Winning the Oxford 250:Kyle Busch

Photo Credit:Trudy Marshall
 Winning the Oxford 250 is a once in a lifetime experience very few drivers have been able to win it more than once including the father and son duo Mike and Ben Rowe of Turner and legends like Dave Dion and Ralph Nason.

If you don’t keep up with New England short track racing these aren’t names you would remember. Something that has drawn casual race fans to the Oxford 250 in the past has been NASCAR drivers.

Only 3 NASCAR drivers who have raced in the event have won the Oxford 250 including two sprint cup champions.

 Friday afternoon I had the opportunity to speak with 2011 Oxford 250 winner and reigning 2015 sprint cup champion Kyle Busch about his Oxford 250 experiences.

“What makes the Oxford 250 different from other big short track races is the Payday.Its pressure packed for all the guys, they want to lead laps and they get money for leading those laps and of course the big paycheck of $25,000. It’s a big race for late model drivers anywhere in the country but especially up north there’s a lot of pride and pressure put on the event.”

During the 2015 season, Busch was sidelined with a broken leg for most of the season but he persevered to dominate the remainder of the season and took home the championship.

Kyle Busch made two attempts at winning the Oxford 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway in 2005 and 2006 before finally winning the prestigious event.  It just goes to show hard work pays off in the end.

“Just having everything go our way was what made our last 250 a success” He admitted.

In 2005 they had a lugnut fall off on pit road that got stuck in a brake caliber which led to blowing a tire and when he returned the in 2006 following the year he had engine failure when he was passing for the lead.

“Being able to come back and have a race where we didn’t have the car torn up or the engine torn up we were able to make it through the whole event and win. Obviously the greatest satisfaction was bringing home the checkered flag”

Though the Oxford 250 is held on a short track many drivers including Busch don’t consider Oxford Plains Speedway a very easy track.

“It’s kinda tricky the layout is very round but flat. There’s definitely different grooves you can but running on the bottom and keeping it tight against the curb on the inside is probably the best place to be. Also when the sun goes down in turns 3 and 4 you get a blast of sun as the day progresses.” Busch said about Oxford.

“Also pit road there’s a huge challenge the way pit road is laid out where you have a front stretch pit road and an back stretch pit road where you kind of have to weave through the infield.” He added.

Many short track drivers from Maine never get the chance to drive on the NASCAR level due lack of funding. Busch races every week with the same guys all across the country so when he raced at Oxford with different guys who knew the track well he had a disadvantage.

“sometimes it’s a greater challenge to race local short track drivers because there is some just as good as cup drivers but being on their home turf they know all the things about the track and how it changes. While racing against cup guys every weekend we travel around to different tracks, we’re always moving no guy who races cup races the same track every week.” He explained.

Behind every driver is a great crew during his runs at Oxford, Busch had help from a pretty well-known face around short track racing Seth Holbrook, a 4 time 250 winning crew chief for Mike Rowe, Ben Rowe and for Glen Luce last year.

“I’d been working with Seth a long time since coming up in 2005, Seth is really smart and has a great respect for competitors helping me or the guys he’s won races with for years. He has a lot of wins and does a good job preparing fast race cars.”

“A lot of people talk about the different drivers who have won the race it would interesting to learn about who the crew chiefs were for those races.”

To be on the list of 250 winners with the likes of Mike Rowe, Dave Dion and Jamie Aube it’s truly a great accomplishment.

“The 250 for me was a big deal, I’ve wanted to win any race that I’ve been in during my career. That was a race I knew was a big deal to a lot of people in the northeast it was great finally being able to win and add such a cool race to my resume.”

“To be a winner and championship winner in the sprint cup level is one thing but for me being able to go compete against some of the best talents out there that may or may not ever be recognized. It was cool to be able to beat out guys like Mike Rowe and Jeff Taylor that are well respected and know the Oxford 250 really well.” Busch admitted.

43 years ago Oxford Plains Speedway held its first Oxford 250 I don’t think they truly realized how big of an impact it would have on short track racing in New England. It’s become more than a race for most, it’s an event and a reunion with racing friends and family.

Driver Spotlight: Matt Dufault

OXFORD- 33 year old Matt Dufault driver of the blue 61 street stock, has quickly become a fan favorite in the Street stock class. So far he has 5 wins under his belt this season, just recently he’s won 3 in a row. Since getting his 2nd win of the season, he’s been fast favoring the high groove to pass other cars 3-wide.

Dufault has been a racing fan since he was a kid, when he became a fan of Maine native Ricky Craven after finding out his father a pilot and an FAA Certified Mechanic worked with guys who knew the driver pretty well.

Photo Credit: Susan Johnson

The Turner native has been racing on and off since 2003 starting out racing in enduros before eventually racing on Wednesday nights in the Rebels and outlaws classes. He won a championship in Rebels in 2010 and an Outlaw championship in 2012.

Though Dufault loves racing there's been seasons he just hasn’t been super into racing every week, even when he’s not racing he can usually be found helping found helping fellow drivers.

Among some of the drivers he’s helped over the years are Ben Ashline when he raced on the ACT tour, Troy Jordan, Jamie Heath and Kyle Hewins. The last few seasons Dufault has been helping Kyle Treadwell and Bryce Mains.

Dufault’s current car was driven by Mains during last season. When Mains got a new ride this season Dufault decided to get behind the wheel of the Rodney Williams owned car.

