NUMBER THREE FOR MIKE ROWE AT THE 250

Rowe earns 150^th feature win at Oxford Plains and joins Dion and Nason as a three-time champ

Pictures Below Recap

Mike Rowe hoists the 1^st Place Trophy after winning his third Oxford 250. Will he be the first driver to win four? (Lee Truman Photo)

Results of the 2005 TD Banknorth Oxford 250

1 Mike Rowe

2 Johnny Clark

3 Nick Nichols

4 Richie Dearborn

5 Scott Robbins

6 Kyle Busch 

7 Alan Wilson

8 Stan Meserve

9 Jeff Taylor

10 Andy Shaw

11 Gary Drew

12 Corey Williams

13 Tim Brackett

14 Scott Chubbuck

15 Cassius Clark

16 Matt Kenseth

17 Chuck LaChance

18 Scott Moore

19 Patrick Laperle

20 Dave Gorveatt

21 Jeff White

22 Mike Edgbert

23 Kirk Thibeau

24 Ricky Morse

25 Wayne Helliwell Jr.

26 Alan Tardiff

27 Tracy Gordon

28 Ben Rowe

29 Dale Shaw

30 Mike Maietta Jr.

31 Shawn Martin

32 Brad Hammond

33 Ricky Rolfe

34 Donnie Whitten

35 Ralph Nason

36 Travis Benjamin

37 Dan McKeage

38 Scott Mulkern

39 T.J. Brackett

40 Travis Adams

July 31, 2005 – Oxford, Me

“This is the hardest I’ve ever worked to win a race.”

Those were the words of Mike Rowe after pocketing $26,000 and claiming his third TD Banknorth Oxford 250 victory. Rowe also picked up his 150^th career win at Oxford Plains Speedway so when he says he had to work hard you know that he was racing against the odds. But odds mean very little to a man who has won seven track championships at Oxford Plains Speedway and various regional touring championships in his stellar career. It was a testament to the level of competition at the “Richest One Day Short Track Race in America” that Mike Rowe felt that he just ran the race of his life.

The $25,000 guaranteed winners purse and $100 for every lap led attracted 71 cars to Oxford Plains Speedway. Joining the local and regional stars in the northeast were Nextel Cup racer Kyle Busch and former Nextel Cup Champion (as well as occasional short track barnstormer) Matt Kenseth. While Kenseth chose to show on Sunday morning, Busch made a serious attempt at the win by testing at the track on the prior Tuesday and running all possible practice sessions. More importantly, Busch was the teammate of Mike Rowe as SP2 Motorsports took on the task of fielding two top-notch drivers in one weekend.

”We feel that we are ready for primetime,” said Steve Perry (along with Scott Pullen, the SP’s in SP2). “Kyle Busch will be a factor in this race. How can’t he be? He’s got Mike Rowe to show him the ropes and a brand new Distance Racing chassis.”

Perry was prophetic as Busch dominated many stages of the event and left a lasting impression of his talent on the crowd of 10,000 in attendance. Busch’s path to the feature went through the consolation round. Compared to Mike Rowe, he had it easy.

Six heat races and three consolation races filled the features first 36 positions. Stan Meserve of Mooresville, NC by route of Unity, Me was the runaway winner of heat number one to put his P.T. Watts Chevrolet Monte Carlo on the pole position. Brad Hammond, Chuck LaChance, Jeff White, Ricky Rolfe, and Alan Tardiff won heat races. Donnie Whitten held off the hard charge of Kyle Busch in the first consolation round as both advanced to the TD Banknorth 250. Jeff Taylor and Dan McKeage also had consolation round victories. The final qualifying spot was reserved for the winner of the 50-lap Last Chance Qualifying race while the remaining twenty cars would have to go home. Mike Rowe found himself on the outside row of that Hooligan Race and had no provisional to fall back on.

“I hated having to go through that Hooligans Race,” stated Rowe. “That makes for a long day. I knew there were no provisional spots being offered and had to race my way in.”

Rowe did just that as he dominated the Last Chance Race and had 90 laps of green flag qualifying under his belt before the feature started! Technically, the winner of that race has the option of taking $2,000 or they can turn down the money and take the 37^th starting spot in the feature. Nobody has ever turned down the transfer spot and nobody expected Rowe to be the first. In fact, many people were murmuring that they would not be surprised if the King of Oxford won the darn thing from back there.

