OXFORD – The evolution of NASCAR racing over the last 15 years has transformed the True Value 250 into more of a regional short track championship than a national event.

There are, however, technically two drivers with recent Winston Cup experience in the field, plus a former Busch Series racer and two American Speed Association competitors.

Joe Bessey, now living in the Rangeley Lakes region after several seasons as a Busch racer and a Winston Cup start at New Hampshire International Speedway, will try to qualify Sunday for his second straight 250. Bessey won the pole and finished 21st last summer.

Perhaps the most eye-opening name on the entry list is Ted Christopher of Plainville, Conn. Christopher, who competed in a Winston Cup road course event at Watkins Glen, N.Y., several years ago, will drive a car owned by Carleton Robie.

Christopher’s resume includes numerous Featherlite Modified and Busch North victories, but he has never qualified for the 250. He tested Thursday at OPS and also will compete in a Modified touring event at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough tonight before returning to Oxford on Sunday morning.

Dale Shaw, who tackled the Busch circuit a few years ago with car owner James Finch, nearly winning a race at South Boston, Va., will start his 15th True Value event Sunday.

The other names of national note are Scott Fraser of Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia, and Strong’s Tracy Gordon. Fraser posted eight top-10 finishes in a two-year run with ASA, while Gordon started the current season with an ASA team. Each driver recently won a Pro All Stars Series event in preparation for the 250.

“We never really know who is going to be here until they show up,” said OPS owner Bill Ryan. “That’s one of the exciting things for me about True Value 250 weekend. I enjoy standing at the pit gate, watching the haulers drive up and hearing everybody whisper, ‘Who’s that?'”

Won’t spin to win

Ben Rowe of Turner has finished second in the True Value 250 twice and led the 1996 race with about a mile remaining when his car ran out of fuel.

The PASS champion and current point leader badly wants to hold the trophy his father, Mike, has claimed twice, but not badly enough to risk wrecking someone in the process.

“I won’t intentionally move someone out of the way,” said Rowe. “I’ll work ’em over pretty good, but I won’t run into somebody to win this race.”

There is historical precedent to indicate that those are more than good pre-race intentions. Rowe had an opportunity to use the chrome horn in 2000 and deny Ralph Nason an unprecedented third straight victory, but he elected to make his bid to the outside, instead, falling short by less than a car length.

Shaw’s security blanket

Nobody will rest as easily Saturday night as Shaw, who won the New England Dodge Dealers 100 at OPS in April and earned himself the first provisional starting spot should he fail to qualify in Sunday’s flurry of heat races.

“I’ll be able to concentrate on a night-time race set-up more than anybody,” said Shaw, who failed to qualify for last year’s 250 after his car’s motor expired in the final practice session.

Shaw is required to make every effort to qualify through the preliminary events and could improve his starting spot dramatically by doing so. How hard he races in the afternoon will depend on what number he plucks in the pre-race draw.

“If I’m out back, you won’t see me taking any foolish chances,” Shaw said.

Provisional land

Ryan indicated that he will significantly reduce the number of provisional and promoter’s option starters this year, saying that “39 or 40” drivers will start the race.

The only four drivers eligible for a provisional will be Shaw, the top Oxford regular in Saturday night’s ACT Dodge Tour race, the top non-qualifying OPS Pro Stock regular and the most recent past champion who fails to qualify.

Last year, Ryan guaranteed a starting berth to any past champion. Ralph Nason, Tom Rosati, Jamie Aube and Chuck Bown all took the back door into the 250, with only Nason (ninth) finishing in the top 25.

“It turned out to be a bad situation. Some guys didn’t have competitive cars. They were apologizing to me when I shook their hands during the pre-race ceremony,” Ryan said.

Mike Rowe (1984 and 1997), Derek Lynch (1994), Larry Gelinas (1996), Gary Drew (2001) and Scott Robbins (2002) are the only champions entered. The 63-yar-old Nason has not competed in a major Pro Stock event this season and has said that he will sit out the 250, as well.

Practice lost

OPS officials added an extra Friday practice to this year’s schedule, offering True Value 250 hopefuls a block from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. to address possible concerns about excessive tire wear on the newly paved asphalt surface.

Nature had other ideas. Steady morning rain and afternoon drizzle washed away that session as well as the weekly racing series program scheduled for Friday night.

The weekend forecast is for much brighter, warmer weather, and Pro Stock drivers will have ample practice time as the hours unfold. The track opens at 9 a.m. today and 8:30 a.m. Sunday. There is also a Pro Stock “happy hour” following tonight’s ACT Dodge Tour race.

koakes@sunjournal.com

Copy the Story Link