OXFORD — On most occasions, when a handful of regulars from Beech Ridge Motor Speedway roll into Oxford to compete, the home track boys have the upper hand.
That longtime tradition was promptly thrown out the window this weekend, as the ‘Ridge Boys’ swept the top five positions in the premier division. Brandon Barker led a determined group from southern Maine, earning his first career Super Late Model win in style on Saturday at Oxford Plains Speedway.
Barker, of Windham, took the lead from Curtis Gerry on lap two, survived three restarts and held off a big challenge from Reid Lanpher to claim top honors. Lanpher made a big attempt to get around the outside of Barker yet settled for second, while 2017 Oxford 250 winner Gerry filled out the podium in third.
Turner veteran Mike Rowe drove from deep in the 29-car starting field to finish fourth, while Bangor veteran Gary Smith edged two-time Oxford Late Model champion Dennis Spencer Jr. for fifth on the final circuit. Four cautions slowed the pace, none for serious incidents.
Tyler King muscled his way past Jordan Russell with just two laps remaining and hung on to win the 30-lap tilt for Street Stocks on Saturday. Russell, of Norway, got a great jump at the initial green flag and led the first 27 laps.
Russell had to settle for the runner-up spot, while 2017 champion Billy Childs Jr. filled out the podium in third. Points leader Matt Dufault of Turner crossed the stripe in fourth, while Auburn native Kyle Treadwell wheeled his brand-new car to a solid fifth-place finish.
With Beech Ridge rained out for the third consecutive week, the Street Stock ranks were swollen to an impressive 20-car field on Saturday. Yet unlike in the top class, Oxford regulars remained in control.
Oxford’s Jake Hall powered his way to victory in the 20-lap contest for Bandits on Saturday. Hall held off a hard-charging Chad Wills to claim top honors, while Leeds veteran and former Oxford regular Kurt Hewins finished third. Rob Crepeau and Adam Sanborn finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
Kyle Kilgore drove underneath early leader Larry Lizotte with just two laps remaining and hung on to claim the 20-lap Figure 8 feature on Saturday. Lizotte started second on the grid and jumped out to set the pace for 17 laps. Lisbon veteran Dale Lawrence finished second, while Lizotte settled for third. Craig Durgin and Oxford’s Charlie ‘Chachy’ Hall completed the top five.
Shaw wins PASS 150 at Speedway 51
DJ Shaw raced to his second Pro All Stars Series (PASS) North Super Late Model victory of the season on Saturday in the Creative Counters 151 at Speedway 51 in Groveton, New Hampshire.
Shaw, of Center Conway, N.H., a two-time PASS North Super Late Model champion, remained atop the 2018 championship standings with his win, but added very little to his lead since his primary points rival, Travis Benjamin, currently ranked second, was second under the checkered flag.
Garrett Hall took a turn in front of the field, leading the race before Shaw took command and pulled away from the pack. Hall, of Scarborough, hung on to post a third-place finish after Benjamin claimed the runner-up spot late in the 151-lap race. Derek Ramstrom of Worcester, Massachusetts prevailed in an entertaining battle for fourth position versus Derek Griffith of Hudson, New Hampshire.
Hinesburg, Vermont’s Bobby Therrien battled back into sixth position after running afoul of officials when judged to have jumped a restart twice in the middle portion of the race while trying to fend off four-time series champion Ben Rowe.
Rowe, of Turner, ended up eighth behind Tamworth, New Hampshire’s Jeremy Davis. Kyle Welch of Lempster and Whitefield’s Sammy Gooden rounded out the top ten.
Defending PASS Mods champion Ben Tinker nailed down his fourth victory of the season to remain on top of the championship standings in the Pro All Stars Series Northern open-wheel class. Tinker took the lead away from Bruce Helmuth of Wales, who had a strong run in the main event after a practice crash nearly ended his night.
Billy Dixon, of Waterboro, charged into contention and chased Tinker under the checkered flag, with Helmuth claiming the third-place trophy. Heat race winner Gary Shackford, of Center Conway, was fourth in the 40-lapper, followed by Jariet Harrison of Freeport.
Battle wins SuperMod war at Wiscasset
Massachusetts-based racer Jeffrey Battle prevailed in one of the fastest shows of the weekend, winning the 40-lap SuperModified Atlantic Charter (SMAC) feature on Saturday before the rain arrived at Wiscasset Speedway.
Battle, of Westford, started second on the grid and led all 40 laps. Stephen Duphily, of Plaistow, N.H., crossed the stripe in second, while Pelham, New Hampshire’s Dave Helliwell filled out the podium in third. Mark McIver and Mike Collins finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
The SuperModifieds are the fastest cars to compete on any paved short track in the country. With V-8 engines hanging off the left side of the chassis and huge, 800-horsepower engines, they thrill fans every time they take a green flag.
Twenty-one of them showed up at Wiscasset, yet only 17 started the main event.
Other feature winners on Saturday at Wiscasset include Spencer Sweatt, of Albion (Thunder 4 Mini makeup race); Michael Harrison, of Durham (Super Street makeup race); and Hayden Norris (4-Cylinder. Pros).
The weekly Pro Stock, Super Street and Thunder 4 Mini features all fell victim to rain. Speedway officials will announce when those races will be run shortly.
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