Oxford 250 Results

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Oxford 250 Results

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Congradulations to Mike .

rowe24 · Full Fender Bender! BGNN/PASS/ACT Moderator

Oxford Me. A perfect New England summer day greated the fans and competitors for the running of the 32nd annual TD Banknorth Oxford 250. 71 of the finest Pro Stocks from the Northeast and Canada were on hand to attempt to qualify for the nations richest one day short track event. NASCAR Nextel Cup stars Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth were on hand to try their luck against the best the North had to offer.

The main buzz in the garage Sunday morning was about the out side groove and how nobody had been able to sustain a run on the high side. When asked if he had found the secret of the outside line, 1984 and 1997 champion Mike Rowe said, "No, and I don't think anyone else has either!"

The qualifying events also did little answer the question, as only Travis Benjamin had any sucess on the high side, picking off a couple of cars in his drive from a 9th place start to a third place finish in the first of six, 20 lap qualifying heats. Apparently we would have to wait for feature time to see if there would be any two groove racing.

Stan Merserve in the P T Watts 2x brought the field to the green and quickly jumped out to a lead. By lap 10 the field had settled out into single file. Everyone was waiting to see who would be the first to head for the second groove. On lap 15 the question was answered, as Mike Rowe turned the SP2 Moptorsports, Lux Enterprise #24 Monte Carlo to the second groove and slowly began advancing from his 37th starting position. Though only picking up four positions, Rowe was the first driver to have that much sucess on the weekend.

Caution flew for the first time on lap 41 for a turn four spin, involving Patrick Laperle, Wayne Helliwell Jr. and others. On the restart Meserve continued to set the pace, with Scott Mulkhern, Travis Benjamin, Ricky Rolfe and Chuck Lachance rounding out the top five.

By lap 60, Meserve continued to set the pace, with Benjamin 2nd, Mulkhern, Rolfe and Cassius Clark 3rd-5th. Meanwhile Kyle Busch was making a charge up through the field, using some of the smoothest bumper work seen in these parts since Geoff Bodine's glory days of the early eighties. Busch culminated his run, taking the point from Merserve on lap 77.

Caution flew again on lap 80 for fluid on the track.Pit strategy started to play out as Busch, teammate Mike Rowe, Johnny Clark and many more headed in for fresh rubber and fuel. The top five on the restart were C. Clark, Rolfe, Laperle, Benjamin and Jeff Taylor. Laperle worked his way around Rolfe in short order and passed Clark for the lead on the 83rd circuit.

The red flag flew on lap 109 for a blown engine and fire on the #17 of Travis Benjamin. Laperle was able to hold the lead on the restart. By lap 111 the feild had settled out with Laperle, Busch, J Clark, Ben Rowe and Scott Chubbuck the top five.

Lap 123 saw the yellow wave again for a blown motor by Ralph Nason in the Hight Chevrolet #77, ending the three time 250 champions bid for a fourth title. Pit stops again shuffled the field with Johnny Clark holding the lead through the next caution for a spin on lap 129. The running order was now, J clark, Busch, Chubbuck, Mike Rowe and 2001 winner Gary Drew.

Lap 133 saw Busch execute a great power move and drive under Clark for the lead. The field continued to click off green flag laps a rapid pace. On lap 150 the top five was, Busch, J Clark, M Rowe, Nick Nichols and Richie Dearborn.

Still under the green at lap 190 it was Busch, Nichols, J Clark, M Rowe and Drew at the front as the pace remained fast. Lap 191 saw the caution fly for a wreck involving Dale Shaw and several others. Busch and M Rowe both pitted for fresh rubber, while the other front runners refused to surrender their hard won track position. A crash on the restart took out Tracy Gordon and damaged several cars. Mike Rowe found a great line through carnage to pick up five the positions he lost on his pit stop.

The second restart was much smoother with Nichols holding the point. J Clark took the lead from Nick on the next circuit, with Laperle, Dearborn, Chubbuck 3rd- 5th and a hard charging Mike Rowe in 7th with four fresh tires.

By lap 220 Rowe had worked his way to Nichols back bumper, the front were now running nose to tail.

Caution flew for the 9th and final time on lap setting up a 26 lap sprint to the finnish. Trying to get by Clark and hold off Rowe proved too much for Nichols, as he drifted a little high allowing Rowe to dive underneath him and set sail for Clark.

