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NEWS
May 5, 2007
Karkos outlasts Mini field for
first-ever win; Rolfe captures Late Model opener at OPS
OXFORD, Maine - Justin Karkos played the waiting game to perfection
Saturday night, taking advantage of a tangle between leaders Jimmy
Childs and Adam Polvinen with eight laps remaining to win the Sunoco
Race Fuels 100 main event at Oxford Plains Speedway.
Karkos then held off former track
champion Butch Keene to claim the checkered flag in the Allen's
Coffee Flavored Brandy Mini Stock main event. It is the first
feature win of his OPS career. Karkos was last year's Wal-Mart
Rookie of the Year in the Strictly Stock division and is a graduate
of the Oxford Acceleration Series.
Childs rebounded for third, just
ahead of Polvinen and Jeff Prindall. Only t he top four cars
finished on the lead lap.
Two-time track champion Ricky Rolfe
won a hotly contested Oxford Networks Late Model feature. That
40-lapper was the first Oxford Championship Series in the
"new" era of the division, and it featured many past
champions of the discontinued Pro Stock and Limited Sportsman
divisions.
Scott Belskis celebrated a
wire-to-wire victory in the Allen’s Coffee Flavored Brandy
Strictly Stock feature. In the first-ever Oxford Championship Series
appearance by the Acceleration Series Chimney Tech Outlaws, Thom
Bell and Mark MacDonald paced twin 20-lap features.
Right place, right time
Childs and Polvinen dominated the first 90 laps of the Allen’s
Mini Stock encounter, but like Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough of
yesteryear, they proved a combustible duo.
The pair started on the front row by
virtue of their heat-race victories: Childs inside, Polvinen
outside. Childs parlayed the preferred line into leadership of the
first 36 laps, but not without Polvinen pushing the issue just
outside the passenger’s side window almost the entire time.
After briefly falling in line and
twice making contact with Childs’ rear bumper, Polvinen put a
fender out front on lap 37 before Childs settled in at the point for
the next thirty circuits.
Then it all escalated into an
especially entertaining finish.
Childs was spun out of the lead
during a run-in with the lapped car of Bob Guptill on lap 67.
Despite the complete loss of momentum to the inside of turn four,
Childs dropped only to third place behind Polvinen and Karkos.
Lap 75 brought out the first red flag
of the season when Guptill, Don Frechette and Ashley Marshall got
together in turn one, with Guptill’s car doing a complete flip and
coming to rest against the retaining wall. Guptill drove away from
the scene.
That stoppage erased the deficit
between Childs and the two leaders, one that he’d already whittled
in half. Childs scooted past Karkos and followed Polvinen’s tire
tracks after the ensuing restart.
The bumper tag resumed, with the two
leaders having exchanged positions from their earlier brush. This
time, Polvinen was unable to save his #73 and spun over the curb in
the fourth corner. Childs slammed the brakes and swerved into the
infield to avoid a T-bone collision.
Another top-five driver, Prindall,
was caught up in the aftermath. Karkos calmly veered to the high
side and made the winning pass.
“I was lot faster than Jimmy and
Adam, but Jimmy came like a bat out of heck on the outside,” said
Karkos. “I figured I’d let him go by me. Then I saw him and Adam
start to go at it. We all saw what happened.”
A chilled crowd voiced its evenly
divided support and displeasure for 2006 champion Childs, who led
Polvinen away from the accident scene and picked up the final podium
position.
“You can like me, you can boo me. I
really don’t care. I’m here to put on a good show for the fans,
my family and my friends,” Childs said. “I hope the 73 will
remember that next week.”
After dueling for fourth spot with
Prindall for most of the marathon, Keene was delighted to inherit
the runner-up role. He thanked John Randolph and Wallingford
Equipment for hauling his familiar #2 to the track Saturday.
Mechanical issues with his own truck nearly kept the 2002 division
kingpin home.
“All four tires are on the car.
It’s a 100-lapper. I am happy!” proclaimed Keene. “We had a
truck problem this morning. I was parking it. I wasn’t even coming
over. I was pretty depressed.”
