OXFORD – In a motorsports world of upstart, 175,000-seat superspeedways, $700 million exclusive sponsorship agreements and nationally televised races to the brink of saturation, the True Value 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway could be perceived as somewhat of a senior citizen.

Sunday evening will mark the 30th summer showcase at the 3/8-mile speedplant adjacent to Route 26. That makes the race roughly the same age, or a few whiskers older, than NASCAR stars Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick.

Its personality, however, is more reflective of “old-timers” Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin: Old Reliable.

Although the sport of auto racing has exploded beyond recognition, changing some key elements of the True Value 250 forever, it remains a race to which more than 10,000 spectators and 80 drivers pledge their allegiance each year.

Most of them declare without blinking that the race is as big, as good and as special as ever. Just as some die-hard followers will choose the nameplate on their family vehicle or even the paint on their house based on their favorite driver’s preferences, several of Maine’s premier Pro Stock drivers make OPS their weekly home throughout the summer with only one race in mind.

“I enjoy the people up there. Even when I raced at Beech Ridge (in Scarborough), when I wasn’t racing there, I was at Oxford,” said Mike Maietta Sr., a 49-year-old racer from South Portland who won nine championships at the speedway closer to home.

Why Oxford?

“To be honest, I want to be prepared for the 250,” Maietta said. “It’s a race I’ve had trouble with over the years, and racing there gives me a better opportunity to win it.”

With NASCAR traveling full-throttle into the consciousness of mainstream America in recent years, few short-track races of national scope are left standing on their own.

Oxford’s True Value 250 is an exception to that rule. It is the most prominent established independent race in New England, annually the largest one-day sporting event in Maine.

While some spectators daydream wistfully of the days when Martin, Bob Pressley, the late Butch Lindley and other nationally known short-trackers circled the race on their calendars, the proliferation of televised touring series with plush point funds have made that a page of racing’s past.

Maietta was one of six drivers attending Wednesday’s pre-race press conference at the Holiday Inn in Westbrook, and none traveled more than 75 minutes to get there. Most of the drivers attempting to qualify hail from Maine, New Hampshire and the Canadian maritimes.

Three secrets to the race’s success are the long-standing relationship with its title sponsor, a unique format and a hefty purse.

At 1 p.m., one hour before the start of Sunday’s race program, every True Value 250 hopeful will attend a driver’s meeting and secure his or her starting spot in a qualifying race via blind draw.

“I’m glad we don’t do time trials,” said defending champion Scott Robbins of Dixfield. “That’s not my style.”

“If you draw last (in the heat), you use your bumper if you have to,” added two-time winner Mike Rowe of Turner.

There’s a motivation for that mayhem. The winning driver will walk away with what amounts to an average year’s salary for many: a $25,000 windfall, plus $100 per lap led.

Robbins chalked up $36,900 last year. No winner has cashed a check for less than $31,000 since 1987.

“Thirty years is kind of a special thing. There are a lot of races that people come with that are a big for a year or two,” said Ryan. “This is one that Bob Bahre invented, and it has stood the test of time.”

Pro All Stars Series point leader Ben Rowe, OPS Pro Stock leader Andy Shaw and his uncle, Dale Shaw, also attended the pre-race function and are expected to threaten for the title. Dale Shaw is the only driver with a guaranteed starting spot by virtue of his New England Dodge Dealers 100 win at OPS in April.

Other early favorites include OPS regulars Gary Drew, Jeff Taylor, Billy Whorff, Ricky Rolfe and Brad Hammond; PASS drivers Scott Chubbuck and Dave Gorveatt; perennial challenger Scott Fraser of Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia; and Connecticut modified ace Ted Christopher.

Oxford’s annual “Speedweek” includes four racing events in five days, beginning with last night’s Big Apple Summer Series event. Weekly racing series action is scheduled at 7 p.m. Friday, with a 100-lap ACT Dodge Tour Late Model Sportsman encounter and a full card of supporting features at 6 p.m. Saturday.

Reserved seats remain available for Sunday’s race, with general admission seats on sale at 11 a.m. on race day.

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