OXFORD – Late Model stock car driver Travis Stearns powered his way around veteran racer Donnie Wentworth on lap 19 and raced away to his first career victory in the Oxford Networks Late Model feature Saturday night at Oxford Plains Speedway.

Larry Emerson, Billy Childs Sr., Dottie Patria, Jim Archer and Nick Coates were also feature winners on Oxford Federal Credit Union night at the 3/8-mile paved oval. This was the second straight year for Oxford to celebrate Memorial Day weekend with a special fireworks show, and fans turned out to join the fun in big numbers.

In one of the fastest Late Model features run thus far in 2008, Stearns set a blistering pace while some of the division’s top guns battled their way through traffic. Gray’s Paul Bosse led the first seven circuits before Wentworth took command.

Ben Ashline brought out the event’s only caution on lap eight, but from there on out it was a wide-open run to the checkered flag.

“We destroyed this car last week,” said an elated Stearns in Victory Lane. “We lost the snout, the rear clip and even part of the center section. I have to thank so many people who helped get this thing back together, even rival driver Shawn Martin helped us hang the body. Thankfully Ricky (Rolfe) worked late all week and got it finished in time. It’s pretty crazy to be standing here right now.”

Former track champion Rolfe (2003) worked his magic all night, sliding through lapped traffic as Stearns tried to run off and hide. Rolfe drove from 13th on the grid to claim second at the line, but had nothing for Stearns in the late stages.

Denmark’s Carey Martin, a five-time Limited Sportsman champion at Oxford, ran within sight of the leaders throughout and finished a solid third, while defending and three-time Late Model champion Travis Adams was fourth. Wentworth faded to fifth in the late going but ran like a rocket for the first 20 circuits.

Fifteen of the 24 starters finished on the lead lap, while 22 were running at the finish. This was one of the most hard-fought battles seen in quite some time for the mighty Oxford Late Models.

In earlier feature action, Patria took the lead from Christina Spaulding on lap nine, survived two tenuous restarts and notched her second straight victory in the Ladies division. The Turner driver was the event’s fourth different leader, with Sue Veinott, Lisa Brooks and Spaulding all taking turns on the point. Spaulding hung on for second, while Lisa Vining came from shotgun on the field to claim third. Patria extends her points lead over fourth place finisher Kimberly Sessions, while Cathy Manchester completed the top five. Only two cautions slowed the pace. Kari’s Brown and Veinott each spun in turn 1 and put down some fluid on laps 16 and 17 respectively.

Archer passed Don Veinott on lap four and drove off to a convincing win in the first of two 20-lap features for the Chimney Tech Outlaw division. Jerry Goss came from ninth on the grid to claim second at the line, while Veinott hung on for third. Bubba Collins of Lewiston and Norway’s Leo Hatch completed the top five in a caution-free affair for the Wednesday night regulars.

Coates made easy work of the second Outlaw feature, but not until after a bizarre start to the race. The Lisbon driver was fourth on the 14-car grid, but came out on top of a weird lap one scuffle that involved polesitter Dennis Morang and several others. Shannon Judd finished right where he started in second, while local favorite Keith Landy of Oxford worked his way from sixth to third at the finish. Thom Bell and Zach Bowie filled out the top five in another caution-free run for this competitive entry-level division.

Emerson held off divisional strongman Skip Tripp to capture an exciting feature for the Strictly Stock warriors. The former champ from Durham covered a lot of ground to keep his machine out front, but never laid a fender against Tripp. Dave Brannon had his best finish of 2008 in third, while B.J. Chapman and Oxford veteran Kenny Harrison completed the top five.

Childs took command of the Mini Stock feature with just seven laps remaining and hung on for a comfortable victory. The Leeds driver steadily worked his way into contention after starting ninth on the grid, then made a clean pass on Matt Moore. Darrell Moore came all the way from 11th on the grid to claim second at the line, while Matt Moore was third.

Bob Guptill and “Wild” Bill Irving completed the top five in a caution-free affair for the Mini Stock gang.