Driver Spotlight: Bryce Mains

At Oxford Plains Speedway wins don’t come easy, yet 23 year old Bryce Mains has already won 5 street stock races this season.

Photo Credit: Joseph Johnson

The Bridgton native grew up watching his dad Richard Mains race and was always around race cars. As the saying goes “like father like son”, Bryce began racing 7 years ago in the Oxford Acceleration series Outlaw division. He raced in the Outlaws division 4 years, finishing 3rd in points twice before making the move up to the Coffee Brandy Street stocks division in the Oxford Championship series.

“I really have a lot of respect for almost anyone I've ever raced against, we all have times where we hate each other but at the end of the day we also have some really close finishes and great runs together so I feel it would be unfair to name a few.” Mains said honestly when asked who his favorite competitors have been.

Bryce put a lot of work into his blue number 77, 1978 Camaro during the offseason which paid off when he won the first street stock quad race on opening day. Since then he’s been having a great season.

“The off season always predicts your season you have to put in the time at the shop to get the results at the track. My brother, my dad, and I put a lot of hours into that car this year whether it was body or setup we focused on things that count.”

Mains has been lucky enough to become friends and get help on the car from the previous driver of the Rodney Williams owned car, Carey Martin who Bryce says in his eyes is the “King of leaf springs”.

He also gets a help from his teammate Matt Dufault who also drives a Rodney Williams owned car, and David Vaughan. Bryce feels though that he would have as good of runs without Rodney Williams since he supplies him with such good equipment.

Bryce’s favorite moment so far is winning at the second street stock quad crown series race at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway on April 30^th.

“It my favorite moment for 2 reasons: 1. we won the week before at Oxford, 2. We won the heat race but had technical issues in tech so we had to start from the rear in the feature but I was able to drive up the outside and took the lead around lap 30. It was a special day for sure!” Mains explained.

Photo Credit: Oriana Lovell

Bryce Mains like many other drivers have an addiction to racing that they are not looking to cure any time soon.

“It’s very hard to put into words but you get an adrenaline rush from it and I just can't get enough of it. I love everything about it: the long nights, working on the car. Honestly I feel like could probably do it every day, all day.”

Bryce’s biggest supporters are his girlfriend and his family.

“They are there for me no matter what I do in racing and where I finish. I cannot thank them enough for their wonderful support for years.”

When he isn’t racing, Bryce enjoys going to PASS races with his girlfriend and hopes that someday he will get the opportunity to race side by side with some of those talented drivers.

“Racing is our life that's what we do. There’s really nothing else that comes between it even in the off season.” He explained about his passion.

Mains is currently 42 points behind the street stocks points leader with still a handful of races left in the season the championship is in his reach.

“Words couldn't even come close to describing how much it would mean to me. My car owner Rodney Williams has come close to winning street stock championships but every year something would get in the way, he deserves one that man didn't have to give me a car to drive for these past 3 years and give me nothing but the best. I just want to hand him that 4 post championship trophy as a thanks for everything he's done and continues to do.”

Richard Mains, Bryce’s father is another big reason why he wants to win a championship. He currently races a white number 02 in the outlaws division on Wednesday nights at Oxford and just recently on July 19th picked up his first win in 23 years. Like his son he’s also 2nd in points.

Photo Credit: Susan Johnson

“My dad came within 2 points of a championship one year so he has always driven me to go for the championship and I think it'd be pretty cool to do it with him watching.”

You can watch Bryce Mains driving up the high side and going 3-wide Saturday nights in the Street stock division at Oxford Plains speedway.

“I will keep digging this season, I won’t give up no matter what happens. I'll put everything I have into the rest of this season and we will see what happens on championship night.”