The green flag dropped on the 32^nd Annual TD Banknorth 250 with Stan “The Man” Meserve jumping out to an early lead and never really being challenged until Scott Mulkern and Travis Benjamin began to show some strength at lap 30. Meserve, Benjamin, Mulkern, and even Ricky Rolfe battled nose to tail, outside and inside, for twenty laps but the car on the move was Kyle Busch. Busch’s Lux Enterprises Monte Carlo was on rails and making quick work of cars to the low side and caught the lead pack by lap 70. While Meserve struggled with some lapped traffic, Busch made a major leap to the front passing the top two cars in one move as the leaders were bottled up. Busch became the race leader at lap 80 as the crowd let out a collective cheer. Mike Rowe had still not cracked the top 15.

Many of the top cars began to fall off the leader board as attrition took its toll. Putting 40 cars on a 3/8ths mile oval can have that affect. Mulkern had rear end problems and brought out an important yellow at lap 80. No less than 15 cars decided to pit at that point and Busch and Mike Rowe were among them. Johnny Clark also took on four tires at that point. While not yet a factor in the race, this pit stop would be pivotal to the outcome of the event as this would be Clark’s only stop on the night.

“One of the guys on my crew has always been harping on the fact that we needed to short-pit the TD Banknorth 250," Clark said. "So we came in on lap 80 tonight and it pretty much worked out.”

An intriguing story developed on lap 82 when St. Denis, Quebec’s Patrick Laperle took the lead from Cassius Clark and set a blistering pace until Racin’ Ralph Nason brought out a yellow at lap 123 when he visited the front stretch wall. Laperle and many other cars in the current lead pack made their first pit stops as the race neared halfway and the cars that had pitted early were now back to the front. Johnny Clark took over the point, but Busch was again showing his strength.

Kyle Busch was getting a run off the corners like no other car on the track and powered under Johnny Clark to regain the lead at lap 134 and pulled out to a commanding two-second lead. Little known Nick Nichols out of New Sharon, Maine was also strong and disposed of Mike Rowe and Johnny Clark on his way to second place in the running order and was stirring some recent memories for local race fans with his car painted in a tribute to the late Scott Fraser. Nichols’ black Monte Carlo with yellow trimmings could not close the gap on the burning Busch, but he didn’t have to. A caution on lap 191 for a tangle between Laperle and Matt Kenseth sent Busch, Mike Rowe, Scott Robbins, and virtually everyone else for a final pit stop. The decision to pit late may have cost Busch the race.

Nichols and Johnny Clark stayed on the track and played their hand: they were going the distance. Nichols technically never led a lap as Clark got he jump on the restart (thanks to lapped cars interfering with Nichols) and Clark tried to put as much distance between himself and the cars with fresh tires.

“I can’t blame those cars a lap down,” said Nichols. “I’ve been one of those guys who were fighting for every spot so I can’t say anything bad about it.”

The crowd braced themselves for a charge to the front by Busch who had proven to be the fastest car on the track for most of the night. However, with 30 cars still running at lap 200 it was a tough hill to climb. Busch got into a fierce battle with 2002 TD Banknorth 250 champion Scott Robbins as the two tried to negotiate a lapped car for many laps. Busch appeared to have contact with that lapped car and his charge to the front was not as fierce from that point forward. Robbins got the better of Busch and the two ran nose to tail to the end of the event but neither were a threat to the lead pack.

The car making the charge, from 37^th starting position, was Mike Rowe. Approaching his 315^th green flag lap of the day, the Turner, Maine native got the caution he needed at lap 224 to close the gap on leader Johnny Clark and his shadow for the past 30 laps, Nick Nichols. Both young drivers knew who was behind them and the pressure proved to be a bit too much for them as Rowe got to Nichols’ rear bumper on lap 238.

“Of course you know it’s Mike Rowe,” said Nichols. “He’s a legend and I knew he wanted that 150^th win and that he was coming. I gave it all I had but I didn’t have anything for Johnny and once Mike got by me…well, I was kind of hoping they might get together.”

To Nichols’ credit, he made one last ditch pass attempt on Clark on lap 238 but he could not make his car stick in the outside groove and Rowe drove underneath to set his sights on Clark. It didn’t take long as Clark bobbled off turn four on lap 240 and as expected, Rowe capitalized.

