The damaged front end of Cole Butcher's car in #Oxford250 victory lane. #mesports @Sports_SJ pic.twitter.com/VZ4GXZ0zhB
— Wil Kramlich (@WilTalkSports) August 29, 2022
My good buddy @ConnDawgCT with the big #Oxford250 winner @colebutcher1! pic.twitter.com/6KecGtXDba
— Aaron Creed (@aaron_creed) August 29, 2022
Hantsport’s @colebutcher1 has just win the #Oxford250. First Canadian since 1995 to win it. @Racetimeradio @ProStockTour #Halifax #NS pic.twitter.com/tx0wgDyak3
— The Laker News – Pat Healey ?? (@ReprtrPatHealey) August 29, 2022
9:03 p.m. — Canadians have won the Oxford 250, and they did it three years in a row: Junior Hanley (1993), Derek Lynch (1994) and Dave Whitlock (1995). Cole Butcher is the first driver from Nova Scotia to win. [Correction: Four Canadians had previously won the 250 — Butcher is the fifth. The late Don Biederman was the first Canadian victor, finishing first in the fourth Oxford 250 in 1977. Biederman, Hanley, Lynch and Whitlock are all from Ontario.]
9:01 — Cole Butcher apologizes to Johnny Clark. “I had nowhere to go.”
Canadian Cole Butcher picks up his 2nd Oxford win of the season, this time in the #Oxford250. Becomes first Canadian driver since Dave Whitlock in 1995 to win the 250.
— Travis Barrett (@TBarrettGWC) August 29, 2022
8:57 — Cole Butcher wins the 49th annual Oxford 250.
8:56 — It sure seems like Butcher will pull away and win.
8:53 — Caution flag on Lap 248. Cole Butcher was pulling away. Gabe Brown second, Eddie MacDonald third, Johnny Clark fourth and Max Cookson fifth.
Clark has been unable to get past Brown and MacDonald.
8:51 — Cole Butcher is from Nova Scotia. No Canadian has won the 250 since 1995.
8:48 p.m. — They got one lap in before another caution. Lap 243. Cole Butcher leads, followed by Eddie MacDonald, Gabe Brown, Johnny Clark and Max Cookson.
Clark is eager to get back to the front.
8:43 — The lapped cars weren’t moving for Johnny Clark and Cole Butcher. Clark makes contact with one and spins out. Butcher inherits the lead. Clark drops to fourth.
8:41 p.m. — Only Cole Butcher has been keeping up with Johnny Clark. 12 laps left.
8:40 — Clarks leads with 16 laps left.
8:38 — Johnny Clark’s car is the only one doing sub-16-second laps. Lap 227.
8:35 — Lap 220. Johnny Clark still leads, then Gabe Brown, Cole Butcher, Max Cookson and Eddie MacDonald.
8:27 — Another caution. Lap 214. There are still 23 cars on the lead lap. Johnny Clark, the 2020 champion, is still in the lead. Gabe Brown is second, Joey Doiron third, Max Cookson is fourth and Cole Butcher is fifth.
8:24 — 45 laps left, Johnny Clark is in the lead.
8:15 — Lots of drivers pit, including Eddie MacDonald, who does a four-tire stop.
8:14 — 13th caution, on 180th lap. MacDonald is in first, followed by Calvin Rose, Curtis Gerry, DJ Shaw and Cole Butcher.
8:12 p.m. — Curtis Gerry is up to third place behind leader Eddie MacDonald and Calvin Rose. Lap 178.
8:06 — Curtis Gerry, who spun out soon after taking the lead early in the race, has worked his way up to fifth place. Lap 156.
8:03 — After Cookson and Taylor pit, Calvin Rose moves up to second and DJ Shaw is third.
8:01 p.m. — Behind MacDonald, Cookson and Taylor are Calvin Rose and DJ Shaw.
Dude is so fast https://t.co/yAEd9o9MzV
— Adam Robinson (@FunkFlashyRob) August 28, 2022
7:59 p.m. — 12th caution of the race at 142nd lap. MacDonald in first followed by Cookson and Jeff Taylor.