Rolfe returns with a
flourish
When last we saw Ricky Rolfe at OPS, the 2002 and 2003 track
champion was fortunate to walk away from a head-on impact with the
front stretch wall during the TD Banknorth 250 last July.
He needed an entire off-season to put the pieces back together,
anyhow, so it was no surprise that Rolfe was receptive to the
blending of Oxford’s top three classes into a new-and-improved
Oxford Networks Late Model class.
Rolfe returned to his old neighborhood in style Saturday night. He
drew the pole for his heat race, won that 10-lapper to earn the top
spot in the feature starting grid and showed the way for most of the
nightcap.
Doug Coombs briefly made a run on the outside to swipe the advantage
with four laps remaining, but a resurgent Rolfe inched back in front
just as caution appeared for rookie Ben Ashline’s spin on lap
37.
On the short run, Rolfe was the man to beat. Rolfe, a winner in six
different divisions over three decades at his home track, won the
sprint to the stripe by a car length.
“It’s nice to be back in a Late Model,” Rolfe said. “These
cars are wicked fun to drive. A lot of it is the driver, but it’s
the crew back there setting it up that’s the big thing.”
Coombs continued his red-hot start to the season with a second-place
finish. He ran fourth as the top OPS regular in the New England
Dodge Dealers ACT 150 one week ago.
As has been his custom over the last
two seasons, Coombs was blistering fast on long green-flag
runs.
“That thing needs about eight
laps,” Coombs said of his car, which like Rolfe’s ride is a Race
Basics chassis. “Three laps just isn’t quite enough for the old
girl. It ran beautiful tonight, though. I can’t complain. The car
was great.”
Luce overcame an afternoon collision
and a missed practice to ward off Don Wentworth, Carey Martin, Shawn
Martin and NASCAR Busch East Series star Eddie MacDonald for
third.
“The owner (Todd Lavallee) is part
of the crew and isn’t here,” Luce said. “ Hopefully he looks
at the internet tonight and he’s happy.”
With Wentworth dropping out of
contention after the final restart, Carey Martin, a five-time OPS
champion, charged from deep in the field to run fourth. MacDonald
beat 2004 champ Shawn Martin by a fender for fifth.
T.J. Watson, Tim Brackett, Travis
Adams and Scott King rounded out the top 10 in a classy 26-car
field. Two others qualified but failed to make the call for the
finale.
Belskis back in business
Following the pattern that took him
to victory lane twice late last season, Belskis ran and hid from the
Allen’s Strictly Stock field.
Belskis won the pole with his
heat-race triumph and led all 30 laps. Traffic and a hard-charging
Sumner Sessions intervened in the waning moments, but Belskis found
the proper line through the hubbub and beat Sessions back to the
flag stand by one-quarter of a second.
Even with only two weeks in the
books, it has been a weird start to the season for Belskis.
“I’ve got to thank the crew back
there for helping. They made a decision not to fill it with gas last
time. We’re not going to do that again,” Belskis said. “Last
week, we had to sit here and watch the show because of transmission
problems. Hopefully next week we can be part of the show
again.”
Sessions snagged the runner-up trophy
for the second straight week. In addition to switching his paint
scheme from green to black this season, Sessions is getting by with
six cylinders under the hood. Most Strictly Stocks have eight.
“Like the man said, I’d win the
race if I could go faster,” Sessions said. “ We’ll take second
place. (Belskis) started up front, and he’s got a good car. We
caught him, but lapped traffic played a part in it.”
Driving a car owned by his father,
four-time speedway champion Blaine Chapman, B.J. Chapman held off
last week’s winner Tommy Tompkins for third. Skip Tripp surged
from the middle of the pack to reel in Mike Short and run
fifth.
Trivia question answers: Bell,
MacDonald
Thom Bell and Mark MacDonald scribbled their names in the OPS
history book as the first drivers from the wildly successful Oxford
Acceleration Series to win feature events in front of a Championship
Series crowd. (Unless you count the Outlaws’ introductory run in
1998, of course.)
Bell led every lap of the first 20-lap Chimney Tech Outlaw feature,
and MacDonald chased down Fred Clavet and Bubba Collins to prevail
in the second round.
