156 ENTRIES ARE IN FOR 2007 OXFORD 250 by Mike Twist

Tire Giveaway and Waived Entry Fees Help Build Numbers Up

It’s still more than eight months before the 2007 TD Banknorth 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway, but it appears that there is no time like the present when it comes to teams who are preparing for the event.

racer Chuck LaChance and jack of all racing trades Patrick Laperle have filed entries.

Of course, the majority of teams with an ACT Late Model have entered the event – led by Jean-Paul Cyr, Brent Dragon, Jamie Fisher, Phil Scott, Cris Michaud, Dave Pembroke and Roger Brown.  The race will award appearance points towards the 2007 ACT Late Model championship.

Former Oxford Plains Pro Stock drivers Chris Kennison, T.J. Brackett, Tim Brackett, Scott King, Scott Robbins and Ricky Rolfe have also entered.

Among those not entered so far are the father and son former winners Mike and Ben Rowe.  Both drivers have been linked to possible partial schedule Late Model rides for 2007, with Ben Rowe telling Speed51.com earlier this fall that his PASS North team of Richard Moody Racing is currently building a Late Model for next year. 

Jamie Fisher (#18), Dave Pembroke (#52), Deniis Demers (#86) and Trampas Demers (#85) as well as Patrick Laperle (#91) have already entered next year's TD Banknorth 250.  (51 Photos)

On Wednesday, the track announced 156 entries for the 2007 running of the 250.  The early rush was no doubt helped by the lure of free entry fees and a drawing for eight free tires if driver filed an entry postmarked before November 1st.  However, if only half of the teams follow through on actually fielding a car for the race and you add that figure to the entries that will no doubt be picked up before the July 22nd event, there should easily be over 100 cars in the pits for the race.

"The amazing thing is that we have other drivers who we know are entering the race that are waiting until their season ends to file an entry blank,” track owner Bill Ryan said.

2007 won’t be a typical year in the history of the race.  The track has replaced the Pro Stock/Super Late Model cars that have run at the 250 since 1993 with ACT-type Late Models.  The move has not been without controversy with SLM teams claiming that the change will water down the racing [click here for more] and Late Model teams countering that the reduction in costs and uniformity with rules at several tracks in New England will lead to an even bigger and better event.  [click here for more]

Since many cars that compete weekly at tracks including Lee USA Speedway (NH), White Mountain Motorsports Park (NH), Thunder Road Speedbowl (VT), Waterford Speedbowl (CT), Seekonk Speedway (MA) and many other regional tracks can now compete, the door to racing is a major event is now open to many drivers who have just dreamed about it previously.

But even track owner Ryan, a strong proponent of the Late Models, was surprised at the response that he would get to the format changes.

“As the entries flooded in, we were overwhelmed,” said Ryan. “Obviously, we knew that there were many more Late Models than Pro Stocks out there, but to receive 155 entries eight months before the race literally left me speechless.”

While the change to Late Models has attracted many grassroots racers to the 250, it has also drawn some names that are well-known in New England racing circles as well.

NASCAR Busch East drivers Eddie MacDonald and Brian Hoar, PASS North driver Travis Benjamin, 1994

Busch North champion Dale Shaw, long-time Pro Stock

Roger Brown is another ACT Late Modeler who is gearing up for a run at the 250.

The drivers who will have an extra incentive to follow through on their entries, thanks to winning the drawing for eight free tires, are Kennison, Brockton Davis and Craig Bushey. 

Kennison was a standout driver in the Pro Stock ranks at OPS and has since run a limited schedule of PASS North events.  Davis and Bushey are Late Model competitors at White Mountain and Thunder Road respectively.

“Our winners demonstrate the diverse backgrounds of the drivers already entered in the 2007 event,” said Ryan. “It reinforces our belief that more competitors than

ever will have an opportunity to realize a dream and compete in the TD Banknorth 250.”

The TD Banknorth 250 is scheduled for July 22, 2007.

