In his first auto race in 1965, Stan Meserve was maneuvering a borrowed 1950 Packard around Unity Raceway.

“I was leading but then I got a flat tire,” recalled Meserve.

It didn’t matter that Meserve didn’t win.

He was hooked.

He bought a 1956 Mercury the next week, fixed it up, and he has been racing ever since.

“I enjoyed it so much, I got my own car,” said Meserve who went on to win the points championship that year in the street stock class.

Meserve, a 1959 graduate of Winslow High School, will begin his second season in the pro stock class at Oxford Plains Speedway next weekend gunning to improve upon last year’s third-place finish in the points race.

“We had a mediocre year. We didn’t do as well as we expected to,” said Meserve. “I think we can challenge [for the points title] this year.”

Jeff Taylor, who won the points race a year ago, has left to join the Busch North series but Tim Brackett, who finished second, will return to challenge Meserve.

Meserve has won points titles at Unity Raceway, Wiscasset Raceway and at Hermon’s Speedway 95 during his illustrious 33-year career.

Ironically, he hadn’t been the least bit interested in racing until the guys at his construction site piqued his curiosity.

“I hadn’t thought about it at all. But racing was all they talked about,” said Meserve.

It has been a major part of his life ever since.

He now owns Distance Racing Products in Unity, a company that builds race cars.

“We do everything but motors and transmissions,” said Meserve, who got into the business when a back injury ended his career as a construction worker in 1983.

“I started helping people with their race cars, building stuff for them. One thing led to another and here we are,” said Meserve.

The 57-year-old Meserve hasn’t lost any of the competitive fire or the desire to race.

“It’s what I really like to do,” said Meserve. “It has a lot of downs but I still like to do it.”

He did have a fling at Winston Cup racing in 1968. It was known as Grand National back then, according to Meserve.

He finished 24th in the points.

“It was fun. It was a lot of work,” said Meserve whose best finish was a 10th. “But I accumulated bills and I had to come home to pay them.”

And he has stayed put.

“I’m pretty much at ease with where I am and what I’m doing,” said Meserve.

Meserve could race the Paul Watts-owned Chevy Monte Carlo wherever he likes but he prefers Oxford.

“Oxford has the most money and it’s the most fun. It’s the biggest challenge. And we’re all treated well. It’s a good place to race,” explained Meserve.

His immediate concern is getting his car straightened out.

He failed to finish the Surge Blitz 150 Pro Stock race last Sunday at Oxford.

“It wasn’t a good way to start the year off,” said Meserve. “Something was haunting us and we have to find it. I think it’s a brake problem.”

So that is why Stan Meserve will spend part of his Easter Sunday working on his car as he prepares for the Oxford Plains pro stock series opener a week from Sunday.

He wouldn’t have it any other way. Oxford Plains Speedway

A capsule look

Owner – Mike Liberty

Length of track – .375 mile

Featured events – New England Dodge Dealers 500, May 24; 25th annual True Value 250, July 5; Twin 225s for pro stock and late model stock, Sept. 20

Track analysis – It is a good, wide, fast track with two distinct grooves that enable drivers to pass. It can be unpredictable. It is important for the drivers and their crews to make constant adjustments. It is well-managed. Track has good bite to it. There isn’t much straightaway, it’s pretty round.

APRIL

19: regular racing series, 2 p.m.; 26: regular racing series, 2 p.m. MAY

3: regular racing series, 2 p.m.; 10: Mini stock 50 lap special and regular racing series, 2 p.m.; 16: Triple Crown number 1, regular racing series, mini cup cars 20-lapper, 7 p.m.; 24: New England Dodge Dealers 500, 2 p.m.; 30: regular racing schedule, 7 p.m. JUNE

7: double points, regular racing series, mini-cup cars 20-lapper, 2 p.m.; 13: Late Model Stock 50-lap special, regular racing series, 7 p.m.; 20: regular racing series, mini-cup cars 20-lapper, 7 p.m.; 27: Strictly 100 lap special, 7 p.m. JULY

2: Mini-cup cars 20-lapper, 7 p.m.; 4: True Value Paints LMS 100, 7 p.m.; 5: 25th annual True Value 250, 2 p.m.; 18: regular racing series, Triple Crown number 2, 7 p.m.; 24: regular racing series, mini-cup cars 50-lapper AUGUST

1: Lucky draw and regular racing series, big wheel challenge, 7 p.m.; 2: Hell on Wheels, 1 p.m.; 8: Pro trucks 150, regular racing series, mini-cup cars, 7 p.m.; 15: Limited 75-lap special, regular racing series, 7 p.m.; 22: regular racing series, Triple Crown number 3, 7 p.m.; 23: regular racing series, mini-cup cars SEPTEMBER

6: regular racing series, 2 p.m.; 13: enduros, 2 p.m.; 20: Twin 225s for Pro stock and Late Model Stock, mini-cup car 20-lapper, 2 p.m. OCTOBER

11: 3rd annual Little Guy 100s, 1 p.m.; 17: 3rd annual Halloween-on-Wheels