Nobody at the track is off to a
hotter start than Bell, who is 2-for-2 and has led all 40 laps of
competition this spring.
“The first couple of practices, I
don’t know if it was the sun or what, but the car wasn’t really
going that good,” Bell said. “So I put Wednesday’s set-up back
on it. We got lucky with the draw again tonight, started out on the
front and luckily held Mike off and were able to bring it home
first.”
Venerable Strictly Stock competitor
Jerry Freve scaled back to an Outlaw this season, and the move
already is paying dividends. He finished second ahead of one of the
division’s top all-time competitors, Mike Ballard.
“We weren’t using everything we
had. And we weren’t holding back, either,” Freve said. “We
couldn’t catch the 18 (Bell), but we felt comfortable.”
Ballard overcame a loss of power
steering to wind up on the podium ahead of David Childs and Steve
Moon.
Clavet led the first three laps of
the Outlaw encore. Collins shuffled to the front until Lap 11, when
MacDonald powered to the point and pulled away to the finish.
MacDonald now has two career
victories, neither of them coming on a traditional Wednesday night
program. His first checkered flag came in conjunction with a Motor
Mayhem event last season.
Gerry Richard charged from eighth
starting position to take third without the benefit of a restart.
Jim Archer and Randy Robitaille completed the top five.
Racing at OPS resumes Wednesday at
6:30 p.m. with the Acceleration Series, Friday at 6:30 p.m. with the
JARRacing Photography Go Kart Series, and Saturday at 6:30 p.m. for
the Oxford Championship Series.
ALLEN'S COFFEE FLAVORED BRANDY MINI STOCK (100 laps)
Fin. (Start) No., driver, hometown, laps completed
1. (9) #12 Justin Karkos, Livermore Falls, 100
2. (11) #2 Butch Keene, Turner, 100
3. (1) #10 Jim Childs, Leeds, 100
4. (2) #73 Adam Polvinen, Oxford, 100
5. (4) #14 Jeff Prindall, Lisbon Falls, 99
6. (12) #74 Bill
Irving, New Gloucester, 99
7. (10) #19 Shane Kaherl, Jay, 97
8. (15) #66 John Cary, Cumberland, 96
9. (3) #16 Don Frechette, Turner, 96
10. (7) #90 Dale Durgin, Norway, 87
11. (6) #77 Ashley Marshall, Jay, 74
12. (5) #9 Bob Guptill, Mechanic Falls, 72
13. (16) #35 Dale
Brackett, Norway, 36
14. (14) #29 Greg Watkins, Bridgton, 30
15. (13) #08 Kevin Bishop,
South Paris, 15
16. (17) #4 Wayne Warren, Waterford, 5
17. (8) #5 Darick Barker, Jay, 1
DNS #7 Joe Treadwell, Auburn
DNS #22 Larry Poirier, Minot
Lap leaders: Childs 1-36, Polvinen 37, Childs 38-67, Polvinen
68-91, Karkos 92-100.
Cautions: 3 (laps 28, 33, 78)
Time of race: 36 minutes, 21.322 seconds
Margin of victory: 1.890 seconds
Fast lap: Adam Polvinen, 18.207 seconds
OXFORD NETWORKS LATE MODEL (40 laps)
Fin. (Start) No., driver, hometown, laps completed
1. (1) #51 Ricky Rolfe, Albany Township, 40
2. (3) #57 Doug Coombs, Livermore, 40
3. (14) #7 Glen Luce, Turner, 40
4. (17) #18 Carey
Martin, Denmark, 40
5. (19) #17 Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, Mass., 40
6. (5) #94 Shawn Martin, Turner, 40
7. (15) #04 T.J. Watson, Cundy's Harbor, 40
8. (9) #60 Tim Brackett, Oxford, 40
9. (10) #03 Travis Adams, Canton, 40
10. (6) #11 Scott King, Livermore Falls, 40
11. (4) #77 Jon
Brill, Bridgton, 40
12. (25) #85 Travis Stearns, Gray, 40
13. (16) #40 Rick Valentine, Greene, 40
14. (21) #2 Zach Emerson, Durham, 40
15. (11) #70 Gary Chiasson, Peru, 40
16. (18) #1 Billy
Childs Jr., Leeds, 40
17. (2) #56 Dale Verrill, Paris, 40
18. (7) #63 Don Wentworth,
Otisfield, 39
19. (8) #36 Brad Hammond, Sabattus, 39
20. (24) #0 Scott Hodgdon, Mechanic Falls, 39
21. (23) #15 Ben Ashline, Pittston, 38
22. (26) #44 Neil Martin, Freeport, 38
23. (22) #31 Tim
Pendergast, Swanville, 38
24. (20) #01 Bill Childs Sr., Leeds, 27
25. (13) #6 Tommy Ricker, Poland, 18
26. (12) #8 Dennis Spencer Jr., Oxford, 9
DNS #26 Corey Morgan, Lewiston
DNS #69 Dave MacDonald, New Gloucester
Lap leaders: Rolfe 1-35, Coombs 36, Rolfe 37-40.
