Young drivers push Nason to first place

Ron Nason, Ralph Nason’s son and crew chief, said they changed the setup on his father’s Mustang “at least six times” over the three days leading up to Sunday night’s True Value 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway.

“It was more like 10 times. We did all kinds of stuff to get a bite [grip] on the racetrack. Nobody could. But we got it right for the feature,” said Ralph Nason, who became the first man to win the prestigious event three consecutive years.

He didn’t gloat about the accomplishment, saying simply, “If somebody has to do it, it might as well be me.”

It took Nason 13 tries to win his first True Value 250. In his 12 previous appearances, his average finish had been 20th.

The race and its lucrative payday – the winner earns $25,000 and lap leaders earn $100 per lap – are a constant source of thought for Nason.

“I usually take a week off from thinking about it. It’s in everybody else’s mind, too,” said Nason.

He said the actual preparation “begins before the snow is gone as far as parts are concerned.”

However, he maintains that he has never been obsessed with winning the event.

“I’m a realist. I’ve always said if it’s in the cards [I’ll win]. I never let [not winning it] bother me,” said Nason. “Dale Shaw and Tracy Gordon have said their careers won’t be complete until they win the Oxford 250. I don’t think that way. I’m not that motivated.

“But they’re in the race car business. Dale owns his own shop [Dale Shaw Race Cars in New Hampshire] and Tracy is going like gangbusters in Busch North [as the points leader] and is looking for a ride down south [Busch Grand National],” said Nason, who owns three speedways and Jim’s Salad Co. in Unity.

The 60-year-old Nason admitted that he has been rejuvenated by the classy youthful drivers who followed him across the finish line Sunday night: 25-year-old Ben Rowe of Turner and 22-year-old Andy Shaw of Center Conway, N.H.

“Racing had gotten to be pretty tedious. It wasn’t as much fun as it had been,” said Nason. “But that’s not the case when these two kids are racing you. They’re fun to race with. They’re smart, they’re humble and they’re learning all the time. They’re clean racers.

“I can’t wait until they flat-out drive around me. I don’t mean when I’m having a rough day. When we’re all having a good day and they drive around me, I’ll be tickled pink. I want them to win,” Nason said.

But they weren’t able to drive around Nason on Sunday, especially after tire man Mark Cleaves adjusted the tire stagger on his lap 132 pit stop during one of 11 cautions on the evening.

“Lap times of 16.3 [seconds], 16.4 and 16.5 were good enough to win the race and after Mark made the tire adjustment and got the push out of the car, we ran a 15.98,” said Nason, who started 24th. “That’s when I knew we could win. The car felt excellent. Then we went for the front. We were in a race mode.”

Shaw called Nason a “thinker” on the track, implying he gets the most out of his car and reads situations extremely well. Rowe said Nason is an “excellent” racer.

Son Ron said his dad deserves all the credit for taking a so-so car and winning with it.

Nason continues to be a controversial figure as evidenced by Sunday night’s race.

His crew and his circle of friends are loyal him. His fans are among the loudest at any track. However, there are plenty of boos to go around, also.

“But what car are they all watching?,” posed Nason knowing the obvious answer.

Nason doesn’t care if they cheer or boo as long as they make noise.

“It creates excitement,” said Nason.

His son, Ron, and Brian Whitney are the staples of his crew along with Bruce Osgood, Cleaves, 15-year-old Chad Dow and Nason’s son-in-law, Tim Ferreira. Then, for the True Value 250, Phil St. Peter and Jerry Williams venture down from Aroostook County to join the crew.

LOCAL Oxford Plains Speedway True Value 250 finishers

1. Ralph Nason (Unity), 2. Ben Rowe (Turner), 3. Andy Shaw (Center Conway, N.H.), 4. Sam Sessions (South Paris), 5. Mike Rowe (Turner), 6. Scott Robbins (Dixfield), 7. Bub Bilodeau (Standish), 8. Larry Gelinas (Scarborough), 9. Jeff Taylor (Farmington), 10. Danny Bubar (Windham), 11. Dennis Demers (Shelburne, Vt.), 12. Mike Maietta Sr. (South Portland), 13. Alan Wilson (Hebron), 14. Daren Ripley (Appleton), 15. Bill Lagerson (Lewiston), 16. Dave Gorveatt (Prince Edward Island), 17. Don Whitten (Wells), 18. Scott Chubbuck (Wiscasset), 19. John Flemming (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia), 20. Tommy Rowe (Turner), 21. Jimmy Emerson (Windham), 22. Henry Hudson III (Harrison), 23. Scott Watts (Seabrook, N.H.), 24. Scott King (East Livermore), 25. Nick Nichols (Farmington), 26. David Pinkham (Saco) 27. Adam Friend (Detroit), 28. Steve Knowlton (Ipswitch, Mass.), 29. Jim McCallum (Fall River, Mass.), 30. Dale Shaw (Center Conway, N.H.), 31. Jeff Morgan (Saco), 32. Tracy Gordon (Strong), 33. Tommy Tompkins (Carthage), 34. Scott Fraser (Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia), 35. Chris Staples (Brunswick), 36. Gary Drew (Windham), 37. Dennis Dee (Poland), 38. All Hammond (South Paris)