by | Mar 26, 2014 | Maine, Oxford Plains Speedway
The 2014 NAPA Auto Parts Show, Shine, & Drag at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Maine is sure to be another exciting event this year that will feature some amazing show cars, as well as some fast and fun drag racing. This event that was dormant for many years is now on the comeback trail to be restored to its former glory days as the elite car show and drag racing event in New England. After a very successful re-launch of the event in 2013, Oxford Plains Speedway is very excited for our 2014 partnership with NAPA Auto Parts this year as we are building the event to be even bigger and better than last year.
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by | Mar 19, 2014 | Maine, Wiscasset Raceway
WISCASSET SPEEDWAY DRIVER PROFILE:
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James Osmond #05
By Lisa Maguire
James Osmond has been in the racing business since he was a child. Osmond said, “I have been into things with engines since I was nine. Whether it was dirt bike, ATV’S, or ice racing with the first car I had, a Voltzwagon.”
“I started racing at Wiscasset back in 2005,” said Osmond. “So, I’ve been racing cars for about ten years. I started in Super Street, and I was Rookie of the Year.”
In 2007 Osmond moved to the Late Model division. But, he moved back to Superstock in ’08. Osmond said, “I did all right, but in 2009 went back to Late Models and had about five top wins. It was my best season in Late Models. I also won The Army Strong Driver Award that year”
Osmond took 2010 off and was crew for Josh Bailey. “We had a lot of fun together that year,” said Osmond.
The years of 2011 and 2012 Osmond raced at Unity.
In 2013 Osmond returned to Wiscasset where he raced the Super Stock division. Osmond had five top places finishes, the most in the class. Osmond was awarded the Driver of the Month Award for the month of July, 2013. Then, at season’s close, Osmond won the Driver of the Year Award at Wiscasset. The award spotlights drivers who show a noticed balance of on-track performance, improvement, sportsmanship, and cooperation with track officials.
Track promoter, Ken Minott, said, “The reason we chose James for the Napa Driver of the Year is that he epitomizes what we want a Wiscasset Speedway driver to be. He’s got talent behind the wheel and he wins races. But, that’s only part of it. He’s enthusiastic and eager to learn and get better. More importantly, he displays great sportsmanship. He’s respectful of the other guys on the track with him. He races as hard as anyone out there, but if he knows his car isn’t going to get him to victory lane, he’s gonna get what he can out of it and load it on the trailer in one piece, and let his fellow drivers do the same. I respect that, and it doesn’t go unnoticed.”
“My best finishes were last season,” said Osmond. “I don’t always win because I try to be fair to everyone. If I can’t beat ‘em. I can’t beat ‘em!”
“I did finish in the top five every single race. I have ten trophies from this season alone. It was a good season, and it was a good feeling. The funny thing is that I was going to retire before last season started. Then, I didn’t because I wanted to win at least one race. I didn’t want to fail. I wanted to try it and see if I could get it done.”
When asked about the best races he had competed in over his years of racing, Osmond replied, “The best races are ones I race with my friends: Josh Bailey, Bobby Mesimer, Adam Chadbourne, actually, all of the guys are really friends. We have a good time together.”
Osmond recounted, “Josh Bailey and I were racing back in 2008. We were last and second to last, and we knew we weren’t going to do anything. So, we blocked each other and tried to hold each other back. People thought we were fighting, but we were just laughing about it!”
“Even though we are friends,” said Osmond. “Racing Superstock at Wiscasset is aggressive and competitive. I had to work very hard for my wins, especially against Adam Chadbourne.”
When posed with the question: “When racing, what percentage of your overall success is in the car? The driver? Luck?”
Osmond replied, “The car is huge. There is not much you can do with an ill-handling car. If the car just won’t go, there is nothing you can do. Even the best driver can only do much with a bad car. I would say the car is 50%, the driver 25%, and luck the other 25%.”
Soon the conversation turned to the season of 2014. Osmond said, “I am using the same car this season. I have not made any changes except it is painted white and orange. It is still #05. I do have a new sponsor this year, Paul Garber Construction. Also, Red’s Eats, Cahill Tire, and Drummonds Automotive Equipment are some of my other sponsors.”
When asked about his hopes for the coming season, Osmond had this to say, “I know I won’t have the year I had last year. But, I will be happy with half of what I did last year, or, at least win one more race!”
