The father-son duo of Mike and Ben Rowe are legends of New England auto racing, but their recent results added much to their hefty résumés.
Both, however, found victory lane again this past weekend at Oxford Plains Speedway.
Mike Rowe won first, breaking a five-year winless drought at the track by capturing the 50-lap Oxford Championship Series weekly Super Late Model feature Saturday night.
Ben Rowe then capped off the weekend sweep with a victory in the 150-lap Pro All Stars Series SLM feature Sunday. It is Rowe’s first PASS victory since September 2018 at White Mountain Motorsports Park.
Both wins could be shot-in-the-arms as the Rowes look ahead to the 50th Oxford 250 at the end of the month. Mike Rowe will be looking to become the race’s first four-time winner, while “Benji” could join his dad, Dave Dion, Ralph Nason and Travis Benjamin, as a three-time champion.
Mike Rowe races around Oxford Plains Speedway during Super Late Model action Saturday, July 22. Oriana Lovell photo
Mike Rowe’s win adds to his impressive racing résumé. According to New England racing journalist Justin St. Louis, it was Rowe’s 227th feature win, and 153rd at Oxford Plains Speedway. The 73-year-old has now won features in seven different decades, starting with his first win in May 1969. According to Racing America, Rowe has won a feature in 25 different seasons at Oxford Plains, breaking a tie with Al Hammond for seasons with at least one victory in the track’s top division.
Other winners Saturday night included: Nate Barth (Mad Bombers), Caleb Morris (Thunder Stocks), Tyler Connolly (Rookies) and Larry Lizotte (Figure 8s). Russ Wood won the feature for the visiting New England Supermodified Series.
Ben Rowe was joined in victory lane on Sunday by PASS points leader Max Cookson, who was the runner-up, and former PASS champion DJ Shaw in third.
Ben Rowe races around Oxford Plains Speedway during Pro All Stars Series action Sunday, July 9. Oriana Lovell photo
PASS Mods point leader Brandon Varney won the 50-lap feature for the modifieds to pad his points lead. Chandler Harrison and Ryan Hewins rounded out that race’s podium.
In undercard action, Jordan Russell won in Street Stocks and Zach Bowie captured the checkered flag in the Limiteds division.
FIRST ACT
Jesse Switser had to run some extra laps Saturday night at White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, New Hampshire, but it paid off for the Vermont racer in American-Canadian Tour action.
Switser had to qualify his way into the feature by way of the last-chance B-feature, but a spot in the main event was all he needed on his way to winning the Midsummer Classic 250. It is Switser’s first ACT victory.
New Sharon, Maine, native Dillon Moltz was the runner-up, with Gabe Brown finishing third in the 31-car field.
WISCASSET WINNERS
Five divisions were in action Saturday at Wiscasset Speedway, with the track’s regular Group 2 plus the Roadrunners.
The winner in 50-lap spotlight feature for the Late Model Sportsman was Wiscasset native Tiger Colby — though the track’s website posted that the race’s results are unofficial, pending a tire test.
Other winners included: Adam Chadbourne (Modifieds), Ashton Burgess (Strictly Streets), Kyle Willette (Outlaw Minis) and Noah McGrath (Roadrunners).
THURSDAY ACCELERATION
The racing weekend started Thursday at Oxford Plains, with the Oxford Acceleration Series division in action.
Winners included: Ethan Guptill (Cruisers), Breeanna Tucci (Ladies), Johnathon Emerson (Outlaws), Cody Childs (Rebels), Charlie Young (Varsity Thunder Stocks) and Kyle Glover (Trucks).
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