by Phil Whipple,Staff Writer

OXFORD – When the NASCAR Busch North Series makes its long-awaited return to Oxford Plains Speedway with the Fisher Snow Plows 150 tonight, three Maine-based drivers will garner much of the attenion.

Kelly Moore of Scarborough, his son Ryan and Cherryfield native Andy Santerre are all prominent names in northeastern short track racing with both the talent and good equipment needed to win.

Moore has two wins to his credit at Oxford, while Ryan got his start at Oxford, eventually earning the Late Model Stock championship before moving on to ACT competition. Santerre, the three-time and defending series champion, notched his first victory of the 2005 campaign last Saturday night at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Virginia. It was his 22nd career BNS win and put him atop the points standings with eight of 13 races completed.

While Kelly Moore is only competing in three events this year, his years of experience on the 3/8 mile oval could put him in Victory Lane later tonight. “I’m looking forward to going back,” he said. “I need to have good solid race, we’ve got a lot of fans up there and both of my major sponsors cover that area.” NAPA Auto Parts of Maine and the Bill Dodge Auto Group support Moore’s familiar No. 47 Chevrolet.

“I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform well for them, and I’m working hard to make sure Ryan’s program goes well, too. Actually, between running the family business and overseeing Ryan’s team, I have so much on my plate I had to cut back my own racing program. It was just too much work and I wasn’t getting enough sleep. Now, we’ve got Ryan’s program to where it’s successful and I can devote the time I need to business.”

To Ryan, the Fisher Snow Plows 150 is a real homecoming. Just four years ago, he was a Saturday night regular at the western Maine oval. “I’ve run a lot of races at Oxford and I have a lot of fans up there. I’m looking forward to seeing all of them, and will hopefully put on a good show for them. It’s different now from when I raced there, with new pavement and a wider back straightaway. we’ve run the Pro Stock there some so I kind of know where we need to be.”

Santerre made his debut in the Busch North Series in 1992, the last year NASCAR raced at Oxford. His quest for a fourth straight championship, dubbed the “Tour for Four” by his team, rolls into Oxford on a high note. After his win last week in Virginia, his point lead over Stefanik is a scant 15 markers, making each of the remaining five races.

As for favorites in the Fisher Snow Plows 150, Moore says the weekly top guns stand the best chance. “I think you have to look to the guys who run up front in the Busch North Series every week, like Mike Johnson and Andy Santerre. It’s a matter of who hits the set-up the best. The more practice we get Saturday, the better race we’ll have.”