OXFORD — Three-time Oxford Plains Speedway champion Tim Brackett will partner with Oxford Hills Middle School’s Aspire Higher race team for next weekend’s 43rd annual HP Hood Oxford 250.
Brackett, who won titles at the track in 2005, 2010 and 2015, is currently leading the Super Late Model point standings. This opportunity with the students of OHMS allows him to eliminate the risk of damage to the car he uses on a weekly basis, while still putting him in a competitive ride for the race he’d love to win.
“The kids and everybody involved with our program are more than excited about this deal,” Aspire higher program director Kyle Morey said. “Tim is obviously a master at Oxford. We had a test session together a few days ago, and he was very impressed with our car. I think with him behind the wheel we’ll have a decent chance at a solid finish in the 250.”
Spencer Morse, of Waterford, got the students rolling in this program as their original driver. Not long ago, he bought the car from the school and started his own team. The Aspire Higher team recently purchased a car from rising star Reid Lanpher. The students are also working on a new car for 2017, yet had a strong desire to put somebody in the car they just bought for the famed 250.
In the most recent PASS race at Oxford, Ryan Vanesse, a multi-time feature winner at Seekonk Speedway (Massachusetts) drove the Aspire Higher car. The program may partner with Vanesse again for a few races in the future, but for now, the focus is on next weekend and getting Brackett comfortable and fast.
“I’m excited about working with the kids for this race,” Brackett said. “We made a few changes to the car in that test session on Wednesday, and it responded well. This deal allows me to just focus on driving instead of worrying about all the other duties that go along with running my own car.
“We tend not to make any big changes to my car week-to-week. It’s been running strong this year, although we didn’t have a great month on July. In this deal, if we want to try some things or take a big swing at the setup, we can do that. I think this will be a great learning experience for the students. I sure hope we can have a solid run together next weekend.”
As the Oxford 250 draws closer, the list of entries grows almost day-by-day. The latest addition to that list is none other than Fort Kent native Austin Theriault, who finished third in 2011 and 2012. With the mix of drivers planning to compete, this promises to be one of the most competitive races in years.
“There will be a lot of good cars battling just to make the show, much less trying for the win,” Brackett added. “I’m looking forward to having a little less stress than when I’m driving my own car. I can’t wait to dive in for practice next Friday and try to put a smile on those kids’ faces.”
pwhipple@sunjournal.com
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