his tires.
Five laps
remained when Taylor
started to pull away
from Pollard with a
three-car length
lead. When the
checkered flag
waved, Taylor took
the win and his very
first Oxford 250.
Pollard was
second and Shaw
third at the stripe. |
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Oxford 250
SLM drivers
Tim
Brackett,
Derek
Kneeland,
Kate Re,
Trevor
Sanborn,
Joey Doiron,
DJ Shaw, &
Johhny Clark |
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Photos by
Sharon Perry |
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How The Field Is
Set:
Qualifying For The
Oxford 250 |
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by
Racing America
News |
As is the
norm in Pro All
Stars Series (PASS)
Super Late Model
Series events, there
is no single-car
time trial or
qualifying against
the stopwatch.
Instead, an expanded
format with heat
races, consis and a
last-chance
qualifier determine
which of the 60-plus
drivers entered will
make up the starting
field for the main
event.
Here
is a breakdown of
how Sunday, August
25 will look for
Super Late Model
competitors in the
51st Annual Bar
Harbor Bank & Trust
Oxford 250. As
always, specific
details are
tentative and
subject to change,
and you can stay up
to date on race day
by following Racing
America.
The Draw
While most Super
Late Model teams
will be at Oxford
Plains Speedway
throughout the
weekend practicing,
and perhaps even
competing in
Friday's Open Comp
200, the entirety of
the Oxford 250
racing program takes
place on Sunday. The
day begins with a
blind drawing on the
frontstretch to
determine heat race
lineups. It may be
one of the most
anticipated draws of
the year in
short-track racing,
as fans will already
be in the
grandstands eagerly
awaiting to see
where their favorite
driver will start
the day.
One
by one, numbers are
written onto the
lineup board as
drivers - or their
crew members,
children, or other
"lucky charms" -
draw their fate,
setting the stage
for the upcoming
heat races. This
draw could give a
driver a front-row
seat for their heat
race, or a long day
of trying to pass
cars to make the
show.
The Heat Races
Following the draw,
teams will prepare
for the heat races.
While the exact
number of heat races
and transfers varies
based on entry
counts, last year's
Oxford 250 saw five
heat races, with the
top-five finishers
in each heat race
transferring
directly to the
Oxford 250. These
drivers will have
the best starting
spots for the 250,
with the winner of
the first heat race
starting on the pole
for the main event.
However, the last
driver to win the
Oxford 250 from pole
position was Ben
Rowe in 2003.
Perhaps more
importantly, those
drivers who transfer
get to keep their
car off track for
the rest of the
afternoon until the
start of the 250,
and teams can make
any necessary
adjustments to
prepare for the big
race. For those
missing the cutoff,
there is still more
racing ahead.
The Consolation
Races
The next stop for
drivers who haven't
yet earned a spot in
the Oxford 250 are
the consolation
races. This is where
intensity and
desperation will
begin to ramp up, as
no driver wants to
face the prospect of
having to win the
Last Chance
Qualifier. However,
competitors will
only have 20 laps to
work their way into
a transfer position.
The Last Chance
Qualifier
At this point in the
program, just one
starting spot in
Oxford 250 grid is
available on merit.
Only the winner of
the Last Chance
Qualifier will move
on to the main
event. It may seem
like a lot of effort
just to start behind
so many cars, but
anything can happen
once you're in the
big race. After all,
Mike Rowe won the
2005 Oxford 250 from
the 37th starting
position after
winning that year's
Last Chance
Qualifier.
Once the field of
qualifiers is set,
there will be select
provisionals awarded
based on
qualifications set
forth by PASS and
Oxford Plains
Speedway. For
instance, we know
Trevor Sanborn and
Austin Teras hold
provisionals after
winning qualifiers
for those respective
sanctioning bodies
in the past month.
However, they'll
both be eager to
earn a much better
starting position by
racing their way
into the 250.
Drivers must make
every attempt to
qualify into the
field on their own
merit to officially
be granted a
provisional on race
day.
Fans can
watch every lap of
the action live on
RacingAmerica.TV
this weekend.
