39 year old Jamie Heath of Waterford has been racing for over a
decade this weekend he will pick up his sixth championship, his first one in the
Bandits class at Oxford Plains Speedway.
Jamie Heath
became a fan of racing watching his father race from the grandstands as a kid.
Eventually he began helping driver Chris Hatstat before beginning his own
racing career in the early 2000’s.
He started
out racing in the Outlaws in the acceleration series at Oxford before competing
in rebels, mini stocks and just about every class in the acceleration series
except trucks.
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| Photo Credit: Susan Johnson |
He’s managed to win a total of 3 championships at Oxford (2 in
renegades 1 in rebels), 2 others at Beechridge and Groverton in New Hampshire.
Though he’s
had such a great career his favorite racing moment isn’t one of his
accomplishments.
“When my son
won his 1st go cart race his second time out there, that beats
everything I’ve done.” He proudly admitted.
Among some
of his favorite competitors Heath has raced with over the years has been Matt
Dufault who also has helped him with some of his cars and Jimmy Childs.
“(Childs)
He’s a great competitor he makes you step up your game a notch. I’ve raced
against a lot of good drivers but he’s probably one of the better ones I’ve
enjoyed racing with” Heath explained.
The bandit’s
class is still a fairly new class only in its 3rd season many
drivers Jamie Heath races against don’t have much experience racing in a weekly
class having started out racing in enduros
“There’s
some guys out there who can drive pretty good it’s fun because you can learn
from a rookies mistakes it makes you a better driver.”
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| Photo Credit: Susan Johnson |
Along with
the rookies are guys who’ve been racing OPS a while Charlie Hall who got his
first career win this season, Gerard Cote who also races in the running rebels
on Wednesdays and Tyler Green, Heath’s biggest competition this season.
“Tyler Green
is really good and he’s only two or three years in.”
Not only did
Heath pick up 3 wins in the Bandits class this weekend he also won his first
New England Mini Stock Tour race on August 28th in front of the
biggest audience of the year.
While racing
is a seasonal hobby for drivers at Oxford Plains Speedway it’s also a passion
that they can’t easily deny.
“I love the competition
and the agony of defeat. Also the fans, seeing all the kids cheering in the
stands there wouldn’t be racing without them.” He said explaining what he loves about racing.
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| Photo Credit:Susan Johnson |
Heath has a
great team behind him this season helping him out, Wayne Smart Sr and Jr, Susan
Johnson, Derek Cairns, fellow Waterford driver Bill Grover, Kurt Dumais who co-owns
his race car and of course his wife and son.
Next year Jamie’s
priority next year will be his son’s racing career. Some people have great
hesitation putting their own child into a race car but Heath will have some
great advice to share with him.
”Race other
drivers the way you want to be raced and you’re not entitled to respect it’s
earned.” Is a couple things he would tell his son about racing.
When Heath
isn’t racing he spends time watching baseball and football and tries to get on the golf course one in a while but most is time is spent with his 10 year old son.
With another
championship under his belt, Jamie Heath plans on racing in the Northeast Mini
Stock Tour in the 2017 season.
