Theriault Homecoming At Oxford 250

Episode 119

August 21, 2016

Wyatt Alexander on left with Austin Theriault prior to UNOH 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Could they both be involved in NASCAR in the future? Photo courtesy Chris Roy Photography

Wyatt Alexander on left with Austin Theriault prior to last September’s UNOH 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The two young men will be competing against each other in the H.P. Hood Oxford 250 next Sunday.Photo courtesy Chris Roy Photography

43rd Annual HP Hood Oxford 250 Next Sunday

One of the most anticipated races this year is Sunday the 28th at Oxford Plains Speedway. Fifty five entries from primarily the northeast and the Maritimes were reported as of the 18th on the Oxford 250 website.

The race is a virtual who’s who in the Super Late Model ranks. Will Glen Luce become a repeat winner. Will the winner be a newcomer? All those questions will be answered late next Sunday evening. With $25,000 to win I am sure it will be exciting.

I am recruiting a couple of County guys who are making the trek, Derek Jepson from Caribou and Gary Saucier from Fort Fairfield to be my eyes in the grandstands and to get post race comments.

With over 400 races in the Northwest Super Late Model Series, Spokane, Washington's Garret Evans is making the 3,300 mile trek to compete in the Oxford 250. He is fresh off his win Friday night at the 1/2 mile high speed Spokane Super Oval. Garret Evans Racing photo

Five time champion in the Northwest Super Late Model Series, Spokane, Washington’s Garret Evans is making the 3,300 mile trek to compete in the Oxford 250. He is fresh off his latest win Friday night at the 1/2 mile high-speed Spokane Super Oval. Garret Evans Racing photo

Will Evans Be the Next Northwestern United States Oxford 250 Winner Since Chuck Bown in 1990?

Garret Evans from Spokane, Washington is trekking eastward to compete in the 43rd running of the Oxford 250. He has over 400 career wins and 5 championships to his name. Will he pose a serious threat to become the next winner from the northwestern region of the United States? No one from the area has claimed the title since Chuck Bown won his second 250 in 1990. Bown went on to win the Busch Series (now Xfinity Series)  title that year as well.

Wyatt Alexander Racing (WAR) headquarters in Ellsworth where two cars are being prepared for the Oxford 250. WAR photo

Wyatt Alexander Racing (WAR) headquarters in Ellsworth where two cars are being prepared for the Oxford 250. WAR photo

WAR Preps for 250

With two cars available which the team calls the white car and the black car for the 250, Wyatt Alexander is making his second attempt to make the show. At last year’s race the team fell short in their initial foray. The team has taken the last several weeks to get both cars in tip-top condition for the 43rd running of the 250.

Could Alexander become the next dark horse to win the 250? The team goals are to make the race through the heat races, finish in the top ten and have fun doing it.

Austin Theriault Racing Returns to the 250

With an off weekend in his NASCAR K & N Series schedule, Fort Kent native, Austin Theriault returns to Maine with a new car prepared for this race. The car, similar to a Hamke chassis, is being prepared at Lucas Jones Racing shop in Mooresville, North Carolina.

Lucas Jones’ dad Will, prepares bodies for the Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series. They just got the Theriault race car body hung last week. With the help of some crew from Maine the team will be at the track later this week.

Theriault announced one of the Maine sponsors will be Daigle Oil Company who have been with AT Racing in the past. Other sponsors will be announced soon.

The back up spotter from  #19 Brad Keselowski Racing will accompany Theriault to the track as well as Bruce Bender from Mooresville.  Bender helps out with tires on the K & N car.

Theriault placed third in 2011 and 2012. In 2013 he placed 4th. He can’t wait to see how the track has changed since he last went there if it has changed at all.

I asked Theriault about the recent K & N race at Watkins Glen where he finished 20th after a wheel bearing failure. “It’s a really special track”, said Theriault. ” To say I have been there and raced certainly looks good on my professional resume.”

“It is a very fast road course which is kinda fun to run”, he said. “There is a lot of history made at that track with all the series that race there.”

Tim Brackett To Race Aspire Higher SLM

Phil Whipple reported in the Sun Journal that Tim Brackett of Buckfield will be in the seat of the Oxford Middle School Aspire Higher SLM at next weeks Oxford 250. Last year’s driver Spencer Morse bought the #0 Aspire car and is campaigning it on his own at this year’s event.

The Oxford Middle School student team recently acquired the Reid Lanpher car which Brackett will run. Brackett is currently the points leader at Oxford Plains Speedway in the SLM Division.

According to Whipple’s article Brackett said, “…I can’t wait to dive in for practice next Friday and try to put a smile on those kids faces”.

Say hello when you see me at the 250 next Sunday please.

Tim Sheets, Justin White, Daniel Smith in back Front left to right Todd Drakulich, Stan Doolittle, and Michael Morneau. Mike Morneau photo

In back l to r  Justin White, Daniel Smith, Stan Doolittle.  Front l to r Tim Sheets,  Todd Drakulich,  and Michael Morneau. Mike Morneau contributed photo

A Week Off In Maine Must Have Worked

As reported last week Michael “Shrek” Morneau and family took advantage of the off week in Sprint Cup schedule by coming home to visit family in Maine. The time in Maine must have paid off. The number 4 crew provided Kevin Harvick with excellent pit stops which put Harvick in the Winner’s Circle in the rain delayed Bass Pro Shops NRA 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway Sunday afternoon.

Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart celebrated after the race by doing synchronized burnouts on the front straight. Check it out on You Tube. It was a fitting way for Tony to say good-bye to the venerable old speedway for the last time as a Sprint Cup driver.

RYAN Motorsports Win Again At Speedway 660

The youngster Ryan Messer of Harvey, New Brunswick showed he could make a comeback in racing action Saturday night in Geary, New Brunswick. I have been following this team’s exploits since they raced at Spud Speedway in the Atlantic Modified series a couple of years ago.

Crew chief and Dad, Robb Messer said this about their third win of the season, “We’re really happy with our run last night. We knew we had a good car but weren’t able to make any ground in our heat race”

“After starting deep in the field for the feature, Ryan quickly worked his way up into the top 4. But near half way he got together with another car and lost a few positions. Then mired in heavy traffic he got shuffled all the way back to 8th before starting to march back towards the front”

” With 10 to go, Ryan was back to 4th when the 2nd & 3rd place cars were involved in a caution, putting Ryan on the front row for the restart. From there, he was able to take the lead and get the win. We now take a narrow point lead headed into the last points race of the season next weekend.” (note that is Championship weekend at Speedway 660)

Speedway 660’s Speedweekend 2016 begins  Friday September 2 in the  evening with the Annual Corn Boil and live band. Saturday the third will feature the Late Model Sportsman 150 which Ryan Messer is entered as well as the Maritime League of Legends 50 and Atlantic Modified Series 35.

The McLaughlin Roof Trusses 250 will highlight the Sunday races. The supporting cast will include Street Stock 50, Four Cylinders 30 and the Bandoleros 30.

 

L to r Haney's Building Specialties Junior Champ Kart podium finishers  presented by Advance Auto Parts of Caribou Bryan Searles, Presque Isle winner, Rick Pelkey Advance Auto Parts representative, Noah Coventry, Van Buren second, and Hunter Bennett, Prospect third. Stephanie Ball photo

L to r Haney’s Building Specialties Junior Champ Kart podium finishers presented by Advance Auto Parts of Caribou Bryan Searles, Presque Isle winner, Rick Pelkey Advance Auto Parts representative, Noah Coventry, Van Buren second, and Hunter Bennett, Prospect third. Stephanie Ball photo

Northern Maine Kart Association(NMKA) Spud Speedway Friday Night Kart Series Results

The NMKA welcomed the Bennett Racing Junior Champ KartTeam from Prospect to the track last Friday evening as part of the Spud Speedway Friday Night kart series. The team finished well and hopes to return to the Caribou track for at least the season closer races on September 10th.

Spud Speedway Kid Karts
1st Gage Theriault
2nd Parker Bosse
3rd Avery Lloyd
4th Kayden Haines

Haney’s Building Supply Junior Champ Karts
1st Bryan Searles
2nd Noah Coventry
3rd Hunter Bennett

Aroostook Savings and Loan Senior Champ Karts
1st Damian Theriault
2nd Jason Theriault
3rd Tom Hale

2016 Season Standings

Kid Kart participation only, no points races

Junior Champ Karts
Bryan Searles 134
Noah Coventry 117
Brayden Thibodeau 12
Hunter Bennett 11

Senior Champ Karts
Damian Theriault 146
Jason Theriault 107
Tom Hale 92
Chase Chandler 21

Next race will be Friday, August 26th @ 6:30 PM. Free grandstand admission and $10 for pit area access.

In racing at Richmond Karting Speedway NMKA  Junior Champ Kart points leader Bryan Searles placed seventh in Boxstock class.

Top five finishers in the Senior Animal Engine class at Richmond Karting Speedway were Damian Theriault 5th, Curtis Anderson 4th, Christian hanscom 3rd, Spencer barth second and nathan Barth winner. County connected karts took three of the top five positions, Theriault for Team JRT ,Anderson and Hanscom for Last Chance Motorsports. Team JRT photo

Top five finishers in the Senior Animal Engine class at Richmond Karting Speedway were Damian Theriault 5th, Curtis Anderson 4th, Christian Hanscom 3rd, Spencer Barth second and Nathan Barth winner. County connected karts took three of the top five positions, Theriault for Team JRT ,Anderson and Hanscom for Last Chance Motorsports. Team JRT photo

So What’s Going On In the HTF Motorsports Garage This Week?

My neighbors Emma and her Dad Ken Hixson stopped by and of course I had to show them the HTF Motorsports #10. I think they were suitably impressed. HTF Motorsports photo

My neighbors Emma and her Dad, Ken Hixson stopped by and of course I had to show them the HTF Motorsports #10. I think they were suitably impressed. HTF Motorsports photo

Next week’s episode may be late due to my attendance at the HP Hood Oxford 250. I will try to publish as soon as possible.

Let’s go racing,

Tom Hale

Soli Deo Gloria.

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Tom Hale

About Tom Hale

Tom wrote 14 years as freelancer for the Bangor Daily Sports covering motorsports in Maine. Now blogging and concentrating on human interest stories about people and places in racing. He races Champ Karts and owns HTF Motorsports in remote Westmanland, Maine