7:57 — MacDonald pulling away from Cookson. At least 10 car lengths ahead. 139th lap.
7:55 — Two-time champ Eddie MacDonald just passed Cookson for the lead. Cookson has yet to pit, by the way.
#Oxford250 caution 11, lap 125, halfway. Former race winner Scott Robbins way off in turn 1. Cookson keeps the lead and gets the $250 bonus for leading at halfway point.
— Wil Kramlich (@WilTalkSports) August 28, 2022
Not a great day for former #Oxford250 winners. Benjamin, Luce fail to make field. Gerry spins while racing for lead early. Pollard collected in L 125 incident. MacDonald with early flat tire. Polewarczyk racing mid-pack. Fuel cell issues for BRowe. CClark out due to transmission.
— Travis Barrett (@TBarrettGWC) August 28, 2022
7:49 p.m. — Halfway into the race, Max Cookson is still leading. Eddie MacDonald, a former champ, is second, followed by Joe Pastore, Jeff Taylor and Johnny Clark, the 202o champ.
7:47 p.m. — Another note from earlier. Dennis Spencer won his consolation heat but was DQ’d. Jeff White earned the other spot from that heat. Spencer then failed to qualify in the Last Chance race, but was given a provisional spot in the race.
7:45 p.m. — Cassius Clark, the 2021 champion, is out of the race. No repeat. Tough day for former winners.
7:44 p.m. — Ben Rowe pits during yellow.
7:43 — Garrett Hall crashes again. Rough day.
7:41 p.m. — A driver going for his third Oxford 250 win, Ben Rowe, is currently in second place behind Max Cookson.
7:39 p.m. — Internet issues earlier prevented the mention of this: Three-time winner Travis Benjamin did not make the field — not through qualifying or provisional. So both of the Oxford 250’s active three-time winners, Benjamin and Mike Rowe, aren’t in today’s race.
7:34 p.m. — Click here to view a photo gallery from throughout the day at Oxford Plains Speedway.
7:32 — Another yellow on the 102nd lap. Cookson chooses to not pit. Read about the 19-year-old from leader, Max Cookson of Pittsfield, here.
7:30 — 100 laps in, Max Cookson from Pittsfield is in the lead.
Check that! Cookson took the lead on lap 81. #Oxford250 https://t.co/wYmFIdUsQm
— Wil Kramlich (@WilTalkSports) August 28, 2022
Curtis Gerry spins around in the lead #Oxford250 has been a crazy start
— Kody Parker (@KodyParker10) August 28, 2022
#Oxford250 caution 8, lap 53. Curtis Gerry with a good restart, took lead on outside from Joe Pastore, but Gerry gets turned around in turns 1 and 2. Pastore reclaims lead now.
— Wil Kramlich (@WilTalkSports) August 28, 2022
7:14 — Gerry overtakes Pastore but soon after spins out in turn one.
27 minutes for 29 laps. This #Oxford250 is off to a … difficult … start.
— Travis Barrett (@TBarrettGWC) August 28, 2022
7:10 — Yet another yellow flag.
7:09 — Curtis Gerry is second behind Pastore and Cassis Clark is third.
7:06 — Joe Pastore is running out front 40 laps into the 49th annual Oxford 250.
6:26 — Engines fired on the 42 cars that make up the starting grid for the 49th annual Oxford 250.
All the #Oxford250 cars lined up on the Oxford Plains Speedway frontstretch before the feature race. #mesports @Sports_SJ pic.twitter.com/PGBd9KVOiQ
— Wil Kramlich (@WilTalkSports) August 28, 2022
5:35 — After crashing into the wall in his qualifying heat and his team working furiously to get the car back together, Garrett Hall won the Last-Chance Qualifier to secure his spot in the Oxford 250.
Garrett Hall holds off Dennis Spencer Jr. to win the Last Chance Qualifier and secure his spot in the #Oxford250. #mesports @Sports_SJ
— Wil Kramlich (@WilTalkSports) August 28, 2022
4:44 — The Last Chance Qualifier will be a 50-lap affair. Only one person moves on. The rest are left hoping for a promotional bid to the Oxford 250.