“My car was getting tight,” said Clark. “Of course I knew it was him…I mean it’s Mike Rowe. I messed up a couple of times and hit the curb and that let him get to my back bumper. Once he got in there I had to let him go. I was happy with second place money and would have had to wreck us to win it. I wasn’t going to do that.”

As Rowe took command of the race officially at lap 241, both Clark and Nichols kept close to his rear bumper but neither had enough car left to challenge the veteran over the final nine laps. Rowe won by two car lengths over Johnny Clark and Nick Nichols. Richie Dearborn earned one of his best career finishes in fourth while Scott Robbins and Kyle Busch followed. Alan Wilson, Stan Meserve, Jeff Taylor, and Andy Shaw rounded out the top ten.

Pit Strategy played a big role in the outcome. Clark’s team rolled the dice and almost pulled off the victory.

“I wanted to come back in for tires when everyone else did at lap 191,” commented Clark after the race. “But when I told the crew I was coming in for tires they said they weren’t changing tires so don’t come in. I was a little surprised.”

Clark remains optimistic that his first TD Banknorth 250 could happen the next time around.

“Hey, (two-time winner) Ben Rowe had to finish second a couple of times before he broke through.”

For the second year, Clark goes home with a five-figure paycheck without winning the event! With lap leader bonus money his second place earnings were a nifty $17,800.

Nick Nichols knew he had some magic in his car for the TD Banknorth 250.

“I knew I could do it,” said Nichols with an ear-to-ear grin. “It was all the car. Maybe Scotty (Fraser) was out there with me. I don’t have a big budget but it isn’t always money that makes a car go fast. Sometimes it’s hard work. A lot of those teams in the garage will be a little disappointed to know that’s my old LMS motor from 1998 in that car. I want to race more at this point whether it’s driving for someone or something. I’m ready to get back into it. We actually made some money today so this is great!”

For a local competitor like Nichols, a night can be successful even if it doesn’t end with a win.

“I got on the radio after lap 200 and told my wife and my crew that it doesn’t matter what happens from this point on, it’s been a great night.”

The night got even better with his $7,700 third place paycheck.

The night belonged to Mike Rowe and him earning his 150^th career Oxford Plains Speedway victory in the biggest showcase of them all.

“Of course it means a lot," Rowe said of the magic number, "but I think that's something you guys in the media started to try to put the pressure on me. So now I've done it and we can move on to bigger and better things.”

Rowe’s four fresh tires at lap 191, along with negotiating around fading lead lap cars and obstacle lapped cars, proved to be the difference.

“(Crew chief) Seth Holbrook called for a four tire stop at lap 191 and that seemed to be the way to go,” said Rowe. “Johnny and Nichols were running good out there so I paced myself and hoped for a caution to give me a chance and got it. I had been running the tires off the car, outside and inside, up to that point so it was probably a good call by Seth to get those four tires. The track seemed to change after that last restart (on lap 224) and I knew my tires were better so I put the coal to it and went for it.”

The 54-year-old grandfather also made it clear that this season isn’t a flash in the pan.

“By winning this race we’re guaranteed a start in next years race so I guess I have to go at least one more season,” he said with a grin. On a more serious note, Rowe dedicated the win to former competitor of his who lost his life one year ago to the day.

“Make sure you guys let everyone know that I’m dedicating this win to Leland Kangas. He was a great driver and it’s been one year to the day. It would mean a lot to me that people know this win was dedicated to him.” So be it.

Rowe led only the final 10 laps, which kept his winners share to one of the lowest in the recent history of the event, $26,000. Don’t be fooled into thinking this is small change even for a frequent winner like Rowe.

Said Rowe, looking at the “fake” ceremonial check, “Make sure (track owner) Bill Ryan signs this thing.”

Notes:

- Eight drivers earned at least $5,000 thanks to lap leader money:

- Mike Rowe, 1^st Place, $26,000

- Johnny Clark, 2^nd Place, $17,800

- Nick Nichols, 3^rd Place, $7,700

- Richie Dearborn, 4^th Place, $6,000

- Scott Robbins, 5^th Place, $5,000

- Kyle Busch, 6^th Place, $10,100

- Stan Meserve, 8^th Place, $10,600

- Patrick Laperle, 19^th Place, $5,850

- Mike Rowe is sponsored by LUX Enterprises, Pullen Heavy Industries, Gagne & Son

- Rowe joins Dave Dion and Ralph Nason as three-time winners of the event.