Cautions: 3 (laps 21, 23, 37)
Time of race: 21 minutes, 46.689 seconds
Margin of victory: 0.130 seconds
Fast lap: Ricky Rolfe, 15.984 seconds
ALLEN'S COFFEE FLAVORED BRANDY STRICTLY STOCK (30 laps)
Fin. (Start) No., driver, hometown, laps completed
1. (1) #71 Scott Belskis, Dixfield, 30
2. (6) #0 Sumner Sessions, Norway, 30
3. (3) #81 B.J.
Chapman, Naples, 30
4. (4) #113 Tommy Tompkins, Mexico, 30
5. (15) #12 Skip Tripp, Sabattus, 30
6. (2) #56 Mike Short, Auburn, 30
7. (5) #91 Danny Smart, Buxton, 30
8. (8) #07 Rick Thompson, Naples, 30
9. (13) #23 Zach Emerson, Sabattus, 30
10. (9) #97 Jeff Moon, Gray, 30
11. (17) #66 David
Vaughn, Naples, 30
12. (11) #24 Larry Emerson, Durham, 30
13. (7) #55 Kurt Hewins, Leeds, 30
14. (24) #1 Billy Childs Jr., Leeds, 30
15. (16) #21 Nick Coates, Turner, 29
16. (18) #36 Ron
Charpentier Jr.,. Wales, 29
17. (14) #64 Randy Heath, Casco, 29
18. (23) #82 Ben Krauter, Raymond, 28
19. (19) #01 George Haskell, Casco, 28
20. (21) #43 Bob DiPompo, Jay, 28
21. (25) #29 Chris
Mosher, Litchfield, 28
22. (22) #53 Dick Damon, Livermore, 27
23. (20) #49 Greg Sessions, Oxford, 27
24. (12) #63 Matt Williams, Brownfield, 25
25. (10) #42 Kim Tripp, Oxford, 4
Lap leaders: Belskis 1-30.
Cautions: None
Time of race: 9 minutes, 3.727 seconds
Margin of victory: 0.242 seconds
Fast lap: Sumner Sessions, 18.509 seconds
CHIMNEY TECH OUTLAW #1 (20 laps)
Fin. (Start) No., driver, hometown, laps completed
1. (1) #18 Thom Bell, Minot, 20
2. (3) #139 Jerry Freve, Buckfield, 20
3. (2) #666 Mike Ballard, Mechanic Falls, 20
4. (17) #5 David
Childs, Oxford, 20
5. (9) #19 Steve Moon, Gray, 20
6. (4) #82 Josh Paradis, Sumner, 20
7. (19) #24 Kevin Lawrence, South Paris, 20
8. (13) #36 Richard Spaulding, Lewiston, 20
9. (6) #112 Dennis Morang, Norway, 20
10. (18) #63 Bob Ferguson, New Gloucester, 20
11. (6) #122 Mike
Rainville, Littleton, N.H., 20
12. (14) #39 Ron Abbott Jr., Auburn, 20
13. (15) #75 Gordon
Bell, Auburn, 20
14. (11) #09 Bruce Robertson, Leeds, 20
15. (16) #08 Carey Robertson, Leeds, 19
16. (8) #9 Ralph Felker, Poland, 19
17. (20) #30 Scott Veinott, Sabattus, 18
18. (7) #1 Randy Allen, Casco, 12
19. (12) #95 Justin Dennison, North Yarmouth, 6
20. (5) #06 Rick
Vining, Buckfield, 1
Lap leaders: T. Bell 1-20.
