John Phippen Jr. admits he isn’t ready to defend his Pro Stock series championship at Hermon’s Speedway 95 beginning Sunday afternoon.

His father, John Phippen Sr., is ailing and business at the Town Hill Garage has been “busier than busy.”

In addition, he will be driving a Chevy Monte Carlo with a new economical ABC body.

“I’m a little discouraged right now. I’m not having a good time. My father is sick,” said Phippen. “But we’ll still be racing. I’m just a little behind. I’m not on top of my game.”

Phippen’s Pro Stock title last season was his fourth.

The 54-year-old Phippen has won three Pro stock titles at Speedway 95 and one at Wiscasset Raceway. He also won two Street Stock championships at Unity Raceway.

Phippen was one of three drivers at Speedway 95 whose margin of victory was less than five points last year.

Phippen actually had the smallest victory margin as he edged Winterport’s Ryan Deane by just two points (856-854). Dixmont’s Jason Witts and Oakland’s Reggie Bickford won their respective Limited and Sport Four divisions by four points each.

Witts edged out Steuben’s Rowland Robinson Sr. and Bickford nipped Hermon’s Mike Hopkins.

“Most of our winners were decided on the last day,” said Speedway 95 co-owner Del Merritt.

Glenburn’s Derek Pearson captured the Strictly Street division by 19 points over Rowland Robinson Jr. of Steuben and John Kalel II of Orrington is the reigning Super Street titlist as he finished 45 points ahead of Bradley’s Deane Smart.

The Pretty Car Contest will start at 1:30 p.m. and racing will begin at 2 p.m. There will be heats and features in all five divisions with the Pro Stock and Limited features being 50-lappers. There will also be races involving the Super (Nextel Cup half-scale size) Mini-Cup and Wicked Good Vintage Racing Association series.

Merritt will continue to keep the admission price at just $5.

Phippen said opening day is always special because of the bond between the racers.

“We don’t always agree with one another on everything but we’re all brothers. This is my second family,” he said.

OPS has ACT 150 Saturday

Oxford Plains Speedway will kick off its season Saturday at 2 p.m. with the New England Dodge Dealers’ 150 American-Canadian Tour race headlining the program.

OPS has gotten rid of its Pro Stock class. The ACT feature is a Late Model race.

Turner’s Ben Rowe will be one of the favorites in the 36-car field.

Rowe also runs in the Pro All-Stars Series Super Late Model Division.

“The power is quite a bit different between Pro Stocks and Late Models as are the shocks and tires. Late Models run the eight-inch slicks instead of the 10-inch tires we use in Pro Stocks,” explained Rowe.

“But the cars react the same. They still get tight, they still get loose and you do the same things to them [to fix them],” said Rowe, who expects a very competitive field.

“There are going to be some stout cars out there. You’re going to have the 8-10 best Canadian drivers and the best 8-10 Maine drivers. There will be 50-60 cars trying to get into the field,” said Rowe. “The hardest thing will be getting through the qualifying heats to get into the race. Once you get in the race, anybody can win it.”

In addition there will be racing in the weekly Strictly Stock and Mini-Stock classes.

Scarborough’s Beech Ridge Motor Speedway will also open this weekend with racing in the Pro Series, Sport Series, Wildcats and Road Runner divisions beginning on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

SPEEDWAY 95, HERMON

Opening date: Sunday, 1:30 p.m.

Classes: Dysart’s Pro Stocks, Limiteds, Super Streets, Strictly Streets, Sport-4s, Half-Scale Mini-Cup cars, Vintage cars. There will also be a Pretty Car competition to kick things off.

Price: $5 for ages 6 and above; no charge for under 5

Highlights: 50-lap Pro Stocks and 50-lap Limited Series races