Driver Spotlight: Adam Sanborn

Photo Credit: Susan Johnson

Since joining the Saturday night series in 2015 the bandits’ class has quickly become one of the largest divisions currently racing at Oxford Plains Speedway. What started as a starter class has now turned in to an entertaining and competitive field filled with rookies, veterans and drivers that are a little bit of both.

Thirty-six year old Adam Sanborn of West Paris also known to race fans as Larry Bandito or Adam 12 is in his sophomore season in the bandits’ class after bringing home rookie of the year last season. Decades older than most of the rookies in that class, he really wasn’t a rookie to racing at all.

Sanborn was born into a racing family with both his parents owning race cars at Beech ridge Motor Speedway driven by the likes of greats Jim Gary and Bob “the bandit” Harrison. Adam grew up in the grandstands at Beech ridge watching his older brother Corey race weekly and as a teenager helped his younger brothers Dale and Trevor dominate in the go-carts at Beech ridge.

In 1998 his own racing career began when his dad purchased a 1979 Pontiac Lemans previously driven by Al Gasset in the Wildcats class at Beech ridge. They turned it into an outlaw and raced in Outlaws inaugural season that raced in Oxford’s Saturday night series.

“That year the class ran 10 races, I ended up bringing home 7 trophies, rookie of the year, 2^nd in points and most laps led. “He explained on how he got hooked on racing.

The following season in 1999 didn’t go as well for Sanborn. They had Conrad Childs build them a new car but after only a few races his season ended when he wrecked and the car was unrepairable. Sanborn sat out the rest of the season, and when life got busy didn’t end up returning to the racetrack.

After an 18 year hiatus from racing, Sanborn returned to the track last season when he was asked by Kyle Hewins if he would be interested in racing one of his bandit cars. Being friends with some of the other guys who were racing in the class: Chachy Hall, Travis Verrill and Shaun Hinkley made it an easy decision.

Adam raced the entire 2017 season in the Kyle Hewins Motorsports number 51 bandits car. He ended up finishing the season with four 2^nd place finishes and two 3^rd place finishes.

“Kyle and Monica are great people that do anything for their friends so I’m happy I was able to bring the KHM team a 2^nd place in points, a 3^rd in the Triple Crown series and secure a rookie of the year all in the same season.”

Sanborn’s favorite moments last season were getting to drive the #129 legend car on the day of the Oxford 250 and traveling to White Mountain Motorsports Park in New Hampshire for the bandits Triple Crown series where he finished in 2^nd on the high banked track.

“The thrill of fast cars, the smell of burning rubber and race fuel.” are Adam’s favorite things about racing and what he looks forward to the most on Saturday nights is seeing excited kids in the grandstands and being able to spend time with his friends/racing family.

Over the off season he decided to become a race car owner instead of renting a car from Kyle Hewins Motorsports who field 3 cars in the bandits the number 51, 52, and 53 cars which are identical to each other.

“I became good friends with Tyler Green last year through racing, car rentals for KHM were going up this season and Tyler happened to be selling his racecar that only has 6 races on it.”

It was a deal he just couldn’t pass up since the car included parts that were enough to build 2 or 3 more cars. The 2018 started off a little rough for Adam with only one podium finish before June 30^th.

On June 30^th Adam Sanborn finally nailed down his first bandits feature win. He led every lap of his heat race and went on to lead all 20 laps of the feature.

“It felt amazing and was such a relief! The car was fast as usual and I was able to hold my own line the whole race.” He said about the moment.

“The win was the only thing I had left to accomplish other than a championship.”

In the bandits division he’s had some pretty stiff competition but he loves racing with the best of the best.

“All of the drivers in that class have done their part of teaching me different lessons one should know. Kyle Hewins is my favorite person to race with.” He admitted before adding

“Not to discredit Shaun Hinckley and Jamie Heath, anytime you can run with those three you definitely have done your homework and earned it.”

Though he came close to winning the championship last year, wins don’t come easy when racing against guys like Hewins and Hinckley

“Winning a bandits championship would be a great achievement. The division has become a fairly stout field with a car count from 20 to 30 every week and about 9 or 10 of them being on the same competition level.”

Sanborn may not be a championship contender this season but he’s still having fun racing in the bandits.

“Racing is an adrenaline rush and I’m only there to have fun, any week I can bring my car home in one piece is a one for me.”

Adam has many people supporting his love of racing including his cousin Shawn and his brothers Corey, Dale, and Trevor Sanborn who also races weekly but in the pro stock series at Beech Ridge.

There’s a great support system at the track as the amount of fans that come to cheer the bandit class on grows weekly.  Vicki Verrill, Deb Smith, Matt Hiscock, Shelly Green, Tracy Tibbitts among others are some of the fans who come and cheer Adam on every week.

Last but not least one of Adam’s biggest supporters is his boyfriend Robby.

“He hates racing but knows how much I love it. He attends as often as he can to capture video but he has to put up with a lot of garage talk and my racing obsession and I couldn’t thank him enough for always wanting me to do whatever makes me happy.”

Along with great supporters he has some great sponsors keeping him competitive this season: Knight’s Archery, Maine Modern Tile, South Paris Portland Glass, Wallace Home improvements and Maine St Supply

.

When Adam isn’t racing he enjoys going on adventures with his kids and having cookouts with friends. Adam works full time as a floor installer and his nights are spent doing cosmetology work from his home.

Although the season is far from over Adam is already looking forward to next season.

“Next year Tyler Green will be back on the track as my teammate, we already have a car and will soon be searching for some team sponsorship's.”

You can catch Larry Bandito aka Adam Sanborn in his number 12 bandit car racing at Oxford Plains Speedway on Saturday nights during the Oxford Championship Series.