PORTLAND – After the longest off-season in recent memory, Oxford Plains Speedway kicks off its 2009 schedule this Sunday with the New England Dodge Dealers 150 for the American-Canadian Tour (ACT).

Drivers and officials from the speedway gathered Wednesday for the annual pre-season media day. There to discuss the upcoming season was four-time and defending Late Model division champion Travis Adams, former Late Model champion and two-time ACT winner Shawn Martin, Late Model veteran Tim Brackett, ageless veteran Al Hammond, Gerald Parlin, Tommy Ricker, Strictly Stock veteran Mike Short and 2008 Ladies’ division champion Dottie Patria.

Track owner Bill Ryan shared his enthusiasm for the new season of racing, describing a few changes made during the off-season which should please most fans.

“We’ve got a very ambitious schedule in place this year,” said Ryan. “We’re starting a little bit later than we’ve done in the past, and will race a bit later into the fall. Right now, the speedway grounds are drying up nicely. Fans won’t have to deal with a muddy parking lot as in past years when we opened in April.”

Along with the later opening and closing dates, Oxford will also try a few Thursday night races in 2009. Over in the Green Mountain State of Vermont, they’ve been racing on Thursday nights at Thunder Road for years with a great deal of success. While Oxford has no plans of switching to Thursdays full-time, there is good reason for the experiment.

“One thing we want to make sure we do this year is provide our racers with plenty of points races,” Ryan explained. “They all put a great deal of effort into building and maintaining their cars, so we need to be sure they have ample opportunity to race them. We think these Thursday shows will do that, while also adding a new twist for the fans. If they choose to do something else on the weekend, they’ll still be able to get their racing fix on Thursday night.”

Among the hot topics as the season opener draws closer is the first-ever ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 19. To qualify, you must win an ACT Tour race, or be leading the Late Model points at an ACT-affiliated track as of September 17. To say this has created a buzz among local Late Models teams is a huge understatement.

“I’d like nothing more than to get that out of the way this Sunday,” said Brackett. “Everybody I’ve talked to is very excited about the opportunity to race at Loudon. But we also know that competition is tough, both on the ACT tour and at Oxford’s weekly shows. My car was fast in the two practice sessions I’ve had, so we’re confident going into Sunday’s 150.”

Adams suffered a huge loss during the off-season with the passing of his father. Known as the backbone of the No. 03 team from Canton, Don Adams was a well-respected fixture in Oxford’s pit area. As anybody who grasps the family-oriented nature of racing will understand, his passing changes things for the multi-time champion.

“This will be my 11th year of racing at Oxford,” Adams said. “We had planned to back down some this year anyway for family reasons, but we’re definitely cutting back now. It will be difficult to press on without Dad, but we do intend to run 10 to 12 races this year. We’ll focus on the extra-distance shows, especially the ACT races. I hope we can be as strong as ever in 2009.”

Fans will be pleased to learn that despite the rising cost of almost everything these days, admission prices at Oxford will remain the same in 2009.

While there is a great deal of attention focused on the ACT races this year, Oxford’s big show will once again be the famed mid-summer classic known as the TD Banknorth 250. This year’s short track extravaganza is set for Sunday, July 19, and will feature former NASCAR champion (1989) and ESPN analyst Rusty Wallace as Grand Marshall. Rusty’s son Steve and younger brother Kenny will both compete in this year’s 250. Last year, NASCAR star Kevin Harvick stole the headlines when he won the 250 in his first attempt.

Qualifying races for the New England Dodge Dealers 150 begin at 2 p.m. Oxford’s Strictly Stock, Mini Stock, Outlaw and Runnin’ Rebel divisions will also see action. The track will begin its regular weekly shows on Saturday, May 23.