2007 TD BANKNORTH 250 ENTRIES

As of November 8, 2006

Adams, Travis   Canton, Maine

Ailes, Bob Sr.   St. Johnsbury, Vt.

Allard, Karl    Valcourt, Quebec

Anzalone, Mark Jr.   Malden, Mass.

Avery, David    North Woodstock, N.H.

Bailey, Michael    South Barre, Vt.

Baillargeon, Bobby   Nottingham, N.H.

Baird, Ken    North Gower, Ontario

Baril, J.R.   Haverhill, Mass.

Barsalow, Chuck  North Hero, Vt.

Becker, Joey   Jeffersonville, Vt.

Bedard, Yvon   St. Nicolas, Quebec

Begin, A.J.   Merrimac, Mass.

Bellefleur, Gary  Stetson, Maine

Benjamin, Travis  Morrill, Maine

Berger, Rusty   South Burlington, Vt.

Bergeron, Daniel  St. Benoit, Quebec

Bessett, Blair   Worcester, Vt.

Bodwell, Robert  Alfred, Maine

Bowie, Chris   New Gloucester, Maine

Brackett, T.J.   Buckfield, Maine

Brackett, Tim   Buckfield, Maine

Brill, Jon   Bridgton, Maine

Brown, Fred   Winterport, Maine

Brown, Roger   Lancaster, N.H.

Bryant, Cecil   Wilton, Maine

Bushey, Craig   Cambridge, Vt.

Cahoon, Stacy   St. Johnsbury, Vt.

Cahoon, Tyler   Danville, Vt.

Cameron, David  Alfred, Maine

Caron, Sam   Colchester, Vt,

Chagnon, David  Colchester, Vt.

Charpentier, Ron Jr.  Wales, Maine

Chiasson, Gary  Peru, Maine

Clark, Brooks   Fayston, Vt.

Clark, Russ   Littleton, N.H.

Colby, Charlie   Newcastle, Maine

Colby, Chuck   Wiscasset, Maine

Colby, Dan   Lyman, N.H.

Collins, Mike   Strafford, N.H.

Coombs, Doug  Livermore, Maine

Cullivan, Dale   Palermo, Maine

Curioso, Joe   Pawcatuck, Conn.

Curtis, Marc Jr.  Spencer, Mass.

Cyr, Jean Paul   Milton, Vt.

Davis, Brockton  Whitefield, N.H.

Decker, Joe   Chesterville, Maine

Decker, Skip   Farmington, Maine

Demers, Dennis  Shelburne, Vt.

Demers, Trampas  South Burlington, Vt.

Dery, Jean Francois  Quebec City, Quebec

Dickey, Steven Jr.  Manchester, N.H.

Dragon, Brent   Milton, Vt.

Dragon, Scott   Colchester, Vt.

Donahue, John  Graniteville, Vt.

Doucette, Darren  Sidney, Maine

Dufour, Ken   Bethlehem, N.H.

Dumas, John   Brockton, Mass.

Fearn, Tom   Longmeadow, Mass.

Fecteau, Pete   Morrisville, Vt.

Ferguson, Mike  Rangeley, Maine

Fisher, Jamie   Shelburne, Vt.

Fisher, Steve   Shelburne, Vt.

Folsom, Grant   Waitsfield, Vt.

Garnett, Lloyd   Nova Scotia

Geno, Zig   Canterbury, N.H.

Gratton, Pierre   Mirabel, Quebec

Grenier, Alain Jr.  Northfield, Vt.

Hagar, Katie   Nobleboro, Maine

Harclerode, Jeremy  Newmarket, N.H.

Henry, Ron   New Gloucester, Maine

Hersom, Craig   Rochester, N.H.

Hoar, Brian   Williston, Vt.

Hussey, Bob   Wellfleet, Mass.

Jurkowski, Mike  Claremont, N.H.

