OXFORD – The pole-sitter for the 34th annual TD Banknorth Oxford 250, Shawn Martin, was pleased to hear that Caribou’s Spud Speedway is opening after seven years of inactivity.

That’s because Spud Speedway is where Martin began his racing career 11 years ago at the age of 17.

Martin is from Frenchville and intends to attend his 10-year Wisdom High School reunion soon.

The 28-year-old Martin was thrilled to start on the pole, which he attained by winning the first heat race.

“It’s amazing. I just wanted to make it in. I feel I can breathe now,” grinned the boyish-looking Martin, who lives in Turner. “I didn’t eat or sleep for a week.”

Martin was supposed to start on the outside pole in the heat race but Gray’s Travis Stearns, who was supposed to start on the inside pole, but his car was leaking oil in the pre-race practice laps and went to the pits. New Gloucester’s Dave MacDonald moved up to the inside pole from third but Martin eventually passed him for the lead and took the checkered flag.

Stearns returned to start the race in the back but was spun out.

“I felt bad for Travis,” said Martin. “He was driving the [Late Model] car I drove to the points championship [at Oxford Plains Speedway] in ’04.”

Martin is running fourth in points in the Late Model class at OPS but said he hasn’t had a good year.

“When the Pro Stocks left [after last season], it completely changed the track. And we didn’t have the right setup,” said Martin. “But the crew did a great job. After nine hours of practice, they had it dialed in [for the heat race].”

Martin got interested in racing at 17 because his father, Frank, had a garage in Frenchville and one of their mechanics, Mike Thibodeau, raced at Spud Speedway.

Martin took an interest in it and began his career shortly afterward.

“My parents thought it would be a phase,” said Martin with a smile.

He attended Southern Maine Technical College and Northern Maine Technical College and earned a degree in computer electronics.

He landed a job installing telephone equipment for Oxford Networks, moved to Turner and began racing at OPS seven years ago.

That eventually produced his Late Model points title in 2004.

Martin said he intended to “pace himself” and run a smart race.

“The lap money is tempting [$100 per lap led] but if someone wants go to around, I’ll let them and save our car for the end,” said Martin.

This was the third time Martin had entered the TD Banknorth Oxford 250 and he has qualified all three times. He started 34th and finished 31st two years ago and started 35th and wound up 25th last year.

Both races were run in Pro Stock cars. This is the first year of the Late Models.

His motor blew on lap 200 in the first race and got wrecked on lap 200 in the second one.

“I’d like to finish this one,” he said.

When asked if he would consider running for fun in a lower division at Spud Speedway, he said, “Sure, if you can find me a car.”

St. Clair – the third generation

Josh St. Clair of Liberty was playing first base and pitching for Mount View High School in Thorndike this past spring.

On Sunday night, he made his debut in the TD Banknorth Oxford 250.

St. Clair, who runs Late Model cars at Wiscasset Raceway, finished second in his heat race to earn the 13th starting spot for the 250.

It was his first time trying to qualify for the race.

“This is most nervous I’ve ever been. I was more nervous than I was before my first [ever] race,” said St. Clair, grandson of former Wiscasset Raceway owner Dave St. Clair and son of Late Model driver Puncin St. Clair. “This is the biggest thrill of my career.”

St. Clair, who just turned 18 and will be a senior at Mount View this fall, said he received some valuable advice from his grandfather before the heat race.

“He told me to be patiently aggressive. That’s all he told me,” said St. Clair.

St. Clair is running fourth in points in the Late Model class at Wiscasset Raceway. He races with his father and grandfather.

“I missed a race to go to the junior prom,” he said in explaining why he isn’t higher in the points standings.

St. Clair qualified in a Chevy Monte Carlo he had never driven. He and his team bought the car from Lloyd Gilley of East Holden a couple of years ago.

“My Late Model car at Wiscasset wouldn’t be legal here,” explained St. Clair.

He was pleased with his car.

“It was pretty good. It had a little push [up the track],” said St. Clair. “We’re a little outclassed. It doesn’t look nice and pretty like the other cars.”

St. Clair had realistic expectations.

“I wanted to get some experience and hoped I’d make it in,” said St. Clair. “I’ve never done anything this big before. The most laps I’d ever run in a big car was 100. I ran 400 laps in an Enduro car once.”

Rowes miss Oxford 250

The Rowes, three-time Oxford 250 winner Mike Rowe and his son, Ben, a two-time 250 winner, didn’t make the race. The IWK 250 PASS North Super Late Model race in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, was postponed Saturday night and was run on Sunday afternoon.

The elder Mike Rowe went on to win the IWK 250 and Ben finished second.

Ben Rowe was leading the PASS North points and Mike Rowe was second.