OXFORD — Mike Rowe loves to prove why age and experience are better than youth and enthusiasm whenever he gets the chance.
The savvy, skilled, easy-going veteran from Turner made a rare, yet successful, appearance at his former home track over the past weekend, leading wire-to-wire in the 50-lap Super Late Model main event to score career win No. 152 on Saturday at Oxford Plains Speedway.
On the night before his 68th birthday, Rowe, a seven-time Oxford track champion already enshrined into the Maine and New England Auto Racing halls of fame, outran the current leader in the battle for the 2018 Budweiser Championship Series Super Late Model title, Gabe Brown, of Center Conway, New Hampshire.
Brown, just one month shy of his 16th birthday and more than a half-century younger than Rowe, earned runner-up honors in front of four-time track champion Tim Brackett, of Buckfield.
Despite not having a victory in 2018, Brown has been nothing short of amazing with veteran-like consistency every time out. On Saturday, he was the teenage deli meat in a sandwich made from two of Maine’s most respected oval legends.
Former track champion and Oxford 250 winner Scott Robbins, of Dixfield, used the outside groove to race into fourth position, followed by two-time track champion TJ Brackett of Buckfield, who lost last year’s championship to Alan Tardiff in a tiebreaker that came down to the number of runner-up finishes.
Only one race remains in the 2018 track championship battle. Brown will attempt to become the youngest premier division champion in track history in the points finale, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 8. Only TJ Brackett has a realistic shot at overtaking Brown’s lead.
Gary Babineau led wire-to-wire, claiming his first victory of the season in the 50-lap finale in the Honey Badger Restaurant Series for Allen’s Coffee Flavored Brandy Street Stock racers. Babineau, of Hollis Center, turned back several challenges from Tyler King to claim victory.
King, four times a winner earlier in the season, claimed the series championship by a narrow margin over Matt Dufault, of Turner, who finished third after passing most of his rivals twice. Dufault’s strong drive helped him remain atop the season-long Oxford Plains points battle by a slight margin.
Zach Bowie, of Greene, was the fourth-place finisher, with West Poland’s David Whittier rounding out the top five after leading the opening laps of the race. The Street Stocks race three times on Oxford 250 weekend before concluding their championship season on Saturday, Sept. 8.
Jamie Heath, of Waterford, made a bold early move, passing competitors three and four-wide on the opening lap to race into contention, then outran all rivals to the checkered flag to earn his second 20-lap Bandits feature win of the year.
Minot’s Rob Crepeau was the best of the rest, holding off Buckfield’s hard-charging Chad Wills for runner-up honors. Wills had started the race from last position. Bandits division championship points leader Dustin Salley was fourth across the finish line, followed by Travis Verrill of South Paris.
Kyle Kilgore of South Paris extended his championship points lead in the Figure 8 class with his second straight 20-lap victory, and seventh of the season. Kilgore outran four-time 2018 winner Dale Lawrence of Lisbon to the checkered flag.
Oxford’s Chachy Hall won a spirited battle for third position versus South Paris racer Greg Durgin. Lisbon’s Robert Morey filled out the top five rundown.
Childs notches another win at Wiscasset
Veteran Mini Stock ace Jimmy Childs earned his third Outlaw Mini division victory on Saturday at Wiscasset Speedway. The veteran from Leeds held off Rob Greenleaf by just over a half second at the line, while Skowhegan’s Zach Audet filled out the podium in third.
Jake Hendsbee (Whitefield) and Brent Roy (Vassalboro) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
Austin Teras made excellent use of his time away from Oxford, racing to victory in the 25-lap feature for NELCAR Legends. Teras, of Gray, made a thrilling three-wide pass with two laps remaining to take command.
Jake Matheson (Hillsboro, N.H.) finished just 0.305 seconds back in the runner-up spot, while Buckfield’s Chris Burgess put in a solid performance to claim third.
Colby Meserve (Buxton) and Casey Call (Pembroke, N.H.) completed the top five.
Jonathan Emerson notched his fourth Strictly Street division victory of the season on Saturday. The third-generation racer from Sabattus outgunned Kyle Hewins (Leeds) and Maurice Young (Chelsea) for top honors. Brad Erskine (Solon) crossed the line in fourth, while Glenn Reynolds (Turner) was fifth.
Adam Chadbourne earned his sixth victory of the season in K&A Property Services Modified action. The skilled veteran from Woolwich edged West Bath’s strongman Nick Reno by a scant 0.25 seconds for top honors.
Wayne Allard (Stetson) filled out the podium, while Spencer Vaughn (Canton) and Mark Lucas (Freeport) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
Chris Thorne earned his first victory since 2016 in the Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Model Sportsman tussle. The lightning-fast veteran from Sidney held off Daren Ripley (son of Hall of Famer Doug Ripley) and Clinton’s Frank Moulton for top honors.
Andrew McLaughlin (the Lobsterman from Harrington) and third-generation racer Josh St. Clair (Liberty) completed the top five in what has turned out to be one of Wiscasset’s best divisions.
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