ACT Veteran Pockets One of the Biggest Checks in 250 History
American Canadian Tour star Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. of Hudson, NH dominated the 39th Annual Oxford 250 at Oxford (ME) Plains Speedway on Sunday, July 22nd. The ACT veteran wheeled his Ford-powered Pole’s Automotive machine to one of the biggest paydays in Oxford 250 history at $45,500, while leading over 200 laps. Polewarczyk maneuvered through heavy lapped traffic throughout the majority of the event and held off a late race charge from Jeff Taylor and fellow ACT competitor Austin Theriault in second and third respectively.
Polewarczyk jumped out to a commanding lead early from the outside pole and lapped nearly half of the 39-car field before the first caution of the event flew on lap 69. With multiple lap cars cushioning his lead over the rest of the lead lap cars, Polewarczyk quickly stretched out his lead again after returning to green and was a half a track ahead when the second caution of the event came out on lap 135.
The second place point man on the ACT Tour lead all but two of the field to pit road during the lap 135 caution period for fresh tires. He returned to the track in the 10th place position and spent the next 46 laps working his way back to the point. Polewarczyk reclaimed the lead from ACT point leader Wayne Helliwell, Jr. on the 181st circuit and cruised to the win.
Taylor and Theriault were followed to the checkers by Helliwell and Oxford Plains point leader Travis Stearns completing the top five. Dave Farrington, Jr., two-time Serie ACT Castrol Champion Patrick Laperle, T. J. Brackett, two-time Oxford 250 Champion Eddie MacDonald and Brent Dragon completed the top ten. Shawn Martin, Scott Luce, Jeff White, Ray Parent and Tim Brackett completed the 15 cars remaining on the lead lap.
The event was completed in just one hour and thirty-eight minutes with three cautions. Fifteen cars completed the 250 lap distance. Polewarczyk led a total of 205 laps, while Brian Hoar (2), Martin (1), and Helliwell (42) all pocketed $100 for each lap led.
Polewarczyk’s first Oxford 250 win also makes him the ninth qualifier to the Bond Auto ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 22nd, an event he won in 2010. He joins fellow ACT winners and Invitational qualifers, Brian Hoar, Wayne Helliwell, Jr., Ben Ashline, Nick Sweet, Karl Allard, Donald Theetge, Patrick Laperle and Jean-Francois Dery.
Many of the Oxford 250 competitors will head back to the Pine Tree State next Saturday, July 28 for the Beech Ridge 150 at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway. It will be the sixth event on the 2012 ACT schedule.
Official Oxford 250 Results (From www.oxfordplains.com)
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Oxford Plains Speedway – Oxford, ME
Pos. Car# Name
1. 97NH Joey Polewarczyk, Jr.
2. 88ME Jeff Taylor
3. 57ME Austin Theriault
4. 27NH Wayne Helliwell, Jr.
5. 85 Travis Stearns
6. 23 Dave Farrington, Jr.
7. 91QC Patrick LaPerle
8. 61 T.J. Brackett
9. 17MA Eddie MacDonald
10. 55VT Brent Dragon
11. 94 Shawn Martin
12. 07 Scott Luce
13. 50 Jeff White
14. 17RI Ray Parent
15. 60 Tim Brackett
16. 37VT Brian Hoar
17. 6VT Cris Michaud
18. 32VT Jean-Paul Cyr
19. 71 Gary Chiasson
20. 72 Chris Coolidge
21. 50VT Jay Laquerre
22. 7NC Ben Lynch
23. 51ME Ricky Rolfe
24. 22VT Roger Brown
25. 01 Bryan Mason
26. 27 Doug Coombs
27. 55NH D.J. Shaw
28. 58VT Jimmy Hebert
29. 25 Shawn Knight
30. 28 Dillon Moltz
31. 21TN Trevor Bayne
32. 20 Charlie Rockwell
33. 52 Bruce Haley
34. 28ME Rowland Robinson, Jr.
35. 6 Tommy Ricker
36. 26VT John Donahue
37. 37 Larry Gelinas
38. 63 Don Wentworth
39. 10NH Ben Rowe
Lap leaders: Polewarczyk, Jr. 1-135, Hoar 136-137, Martin 138, Helliwell, Jr. 139-180, Polewarczyk, Jr. 181-250
Cautions: 3 (Laps 69, 135, 208)