OXFORD – Gary Chaisson lost his Big Apple Summer Series Showdown race last year on the last lap. Perhaps that indignity stoked his competitive fires sufficiently enough to fuel his championship run this season in the Runnin’ Rebel division.

And just in case he hadn’t accomplished enough to heal last autumn’s wound, Chaisson took care of the final detail. He drove to the low side of Wade Brown in the final turn to swipe the 50-lap victory and a $500 payday Sunday afternoon at Oxford Plains Speedway.

“Last year, I lost it on the last lap. This year, I got it on the last lap,” said Chaisson. “I didn’t think I could drive around (Brown), so I was just waiting, hoping he would slip up.”

It was a grand day for runner-ups yearning to do themselves one better in the second-annual open competition finale for Oxford’s successful Wednesday night series.

Bob Washburn, last year’s bridesmaid in the Outlaw race, held off Skip Douglass Jr. after the lone restart on lap 31 to capture the main event for eight-cylinders.

The winning drivers also excelled in qualifying races that trimmed a field of more than 75 hopefuls to a 36-car starting grid in each division.

Jerry Goss drove to victory in a 50-lap Sport Truck race, while Debbie Martin set the pace in a 35-lap Ladies event.

Only five caution flags slowed the entire feature lineup.

Chaisson was running second to Brown with four laps to go in the Rebel encounter when the top four cars nearly wrecked in their effort to avoid the spinning car of Matt Moore.

“I’ve never been in so many accidents in one race before,” said Chaisson, who started 10th in the field.

Moore, who shadowed early leader and fellow Beech Ridge Motor Speedway regular David Moreau for most of the race, steered to the high side and accelerated from third to first in the exchange. Chaisson held onto second and stayed in Brown’s tire tracks until the opportunity arose to make his winning move.

Adam Polvinen, Moreau and Mark Childs completed the top five.

Washburn took the Outlaw lead from Douglass in traffic on lap 25. The race was red-flagged six circuits later when Steve Moon and Josh Paradis crashed hard into the frontstretch wall. Both drivers walked away uninjured.

After controlling the restart, Washburn never enjoyed more than three car lengths on Douglass until the checkers waved.

“That was an absolute blast,” said Washburn.

“I blocked a lot. I used more of that track than I ever deserved.”

Dale Reno drove around Mike Ballard late in the race for third, with season champ Jim Davis Jr. fifth.

Martin overtook Ladies track champion Stephanie Bowie on lap 16 and kept her at bay until the finish. Martin won one race during the regular-season.

“I knew she would have to go around me,” said Martin.

Bowie beat Pam Morgan, Tina Springer and Christina Spaulding to the stripe..

Goss and Ray Letellier swapped the top spot four times in the final 20 laps of the truck race.

Letellier bumped the curb while racing a slower car with six laps to go, giving Goss a full second of breathing room.

“When we got by me the first time, I was just hoping I’d get another chance to pass him out in the open. You never know what can happen,” said Goss.

Jim Short moved up to the third in the running order when Mike Blue’s truck failed post-race inspection. Gary Perkins and Chris Watson followed.

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