5-time pro stock champ eager to race at Oxford

Farmington’s Jeff Taylor was the Busch North Rookie of the Year two years ago.

Last year, he became the new owner of Distance Racing Products in Unity, buying it from Stan Meserve, and tried to balance his new ownership position with his Busch North series career.

He came to the conclusion that there weren’t enough hours in the day to follow both pursuits so he has understandably decided that work comes first and he has left the Busch North series. He will race in the pro stock division at Oxford Plains Speedway.

“I just don’t have the time to race in the Busch series,” said Taylor, a five-time pro stock champion at Oxford Plains. “We’ve been real busy at work. You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. Racing at Oxford fits me better. I don’t have to leave on Wednesday or Thursday like I did for the Busch races.”

Taylor’s return to Oxford Plains is one of several new developments at the track which, like Distance Racing Products, has a second-year owner, Bill Ryan.

Ryan, a lawyer by trade who graduated from Williams College (Mass.) and the Suffolk University Law School, has put together a three-race series including the Oxford True Value 250 that would pay a driver a $25,000 bonus if he wins all three races.

He said it will help fill the void left by the International Pro Stock Challenge series.

The six-race IPSC series featured three races at Oxford Plains Speedway and three at Halifax, Nova Scotia.

When the series was held in Halifax, Ryan canceled the pro stock division at Oxford Plains that weekend.

“We heard from our fans that they were disappointed about it. For a lot of them, the pro stock division is their favorite,” said Ryan, who also thought there was some confusion among the fans concerning the schedule and which weekends were set aside for the IPSC.

Beside the True Value 250, which will be held on July 2; the other two races in the new series will be the New England Dodge Dealers 100 on May 28 and the Coca-Cola 150 on Sept. 24.

“All three races are on Sunday and the reason we did that was that most tracks race either on Friday or Saturday nights,” explained Ryan. “This way, we’re hoping to get the guys from the Busch North series, Beech Ridge (in Scarborough) and Lee (N.H.).”

In addition to the three-race series, Ryan said the speedway will host a 75-lap super modified race on Aug. 19.

“It will be their only appearance in Maine,” said Ryan. “It is part of the International Super Modified Association series.”

He said the idea was the brainchild of Randy and Ryan Wimert, a pair of Maine-based super modified racers who wanted to hold a race at Oxford Plains.

“They asked me what they could do to help and they agreed to sponsor the race,” said Ryan noting that the Wimerts’ business is LST Landscaping in Falmouth. “That was a safety net for me. It’s expensive.”

Ryan explained that the super modifieds have 800-900 horsepower engines and weigh approximately 1,500 pounds.

“They go faster than the pro stock cars by a lot,” said Ryan.

Ryan, a native of Topsfield, Mass., said he was pleased with his first season as an owner last year.

“Things went really well,” said Ryan whose track had its first race card two weekends ago and will host the season opener for the New England Dodge Dealers Pro Tour Truck 100 on Sunday beginning with time trials at 12:30 p.m.

OXFORD PLAINS SCHEDULE

APRIL 30, PRO Tour (trucks) 100, 1 p.m. MAY 7, Weekly racing Series, 1 14, Weekly racing Series; Mini Cups, 1 20, Weekly racing Series, 1 28, New England Dodge Dealers 100, 1 JUNE 3, Weekly racing Series, 7 p.m. 9, Weekly racing Series, 7 14, Texaco-Big Apple Summer Racing Series, 7 17, Weekly racing series, 7 18, Triple enduro series, 7 21, T-BA summer series, 7 24, Weekly Racing Series, 7 28, T-BA summer series, 7 30, Weekly racing series, 7 JULY 1, Weekly racing series, Legends/Mini-Cups, 7 2, 27th annual True Value 250, 2 p.m 5, T-BA summer series, 7 12, T-BA summer series, 7 15, Weekly racing series, kids big wheel challenge, 7 19, T-BA racing series, 7 22, Weekly racing series, S.T.A.R. tour, 7 23, Hell on Wheels, 1 26, T-BA summer series, 7 28, Weekly racing series, 7 30, Show-Shine and Drag, 8 a.m. AUGUST 2, T-BA summer series, 7 5, Weekly racing series, 7 9, T-BA summer racing series, 7 12, Wilson Memorial 75-lap limited, weekly racing series, legends, 7 13, Triple enduro series, 1 p.m. 16, T-BA summer racing series, 7 p.m. 19, ISMA supermodified 75-lapper, weekly racing series, 7 23, T-BA summer series, 7 26, PRO Tour trucks 100, Triple Crown #1, weekly racing series, 7 SEPTEMBER 2, Triple Crown #2, weekly racing series, 7 10, Triple Crown #3, last points race, weekly racing series 16, Triple enduro day, 3 p.m. 24, Coca-Cola 150, weekly racing series (no points) OCTOBER 15, Little Guy 100s, LMS, limited sportsman, strictly stock, mini stock/mini cups, 1 21, Halloween on Wheels, 3 p.m.