is racing into Mike Rowe and Jeff Taylor territory.
Rolfe swept Thursday's two Oxford Networks Late Model features on
Maine State Lottery Fireworks Night, extending his run to four
consecutive weekly victories dating back to June 7.
Day or night, 40 laps or 50, the conditions didn't matter to Rolfe. He
blazed a trail past Paul Bosse on lap 17 of the held-over opening
feature and emerged from a torrid battle with Shawn Knight on the 29th
circuit of the extra-distance finale.
"The rule limits us to one new tire a week, so it's tough," Rolfe said
of the Late Models' two trips into the spotlight. "We were wicked
tight in the first race. I'm glad we found something."
Champions comprised the top three in the late-afternoon encounter,
with Travis Adams (2003, 2006 and 2007 LM champion) second and Shawn
Martin (2004) third. Billy Childs Jr. and Tim Brackett completed the
top five.
Knight posted the best finish of his rookie Late Model campaign with a
runner-up performance in the nightcap.
His #25 is a car built by none other than Rolfe at Race Basics in
Andover. Knight also was a central figure in the start of Rolfe's
winning streak, having led the first feature of June until
surrendering the lead to Rolfe with only three laps remaining.
That night, a late restart cost Knight a top-three finish entirely.
"When you finish second to a guy like Ricky on a hot streak like he
is, you've accomplished something," Knight said.
Brackett improved by two spots in the nightcap in his return to the
track where he won the first championship of his 30-year career in
2005.
"It's good to be home," Brackett said. "We'll be here the next couple
of weeks getting ready for the 250, and maybe after that. So much goes
into that race that you can't control. I'd love to win it. We're
obviously not quite as good as Ricky right now."
Carey Martin and Childs ran fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 50-lapper.
Tommy Tompkins (Allen's Coffee Flavored Brandy Strictly Stock) and
Adam Polvinen (Allen's Mini) dominated their segments of the holiday
Triple 50s.
Tompkins, the reigning Strictly champion, left Chris Burgess behind on
lap 2 and dominated a caution-free dash.
He punctuated that parade with some good-natured ribbing of the
division point leader.
"I was sitting on the sidelines about three or four weeks into the
season when my friend Skip Tripp called me up. I help sponsor his
car," Tompkins said. "He kept saying, 'You've got to get out there and
play.' Well, Skip, I'm here to play. Where are you, buddy?"
Tripp gave it a gritty effort in a three-way battle for second but
couldn't get around runner-up Larry Emerson or third-place Mike Short.
Kim Tripp backed up his heat race win with a fifth-place run.
Polvinen put a hurt on an impressive, 26-car Mini Stock field, lapping
all but six of his rivals.
In only his second start of the season, Polvinen needed a mere nine
laps to bolt from 16th starting position and overtake Don Frechette.
"I've been racing the Legends car this year, but I thought I'd stay
closer to home tonight and I'm glad I did," Polvinen said. "Tonight
was the first new tire I've bought this year."
Shane Kaherl matched his best career finish in second, trailed by
Ashley Marshall. Darrell Moore rallied from a lap 1 crash and a flat
right front tire to finish fourth and protect his point lead, leading
Steve Barker across the stripe.
OPS isn't done for the holiday weekend. Time Warner Cable Night cranks
up at 6:30 p.m. Saturday with racing in six divisions.
OXFORD NETWORKS LATE MODEL #1 (40 laps): 1. Ricky Rolfe, Albany
Township; 2. Travis Adams, Canton; 3. Shawn Martin, Turner; 4. Billy
Childs Jr., Leeds; 5. Tim Brackett, Buckfield; 6. Shawn Knight, South
Paris; 7. Tommy Ricker, Poland; 8. Don Wentworth, Otisfield; 9. Jimmy
Childs, Leeds; 10. Carey Martin, Denmark; 11. Gerald Parlin, South
Paris; 12. Neil Martin, Freeport; 13. Mark Childs Jr., Mechanic Falls;
14. Corey Morgan, Lewiston; 15. Paul Bosse, Gray; 16. Tyson Jordan,
Poland; 17. Matt Sanborn, West Baldwin; 18. Kurt Hewins, Leeds; 19.
Dale Verrill, Paris; 20. Travis Stearns, Auburn; 21. Dennis Spencer
Jr., Oxford; 22. Ben Ashline, Pittston; 23. Nick Brown, Bath. DNS:
Shawn Clark, Winterport; Aaron Ricker, Saco.
OXFORD NETWORKS LATE MODEL #2 (50 laps): 1. Ricky Rolfe, Albany
Township; 2. Shawn Knight, South Paris; 3. Tim Brackett, Buckfield; 4.
Carey Martin, Denmark; 5. Billy Childs Jr., Leeds; 6. Ben Ashline,
Pittston; 7. Joey Doiron, Arundel; 8. Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, Mass.;
9. Travis Adams, Canton; 10. Gerald Parlin, South Paris; 11. Scott
Luce, Strong; 12. Corey Morgan, Lewiston; 13. Jimmy Childs, Leeds; 14.
Shawn Martin, Turner; 15. Nick Brown, Bath; 16. Ron Charpentier Jr.,
Wales; 17. Don Wentworth, Otisfield; 18. Tyson Jordan, Poland; 19.
Bill Whorff Jr., West Bath; 20. Matt Sanborn, West Baldwin; 21. Daren
Ripley, Appleton; 22. Neil Martin, Freeport; 23. Kurt Hewins, Leeds;
24. Tommy Ricker, Poland; 25. Paul Bosse, Gray. DNS: Travis Stearns,
Auburn; Dale Verrill, Paris; Dennis Spencer Jr., Oxford; Mark Childs
Sr., Mechanic Falls.
ALLEN'S COFFEE FLAVORED BRANDY STRICTLY STOCK (50 laps): 1. Tommy
Tompkins, Carthage; 2. Larry Emerson, Durham; 3. Mike Short, Auburn;
4. Skip Tripp, Poland; 5. Kim Tripp, Oxford; 6. Glen Henderson,
Sabattus; 7. Rick Thompson, Naples; 8. Matt Williams, Brownfield; 9.
Sumner Sessions, Norway; 10. Zach Emerson, Durham; 11. Chris Burgess,
Lewiston; 12. Michael Roe, West Paris; 13. Mike St. Germain, Auburn;
14. Randy Heath, Casco; 15. Dean Coolidge, Oxford; 16. Jeff Prindall,
Lisbon Falls. DNS: George Haskell, Casco.
ALLEN'S COFFEE FLAVORED BRANDY MINI STOCK (50 laps): 1. Adam Polvinen,
Oxford; 2. Shane Kaherl, Jay; 3. Ashley Marshall, Jay; 4. Darrell
Moore, Mechanic Falls; 5. Steve Barker, Jay; 6. Don Frechette, Turner;
7. Brad Dwinal, Freeport; 8. Bill Thibeault, Oxford; 9. Ken Daigle
Jr., Lisbon; 10. Craig Moore, Woodstock; 11. Don Mooney, New
Gloucester; 12. Greg Watkins, Bridgton; 13. Rick Giguere, Auburn; 14.
Matt Morneau, Oxford; 15. Chuck Higgins, Lewiston; 16. David Giasson,
Wales; 17. Justin Karkos, Jay; 18. Butch Keene, Turner; 19. Curtis
Fanjoy, Oxford; 20. Wayne Titus, Minot; 21. Dave Mooney, Wales; 22.
Matt Moore, South Paris; 23. Randy Kimball, Mechanic Falls; 24. Kevin
Bishop, South Paris; 25. Dale Brackett, Oxford; 26. Bill Childs Sr.,
Leeds.
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