For Adams, it's a team sport

There has to be something to the way Travis Adams views a track championship, something that has been the key to him winning 3 of the last 5 Late Model championships at Oxford Plains Speedway.

After finishing 4th in the 1st of 2 40-lap features for the division on Saturday night, Adams was a little disappointed at not winning the feature won by his closest competition -- Ricky Rolfe. In fact, for him it's all about winning races, something he did 6 times in 15 starts en route to the championship.

"You asked about big pictures, but I'm a racer," Adams said. "Racers come for the wins. It seems as though the crew comes for championships."

Giving all the credit to his crew is a trait that can't be overlooked. In fact, in a world where race car drivers are increasingly self-absorbed and egotistical by nature, Adams was happy to give all of the championship "glow" to his team.

Even Rolfe, who finished 2nd to Carey Martin in the nightcap and lost the title race by 28 points in Oxford's 1st season with the Late Models as the headlining division, was happy for Adams.
In fact, he was happy either way, even after Adams finished 3rd in that race to lock up the crown.

"I'm satisfied if I win or if Travis wins," said Rolfe, who works full-time at Race Basics building race cars. "I built both the chassis.

"We did everything we could do," Rolfe said. "(Adams) deserved to win the championship. He had the best year of anyone down here in all the divisions."

The Strictly Stock fight, Tommy Tompkins of Mexico was crowned the champion after finishing 4th, two spots ahead of Sumner Sessions, in the 2nd of 2 30-lap features.

*****

Unofficial results

Mini Stock feature (30 laps) -- 1. Don Mooney, New Gloucester; 2. Bill Irving, New Gloucester; 3. Jim Childs, Leeds; 4. Bill Thibeault, Oxford; 5. Kevin Bishop, Oxford.

Strictly Stock feature (30 laps) -- 1. Skip Tripp, Sabattus; 2. Mike Short, Auburn; 3. Matt Williams, Brownfield; 4. Tommy Tompkins, Mexico; 5. Rick Thompson, Naples.

Late Model feature (40 laps) -- 1. Carey Martin, Denmark; 2. Ricky Rolfe, Albany Township; 3. Travis Adams, Canton; 4. Shane Green, ; 5. Brad Hammond, Sabattus.