No-repeat Friday simply transitioned into new-winner Saturday at Oxford Plains Speedway.
Shawn Martin highlighted the track’s return to its traditional night of racing, becoming the ninth different Budweiser Pro Late Model feature winner in nine events this season.
He’s no new face in victory lane, of course. Martin, of Turner, is a past speedway champion and the current series points leader. He also led laps and ran up front in the recent Oxford 250.
Mark Lundblad paced most of the 50-lap event before a tangle with T.J. Brackett shook up the running order. Martin made it through the fracas and forged ahead to the victory.
“I wish we could have had a battle with T.J. and Mark,” Martin said in the track’s post-race press release. “It would have been a good one.”
Making a rare start in the top division at OPS, Joe Pastore charged from 24th starting position — last on the grid — to second at the finish. Tim Brackett of Buckfield was third, followed by Scott Moore and Auburn rookie Kyle Treadwell.
Pastore also picked up the win for the touring Pro All Stars Series Sportsman class, taking the lead from Sam Gooden five laps shy of halfway in the 40-lap skirmish.
Gooden held off Dan McKeage for second. McKeage made the nearly one-hour commute to take the green after running his weekly NASCAR Pro Series event at Beech Ridge in Scarborough.
Rusty Poland and Scott Dorr were fourth and fifth.
Spencer Morse of Waterford was the winner in Street Stock, using a last-lap pass to take away the win from Kyle Hewins in a thriller.
Morse is the division leader, but he isn’t hearing any of it.
“When you start racing for points you finish fifth,” he said. “I like trophies. We’re not points racing until championship night.”
Ryan Hewins ran third, with Keith Stuart and Richard Spaulding completing the top five.
It was an emotional Outlaw Sportsman win for Guy Childs Sr. A fire in Turner this past week claimed both a family home and a garage where an estimated $15,000 worth of Childs’ racing equipment was stored.
Troy Jordan padded his championship lead with a second-place finish, leading Mike Haynes, Steve Moon and Bryce Mains across the stripe.
Shawn Hinkley took the win in the Bandito division, cruising to the checkers ahead of John Childs, Dan Wade, James Record and Cam Childs.
Karkos collects another
The victory lane photos hinted at a hard-fought NASCAR Wildcat victory for Justin Karkos of Livermore Falls at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway on Saturday night.
With the side of his car that faces the grandstands wrinkled up from late-race contact, Karkos held on for his second win in three weeks and his third of the season.
Karkos, a past champion in the Mini Stock division at Oxford, is the Wildcat point leader with less than a month remaining in the season.
David Vaughn was second and Jason Webster third.
Mike Fowler scored a heartwarming victory with a dominant performance in the Pro Series feature. Fowler returned to the driver’s seat this season after many years away from the sport, taking over the 2013 championship ride from legendary Mike Rowe.
His family-owned team revived itself with Rowe a year ago as a tribute to Fowler’s brother, Jason, who lost his life in a highway accident.
Jacob Dore was second in the caution-free, 40-lap event, with Reid Lanpher third. Series leader Dave Farrington Jr. of Jay was fourth.
In the Sport Series event, Jake Madore took his second 35-lap victory of the summer over Jason Curtis and Brandon Ingalls.
Erskine bags big win
Ben Erskine of Farmington won the spotlight race at Wiscasset Speedway on Saturday night, a 35-lapper for the Strictly Street division.
Erskine crossed the line second but was awarded the win when the car of Lisbon’s Dave Brannon failed a post-race camber test in the technical inspection line.
“I wish I had won the checkered flag, but a win is a win,” Erskine said. “It was really good to get a win, we have had a tough season so far. We hope to come back next time and do the same thing.”
Jonathan Emerson, a 13-year-old from Sabattus, was second, with Brian Robbins third.
Mark Lucas of Harpswell, who swept a pair of PASS Modified races on Oxford 250, added a weekly 25-lap win to his recent achievements. Lucas ran away from Kevin Douglass and Doug McClure for the victory.
Chris Thorne (Late Model Sportsman), Ryan Chadwick (Thunder 4) and Matt Curtis (Mini Truck) also picked up wins.
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