Alexander Scores Oxford Modified Win
Oxford, ME — Almost 10 years to the day from when he qualified and competed in the famed Oxford 250 race, Kirk Alexander, W.Swanzey, NH; returned to the historic 3/8 mile speedway Saturday night July 21, and won the inaugural True Value Modified Racing Series “Maine-ly Action Sports 100” before a huge crowd on hand for the special weekend.
The win by Alexander was his third of the season and his 23rd career victory with the traveling series. The race was also a qualifying event for the upcoming Mod Mania 400 weekend at Thompson, CT; Sept 8, 9.
30 modified race teams hauled to Maine for the inaugural event with 26 cars qualifying through 12 lap heat races and a 15 lap last chance race. The prelims were garnered by Jimmy Dolan, Bethel, CT; Les Hinckley, Windsor Locks, CT; and Jarvis, with David Pinkham, Buxton, ME; returning to the series winning the last chance race.
Dolan and Jarvis brought the field to green to start the 100 lap affair with Dolan jumping into the lead for the first three circuits. Jarvis raced by Dolan to take the lead on lap 4 and quickly became the class of the field. The veteran driver opened up a huge lead leaving the side by side racing to the trailing 25 cars battling for position and what a battle it was. At lap 10, Jarvis and Dolan were being chased by Ed Dachenhausen, Bryan Shumway, and Chris Pasteryak. Three laps later, Dachenhausen and Dolan swapped positions. On lap 18, Peter Jarvis, Ascutney, worked his way to fifth from his 11th starting spot. Lap 24 saw Shumway roll to 2nd until passed by Peter Jarvis and that point it became the Jarvis brothers show for several laps.
The first caution flag flew on lap 35 for a spinning Sean Bodreau,Claremont,NH; and then again 2 laps later when Dachenhausen slowed causing several cars to check up and a race incident that collected Tom Abele.Jr, Norwich, CT.
At lap 40, Louie Mechalides, Tygnsboro, MA; Alexander, and Hinckley, who started 26th, had bolted into the top five. Mechalides and Peter Jarvis locked up in a dog fight much to the delight of the crowd. Lap after lap of side by side racing with Alexander and Hinckley in their wake.
While the defending champion Dwight Jarvis set a torrid pace, the result of a long green flag run, the battles for position behind him raged on with every groove on the track used by the series top guns. The race was slowed by a yellow flag on lap 75 for Tony Ricci, Westbrook, ME; the result of a bout with the front stretch wall. Jarvis would hold the top spot for one more lap when a fast and impressive Hinckley would bolt to the lead and become the target of Alexander who followed him up through.
The final 24 laps was a replay of the Lee race as Alexander tried every move imaginable to get by Hinckley until lap 94 when the two time champion was able to squeeze by and go on to victory. Hinckley settled for a well deserved second, Dwight Jarvis an impressive third, Peter Jarvis, another strong showing finish fourth, and Chris Pasteryak, Lisbon, CT; also impressed with a solid fifth place finish.
In victory lane the victorious driver said, “I think my car was just a little bit better than his in the center of the corner,” Alexander said. “It was good racing on a great track. It all sort of came back to me.”
With Dwight Jarvis finishing third, and Alexander and Hinckley already capturing qualifiers for the Thompson race in September, Jarvis will become a guaranteed starter in the special two day event.
The next event for the TVMRS is Saturday night July 28 at Monadnock Speedway, Winchester, NH Race time is 6 PM.
Sources: John Spence, Sr/TVMRS PR