Cautions: None
Time of race: 6 minutes, 50 seconds
CHIMNEY TECH OUTLAW #2 (20 laps)
Fin. (Start) No., driver, hometown, laps completed
1. (3) #61 Mark MacDonald, Center Conway, N.H., 20
2. (2) #68 Bubba Collins, Lewiston, 20
3. (8) #57 Gerry Richard, Leeds, 20
4. (13) #6 Jim Archer, Chesterville, 20
5. (4) #51 Randy
Robitaille, Norway, 20
6. (18) #90 Keith Landry, Oxford, 20
7. (16) #97 Shannon Judd, Jay, 20
8. (7) #8 Gerald Parlin, Norway, 20
9. (1) #71 Fred Clavet, Buckfield, 20
10. (5) #137 David
Brown, Gray, 20
11. (14) #04 Zach Bowie, Lisbon, 20
12. (11) #33 Tyler Belanger, Sumner, 20
13. (6) #38 Addison Bowie, Auburn, 20
14. (9) #34 John Patria, Turner, 20
15. (12) #37 Jacob Hethcoat, Norway, 19
16. (10) #17 Maurice Martel Jr., Greene, 19
17. (15) #54 Jonathan Baldwin, Falmouth, 17
18. (19) #35 John Spencer Jr., Auburn, 14
19. (17) #53 Steve Brill, Bridgton, 13
Lap leaders: Clavet 1-3, Collins 4-11, MacDonald 12-20.
Cautions: None
Time of race: 6 minutes, 36 seconds
HEAT RESULTS (10 laps each)
LATE MODEL #1
1. Ricky Rolfe
2. Dale Verrill
3. Doug Coombs
4. Jon Brill
5. Shawn Martin
6. Scott King
7. Don Wentworth
8. Corey Morgan
9. Tim Brackett
LATE MODEL #2
1. Gary Chiasson
2. Travis Adams
3. Tommy Ricker
4. Dennis Spencer Jr.
5. T.J. Watson
6. Glen Luce
7. Carey Martin
8. Rick Valentine
9. Dave MacDonald
LATE MODEL #3
1. Eddie MacDonald
2. Bill Childs Sr.
3. Zach Emerson
4. Tim Pendergast
5. Ben Ashline
6. Scott Hodgdon
DQ Travis Stearns
DQ Neil Martin
STRICTLY #1
1. Scott Belskis
2. Mike Short
3. B.J. Chapman
4. Tommy Tompkins
5. Danny Smart
6. Sumner Sessions
7. Kurt Hewins
8. Rick Thompson
9. Jeff Moon
10. Kim Tripp
11. Larry Emerson
12. Matt Williams
13. Zach Emerson
14. Randy Heath
15. Skip Tripp
STRICTLY #2
1. Nick Coates
2. David Vaughn
3. Ron Charpentier Jr.
4. George Haskell
5. Greg Sessions
6. Bob DiPompo
7. Dick Damon
8. Ben Krauter
9. Chris Mosher
DQ Billy Childs Jr.
MINI #1
1. Jim Childs
2. Adam Polvinen
3. Don Frechette
4. Jeff Prindall
5. Bob Guptill
6. Ashley Marshall
7. Dale Durgin
8. Darick Barker
MINI #2
1. Justin Karkos
2. Shane Kaherl
3. Butch Keene
4. Bill Irving
5. Kevin Bishop
6. Greg Watkins
7. John Cary
8. Dale Brackett
9. Wayne Warren
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Oxford Networks
Late Model
Allen's Coffee Flavored Brandy
Strictly and Mini Stock
Outlaw
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(207) 645-4571
Photos from
all OPS divisions!
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