Kennington, D.J.  St. Thomas, Ontario

Kennison, Chris  Oxford, Maine

Kimball, Kevin  South Portland, Maine

King, Scott   Livermore Falls, Maine

Kirby, Tim   Carleton Place, Ontario

Kruczek, Bryan  Newmarket, N.H.

LaChance, Chuck  Cushing, Maine

Lamberton, Mark  Mooers Forks, N.Y.

Laperle, Patrick  St. Denis, Quebec

Laquerre, Jay   East Montpelier, Vt.

Laquerre, Joey   East Montpelier, Vt.

Larmie, Keith   Milton, N.H.

Leclerc, Claude  Montreal, Quebec

Leiter, Erick   Livermore Falls, Maine

Linardy, James  Malden, Mass.

Lowrey, Rich   Charlotte, Vt.

MacDonald, Dave  New Gloucester, Maine

MacDonald, Eddie  Rowley, Mass.

MacPherson, Spencer  Carleton Place, Ontario

Macrino, Tony   Waterford, Conn.

Martel, Glenn   Belmont, N.H.

Martin, Carey   Denmark, Maine

McClure, Brian  Buxton, Maine

Michaud, Cris   Williamstown, Vt.

Moffitt, Matt   North Gower, Ontario

Moore, Scott   Anson, Maine

Morgan, Corey  Lewiston, Maine

Munro, Stephen  Carp, Ontario

Nolin, Ryan   Georgia, Vt.

Patten, Mark   Belmont, N.H.

Payea, Scott   Milton, Vt.

Pembroke, Dave  Middlesex, Vt.

Pendergast, Tim  Swanville, Maine

Perreault, Joe   Plainfield, Vt.

Peters, Greg   Westbrook, Maine

Phippen, John Jr.  Bar Harbor, Maine

Polewarczyk, Joey  Hudson, N.H.

Potter, Randy   Groveton, N.H.

Potvin, Pete   Graniteville, Vt.

Poulin, Cal   Braintree, Vt.

Raven, Seth   Waldo, Maine

Remick, Oren   Warner, N.H.

Reny, Steve   Boothbay, Maine

Ricker, Tommy  Poland, Maine

Riopelle, Dave  Dunrobin, Ontario

Robbins, Scott   Dixfield, Maine

Rolfe, Ricky   Albany Township, Maine

Rollins, Mike   Williamstown, Vt.

St. Clair, Dave   Liberty, Maine

St. Clair, Josh   Liberty, Maine

St. Clair, Puncin  Liberty, Maine

Scott, Phil   Montpelier, Vt.

Sessions, Sam   South Paris, Maine

Shaw, Dale   Center Conway, N.H.

Shaw, Dale Jr.   Center Conway, N.H.

Snow, Frank   Bridgton, Maine

Spencer, Dennis Jr.  Norway, Maine

Starbird, Mark   Harrison, Maine

Stevens, Rob   Aberdeen, N.C.

Sullivan, Chuck  Epping, N.H.

Swanson, John  Acton, Mass.

Switser, Howard  West Burke, Vt.

Theetge, Donald  Boischatel, Quebec

Thompson, Robbie  Southampton, Ontario

Tower, Robert   Lunenburg, N.H.

Trask, Dan   Chelsea, Maine

Tripp, Earl   Standish, Maine

Turner, Randy   Unity, Maine

Valentine, Rick  Greene, Maine

Vanasse, Ryan   Warwick, N.H.

Varney, Joshua  Dalzell, S.C.

Verrill, Dale   South Paris, Maine

Weber, Dean   Weare, N.H.

Welch, Quint   Lancaster, N.H.

Wentworth, Don  Otisfield, Maine

Whitcomb, Dave  Essex Junction, Vt.

White, Jeff   Winthrop, Maine

Whitlock, Dave  Wyoming, Ontario

Wilcox, Dave   Fairfield, Vt.

Williams, Eric   Hyde Park, Vt.

Wimble, Owen Jr.  Waitsfield, Vt.