SOUTH PARIS – Despite the second driving rainstorm to affect central Maine in less than a week, race drivers, officials and touring series directors gathered to talk auto racing Wednesday.
Oxford Plains Speedway will open its 2005 season Saturday with the New England Dodge Dealers 150. The race is sanctioned by the Pro All Stars Series (PASS), reuniting the tour with OPS after a two-year absence. Oxford’s regular weekly divisions will also run feature races.
During the annual pre-season media luncheon, track owner Bill Ryan Jr. outlined an ambitious 2005 schedule, loaded with several high-profile touring series events, along with a healthy slate of weekly racing programs.
Creating the most excitement among visiting tours is the long-awaited return of the NASCAR Busch North Series. The Fisher Snowplows 150 will run August 27, and Ryan says fans are already calling the speedway.
“News of the Busch North Series’ return to Oxford has been very well received by our fans,” Ryan said. “Busch North got its start here back in 1987, and still has a large following in this region. This could easily be the second biggest event of the year behind the Banknorth 250.”
The 32nd running of the Banknorth 250 on July 31 will draw the most attention. Just last week, the speedway announced that Nextel Cup star Matt Kenseth will compete in the 250 again this summer, with another driver to be announced in the coming weeks.
“Besides all the excitement generated from having Nextel Cup drivers involved, I think the big question is can Ben Rowe make it three straight this year,” Ryan said.
The Turner native kicked off the 2005 PASS season last weekend with a victory at White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, N.H. He and his father, Mike, will be among the favorites when the green flag waves Saturday evening.
Mike Rowe, who admits to having difficulty in time trials, captured the Sunoco Pole Award last weekend and was in the hunt to win until contact with Ricky Rolfe sent his machine spinning.
“If our car is anywhere near as strong this week as it was at White Mountain, we’ll have a good shot to win,” he said. “I’m with a new team, and we’ve got great equipment.”
If he does cross the finish line first Saturday, it would be his 150th career win at OPS.
Other touring series of interest on the schedule include the return of the ISMA Supermodifieds, the Vermont-based American-Canadian Tour (ACT) and, new for 2005, the Ford Focus Midget Series. Fans of open-wheel racing have plenty to choose from in a wide mix of events.
Perhaps creating the biggest buzz during the offseason was the news that the speedway will now utilize an electronic timing and scoring system for its weekly racing divisions. This is the same system used by touring series such as PASS and Busch North, and will eliminate errors in scoring.
“There will be certainly be a learning curve with the new system,” Ryan said. “But we’ll still have our regular scorers in place just in case they’re needed. We feel strongly that the benefits to our racers will far outweigh the cost factor involved.”
With the advent of the new system, teams had to purchase their own transponders. While that may have been difficult for some teams, Ryan said that it is a one-time purchase that can potentially save a great deal of trouble throughout the racing season.
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