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NEWS
July 30, 2009
"Two Lap Tommy" Ricker
rallies to first career Oxford Networks Late Model victory
OXFORD, Maine - Hey, if you're going to wait until you're 53 years
old until posting your first top-division feature victory at your
home track, you might as well do it in style.
Tommy Ricker raced into the Oxford Plains Speedway history book with
a flair Thursday night, driving around Shawn Martin, Jeff White and
Don Wentworth over the final 20 circuits to win a special 60-lap
Oxford Networks Late Model event as part of the Agren Appliance
Summer Slam triple crown series.
"Patience, patience, patience," Ricker said, referring to
both his nearly three full seasons in a Late Model and his measured
approach to the added-distance event. "Maybe that's what I've
learned being an old man out here."
Ricker, known affectionately as "Two Lap" for the
mechanical maladies that seemed to strike him earlier in his career,
actually won a combined 15 features in the Charger and Limited
Sportsman divisions between 1988 and 2006.
He made the jump to Late Models in '07, posting a handful of second
and third-place finishes along with car owner Rudy Kyllonen Jr.
Wentworth led from lap 12 until Ricker made his winning move on lap
50. It took Ricker nearly five full laps to fully close the door on
Wentworth and drive away.
"I wish the 60-lapper had been maybe 54 or 55 laps," said
Wentworth, who has raced against Ricker off-and-on for 20 years.
White was third, with Martin holding off Adams for fourth.
The Allen's Coffee Flavored Brandy Strictly Stock and Mini Stock
divisions also waged their own segments of the Triple 60s, with Skip
Tripp and Jimmy Childs scoring the victories.
Reigning Strictly champion and current point leader Tripp posted his
fourth victory of the year, landing the lead from Zach Emerson on
lap 22 of a caution-free encounter.
"We were great in the last practice," said Tripp.
"Then I tried something different in the heat race and we were
terrible. So we went back to what we had, and the car was a little
tight, but I can't complain because I got the win.
Emerson prevailed in a five-car battle for second, one that broke up
when Larry Emerson and Matt Williams tangled late in the event.
Mike Short steered clear to claim third, with Mike St. Germain
elevated to fourth and Jon Brill fifth.
Childs picked up his third Mini Stock triumph of the summer in
strange fashion, The two-time division champ lost the lead to Adam
Polvinen and regained it four different times, with Polvinen
appearing to slow down and allow Childs to catch up each time.
Polvinen, who charged from last in the field to the lead in 30 laps,
was erased from the finishing order for using unapproved tires.
"It's a little easier starting closer to the front, but with
the season I've had, I'll take it," Childs said. "I
qualified for the (TD Banknorth) 250 in my Late Model, and it was
the best thing that ever happened to me. It showed me how wide this
track really is, and I drove this car a lot differently tonight
because of it."
Steve Barker held off point leader Justin Karkos in a furious but
fun battle for what was ultimately second. Jake Burns and Kevin
Bishop rounded out the top five.
The three Championship Series divisions will return to action along
with the Acceleration Series Outlaws and Ladies at 6:30 p.m.
Saturday. Oxford's annual Summer Celebration includes a giant
fireworks display after the races.
OXFORD NETWORKS LATE MODEL (60 laps)
Fin. (Start) No., driver, hometown, laps completed
1. (3) #6 Tommy Ricker, Poland, 60
2. (2) #63 Don Wentworth, Otisfield, 60
3. (4) #50 Jeff White, Winthrop, 60
4. (1) #94 Shawn Martin, Turner, 60
5. (9) #03E Travis Adams, Canton, 60
6. (6) #26 Corey Morgan, Lewiston, 60
7. (11) #15 Ben Ashline, Pittston, 60
8. (10) #60 Tim Brackett, Buckfield, 60
9. (8) #25 Shawn Knight, South Paris, 60
10. (17) #55 Kurt Hewins, Leeds, 60
11. (15) #52M Sam Sessions,
South Paris, 60
12. (19) #12 Nick Brown, Bath, 42
13. (18) #1 Al Hammond, Paris, 41
14. (13) #71 Gary Chiasson, Peru, 40
15. (5) #8 Gerald Parlin, South Paris, 32
16. (10) #07 Scott Luce, Strong, 28
17. (16) #1C Billy Childs Jr., Leeds, 13
18. (7) #51 Ricky Rolfe, Albany Township, 10
19. (14) #85 Travis Stearns, Auburn, 5
Lap leaders: S. Martin 1-11, Wentworth 12-49, Ricker 50-60.
Cautions: 2 (laps 5, 5)
Time of race: 26 minutes, 28.674 seconds
Margin of victory: 0.403 seconds
Fast lap: Jeff White, 16.476 seconds
ALLEN'S COFFEE FLAVORED BRANDY STRICTLY STOCK (60 laps)
Fin. (Start) No., driver, hometown, laps completed
1. (3) #12 Skip Tripp, Poland, 60
2. (1) #23 Zach Emerson, Sabattus, 60
3. (5) #56 Mike Short, Auburn, 60
4. (10) #777 Mike St. Germain, Auburn, 60
5. (11) #77 Jon Brill, Bridgton, 60
6. (2) #24 Larry Emerson, Durham, 60
7. (13) #14 Dave Brannon, Lisbon, 60
8. (4) #81 B.J. Chapman, Bridgton, 60
9. (7) #0 Sumner Sessions, South Paris, 58
10. (14) #43 Bob DiPompo, Jay, 59
11. (15) #88 Derek Farrington, Freeport, 51
12. (9) #63 Matt Williams, Brownfield, 47
13. (8) #42 Kim
Tripp, Oxford, 21
14. (6) #88D Nick Hoyt, Mechanic Falls, 16
15. (12) #36 Rick Spaulding, Lisbon, 3
DNS #00 Jeff Merrill, Turner
Lap leaders: Z. Emerson 1-22, S. Tripp 23-60.
Cautions: None
Time of race: 18 minutes, 46.360 seconds
Margin of victory: 2.302 seconds
Fast lap: Mike Short, 18.448 seconds
ALLEN'S COFFEE FLAVORED BRANDY
MINI STOCK (60 laps)
Fin. (Start) No., driver, hometown, laps completed
1. (2) #10 Jimmy Childs, Leeds, 60
2. (4) #55 Steve Barker, Jay, 60
3. (7) #51 Justin Karkos, Jay, 60
4. (6) #47 Jake Burns, Gray, 60
5. (10) #08 Kevin Bishop,
South Paris, 60
6. (5) #12 Darrell Moore, Mechanic Falls, 60
7. (3) #33 Dan Morris, Auburn, 60
8. (1) #19 Shane Kaherl, Jay, 60
9. (8) #31 Jeff Beaule, Lewiston, 60
10. (13) #29 Greg
Watkins, Bridgton, 57
11. (15) 325 Ken Daigle Jr., Lisbon, 56
12. (11) #8 Calvin Rose Jr., Turner, 56
13. (9) #77 Ashley Marshall, Jay, 39
14. (14) #18 Nik Coates, Lisbon, 32
15. (12) #14 Matt
Moore, South Paris, 20
16. (16) #35 Dale Brackett, Oxford, 3
17. (17) #16 Larry Melcher,
Livermore Falls, 2
DQ #73 Adam Polvinen, Oxford
Lap leaders: J. Childs 1-60.
Cautions: 2 (laps 3, 33)
Time of race: 31 minutes, 45.897 seconds
Margin of victory: 2.332 seconds
Fast lap: Justin Karkos, 18.277 seconds
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