Brackett ends five-year drought with emotional OPS victory

OXFORD, Maine - Five years, including a championship season, passed since Tim Brackett's last feature win at Oxford Plains Speedway. Brackett also saw at least two previous podium finishes in 2009 unravel due to late-race spins.

Small wonder that Brackett sounded a little bit moved, even choked up, after collecting his 43rd career OPS checkered flag in the 40-lap Oxford Networks Late Model main event Saturday night.

Brackett put each of his 30-plus years experience to work in holding off another of the speedway's all-time greats, four-time champion Travis Adams, to prevail by a car length.

"I'm so glad this is finally over," Brackett said. "It was such a long time getting here."

Adams' late rally reduced Brackett's lead from a half-straightaway to a shadow over the final 10 laps. The current point leader settled for second, however, with Tommy Ricker a season-best third, Billy Childs Jr. fourth and Scott Robbins fifth.

Each of the three Championship Series winners pocketed his first victory of the year.

Tommy Tompkins dominated the 30-lap Allen's Coffee Flavored Brandy Strictly Stock feature, while Steve Barker put on a similar display in the Allen's Mini Stock main. Both races ran from wire-to-wire without a caution.

Tompkins, like Brackett, turned up the wick early in his race and parlayed it into an impressive victory. Skip Tripp used the outside lane to overtake KIm Tripp in an intense battle for second, with B.J. Chapman fourth and Jerry Harrison edging point leader Zach Emerson for fifth.

Barker, whose car sustained engine failure three weeks ago, has been one of the fastest four-cylinders ever since. It showed Saturday, when he cruised to his heat win and overtook Jeff Moon for the lead on lap 5 of the finale.

Standout rookie Calvin Rose Jr. made a terrific outside charge to second but never saw the caution flag he needed to make a bid at Barker. Justin Karkos, winner in three of his previous four starts, rounded out the top three in front of Darrell Moore and Larry Melcher.

Familiar faces reigned in Acceleration Series Agren Appliance Saturday Showdown activity.

Ryan Farrar claimed his third straight Call of the Wild RV Center Sport Truck victory, topping Jon Lizotte and Kevin Oliver. Ross Spurling was fourth and Jeff Schmidt fifth.

Kyle Hewins is 4-for-7 in an entertaining Macdonald Motors Runnin' Rebel campaign after his latest victory. Hewins shook off Zach Audet for the lead with five circuits remaining in the 20-lapper.

Defending Agren champ Troy Jordan took third, backed by John Childs and championship leader Matt Dufault.

The Senior Tour Auto Racers also made their annual visit to OPS, flexing the muscles of their crowd-pleasing 1970s modified cars and 1930s coupes.

OPS has a bust holiday weekend in store. Acceleration Series action cranks up Wednesday, July 1, followed by the first round of the Summer Slam Triple Crown with Tripls 50s for the Championship Series divisions on Thursday.

Maine State Lottery Fireworks Night punctuates the weekend on Saturday the Fourth. Start time each night is 6:30 p.m.

OXFORD NETWORKS LATE MODEL (40 laps): 1. Tim Brackett, Buckfield; 2. Travis Adams, Canton; 3. Tommy Ricker, Poland; 4. Billy Childs Jr., Leeds; 5. Scott Robbins, Dixfield; 6. Shawn Martin, Turner; 7. Don Wentworth, Otisfield; 8. Shawn Knight, South Paris; 9. Corey Morgan, Lewiston; 10. Travis Stearns, Auburn; 11. Nick Brown, Bath; 12. Bruce Haley, Minot; 13. Jeff White, Winthrop; 14. Wayne Helliwell Jr., Pelham, N.H.; 15. Gary Chiasson, Peru; 16. Ben Ashline, Pittston; 17. Gerald Parlin, South Paris; 18. Ron Charpentier Jr., Wales; 19. Matt Sanborn, West Baldwin; 20. Jason Larrabee, Raymond.

ALLEN'S COFFEE FLAVORED BRANDY STRICTLY STOCK (30 laps): 1. Tommy Tompkins, Dixfield; 2. Skip Tripp, Poland; 3. Kim Tripp, Oxford; 4. B.J. Chapman, Bridgton; 5. Jerry Harrison, Freeport; 6. Zach Emerson, Sabattus; 7. Mike Short, Auburn; 8. Larry Emerson, Durham; 9. Matt Williams, Brownfield; 10. Nick Hoyt, Mechanic Falls; 11. Keith Stuart, Naples; 12. Rick Spaulding, Lisbon; 13. Derek Farrington, Freeport; 14. Ed Burlock, Minot; 15. Ben Krauter, Raymond.

ALLEN'S COFFEE FLAVORED BRANDY MINI STOCK (30 laps): 1. Steve Barker, Jay; 2. Calvin Rose Jr., Turner; 3. Justin Karkos, Jay; 4. Darrell Moore, Mechanic Falls; 5. Larry Melcher, Livermore Falls; 6. Shane Kaherl, Jay; 7. Jeff Beaule, Lewiston; 8. Dan Morris, Auburn; 9. Kevin Bishop, South Paris; 10. Ashley Marshall, Jay; 11. Matt Moore, South Paris; 12. Jake Burns, Gray; 13. Jeff Moon, Gray; 14. Greg Watkins, Bridgton; 15. Jimmy Childs, Leeds; 16. Nik Coates, Lisbon; 17. Butch Keene, Turner; 18. Wayne Titus, Minot.

MACDONALD MOTORS RUNNIN' REBEL (20 laps): 1. Kyle Hewins, Leeds; 2. Zach Audet, Chesterville; 3. Troy Jordan, Turner; 4. John Childs, Leeds; 5. Matt Dufault, Turner; 6. Scott Farrington, Minot; 7. John Mason, Bethel; 8. Charlie Webster, Auburn; 9. Dana Cook, Auburn; 10. Jeff Hebert, Auburn; 11. Jamie Heath, Waterford; 12. Joe Turner, Norway; 13. Corey Beaulieu, Oxford; 14. Brandon Palmer, Bridgton; 15. Ryan Hewins, Leeds; 16. Brady Romano, Livermore Falls; 17. Mark Childs Jr., Mechanic Falls; 18. Roger Bourgoin, Sabattus; 19. Tyson Jordan, Poland; 20. Randy Desmarais, Auburn.

CALL OF THE WILD RV SPORT TRUCK (10 laps): 1. Ryan Farrar, Oxford; 2. John Lizotte, Mechanic Falls; 3. Kevin Oliver, Gray; 4. Ross Spurling, New Gloucester; 5. Jeff Schmidt, Mechanic Falls; 6. Jeremy Wagner, Bryant Pond; 7. Corey Williams, Sumner.