4:27 — So far, 35 drivers have qualified for the Oxford 250.
From the five heats:
First: Curtis Gerry, TJ Watson, Ryan Robbins, Ryan Kuhn
Second: Joe Pastore, Nick Cusack, Josh St. Clair, DJ Shaw
Third: Joey Doiron, Trevor Sanborn, Max Cookson, Bubba Pollard
Fourth: Ben Rowe, , Rowland Robinson Jr., Jeff Taylor, Tim Brackett (Hopkins was DQ’d)
Fifth: Cassius Clark, Calvin Rose Jr., Johnny Clark, Cole Butcher
Consi qualifiers:
First heat: Derek Griffith, Corey Bubar, Ben Ashline, Brandon Barker, Dan Winter.
Second: Joey Polewarczyk, Eddie MacDonald, Steven Chicoine, Gabe Brown, Kyle DeSouza.
Third: , Jimmy Hebert, Jake Matheson, Austin Teras, Dillon Moltz, Jeff White (Spencer was DQ’d)
Qualifying for #Oxford250 in consi 3 (final consi): Dennis Spencer Jr., Jimmy Hebert, Jake Matheson, Austin Teras, Dillon Moltz. #mesports @Sports_SJ
— Wil Kramlich (@WilTalkSports) August 28, 2022
4:11 — Dennis Spencer wins final consi.
Three-time champ Travis Benjamin is among the drivers who need to race in the Last Chance Qualifier.
Qualifying into #Oxford250 in consi 2: Joey Polewarczyk, Eddie MacDonald, Steven Chicoine, Gabe Brown, Kyle DeSouza. #mesports @Sports_SJ
— Wil Kramlich (@WilTalkSports) August 28, 2022
4:04 — Third of three consi rounds has started.
Great drivers giving it everything they’ve got to secure a spot in the #Oxford250…Heartbreak in Consi #2… @RacingAmerica @SRWRadio @ShortTrackPics pic.twitter.com/0CE28ZBIrY
— #27 Isaac Bevin (@isaacbevin27) August 28, 2022
Qualifying into #Oxford250 in consi 1: Derek Griffith, Corey Bubar, Ben Ashline, Brandon Barker, Dan Winter. #mesports @Sports_SJ
— Wil Kramlich (@WilTalkSports) August 28, 2022
3:47 — Second consi heat started. Joey Polewarczwk quickly moves up from second to first, then a significant crash between 2006 champion Jeremie Whorff and Dave Farrington. Whorff caught air.
3:40 — Alan Tardiff is out of the consi. Now Tracy Gordon is in the fifth spot.
3:38 — For what it’s worth, trailing Griffith are Alan Tardiff, Cory Bubar, Jimmy Renfrew Jr. and Ben Ashline.
3:35 — Derek Griffith’s lead keeps getting bigger. He’s about 8-10 car lengths ahead.
Top five in each of the three 20-lap consolation heats qualify for the Oxford 250.
3:33 — Garrett Hall’s car fixed in time for the consi.
3:32 — First consolation heat starting. Derek Griffith, driving Kate Re’s car, is on pole.
3:25 — The power at Oxford Plains Speedway went out during the ACT race, but the fans’ cellphones had enough power:
Entire town of Oxford, Maine just lost power in the middle of the @ACTTour race tonight…The thousands of fans are all using their phone lights to illuminate the track…Not something you see every day…?
@ShortTrackPics @RacingAmerica @SRWRadio pic.twitter.com/rDfHcRQv9N
— #27 Isaac Bevin (@isaacbevin27) August 28, 2022
Pit side stands are packed at the #Oxford250…Waiting for the start of the all-important qualifying SLM heat races…
@RacingAmerica @SRWRadio https://t.co/Ad6iA0clYP @PASSSLM14 pic.twitter.com/VMWwV0QeTG
— #27 Isaac Bevin (@isaacbevin27) August 28, 2022
Garrett Hall had a hard hit into the frontstretch wall in his #Oxford250 qualifying heat, but he and his team aren't giving up. They're racing to get a new front clip on the car. pic.twitter.com/mZ6aJwMmgh
— Wil Kramlich (@WilTalkSports) August 28, 2022
2:41 — Previous Oxford 250 winners who have qualified so far:
Curtis Gerry, Bubba Pollard, Ben Rowe, Cassius Clark, Ryan Clark.
