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By George Campbell

NASCAR Camping World Series racer Mike Johnson traveled north from his Massachusetts home & race shop to Oxford, Maine last weekend for the 36th Annual TD Banknorth 250. The 8-time NASCAR Camping World Series winner had never competed in the famous short track race, and in fact had only raced once at Oxford Plains, and that was in a NASCAR Busch North Series race several years earlier.

Johnson picked up his #96 Johnson Lumber / Brown's Construction late model car from Jeff Taylor's shop late in the week and unloaded at the track early Sunday morning. Just minutes into their first practice session, the team suffered a set back.

"We lost our transmission," Johnson said. "We just had it rebuilt, we thought we were all set but we ended up having to change that out and lost almost all of our practice time. We never had a chance to work on our set up for the race."

Mike drew a great starting spot for his qualifying heat, he would start on the pole for the fourth heat. Mike kept his #96 Johnson Lumber / Brown's Construction Ford in first place for close to half the race. The handling was off and he was eventually passed then after some contact he lost control and spun of the track, losing a lap. This would force him to try again in a consi-heat later in the day.

In the consi, he would start on the last row and gain a few spots before another spin would cost him a lap and keep him from contention, he would not qualify for the main event.

Mike was disappointed with the results in his first attempt to qualify for the TD Banknorth 250.

"I wish we had things together soon enough to get some practice in on Saturday," he said. "We were just a little late getting the car and everything together."

Mike will now return to the track he has had so much success at in his career, Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough, Maine. The American Canadian Tour (ACT) will return to the Beech Ridge Motor Speedway on Saturday, July 25, 2009.

Mike started his racing career running a late model at Beech Ridge in the 1990's. After he joined the NASCAR Busch North Series full time, this was the track that he had some of his best success, including two wins and a pole.

Mike will again have his #96 Johnson Lumber / Brown's Construction Ford late model, but expects to have better success in his second time out since getting the car from Taylor.

"I have a lot of great memories at Beech Ridge," Johnson said. "I started running down there in the 1990's and had some great races in the Busch North there, I'm looking forward to getting back there."

"We're going to have the Brown's Construction decals on the car again at Beech Ridge," Mike continued. "I got to meet the owner of the company at Oxford, and some of his workers and family. They seemed like a great group of people, some big race fans. I hope we can put on a good show for them at the Ridge."

The added incentive of winning at Beech Ridge is that the winner will be given an invitation to participate in the New Hampshire Motor Speedway ACT Invitational on Saturday, September 19. Mike has had some great races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and would love to earn one of the invitations to this inaugural late model race at the one-mile oval.