Polewarczyk Begins Title Defense with Dominant Oxford Win
Posted By Tj Ingerson On April 19, 2015
Categories: American-Canadian Tour
PHOTO: Joey Polewarczyk Jr. (#97) celebrates his American-Canadian Tour win on Sunday at Oxford Plains Speedway in the Dave's Small Engine Repair/Walker Mowers 150. (T.J. Ingerson/VMM photo)
--by T.J. Ingerson (@TJIngerson)
VMM Editor
OXFORD, Maine -- Joey Polewarczyk Jr. needed eight races last season to claim his first win in his championship winning effort. But in his championship defense year, he only needed the first start to claim his first win of the season.
The Hudson, N.H., driver led all 150 laps in the American-Canadian Tour return to Oxford Plains Speedway on Sunday and held off a late challenge from two-time champion Wayne Helliwell Jr., to claim his 14th career series win and his third career American-Canadian Tour win at Oxford in the Dave’s Small Engine Repair/Walker Mowers 150.
“This is huge. Once we found out Oxford was back on the schedule, we like this track and it’s been good to us,” Polewarczyk said. “We had a great heat race and was able to start on the pole and just had a great race.'
Polewarczyk earned his pole position start after he earned a plus-three in his heat race qualifying. From there, he remained virtually untouched over the first 100 laps of the race and held a comfortable lead over second place Nick Sweet, making exclusive use of the outside lane.
A caution flag with just 13 laps remaining put Sweet to Polewarczyk’s outside, but Helliwell on his bumper, which forced the defending champion to change his strategy and protected the inside lane. Helliwell was able to work his way past Sweet quickly, but saw Polewarczyk in his desired lane and was unable to mount a hard charge.
“I tried to (the car) in the middle of the race by running up high thinking I’d be easier on the tires,” Polewarczyk said. “On the long run it was better, but on the short run, like we had at the end, when the tires are cool, you have to be on the bottom. Wayne gave me all I could handle.
“I was thinking that the whole race in case that had to happen. I was hoping I was being easier on the tires by not putting too much input into the (steering) wheel, and in a scenario where I would had to use the bottom at the end, I would have for those guys. I don’t know if I had more tire than Wayne, but luckily it ended just in time.”
Helliwell, of Dover, N.H., settled for second while two-time Thunder Road champion Sweet of Barre, Vt., finished third.
Eighteen-year-old Emily Packard of East Montpelier, Vt., put forth a veteran drive in just her second full-time season on the Late Model Tour as she drove from a 20th place starting spot to finish fourth. Williamstown, Vt., driver Jimmy Hebert battled near the fifth spot for the entire event and was rewarded with a fifth place finish when the checkered flag flew.
Former Oxford track champion Jeff White would finish sixth, while another former Oxford regular, Travis Stearns, finished seventh. Sophomore campaigner Mike Ziter finished eighth while newcomer Rich Dubeau finished ninth. Quebec driver Jonathan Bouvrette completed the top-ten finishers.
Vermont Motorsports Magazine will have more from the Dave’s Small Engine Repair/Walker Mowers 150 from Oxford Plains Speedway soon.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – Dave’s Small Engine Repair/Walker Mowers 150
ACT Late Model Tour – Oxford Plain Speedway, Oxford, Maine
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(# -- denotes rookie)
1. (1) Joey Polewarczyk Jr., Hudson, N.H.
2. (9) Wayne Helliwell Jr., Dover, N.H.
3. (2) Nick Sweet, Barre, Vt.
4. (20) Emily Packard, East Montpelier, V.t
5. (4) Jimmy Hebert, Williamstown, Vt.
6. (7) Jeff White, Winthrop, Maine
7. (3) Travis Stearns, Auburn, Maine
8. (13) Mike Ziter, Williamstown, Vt.
9. (26) # Rich Dubeau, Plainfield, N.H./
10. (8) Jonathan Bouvrette, Blainville, Que.
11. (21) Brandon Atkins, AuSable Forks, N.Y.
12. (5) Rowland Robinson Jr., Steuben, Maine
13. (10) Larry Gelinas, Buxton, Maine
14. (11) Aaron Fellows, Croydon, N.H.
15. (17) Jeremy Welch, Lebanon, N.H.
16. (25) Glenn Martel, Belmont, N.H.
17. (15) Ray Parent, Tiverton, R.I.
18. (16) Quinny Welch, Lancaster, N.H.
19. (14) Corey Mason, Groveton, N.H.
20. (18) Bryan Mason, Stark, N.H.
21. (22) Bobby Pelland, Cranston, R.I.
22. (24) Jimmy Linardy, Somerville, Mass.
23. (12) Matt Anderson, Franklin, N.H.
24. (6) Bradley Babb, Windham, Maine
25. (19) Kyle Welch, Newport, N.H.
26. (23) Boomer Morris, Barre, Vt.