OXFORD – There were 80 laps remaining in the 29th annual True Value 250 Sunday night and Dixfield’s Scott Robbins had a healthy lead.

He said he was waiting for his crew chief, his brother Spencer, to tell him that somebody was making a run at him. Nobody told him that because nobody was.

“It was kind of quiet. It was surreal,” said the 29-year-old Robbins, who had taken over the lead during a pit stop caused by a caution on lap 131 and never looked back to take the checkered flag on his home track.

He pocketed $36,900 for his triumph. Robbins was second in last year’s race to Windham’s Gary Drew.

Two-time winner Mike Rowe of Turner finished second and 18-year-old Ryan Moore of Scarborough, the youngest driver in the race and the son of Busch North series points leader Kelly Moore, came home third in his first Oxford True Value 250.

Hebron’s Alan Wilson and Scarborough’s Larry Gelinas were fourth and fifth, respectively. Rounding out the top 10 were Turner’s Ben Rowe, Mike’s son, Tyngsboro, Mass., native Louie Mechalides, Cushing’s Chuck Lachance, Unity’s Ralph Nason and Mercer’s Jeff Taylor.

“They were telling me on the radio not to slow down for the lapped cars,” said Robbins who considered a four-tire change on lap 90 as being instrumental in his triumph.

“We weren’t as good as we thought we’d be at the start. We got the caution at 90 and we didn’t want to struggle any more. We didn’t see anybody else coming to pit road. Or they were getting ready to come to pit road. We had planned a four-tire change,” said Robbins. “Usually, everybody comes in and gets two right-side tires, goes out and then they come in again and get two lefts. If you get it all done at once, you’re ahead of all those guys on pit road. We got track position and that’s what won the race for us.”

Robbins gradually moved up through the field and when former race leader Scott Fraser of Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia, blew a tire causing a caution on lap 131 and several cars pitted, Robbins inherited the lead for good.

Three-time winner Nason, the oldest entrant at 62, came out second and let Robbins know he was in for a battle.

“He bumped me three or four times when we were behind the pace car. He was trying to rattle me. But if you’re going to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best,” said Robbins, who pulled away from Nason on the restart.

While Robbins was distancing himself from the pack in his Ford, Nason and Mike Rowe were battling it out for second.

Rowe eventually slipped inside Nason on lap 209 and, 10 laps later, Moore passed Nason on the inside groove for third.

“Scotty ran good. I tried to run him down but I couldn’t,” said Mike Rowe who had nothing but praise for Robbins and Moore.

“The young kids are putting us old guys to shame,” said the 51-year-old Rowe.

Robbins said it was a joy racing the likes of Rowe and Nason.

“I began studying this race a long time ago. I would come and watch guys like Mike and Ralph and see what they did on their pit stops,” said Robbins who called it an emotional win because his father-in-law, Don Childs, who was a great supporter of his and helped him get started 11 years ago, died last year.

“He was probably spotting for me tonight,” grinned Robbins.

Moore was pleased with his finish.

“It’s pretty exciting. I was just hoping to finish the race and keep the race in one piece. I’ve never been in a race this long,” said Moore, who runs on the ACT Dodge tour.

Robbins started eighth while Mike Rowe and Moore started next to each other back in the pack. Moore qualified 27th and Rowe was 28th.

Wilson had to win the last consolation race in which just the winner qualifies from the 50-lap event. He began the race 37th and Gelinas began in 15h.

Nason, the winner in 1998, ’99 and 2000, received a provisional and started 39th.

Joe Bessey began on the pole but the former Winston Cup team owner and Busch Grand National driver struggled to a 21st-place finish.

Former 1990 BGN points champ and two-time Oxford 250 winner Chuck Bown got a provisional and finished 42nd in the 43-car field.

Fraser led from lap two to lap 89 and appeared to be the man to beat as his car quickly lapped cars in the early going.

But he slid off the track avoiding an accident on lap 90 and then blew his tire to end his hopes.