OXFORD 250: Competitors point to Polewarczyk as favorite to win on Sunday

WESTBROOK, Maine -- The pundits have spoken and to no one's surprise, Joey Polewarczyk Jr. is the overwhelming favorite to win Sunday's TD Banknorth 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway.

Well, to no one's surprise except for Polewarczyk himself.

"It's weird," said the typically understated Polewarczyk, who has two career wins at Oxford and finished third in the Oxford 250 last summer. "I mean, last year was the first '250' I ever qualified for."

His impressive run to third behind eventual winner and former Daytona 500 champion Kevin Harvick and second-place Glen Luce coupled with his win in an ACT Late Model Tour race at Oxford Plains earlier this season to put Polewarczyk on everybody's radar.

"He's always really strong when he's there," said recent high school graduate Ben Ashline, a weekly Late Model competitor at Oxford Plains who was one of those who named Polewarczyk as his favorite.

Others who were among those named as favorites at Oxford Plains' annual TD Banknorth 250 media day included Ricky Rolfe, who entered last year's Oxford 250 as one of the region's hottest Late Model drivers before fizzling in the midsummer classic, and Brad Leighton, a multi-time NASCAR Camping World East Series champion who already has two ACT wins this season in just four starts.

"From what I have seen, Ricky's going to come as close as anybody (to winning)," said Oxford veteral Al Hammond.

But Rolfe wasn't so sure that he was the driver who would win, himself noting Leighton as his choice before the day's festivities got underway. He also thought the winner could also come out of his own camp.

"Kenny Wallace," Rolfe uttered, noting the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver who will drive as a teammate to him for owner Mark Brackett. "He's in a car better than mine."

A list of "probable" entries for the TD Banknorth 250 stood at 109 as of Wednesday. Past Oxford Late Model champions Travis Adams and Shawn Martin -- with four feature wins between them this season already -- are among those entered and named as possible winners.

-- TRAVIS BARRETT, GWC Editor