Tim Brackett, Shawn Martin and Dennis Spencer Jr. have won a combined six Oxford Plains Speedway championships.

Together, they’ve carried the checkered flag on a Saturday night more than 80 times.

And each has finished in the top five at the biggest little race in the region, the TD Bank 250. Martin has ended on the leader board the last two years, in fact.

In a mythical, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”-style scenario, however, three of Oxford’s all-time best barely blink when asked what they would slide to the center of the table in return for a win in this Sunday’s 37th-annual summer classic.

“I’d trade all the championships and all the other wins for a 250 win,” said Spencer, who captured back-to-back titles in both Oxford’s Late Model (1999-2000) and Limited Sportsman (2004-05) divisions.

Martin migrated from Frenchville in Aroostook County a decade ago in part to pursue his racing career at Oxford.

Offered the same “deal,” he also accepted it in a heartbeat.

“Absolutely,” said Martin, a qualifier for the last five TD Bank 250s and Oxford’s Late Model champion in 2004. “I think that’s the dream of every Late Model driver in New England. That’s why we race.”

To race, perchance to dream? For most weekly OPS competitors, the concept of winning the crown jewel has remained exactly that, locked in a vault somewhere in fantasyland.

Saturday night-legal cars have been permissible to run in the 250 almost every year since Bob Bahre introduced the race in 1974. Only three times has one of those weekend warriors pulled off the victory.

The good news for the regulars is that each of those wins happened in the last 10 years, courtesy of Gary Drew (2001), Scott Robbins (2002) and Jeremie Whorff (2006).

Now, the bad news: Only tour-tested drivers have carried the hardware since the transition from pro stock to late model cars in ’07. Dale Verrill missed by less than car length that year. Each summer, Travis Adams and Ricky Rolfe have entered the fray among the pre-race favorites and have struggled.

Stealing the thunder from the likes of reigning race winner Eddie MacDonald and six-time American-Canadian Tour champion Brian Hoar typically requires experience. Brackett, Martin and Spencer wield plenty of it.

Brackett has qualified for the race 13 of the last 16 years, missing out only in 2000, ’03 and ’08.

Oxford’s 2005 Pro Stock champion was one of the drivers caught in the changeover from pro stocks to late models. He competed at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough for two summers before returning to his home track a year ago.

“It’s the same car, just jacked up in the air with different spindles. It’s kind of a mongrel,” Brackett said. “I probably would be better off with a new car. Maybe next year. But we’ve had this one since 2004, and it’s won a lot of races and never been out of the top two in points.”

He’s currently second in the Oxford weekly standings, six points behind Tommy Ricker.

Spencer and Martin are drivers in transition, too.

After finishing fifth in 2007 while driving for Colin Groves and ninth in 2008 at the helm of Conrad Childs’ machine, Spencer sat out not just the 250 but the entire ’09 campaign.

“I bought all Cole-Man’s (Groves’) stuff last year,” Spencer said. “I wanted to make sure I had everything I needed to do it right.”

That mission appears accomplished after two 40-lap feature wins in the six weeks leading up to the 250.

Martin has struggled by his own standards with a new car this season. He’s still sixth in Late Model points, however, one spot behind Spencer.

And in the areas where many non-touring drivers ultimately experience their downfall — patience and long-race experience — Martin thrives.

He is a multi-time winner in ACT competition at Oxford. Qualifying struggles don’t get him down, either. Martin finished fourth after starting 25th in 2008 and charged from 29th to fifth last year.

“It seems to suit my style more than a 40-lap Saturday night race does,” Martin said. “I’m the kind of guy how likes to analyze things and play that strategy game.”

Team and family strategy are part of Brackett’s 250 playbook. For the first time since 2006, his son T.J. also will try to qualify for the race.

Both father and son made the field in 2005.

“I seem to be good for 20 laps and he seems to be good for 100 laps this year,” Brackett said. “As long as a Brackett wins it, I won’t mind. Of course I’d like the check.”

And the trophy.

He likely has a few of each that he’d be willing to trade for it.

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