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Oxford, ME — Sunday started off with many racers in doubt. Mists, both heavy and light, started the day at Oxford Plains Speedway as racers went through the preparation paces for the Pine Tree State 125. Being the Maine home for the American-Canadian Tour, the pits were filled with contenders, each eager to make their stake in the Tour’s long history at the venerable Vacationland oval. One such racer finally made his greatest impact at a track that has eluded him over the past five seasons.
Following a popular meet and greet with fans along the frontstretch, twenty-six pilots prepared themselves for three heat race qualifiers to set the field for the Pine Tree State 125. Championship chaser Gabe Brown took down heat one with longtime runner Brock Davis running heat two from the pole and former ACT Rookie of the Year Ryan Kuhn stealing away heat three. By passing four cars in his heat, former Oxford Plains Speedway champion Brown took the pole in the 125-lap feature with Vermont standout Jesse Switser to his outside.
Brown quickly took charge at the front, stretching an early lead. Behind him, Tom Carey III began making use of the inside lane to move under Switser for third while point leader D.J. Shaw used the outside to methodically move up from ninth to sixth in the early goings. Carey made up inches gradually over the coming laps, moving under Brown on the arching backstretch to steal away the lead on lap 42.
The first of five cautions started with the spinning Jeff Labrecque in turn two to set up the first of five dogfights between Carey and Brown at the front of the pack on lap 62. With fifty laps remaining, it was an all-star top five as Carey led Brown, Shaw, Derek Gluchacki and New Hampshire Governor’s Cup winner Brandon Barker with Switser and top rookie Andrew Molleur in tow.
The final caution on lap 118 set up a final seven-lap dash to the checkers. After five years of trying and several close calls over the years, New Salem, Massachusetts’ Tom Carey III finally picked up the ACT Tour win at Oxford Plains Speedway in the Pine Tree State 125. Although slipping back at times near the halfway point, Gabe Brown used the final restart to power back up to a strong second-place finish followed by Jesse Switser to round out the podium. Brandon Barker showed his Lee USA Speedway win in May was no fluke with a fourth-place finish followed closely by Derek Gluchacki for fifth.
Defending champion D.J. Shaw sat just outside the top-5 in sixth with top rookie Andrew Molleur taking seventh and Autodrome Chaudiere winner Jimmy Renfrew, Jr. coming home eighth. Ryan Kuhn finished ninth with Thunder Road hot-shoe Marcel Gravel rounding out the top-10.
The American-Canadian Tour heads north of the border once again in just two week’s time for the CAN-AM 200 at Autodrome Montmagny on Saturday, July 22nd. One of the richest events of the 2023 season, including a guaranteed $10,000 check waiting for the victor, the CAN-AM 200 will pit the best of the United States against the best of Quebec on one of Canada’s fastest ovals!
For more information about the American-Canadian Tour, contact the ACT offices at (802) 244-6963, media@acttour.com, or visit www.acttour.com. You can also get updates on Facebook and Twitter at @ACTTour.
Oxford Plains Speedway – Oxford, ME
Pine Tree State 125
Sunday, July 9, 2023
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
1. 5MA Tom Carey III New Salem, MA
2. 60ME Gabe Brown Center Conway, NH
3. 25NH Jesse Switser West Burke, VT
4. 0NH Brandon Barker Windham, ME
5. 03MA Derek Gluchacki North Dartmouth, MA
6. 04VT D.J. Shaw Center Conway, NH
7. 31CT #Andrew Molleur Shelton, CT
8. 00NH Jimmy Renfrew Jr. Candia, NH
9. 72MA Ryan Kuhn E. Bridgewater, MA
10. 86VT Marcel J. Gravel Wolcott, VT
11. 04NH Shawn Swallow Groveton, NH
12. 5ME #Dominic Curit Saco, ME
13. 77NH #Bryan Wall Jr. E. Kingston, NH
14. 7NC Davey Riendeau Mooresville, NC
15. 41QC Jonathan Bouvrette Blainville, QC
16. 12NH Jeffrey Labrecque Jr. Strafford, NH
17. 48NY Taylor Hoar South Hero, VT
18. 27NH Cam Huntress Rochester, NH
19. 5CT Dillon Moltz New Sharon, ME
20. 36NH Erick Sands Derry, NH
21. 68NH #Tanner Woodard Waterbury Ctr., VT
22. 47NH Brockton Davis Whitefield, NH
23. 73MA Cody Littlewood Orange, MA
24. 25ME #Jason Gammon Hollis, ME
25. 21VT Reilly Lanphear Waterbury, VT
26. 7ME Dylan Payea Milton, VT
DNS 19ME Shane Kaherl Jay, ME
