OXFORD – Several of the biggest names in auto racing, including eight winners of the Daytona 500, have visited Oxford Plains Speedway to compete in what is now known as the Banknorth 250.

Not one driver from that storied list has taken the extraordinary step that young standout Kurt Busch is taking to prepare for this year’s race.

Busch, 25, took time out from his hectic Nextel Cup schedule Thursday to come to Maine and spend several hours at the 3/8-mile oval testing a car similar to the one he will drive next month at the Banknorth 250.

“We’re going to have some fun with it, but we’re also going to play it serious,” Busch said. “We’re going to do our homework after today so that we can come back and be prepared for the race.”

Busch and teammate Matt Kenseth, two of the top drivers on the Nextel Cup circuit, have both entered the 31st running of the Banknorth 250, scheduled for Sunday, July 18.

Once a popular stop for the top-flight NASCAR drivers because of its large purse, the race hasn’t featured any of the big names in NASCAR since 1992 because of scheduling conflicts. Largely due to the the presence of Busch and Kenseth, reserved seats for this year’s event are nearly sold out.

Kenseth, the defending Cup champion, is currently third in the points standings. Busch is sixth.

“We’ve got a win and some solid top 10 finishes,” said Busch. “But we’ve yet to build some consistency from one week to the next.

“We’re sixth in points, which isn’t bad. But we can do better.”

Busch drove several laps Thursday on the Oxford oval while testing several different setups on a car that is a carbon copy of the one he will drive next month. Much of his crew’s attention during the session was directed toward the springs and track-bar adjustments. The Oxford track reminds Busch of a quarter-mile layout in Arizona that he competed at during his younger days.

“This place is round,” said Busch. “You get to carry your momentum all the way around the track.”

His lap times were reportedly in the low 15-second range.

“We’re going to try to win or at least compete with the front runners,” said Scott St. John, Busch’s business manager and a native of nearby Harrison. “It was a no-brainer to want to come and check the equipment and get him comfortable with the facility – a place he’s never run.”

Unlike Kenseth, Busch is not even guaranteed a spot in the 250 race. As with all the other drivers, Busch will have to go through the qualifying heats to qualify for the field. It is a challenge Busch says he relishes.

A strong desire to return to auto racing’s roots, his knowledge of the race’s history and the free weekend on the Nextel Cup schedule all contributed to Busch’s decision to enter the 250. Another factor was St. John, who formerly worked on Tim Brackett’s pit crew at Oxford Plains before moving South to seek a paying job in the sport.

Brackett is supplying the car that Busch will drive.

Busch counts Maine’s Ricky Craven as one of his closest friend on the circuit. Their bond blossomed after Craven nipped Busch by inches in their legendary side-by-side battle last year at Darlington. Busch plans on using Craven, a past winner of the 250, as a resource in his bid to improve his chances.

“He said to come talk to him after I tested,” Busch said with a laugh. “He’s having some fun with it. Of course, I’ll bring back some questions for him.”

Jeff Gordon, Bobby and Davey Allison, Ernie Irvan, Terry Labonte, Mark Martin and Darrel Waltrip are just a few of the notable drivers who have raced at Oxford. But Busch hopes to accomplish something none of them ever have.

“To be among the list of drivers that have competed in it is one thing, but hopefully we’ll have the chance to go for the win toward the end of the race,” he said.

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