- Rowe came from the furthest back of any starting position (37^th). That eclipsed the 26^th place starting spot shared by Rowe (in 1997) and Tommy Ellis (1983).

- Rowe joins Dion as a winner of the race in three decades (1984, 1997, 2005).

- Johnny Clark is sponsored by johnnyclarkmotorsports.com, Clark’s Cars and Parts, DNKselect.com

- Clark was heading out the next morning to begin work on the Jack Roush “Gong Show” program that will be televised as a reality TV Show.

- Nick Nichols had Nichols Trailer Sales on it. Other than that, it was all black.

- “Pat my own back” alert: Nichols told me that I was the only person to interview him prior to qualifying. He acknowledged that after the race. “You were the only one who gave me an interview earlier! I guess you saw something.” Yes…he was fast.

- Cassius Clark and Patrick Laperle tangled on lap 250 while battling for fourth place. Clark ended up 15^th while Laperle fell back to 19^th.

- Scott Robbins scored his fourth top five finish in seven tries in the event.

- Travis Benjamin was running strong in 5^th place when his car caught fire all by itself on lap 109 to bring out a red flag. Benjamin was not hurt.

- Ben Rowe was as high as third place but ran into mechanical difficulties and parked his car at lap 196.

- Matt Kenseth was never a factor but managed a respectable 16^th place finish. He did crack the top ten on a couple of occasions.

- Neither Bill Whorff Jr. or Jeremie Whorff qualified. They provided the car for Matt Kenseth.

- Kyle Busch was “the best car who didn’t win”. The late pit strategy backfired as he got mired in lapped traffic and may have suffered a handling issue due to some contact with another car.

Cautions: 8

Red Flag: 1

Lead Changes: 7

Leaders: Meserve grid-76, Busch 77-80, C. Clark 81, Laperle 82-123, J. Clark 124-133, Busch 134-190, J. Clark 191-240, M. Rowe 241-250

Heat Race Winners (20 Laps)

Heat 1: Stan Meserve

Heat 2: Brad Hammond

Heat 3: Chuck LaChance

Heat 4: Jeff White

Heat 5: Ricky Rolfe

Heat 6: Alan Tardiff

Consolation Winners (20 Laps)

Consi 1: Donnie Whitten

Consi 2: Jeff Taylor

Consi 3: Dan McKeage

Last Chance Race (50 Laps): Mike Rowe

Provisionals:

High Point Oxford Pro Stock: Tim Brackett

Past TD Banknorth 250 Champion: Ben Rowe

Oxford LMS 100 Winner from 7/23/05: Travis Adams

32^nd TD Banknorth 250 Pictures

Mike Rowe (24), Scott Robbins (72), and Alan Wilson (53) duke it out in a heat race. Three great Oxford racers with many championships.

Stan “The Man” Meserve (2) takes the green flag with Oxford regular racers Brad Hammond alongside. Meserve would lead much of the early laps of the race.

Mike Rowe endured heats, consi’s, and winning the Hooligan race to come all the way to the front for his third Oxford 250 victory.

Kyle Busch (5) races around the outside of Donnie Whitten in his heat race. Busch was a real factor in the feature but may have pitted too late. He got bottled up coming through the pack and spun on the final lap.

Johnny Clark seemed to have things going his way until a late yellow put Mike Rowe into striking distance. Clark took home $17,800 for 2^nd place.

Nick Nichols (5) had a close call in his heat race, as this picture shows. Steve Knowlton (88) went around but Nichols was not penalized. Sometimes things go your way!

Lest we forget what happened to Mike Rowe in his heat race battle with Jeff White!! Look at that crowd…I even spotted myself in this photo! Are you in there?

Matt Kenseth couldn’t duplicate his 3^rd place finish in 2004, but he did hang on for a top 20 finish in a car supplied by the Whorffs. He was never really a threat to the lead cars.

This is always one of my favorite times of the race…when they setup pit road and hold the drivers meeting in the infield. The cars get lined up and the fans get pumped up.