CLICK HERE to order
your broadcast today
and watch all
weekend long,
including every lap
of qualifying for
the 51st Annual Bar
Harbor Bank & Trust
Oxford 250. |
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barharbor.bank |
BAR HARBOR BANK
& TRUST
TO SPONSOR
THE OXFORD 250! |
Naples ME -
June 4th -
Officials at
the Pro All
Stars Series
(PASS) and
Oxford
Plains
Speedway
(OPS) are
thrilled to
announce Bar
Harbor Bank
& Trust has
agreed to be
the title
partner for
the 51st
annual
Oxford 250.
The Bar
Harbor Bank
& Trust
Oxford 250
is known as
one of the
biggest
short track
races in the
country and
will be
contested on
August 25th
2024.
Bar
Harbor Bank
& Trust has
been serving
the
financial
needs of
Northern New
England
residents
and
businesses
since it was
founded in
1887.
Recognized
by Forbes as
one of the
"World's
Best Banks"
for multiple
years, Bar
Harbor Bank
& Trust
offers a
full range
of personal
and business
banking
services and
wealth
management
services
through its
subsidiary,
Bar Harbor
Wealth
Management.
Bar Harbor
Bank & Trust
provides the
technology
offerings
and
capabilities
you would
expect from
a larger
bank, as
well as a
personal
approach to
banking that
customers
desire,
including a
full-service
network of
more than 50
branches and
90 ATMs
across
Maine, New
Hampshire,
and Vermont.
"As an
award-winning
bank, we
understand
the
commitment
and hard
work it
takes to
take the
checkered
flag, which
is why we
are proud to
sponsor the
51st Annual
Oxford 250,"
said Joseph
Schmitt,
SVP, Chief
Marketing
Officer at
Bar Harbor
Bank &
Trust. "The
Oxford 250
is one of
the world's
best short
track races,
and we look
forward to
an exciting
day of
racing on
August 25."
The
Oxford 250
is widely
known as one
of the
premier
short track
races in
America.
Starting off
as a 200 lap
event in
1974 won by
Joey
Kourafas,
the Oxford
250 quickly
morphed into
the biggest
one day
short track
race in
America that
every racer
dreamed of
winning.
Nationally
known racers
like Kyle
Busch, Kevin
Harvick,
Ricky
Craven, and
Bubba
Pollard have
won previous
editions of
the crown
jewel, while
many others
like Jeff
Gordon,
Kenny
Wallace, and
Brothers
Bobby and
Terry
Labonte have
attempted.
Home track
advantage
often
provides a
needed edge
for drivers
like Mike
Rowe, Dave
Dion, and
Ralph Nason
who have all
etched their
name on the
trophy
multiple
times
throughout
their
illustrious
careers.
With
$25,000 plus
lap money up
for grabs,
49 of the
best drivers
in the
country have
already
entered the
51st annual
Bar Harbor
Bank & Trust
Oxford 250.
To see the
current and
up to date
list please
go the Pro
All Stars
Series
Website at
www.proallstarsseries.com
Also in
action over
the three
day
extravaganza
will be the
New England
Super
Modified
Series
(NESS), The
Kennebec
Equipment
Rental PASS
MODS, The
Little Webbs
Market 350
Super
Series,
along with
all the OPS
support
divisions. A
full event
schedule
will be
released in
the coming
weeks. For
those
wishing to
stay on the
grounds,
camping
information
is posted on
www.Oxfordplains.com
For more
information
on Bar
Harbor Bank
& Trust,
please visit
them on
social media
at
https://www.facebook.com/BHBTSocial/
or their
website at
barharbor.bank.
To take
advantage of
marketing
opportunities
at the Pro
All Stars
Series or
Oxford
Plains
Speedway or
to buy a lap
or many
please call
207-577-1836
or inquire
at
OPSmarketing50@gmail.com
Oxford
Plains
Speedway is
the largest
spectator
sporting
facility in
Maine with a
capacity of
over 14,000
people. The
3/8-mile
asphalt oval
located in
Oxford,
Maine is
celebrating
its 75th
year of
racing in
2024.
For
technical
information
concerning
all PASS
divisions
please
contact
passracing@roadrunner.com
or call
Jason Ricker
704-881-4429
Don't
forget to
"Like" the
Pro All
Stars Series
and the PASS
MODS touring
series on
Facebook. |
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