By Phil Whipple,Staff Writer

OXFORD – Jeremie Whorff and Travis Adams drove to victory in their respective divisions Saturday night at Oxford Plains Speedway, putting in world-class performances on one of the most hotly-contested race programs seen thus far in 2006.

The entire program, including two 10-lap exhibition races by the Senior Tour Auto Racers (STARS) in their vintage machines, was run off in exactly two hours. Only two caution flags waved during the entire evening. It was one of the cleanest programs seen in years.

Whorff notched a victory in the headlining Oxford Networks Pro Stock division, while Adams was triumphant in the Agren Appliance Late Model Stock feature.

For Whorff, the victory couldn’t have come at a better time as the region’s Pro Stock teams prepare for the 33rd annual TD Banknorth 250 in a little more than three weeks. As he crossed the finish line, his father and OPS veteran Bill Whorff Jr., was quickly reeling him in.

“I don’t think my car was as good towards the end as it was early in the race,” said the Topsham driver. “I saw Dad coming in my rear view mirror there in the closing laps. I’m glad there were no cautions because he might have gotten me on a restart. I just put the car in a groove where it ran well and hung on the best I could. It feels great to be running this fast as we all get ready for the biggest race of the year.”

Eight-time champion Jeff Taylor padded his points lead with a solid third-place run, while Chris Kennison of Oxford and Newcastle’s Chuck Colby completed the top five.

Adams’ run to victory in the Late Model event was fairly uneventful. The 2003 champion from Canton took over the point from Doug Coombs on lap 14 and drove off to a commanding win.

“We’ve been running pretty well, but Shawn (Martin) has really had a fast car, too,” Adams said. “I’m just glad we didn’t have a caution from there on out, I’m not sure if I could have held him off or not. I had a Hilltop Pools and Spas T-shirt on tonight, maybe that did the trick. It just feels great to be standing here after such a fast-paced and competitive race.”

Martin definitely had a rocket ship underneath him again, wheeling his way up through the field from the 11th starting position with ease and into second place at the finish. Coombs settled for third, while Dennis Spencer Jr. and Carey Martin finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Only one caution waved for a spinning Katie Hagar on lap seven. The graduate of the Allison Legacy Series held the point the first four laps, then started to fade.

Brian McClure, Kurt Hewins and Jim Childs were also feature winners on Hilltop Pools and Spas night at the 3/8-mile oval.

In earlier feature action, Childs barely edged rookie Adam Polvinen of Minot to win one of the best Mini Stock features of the 2006 season. The former champion from Leeds took over the point from David Mooney on lap 10 and cruised to victory in a caution-free, 30-lap affair. Turner’s Butch Keene came from 14th to finish third, while Mooney faded to fourth at the end. Larry Melcher completed the top five.

Childs and Melcher are battling for the division championship with a 30-point advantage for Childs going into Saturday night’s event.

Hewins picked up his third victory of the season in the Strictly Stock feature. The Farmington driver started 19th on the 31-car grid, wheeled his way into the lead on lap 11 and cruised home to a convincing win. B.J. Chapman put on the best show of the race, battling side-by-side with Glen Henderson for what seemed like a dozen laps before claiming second at the finish. Henderson notched his best finish of 2006 in third, while OPS veterans Kim Tripp and Sumner Sessions rounded out the top five.

Amazingly, only one caution slowed the proceedings as the Strictly Stock gang went four-wide at times.

McClure became the seventh different winner in nine Limited Sportsman features run thus far in 2006. The Buxton driver earned his first career victory at Oxford after running previously at the Beech Ridge Motor Speedway. McClure took over the point from early leader Matt Williams on lap 17 and drove off into the sunset for a well-savored win. Saco’s Terry Merrill came from fifth on the grid to finish second, while point leader Carey Martin of Denmark helped his cause with a solid third.

Kenny Harrison started seventh and worked his way up to fourth at the finish, while Williams faded to fifth. Once again it was a caution-free affair for the Limited Sportsman gang.