OXFORD-
For
many short track drivers in Maine the Oxford 250 is the biggest race they will
ever race in, it’s their version of NASCAR’s Daytona 500. To win the race is a
huge deal whether they are a big budget team who races in a late model touring
series or just a family run team that races at a track weekly. Drivers from all
over have ran the race over the last 45 years, only 12 of those drivers have
been from Maine but more importantly is that only 3 of those drivers raced at
Oxford weekly the year they won. Gary Drew was the first in 2001 followed by
Scott Robbins in 2002 and finally the last was Jeremie Whorff in 2006. Since
then many Oxford regulars have tried to add their name to this list and have
failed but after 6 attempts another driver is hoping this is his year.
34 year old TJ Brackett is what you would call an
underdog when it comes to long distance races. He’s made 6 attempts at winning
the Oxford 250 since 2010 his best finishing being in 2014 when he finished in
5th place.
The Buckfield native is no stranger to Oxford Plains
Speedway, the 2nd generation driver grew up watching his father Tim
Brackett racing before starting his own career when he was only 13. His first championship
came in 1998 when he won the mini-cup championship at age 14 becoming the
youngest champion at the track. Since then he has accumulated 22 wins and won
two more track championships: 2013 in the pro stock division and 2014 when they
converted to the late model division.
What many weekly drivers quickly realize when racing a
150 lap race or the 250 is that it’s a lot of a bigger challenge than the
weekly 50 laps. Some adjust and do fine but some others are never able to
complete the big races.
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| TJ Brackett after a win in 2016 |
“During
a 50 lapper we have to go hard from 0 to 50 while during the 250 you just need
to ride it out to save your tires, equipment while keeping the leader in your
sight.” Brackett said about the difference.
Pro All-star series races has always been a struggle
for Brackett but this season he has finished on the podium twice when they came
to Oxford, he finished 3rd place in May and 2nd place during
the 100 lapper on July 1st.
“I
just seem to have a lot better car than we have had in the past. It seems to
stay the same from the first lap until the finish, also we have gotten good
starting spots when you start up front it makes it easier to maintain.”
In the Oxford Championship series TJ is currently 2nd
in points and won a race earlier in the season.
“We’ve
been focusing on the bigger races this season not so much on the weekly races we’ve just been using them
to get better.”
In the past there has been weekly drivers who came close
to winning the race but devastatingly lost most well-known being: Billy Clark
almost won in 1987, Ben Rowe almost won the race his rookie year racing at
Oxford in 1996 and of course we can’t forget when Alan Wilson lost in 2004 when
he ran out of gas with only 10 laps to go. Rowe went on to win 2 Oxford 250’s
but Clark and Wilson never redeemed themselves at the 250.
“Whatever
the 7G (Curtis Gerry) has is what we need! Just when we think we’re goof he
smokes us.” Brackett joked. Curtis Gerry has won all 4 PASS
race held at Oxford since winning the Oxford 250 last August.
Over the span of his 21 years career at Oxford Plains some
of his favorite racing moments has taken place during the Oxford 250.
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| TJ racing with his father Tim Brackett |
“Starting
pole and leading a bunch of laps during the 2013 Oxford 250 and finishing 5th
in the 2014 Oxford 250.” he admitted but one of his favorite
racing memories occurred at a weekly Saturday night race in 2014.
“Dad,
Vanna and myself all finished top 3 at Oxford that was a pretty big night.”
The moment was a first for the track having a father, son and daughter finishing
on top of the podium. TJ would love to be able to celebrate a 250 victory with
his family.
“It
would mean everything. It’s the last thing I feel like we have to do,
everything I do after will just be a bonus.”
This weekend like every year drivers from all over
will come for the race, 60 drivers have already signed up to try to win the
prestigious race. Two of TJ’s favorite Oxford 250 competitors are actually a
couple of the toughest guys to beat.
“The
years we ran up front at the 250 Cassius Clark was always nearby he races hard
but clean too, also Travis Benjamin. Those two stick out as guys I’ve enjoyed
racing against the most with during the 250.”
This season TJ Brackett has had some great sponsors
and people helping him with the car
“Emerson
Toyota is the biggest one, CRF Chassis-Dean Clattenburg has helped a ton, Bond
Suss, Seth Holbrook, Kyle Treadwell, Matty and Dwight their here helping in the
shop all the time.”
Many drivers say racing is their life but for TJ it
literally is when he’s not at the track he’s working on race cars.
“It’s
what I do for a job and when I get done I just work on whatever is sitting
around the shop.”
TJ has been working on race cars since he was 17. He
first got his start working for Dale Shaw and learned the trade before
eventually opening his own shop TJ Brackett Motorsports in 2006. He’s built
many cars just recently building his father Tim a new super late model in only
a few weeks.
Come watch TJ Brackett’ in his number 61 Emerson
Toyota super late model race this weekend in the 45th Oxford 250,
trying to earn the title “Oxford 250 champion” that will prelude his name the
rest of their career.
