Oxford 250 lineup a who’s who of champs

Joe Bessey is returning to his roots.

Scarborough’s Bessey is one of several prominent drivers who have returned for Sunday’s 29th Oxford True Value 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway.

The heat races begin at 2 p.m. The feature race will start between 6:30 and 7 p.m.

The 41-year-old Bessey had been a Winston Cup team owner and Busch Grand National driver a couple of years ago. It will be his first Oxford 250 since 1994.

Chuck Bown, who won the 1986 and 1990 Oxford 250s and went on to claim the Busch Grand National points championship in 1990, will return for the first time since 1992.

Tom Rosati, who won the 1979 Oxford 250, has also entered, as has Jamie Aube, the winner in 1987 and ’89. Rosati hasn’t run the race since 1980 and Aube will be making his first appearance since 1993.

“It’s pretty incredible this year,” said Oxford Plains Speedway owner and general manager Bill Ryan. “We will have eight past champions trying to get into the race.”

The reason for their return?

“The only explanation I can come up with is they know they’re going to get a fair shake. They know we do our best to operate the track in a professional manner. Things are on the upswing,” said Ryan.

The $25,000 check that goes to the winner is a definite incentive, as is the lap money which awards a driver $100 for every lap in the lead.

“I’m really looking forward to it. I’m very, very excited about getting back to simple,” said Bessey, who shut down his Winston Cup and BGN operations due to a lack of sponsorship.

“I have wanted to race around Maine this year. And once the opportunity was there [to run the Oxford 250], we made sure it happened,” said Bessey, referring to Aubuchon Hardware’s sponsorship deal with him.

Bessey built a Monte Carlo 2000 at his shop in North Carolina.

“This is a race I have always looked forward to and gotten excited about. But I’ve never had a lot of success in it. I led it for 100-plus laps in 1992 but Dave Dion spun me out,” said Bessey, who finished a career-best ninth that year.

Bessey hasn’t run a pro stock car since 1994 but practiced at Oxford on Tuesday and had a chance to “shake down” the car.

He said anything can happen on race day, especially since there are no time trials.

Drivers must qualify during a series of heat races and starting spots for the first series of heat races are drawn.

“If you get a good draw, you can get into the show even if you don’t have a top-notch car,” said Bessey. “And the track is an equalizer because it is so unique in its configuration. Guys who run there every Saturday night have just as much chance to win as someone like me who built a new car specifically for this race.”

Busch North series regular Tracy Gordon of Strong agreed.

“The Saturday night regulars are the ones who should win it. They’re used to racing on it every week. They’ve had the whole season to dial their cars in. The track is really slippery,” said Gordon, a two-time runner-up.

Oxford regulars Gary Drew of Windham and Scott Robbins of Dixfield finished one-two a year ago but Drew disagreed with Bessey and Gordon about the home track advantage.

“We may have a little bit of an advantage because we know how the track changes during a race. But you still have to get your tires right,” said Drew.

Drew said he doesn’t feel any added pressure being the defending champ.

“I was a little nervous at the beginning of the week but then I calmed down. I’m looking forward to Sunday. Hopefully, I’ll have a good run [in qualifying heats] so I can get in the race,” said the 37-year-old Drew, who bought a house for himself, wife Kris and their three sons in Otisfield with last year’s winnings of $35,400.

Gordon is one of a handful of Busch North drivers who will run the Pepsi Racing 150 BNS race on Saturday night in Thompson, Conn., before heading to Oxford.

Unity’s Ralph Nason, third a year ago after winning the previous three Oxford 250s, likes the idea of having some veterans returning to the race.

“I think it’s good. Bring ’em on. Hopefully, we’ll have something for them,” said Nason, who will drive a 2002 Ford Taurus and considers his chances “very good.