OXFORD — Families packed the stands as well as the pits for a day of racing culminating in the 40th annual TD Bank 250 Sunday.

Cars lined up in the pit for the next round of late-model stock cars. Engines idled, sounding much like a pair of sneakers in a dryer.

Tin can thumps and pings were replaced by an orchestra of chain saws as the cars rolled toward the track.

Trevor Sanborn was harnessed into his late-model No. 70 car while Jamie Schureman of Glenburn checked the vehicle over.

“I’ve been working for Trevor for about three years,” Schureman said of Sanborn, who has been racing for the past 10 years, “From the first time I came to the track — it’s kind of an addiction, I guess.”

In the Jeremy Davis Motor Sports area, friends and family were assisting with everything from engine work to dusting off the roof and making sure the stuffed monkey was secured to the roll bar inside.

“Our whole crew is just family and friends that come down and help us out,” said Nichole Cotton of Tamworth, N.H.

Unlike many of the more surly crews that worked with quiet intent, Davis’ crew laughed and chatted while going over the car. “If it’s not fun, why do it,” Cotton said.

Jeremy Davis’ racing partner, John-Michael Sherette of Thompson, Conn., was there to lend a hand. Sherette and Davis began racing together through All 9 Racing, an online racing simulation league.

Sherette said the crew “should have had two cars, but one got taken out in Hudson (Speedway).”

Nearby in the pit, Kelly Moore, driver of No. 47 from Scarborough, shook his head and assessed the driver-side front wheel before telling a crew member it must have bent when it hit a curb.

Cars bumped and jostled for qualifying position as No. 29 rounded the track for the third lap, dragging a right fender.

Dexter O’Neil of Turner sat comfortably in the shade of the walkway between the bleacher stands. O’Neil said he’s been around racing for the last 25 years.

O’Neil said he used to help driver Mike Rowe of Turner with his cars over the years, going with Rowe to Beechridge as well. O’Neil said he’s now retired from racing but still tries to see Rowe race whenever he can.

At an age where most of us would be rolling down the slow lane at 30 mph with the left blinker on, O’Neil said Rowe is still going strong at 63.

Staring out at the cars with an empty stroller by his side, Josh Broughan of Chesterfield said he’s been around racing “a few years.”

“My dad started racing in the ’70s,” recounted Broughan. “Dad had cars in the 250,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Broughan said he started coming on his own in the ’90s. As a child, he raced go-karts with a couple kids who went on to race at Oxford, such as Scott McDaniel of Livermore and David Farrington.

Asked about the switch from stock to pro stock racing, Broughan was unconcerned, noting the large number of locals still racing.

Wife Ashley arrived from a different kind of pit stop, initiated by 10-month-old daughter Harley, who was unmoved by the cars roaring by a few feet away.

In another qualifying race, No. 67, Mike Haynes of Livermore, took the checker flag as a small group of friends went wild in the stands.

Andrea Boucher of Mechanic Falls said she watches Haynes whenever she can. Curtis Ayotte of Farmingdale stopped cheering long enough to say he’s seen Haynes race five or six times this season.

According to Ayotte, this is Haynes’ second checker flag with impressive finishes the past few days. “He’s put a lot of work into it,” he said.

Seven-year-old Connor Lampron of Lewiston walked back and forth, watching his checker flag flutter in the minimal breeze beside his father, Matt.

Matt said they arrived around 10 a.m., thinking the actual 250 started at 2 p.m. Realizing it would be a tough day for even the most enthusiastic kid to sit through the whole day and evening, Lampron held out hope two hours before official start.

“I wanted him to at least see the start of the race,” Lampron said, ensuing an attempted bet from his son, who was certain he would make it through the entire race.

Young Lampron beamed as he watched his first race. “Awesome — I love race cars!” He boasted of his toy car collection, apparently numbering in the area of two million cars. Dad is doubtful.

Numbers aside, Lampron the younger was quick to say his favorites are his larger, Lowe’s and Sharpie NASCAR toys, because “they have rubber wheels.”

Garrett Drew of Oxford sat in the stands watching the action with Whitny Walker and their boys, Brody, 6, Brennan, 4, and Bryson, 3.

Drew said he had no plans to come out to the race. “We were sitting at home bored, and I said the 250 was today.” He said he figured the boys would enjoy it, so they jumped in the car and headed out with a little time to spare before the main race.

Despite his seemingly casual decision to go, Drew’s father, Gary, was the 250’s winner back in 2001.

Asked about his life in racing, Drew said he had “worked on it all my life.” He said he used to sit in the same place for races as a small child until he was old enough at about 16 to work in the pits.

“It’s always been a family support for us,” Drew said, explaining that his family moved to Oxford from Windham so they would be closer to the track and its pro stock racing.

That’s when, Drew said, Oxford moved away from pro stock for a while, leaving his father with more distance between him and racing. Needless to say, Drew and his father are pleased to see pro stock back at Oxford.

Drew said his father had wanted to race this year but didn’t have a car ready. He said his father is currently building a new car and plans to be back to the 250 next year.

As for Drew’s racing ambitions, “It’s a crazy sport — it’s expensive. That’s why I’m not doing it.”

Paul Hopkins of Camden was happy to have been out at the track all day. Making a family event of it, Hopkins said he came down with his father and spent the night at the track in a camper.

He and his father intend to make the long drive home after the race.

At the end of the bleachers, a large group had congregated. The group included three different families who are neighbors every summer at Lakeside Pines Campground in Bridgton.

The ringleader of the group, Karen Becker of Auburn, tried to rally the seasonal friends last year, but everyone had planned to go home on that Sunday. This year, she said, everyone extended their vacation plans by a day.

Renee Jardine, 16, of Rutland, Mass., said she was loving the races, noting that this was her first 250, but she had made five previous trips to Louden.

“Been out pretty much all day after tailgating,” Jardine said, finding the loud noise and fast cars quite alluring.

Another race fan in the group, Rich Ambrozy of Athol, Mass., came with his 13-year-old daughter, Rachel, said she was excited to add another race to her summer. “We were at Louden last weekend.”

The group will fit cozily into two vans to return to camp in Bridgton after the race before saying their goodbyes until next time.

dmcintire@sunjournal.com

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