Even when away from racing, Osmond does follow a training regimen of sorts. In the summer months he lifts weight three times per week, and in winter he cross country skis. Osmond said, “It helps me deal with the heat in the car while driving.”
Osmond is a family man away from the track. He works as an assistant manager at Cahill Tire in Edgecomb. Osmond has been with his wife, Tabatha, for over thirteen years. Osmond said, “We have two children. An eleven year old son named Brett, and a six year old girl named Danika. I try to be active and spend time with my kids. We play basketball or try to relax.”
Wiscasset Speedway offers not only fun for the drivers, but for the fans, and all involved.
by | Mar 8, 2014 | Maine, Wiscasset Raceway
By Lisa Maguire
Kevin Sherman comes from a line of race car drivers who lived close to the Wiscasset Speedway. Sherman lived just seven miles from the track, and he was introduced to the sport at a young age. Both of Sherman’s grandfathers’ (Ken Sherman and Merle Grover) and father (Norm Sherman) were drivers at Wiscasset. Sherman’s cousin, Adam Chadbourne also races at Wiscasset. It is a family tradition.
Kevin Sherman recalled that both of his grandfathers and his father “were very good back in the day. For me, it was a matter of just waiting until I could drive.”
Kevin has raced in many divisions at Wiscasset Speedway. His debut season at Wiscasset was in 2004 in the Lightweight B Demons. That year he had fifteen top five finishes and nine feature wins. Sherman earned the The Light B Championship and had Rookie of the Year honors.
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by | Feb 1, 2014 | Maine, Oxford Plains Speedway
Advanced Oxford 250 entries are pouring in to the PASS North headquarters in Naples, Maine, and the entry list is certainly going to be a who’s who in Super Late Model racing from throughout the Northeast, Southeast and Canada.
Northern driver, Tim Brackett from Buckfield, Maine filed the first entry earlier this month, and since then entries have been coming in almost daily. 2013 PASS North champion Cassius Clark has filed entry for the Hight Chevrolet team. Former multi-time PASS champion, Johnny Clark, along with 2012 PASS North champ, Travis Benjamin have sent in their entries. 2013 PASS North runner-up Joey Doiron is entered as well as Turner, Maine’s Glen Luce. Other PASS notables include David Oliver and Reid Lanpher.
Oxford Plains Speedway is well represented with early entries as Shane Green, Chris Coolidge, Mark Lundblad Jr., Justin Gibbons, and Adam Polivinen have all thrown their hats into the ring.
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by Jay | Dec 7, 2013 | Drag Racing, Maine, Oxford Plains Speedway
Oxford Plains Speedway’s Marketing and Promotions Manager, Dick Therrien, is pleased to announce that NAPA Auto Parts Stores have joined OPS as a marketing partner for the 2014 race season here at Oxford Plains Speedway.
“We are very excited to have NAPA Auto Parts on board with us for 2014. They will be the primary sponsor for the 2nd Annual Show, Shine and Drags event scheduled for Father’s Day, Sunday, June 15, 2014 stated Therrien. NAPA is the leader of the auto parts industry, and for them to join forces with us is extremely valuable for both parties. NAPA has seventy-four stores in the marketing region, and we have race teams and fans that come to Oxford from all of their stores markets. They have chosen a great event to sponsor, and I’m positive that this year’s NAPA Show, Shine and Drags will be even larger than last year’s show.”
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by | Dec 5, 2013 | Maine
BKR Driver Learned From 2012 Rookie Effort In Snowball Derby
MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Austin Theriault was thrilled just to have qualified for the race a year ago, but this weekend the Brad Keselowski Racing development driver has much higher expectations for the running of the 46th annual Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla., on Sunday, December 8.
Theriault believes that the BKR No. 29 Checkered Flag Foundation Ford Fusion team has a much better plan in place than it did a year ago. Qualifying begins at 5:15 p.m. local time on Friday night, with the Snowball Derby going green at 2 p.m. Sunday.
“This is the biggest short track race that everybody comes to,” said Theriault, who finished 20th in last year’s Snowball Derby – his first appearance in the annual 300-lap Super Late Model race featuring NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers, touring series champions and some of the best short track racers in the United States. “It’s one of the marks on the calendar that you keep in the back of your mind 365 days of the year. Last year, we left here disappointed, but that night we had already refocused on coming back this year.
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