Rowe won the Speedway Homes 150 for Pro All Stars Series (PASS) North super late models in a thrilling, three-wide finish over DJ Shaw and Johnny Clark, while Therrien claimed the Dave’s Small Engines 100 for American-Canadian Tour late models.

Ryan Robbins (PASS Mods) and Trevor Sanborn (NELCAR Legends) also picked up feature wins on an absolutely beautiful day for racing in western Maine.

“I can’t thank Mitch Green and everybody at Crazy Horse Racing enough for turning my program around,” Rowe said after the emotional win. “Everybody knows that I’ve struggled at Oxford and Beech Ridge for about five years now. I was skeptical all weekend, but it sure worked out for us late in the race.”

As Rowe and the Richard Moody Racing team celebrated their hard-earned win, fans made it clear they weren’t at all happy with the move he made to secure the top spot. But when you haven’t won at your home track in such a long time, you jump on any opportunity that presents itself.

“I knew he (Shaw) was going to leave a little hole down low, and he left it wide open,” Rowe added. I just flat-footed it off Turn 4; it was a drag race to the finish from there. I actually thought he got me, but we beat him by 23-thousandths of a second. It doesn’t get much closer than that. I’m thrilled to finally get back to Victory Lane here at Oxford.”

Shaw started fourth on the 36-car grid and kept his car in contention all afternoon. The third-generation driver from Center Conway, N.H., was pleased with a runner-up finish after a door-to-door grind.

“It was a survival test out there today,” Shaw said. “I had a fifth-place car at best after Bryan (Kruczek) spun out the first time. I got clipped by Adam Polvinen, that knocked the toe-out out of line and I was just going to try and survive from there since we were too good to pit. I told my crew on the radio on the last restart I couldn’t believe we had a shot to win, so let’s have some fun. I’m glad we got second, now we’ll go on to Beech Ridge.”

Clark was excited after his run, having started outside the top 30 and steadily working his way into contention.

“I actually thought we had the lead going down the backstretch,” Clark said. “I thought we were going to get it done, but we came up just a little short. I had to pedal it off of Turn 4. I got all the way out into the marbles and had to let off the throttle since I need a race car for next week. So we ended up third. I’m happy to come away with a good run and a clean race car.”

Vermont veteran Brent Dragon was rock-solid all day and brought the Dale Shaw Race Cars No. 49 home in fourth, while defending PASS North champion Mike Rowe completed the top five. Eight cautions slowed the pace, while 19 of the 36 starters finished on the lead lap. There were 47 entries for the PASS race, while 32 entries were on hand for the ACT 100.

Finishing sixth through tenth in the PASS 150 were Mike Hopkins, Adam Polvinen, 2015 Oxford 250 winner Glen Luce, Dave Farrington Jr. of Jay and Dan McKeage, who led the first 63 laps and was a legitimate threat to win until contact between the three frontrunners took him out of contention. 

Therrien notched his second career ACT victory with an impressive performance. The Hinesburg, VT, driver wheeled around the outside of three-time defending series champion Wayne Helliwell Jr. on lap 49, then survived two late-race restarts to earn top honors.

Rowland Robinson earned his best-ever ACT finish in second, while former Oxford 250 winner and NASCAR K&N Series regular Eddie MacDonald raced from 16th starting position to finish third. Helliwell settled for fourth at the finish, while second-generation Vermont racer Scott Dragon was fifth.

“Man, this sure feels good,” Therrien said in Victory Lane. “We’re picking up right where we left off last year at Speedway 51 (in Groveton, N.H.). My guys worked really hard all day to get the car right, and they hit the right setup. The competition was tough here today, but we managed to hold them off. It’s rewarding when it all comes together like this.”

Finishing sixth through 10th in the Dave’s Small Engine Repair 100 were Jimmy Hebert, Quinny Welch, Ray Christian, Windham’s Brad Babb and Brandon Atkins.

Only four cautions slowed the pace, while 18 of the 33 starters finished on the lead lap. The American-Canadian Tour will now move to the Lee USA Speedway on Sunday, April 24, for the NH Governor’s Cup 150.

Oxford’s Championship Series teams kick off their new season the same day with the Super Late Model, Street Stocks, Bandits and Figure 8 classes comprising the program. Post time is set for 2 p.m.

pwhipple@sunjournal.com