Dufault has many great memories at the track but one of his favorites was being on Treadwell’s crew during his first attempt at the Oxford 250 in 2014

Matt in victory lane after getting his 5th win

“Making the Oxford 250 with Treadwell his rookie year, as his spotter was great. I'll never forget when he came in after tech with tears in eyes, I knew we had done it.” Dufault explained remembering the big day.

His favorite moment so far this season was June 25^th when he spun out during the race and was able to make it back through the field to win the race.

“I had the car decent but it became really good after we got spun and won. I think we just found a few things that night and that run gave us a ton of confidence.” He said about his second win of the season.

Oxford Plains Speedway is said to be a tough track to figure out by many drivers but most enjoy the challenge.

“It's a brain teaser” Dufault explained. “You can either be a mile away from the right answer or you could be literally standing right next to it but when you solve Oxford, it’s so much fun.”

One of his favorite competitors to race against has been Kyle Hewins a guy he’s actually helped when he’s not racing.

“You can just tell a lot about someone by how they race you and he's always races me really good and really hard”

He owes this season’s success to his crew Zach, Bryce and Richard Mains, Matt and Rodney Williams and most importantly his Mother, Deb Dufault a middle school teacher in Turner.

“She always notices things I never really gave much thought, she goes to all of my races she's been a big part of my racing career” Dufault admitted.

Cruising in first during the Northeast Street Stock tour
Feature

He truly has a passion for the sport. Dufault has done it all from actually being a racecar driver to helping other drivers by being their spotter or setup guy.

“This is really what I love to do, I don’t really know how good I am at it but it’s what I like to do”

When he’s not wheeling a race car in the Oxford Championship series he can be found driving a truck for Central Distribution delivering alcohol to stores during the week, which he says is the most fun job he’s ever had.

Dufault has a pretty impressive run being on a 4 wins in a row streak, if he keeps it up there’s a good chance he will find himself a champion of the Street stock class.

Driver Spotlight: Eric Hodgkins

In only seven starts, Minot-based driver Eric Hodgkins has managed to earn three feature victories and is the current point leader in Oxford’s recently-revived Figure 8 division during his first full season racing.

Hodgkins, 40, grew up going to the races at Oxford Plains Speedway with his father watching drivers like Jon Lizotte, Larry Hewins, Jeff Taylor and Mike Rowe, who he’s greatly admired.

Photo credit: Josephsphotos

In 2016, he gets to race against a few of these veterans, a fact he often finds hard to believe.

“Last week I lined up next to Larry Hewins, and I thought that was unbelievable,” Hodgkins said. “I grew up watching and idolizing him, and here I was lined up right next to him.”

The Figure 8 division was very popular at Oxford from 1969 through 1988. Current drivers Lizotte and Dave Smith were two of the top racers in that previous era. When the class was brought it back in 2015, many of the original drivers came out of retirement.

Mixed in with those veterans was Hodgkins, decades younger than most of the field. With only a small group of cars competing, Lizotte dominated the field — winning his 100th career feature and the points championship. Hodgkins ended up finishing a respectable third in points last season.

Hodgkins first ventured into the racing world five years ago as a sponsor for Michael Haynes’ No. 67 Outlaw entry, then became Haynes’ car owner in 2015. Hodgkins went to the races every week to support his driver, and was proud to see him earn a solid second place in the points championship.

Photo Credit: Josephsphotos

Being a car owner and sponsor were the only roles Hodgkins had ever played before last season. He had no interest in racing himself, and had never even sat in a race car. After watching the first few weeks of the newly-revived Figure 8 division, he got the idea to join them on the track. He bought a car, tried it out driving it down the road, and that was it. The next time he drove it, it was week five for the Figure 8s and he was hooked.

“You have to be a little nuts to drive in this class, and I thought I was just crazy enough,” Hodgkins explained. “My parents have yet to see me race, which is probably a very good thing. My brother and sisters usually close their eyes when they come to watch me.”

This season, Hodgkins enhanced his program when he purchased a new car ( a Chevrolet Camaro) to make his goal of winning a feature possible. He credits his success this season to his former driver Haynes, the man who sold him his current car and helps him with chassis setup. He also credits his crew chief, Gary Powers.

“Gary keeps the car running right; he works on it more than I do,” Hodgkins explained.

One of his favorite things about racing in the Figure 8 class is the chance to compete against those drivers he idolized growing up. His favorite moments thus far came on Saturday, June 11, when he held off defending champion Lizotte for his third win of 2016.

 “I beat the King, and it was the only time anyone has done that without wrecking him.” he added.

Photo credit: Susan Johnson

Hodgkin’s father actually used to sponsor Lizotte many years ago. Lizotte,was inducted into the Maine Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2013 after a 30-year career that included four class titles and nearly 100 feature wins. He was a big help to Hodgkins last year, acting as his mentor. Hodgkins has nothing but good things to say about the veteran driver. 

“Jon has had such an amazing career; it's nice just being able to talk to him, let alone to race against him.”

Hodgkins seems to have found his niche, and is enjoying competing in the Figure 8 division. Along with the Figure 8 class, he says he plans on running both a Bandit and Street Stock entry all in one night once at some point this summer. He does admit to being inexperienced in those classes. 

“I need a lot of practice with my Street Stock car; those guys are really good and I don't want to get in the way as they compete for a championship,” Hodgkins said.

When Hodgkins is not at the track, he enjoys skiing during the winter, boating during the summer, and spending time with his nine-year-old daughter, who recently entered her first Go-cart race, a fact which made him very proud.

With several races left this season, only time will tell if Hodgkins or Kyle Kilgore, the only other driver in the division under the age of 50, can defeat those veterans at their own game.

Life Changing Experiences

Out of my Comfort Zone