2:39 — Coming up in a bit are the consis. There will be three heats, from which the top five in each will move on to the Oxford 250.
2:32 — Qualifiers from the five heats:
First: Curtis Gerry, TJ Watson, Ryan Robbins, Ryan Kuhn
Second: Joe Pastore, Nick Cusack, Josh St. Clair, DJ Shaw
Third: Joey Doiron, Trevor Sanborn, Max Cookson, Bubba Pollard
Fourth: Ben Rowe, , Rowland Robinson Jr., Jeff Taylor, Tim Brackett (Hopkins was DQ’d)
Fifth: Cassius Clark, Calvin Rose Jr., Johnny Clark, Cole Butcher
Qualifying for #Oxford250 in heat 5 (last heat): Cassius Clark, Calvin Rose Jr., Johnny Clark, Cole Butcher. #mesports @Sports_SJ
— Wil Kramlich (@WilTalkSports) August 28, 2022
2:26 — Cassius Clark wins final qualifying heat.
2:25 — Calvin Rose trying to take the lead but Cassius Clark continues to hold him off.
2:19 — The collision is still being cleaned up. Cassius Clark still in first place.
To my Maine friends celebrating the return of the #Oxford250 today (Sunday), a little throwback to one of my favorite races, and favorite designs. Six years ago ?@oaksie72 @PhilWhipple @_Lee_H @WilTalkSports @FunkFlashyRob @brewsterburns pic.twitter.com/lAwzpEqHRg
— Justin Pelletier (@Jpell915) August 28, 2022
2:16 — TJ Brackett and Garrett Hall crash early in the fifth qualifying heat. Those rides are going to need some work before the consi round.
Qualifying for #Oxford250 in heat 4: Ben Rowe, Mike Hopkins, Rowland Robinson Jr., Jeff Taylor. #mesports @Sports_SJ
— Wil Kramlich (@WilTalkSports) August 28, 2022
2:14 — Last year’s champion, Cassius Clark, first in the fifth and final heat.
2:13 — Jeff Taylor qualifies.
2:12 — Jeff Taylor has moved from near the back to fourth place.
2:11 — Hopkins and Ben Rowe far ahead in the qualifier.
2:09 — Mike Hopkins had a cozy lead in the fourth heat, but a caution let the rest of the pack catch up.
2:08 — Ben Rowe, driving his dad Mike’s car, is part of the next qualifying heat.
Qualifying for #Oxford250 in heat 3: Joey Doiron, Trevor Sanborn, Max Cookson, Bubba Pollard. #mesports @Sports_SJ
— Wil Kramlich (@WilTalkSports) August 28, 2022
2:00 p.m. — Third qualifier underway. Max Cookson and Joey Doiron far ahead of the pack.
Qualifying for #Oxford250 in heat 2: Joe Pastore, Nick Cusack, Josh St. Clair, DJ Shaw. #mesports @Sports_SJ
— Wil Kramlich (@WilTalkSports) August 28, 2022
1:51 — Qualifiers from the first heat: Curtis Gerry, TJ Watson, Ryan Robbins and Ryan Kuhn.
1:49 — Curtis Gerry in the 7G car leads the first qualifier. Five heats, top four qualify.
This is how the Oxford 250 draw plays out. #1 spot TJ Watson was the 3rd-to-last to pull a number. #mesports #Oxford250 @Sports_SJ pic.twitter.com/Q9lcO8TBPc
— Wil Kramlich (@WilTalkSports) August 28, 2022
The Oxford 250 qualifying heats are scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
Who’s going to win? Tell us in the comments or @ us on Twitter at @Sports_SJ.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
