OXFORD — Winthrop resident Cathy Thomas and her family knew early on her brother’s destiny would involve a race car running tracks at top speeds searching for a checkered flag.

“This is a lifelong family tradition,” Thomas yelled over the roar of 39 late-model cars gunning it at Oxford Plains Speedway during the 39th annual TD Bank 250.

Their mother went into labor with her brother, driver Jeff White, while watching his and Cathy’s father, Ron White, race at Oxford Plains Speedway back in 1965.

“From that day on, we knew racing was going to be his life,” Thomas said.

The No. 50 car driver, who runs the same number his father once used, certainly made his family proud with a 13th place finish. New Hampshire’s Joey Polewarczyk Jr. took home the checkered flag in his No. 97 Ford.

Thousands of enthusiastic race fans packed the Oxford Plains Speedway stands on both sides of the 3/8-mile asphalt track for the state’s largest annual car race. NASCAR’s Trevor Bayne, winner of the 2011 Dayton 500, placed 31st in Sunday’s race.

“It’s the adrenaline of watching people do what they love to do,” Michele Brown, 28, of Turner, said. “This race brings a majority of people to this area every year. It’s not just one race. It’s an entire weekend.”

Like Thomas, a personal connection as well as a love of racing brought Brown out to the track. Her babysitter growing up, Turner’s No. 10 Ben Rowe, followed in the footsteps of his father, three-time TD Bank 250 winner Mike Rowe. With Ben Rowe having already won two TD Bank 250 flags of his own, Brown came out to cheer on her friend in hopes Sunday would be the day he caught up to dad.

“He’s just so awesome. I love it,” Brown said. “My dad helped him start, so I’m going to keep watching him until he’s done.”

From lifelong fans like Thomas and Brown to best friends like Brinlyn Sargent and Briana Coady, both 10 and from Lewiston, the TD Bank 250 draws people from across the region year after year.

Sargent sported a hot-pink No. 15 Ben Ashline T-shirt. She said one of her favorite parts about auto racing is the crashes, even though it was a crash during the heats that ended the chances of her favorite Pittston racer.

“I always get a little worried because I hope the person in the car is OK,” said Sargent, who was attending her fifth TD Bank 250. “Ben Ashline is awesome, but he crashed his car really bad.”

While the fans enjoyed the weekend’s festivities, dozens of law enforcement and emergency personnel were on hand to make sure safety was definitely in the pole position.

Oxford police Chief Jon Tibbetts said officers from his department were assisted by police from Norway and Paris, as well as the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office and York County EMA throughout the weekend. He said emergency personnel from Oxford Fire and Rescue were also on hand throughout the weekend, as well as Otisfield Fire Department.

Additionally, Tibbetts said representatives from the State Fire Marshal’s Office were at the speedway Saturday night to assist police with any reports of illegal fireworks. He said he asked for representatives from the office to be on hand because they have more expertise in the state’s new law.

Overall, Tibbetts said the event is a great economic boost for the town, because people were shopping and staying locally. Like most big crowds, he said there were a few arrests over the weekend, mainly for drunk and disorderly conduct, but nothing major.

“They’re good. Ninety-nine percent of them are good, and then you got the one percent who aren’t, and we deal with the ones who aren’t,” Tibbetts said.

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