Locals Loudon bound

Ten Oxford Plains Speedway competitors are among 16 Maine drivers invited to upcoming test sessions at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in anticipation of September’s second-annual American-Canadian Tour Invitational.

From the 70 drivers approved for one of the two test sessions on August 17 and 18, 43 will earn a starting position in the race on Saturday, Sept. 18. That 60-mile race will be part of a tripleheader on the eve of the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Loudon.

Only eight competitors will be granted automatic berths, putting added emphasis on the day-long trials next month. ACT will announce the 43-car field after the test.

“We expect a totally different practice session this season having now experienced one invitational,” ACT president Tom Curley said. “There was a lot of anxiety going into NHMS last season, but this year teams know what to prepare for and what to expect. Certainly for the many new teams we are inviting for the practice sessions, this will be a race experience many have dreamed about, but the goal is to get teams comfortable for the September event.”

The top eight drivers in Oxford’s current point standings — Tommy Ricker, Tim Brackett, Scott Luce, Don Wentworth, Dennis Spencer Jr., Shawn Martin, Corey Morgan and Ricky Rolfe — all received invitations.

Part-time OPS competitors Jeff White and Travis Stearns also were selected.

Rounding out Maine’s delegation: Nine-time OPS champion Jeff Taylor; multi-time Pro All Stars Series and TD Bank 250 champ Ben Rowe; five-time OPS king Travis Adams; ACT regular Glen Luce; and teenage ACT rookies Bradley Babb and Austin Theriault.

Ford first, finally

After years without representation in ACT’s crate motor program, Ford stepped up to the podium in a big way at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough last Saturday night.

Joey Polewarczyk Jr. and Austin Theriault went one-two to represent the blue-oval brigade. Polewarczyk gave Ford its first victory in the late model series’ 15-year history.

Polewarczyk took the lead on lap 96 from fellow Ford campaigner Jeff Taylor, who ran second until a flat tire dashed his hopes.

Tim Brackett and Corey Morgan of OPS were third and fourth, respectively.