OXFORD – Carey Martin stood in shock as he realized what had just happened. The OPS veteran from Denmark was running in the top five as laps began to wind down in the 100-lap Late Model Stock feature when the entire complexion of the race changed.
Ron Charpentier appeared to have victory well in hand until a flat tire from contact with Canton’s Travis Adams sent him helplessly spinning out in Turn 3 on the final lap.
Martin snuck through to claim the Sun Journal 100 Iron Man Series event and earned a starting spot in next Sunday’s prestigious TD Banknorth 250.
“I can’t believe my eyes,” said Martin. “I thought Ron had us all covered, then he and Travis got together and it cost them dearly. I’m going to be in the 250 next week, and I’m just tickled to death.”
With just a few minor modifications, an LMS car can run competitively with Pro Stock machines.
Adams limped his car across the stripe to claim second, while Dave MacDonald of New Gloucester finished third. Defending points champion Shawn Martin came from deep in the field to claim fourth, while current point leader Chuck Colby rounded out the top five.
Finishing sixth through 10th were Nick Reno, Charpentier, David Bath, Kurt Hewins and Rangeley’s Mike Ferguson.
Three cautions slowed the pace, none for major incidents. Greene’s Jim Duguay led the first 28 circuits, then Charpentier took over and looked to be cruising toward an upset win for most of the distance.
Jeff Taylor, Shawn Knight, Jeff Merrill, Danny Smart and Jim Childs were also feature winners on an absolutely perfect night for racing at the famed 3/8-mile oval.
In early action, Merrill notched a wire-to-wire victory in the first of two 20-lap Strictly Stock features. The Roxbury driver built a sizable lead by halfway and claimed his first win of 2005. Sumner Sessions came from 12th on the grid to finish second. Rusty Gaghan battled with Sessions for several laps but settled for third, while Keith Stuart and Randy Snow completed the top five.
The race ran caution-free, a perfect way to start the evening’s program.
Smart took the lead from David Weir on lap four of the second Strictly Stock feature and held off a hard-charging David Vaughn to post the win. Vaughn came from eighth on the grid to finish second, while points leader Larry Emerson padded his margin with a solid third-place run. Zach Emerson and fan favorite Chris Coolidge rounded out the top five. Only two brief cautions slowed the event, both for minor incidents.
Childs powered around the outside of Jim Robbins on a lap-five restart and drove away from the field to win the 30-lap Mini Stock feature. Robbins was no match in the closing laps and settled for second, while Rich Sirois placed third. Dave Mooney and Dan Sirois kept their noses clean the entire race and completed the top five. Three cautions slowed the field, none for serious incidents.
Knight built nearly a full straightaway lead over the competition as he sped to victory in the 35-lap Limited Sportsman feature. The hometown favorite took over the point from early leader Marty Emerson on the third circuit and hung on for the win. Dennis Spencer Jr., runner-up in the points standings coming into Saturday’s race, helped his cause with a strong second-place run, while Kenny Harrison came from ninth on the grid to finish third. Buckfield’s Steve Bennett Sr. made a late-race charge on Harrison but fell just a half-car length at the stripe to claim fourth. Carey Martin was fifth.
Taylor, the eight-time OPS track champion, powered out around the outside of early leader Corey Morgan of Lewiston on lap 22 and literally drove away from the competition to notch the Oxford Networks Pro Stock feature win. This was the final tune-up for next Sunday’s TD Banknorth 250, and it appears as though Taylor is poised to contend for the win in short-track racing’s biggest show.
Brad Hammond came from fifth on the grid to finish second, while Scott King claimed third. Winthrop’s Jeff White and Kevin Kimball completed the top five.
Kimball appeared to have one of the only cars other than Taylor’s that would run fast in the outside lane.
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