After dogging Clark for a few laps, Rowe powered under Clark to take the lead. Johnny tried to fight back, but after nearly 170 laps his tires had gone away. Mike Rowe took the checkers a car length ahead of Clark to claim his 3rd TD Banknorth Oxford 250 title, joining Ralph Nason and Dave Dion as the only three time winners of this short track classic.

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complete order of finish

32ND ANNUAL TD BANKNORTH 250
Sunday, July 31
Official results
Fin. (Start) Driver, hometown, make of car, laps, money
1. (37) #24 Mike Rowe, Turner, Chevy, 315 laps, $26,000
2. (24) #54 Johnny Clark, Farmingdale, Chevy, 315, $17,800
3. (23) #5x Nick Nichols, New Sharon, Chevy, 315, $7,700
4. (30) #33 Richie Dearborn, Hollis, Chevy, 315, $6,000
5. (22) #E72 Scott Robbins, Dixfield, Ford, 315, $5,000
6. (28) #5 Kyle Busch, Las Vegas, Nev., Chevy, 315, $10,100
7. (29) #53 Alan Wilson, Hebron, Ford, 315, $3,500
8. (1) #2x Stan Meserve, Mooresville, N.C., Chevy, 315, $10,600
9. (26) #88T Jeff Taylor, Norridgewock, Chevy, 315, $2,500
10. (12) #66 Andy Shaw, Center Conway, N.H., Chevy, 315, $2,400
11. (8) #71 Gary Drew, Otisfield, Chevy, 315, $2,300
12. (15) #47 Corey Williams, Boothbay, Chevy, 315, $2,200
13. (40) #60 Tim Brackett, Buckfield, Chevy, 315, $2,100
14. (19) #29 Scott Chubbuck, Wiscasset, Ford, 315, $2,050
15. (14) #8 Cassius Clark, Farmington, Ford, 314, $2,100
16. (32) #17 Matt Kenseth, Cambridge, Wis., Chevy, 314, $1,850
17. (3) #38 Chuck LaChance, Cushing, Ford, 314, $1,750
18. (18) #03 Scott Moore, Anson, Chevy, 314, $1,700
19. (20) #91 Patrick Laperle, St. Denis, Que., 314, $5,850
20. (36) #77 Dave Gorveatt, Charlottetown, P.E.I., 314, $1,600
21. (4) #50 Jeff White, Winthrop, Chevy, 312, $1,550
22. (7) #1E Mike Edgbert, Hollis, Chevy, 311, $1,525
23. (21) #28 Kirk Thibeau, Fort Fairfield, Ford, 310, $1,500
24. (31) #29M Ricky Morse, St. Albans, Chevy, 308, $1,450
25. (17) #01 Wayne Helliwell Jr., Pelham, N.H., Chevy, 287, $1,425
26. (6) #8T Alan Tardiff, Lyman, Chevy, 275, $1,400
27. (35) #14 Tracy Gordon, Strong, Chevy, 275, $1,375
28. (38) #00x Ben Rowe, Turner, Chevy, 244, $1,350
29. (9) #68 Dale Shaw, Center Conway, N.H., Chevy, 243, $1,325
30. (10) #3 Mike Maietta Jr., South Portland, Chevy, 239, $1,300
31. (34) #94 Shawn Martin, Turner, Chevy, 227, $1,275
32. (2) #98 Brad Hammond, Turner, Chevy, 225, $1,250
33. (5) #51 Ricky Rolfe, Albany Township, Ford, 176, $1,225
34. (25) #83 Donnie Whitten, Wells, Chevy, 153, $1,200
35. (33) #77x Ralph Nason, Unity, Chevy, 144, $1,150
36. (13) #17T Travis Benjamin, Morrill, Chevy, 123, $1,125
37. (27) #40 Dan McKeage, Gorham, Chevy, 107, $1,125
38. (11) #84 Scott Mulkern, Falmouth, Dodge, 86, $1,125
39. (16) #97 T.J. Brackett, Buckfield, Chevy, 82, $1,125
40. (40) #03E Travis Adams, Canton, Chevy, 2, $1,125
Lap leaders: Meserve 1-76, Busch 77-80, C. Clark 81, Laperle 82-123, J. Clark 124-133, Busch 134-190, Nichols 191-192, J. Clark 193-240, M. Rowe 241-250.
Cautions: 8 (laps 41, 80, 123, 129, 191, 196, 196, 224)
Red flags: 1 (lap 109)
Time of race: 1 hour, 57 minutes, 9 seconds
Margin of victory: 1 car length