Red Light Racing at Oxford

by Lowell Jewell

Skitter Creek SK Modifieds
Season 13 Race 11
Oxford Plains

March 20, 2025
by Tim Corder

A mere 6 days after 3/14, known amongst nerds as Pi Day, Red Light Racing’s Skitter Creek SK Modifieds drivers roared into the most circular track on the schedule. The drivers calculated “2 x Pi x r” 103 times around uniquely shaped Oxford Plains Speedway. The event was extended due to a green-white-checkered finish. The name at the top of the finishing positions was a very familiar one, Eric Stout. However, his winning yet another race this season was in no way a certainty. Pit strategy turned out to be a major deciding factor in the race.

Chad Alcares claimed the top spot in the RaceDayCT.com starting grid with a 14.467 qualifying lap. The remainder of the top-five in qualifying were Eric Stout, Brian Bianchi, Jeff Aho, and Rob Higgins. All of the top-5 qualifiers were within one-tenth of a second of each other.

Alcares led the first 59 laps of the event, with Stout not far behind in second. The duo headed to pit road on a lap 60 caution, which allowed Brian Bianchi to take over the point. When the green came back out on lap 64, Stout and Alcares were in 7^th and 8^th, respectively.

Bianchi would lead until lap 76 when he pitted under caution. During the green flag run leading up to the caution which saw Bianchi pitting, Stout and Alcares made admirable moves through the field. Stout and Alcares took over first and second with Bianchi on pit road. Bianchi rejoined the field in 13^th and finished the event in 10^th place. Stout would not relinquish the lead for the rest of the event. Alcares finished in third. Rob Higgins put in a stellar performance, moving up from fifth at the start of the race to finish second.

The race was slowed by 7 cautions totaling 28 laps. Only four drivers finished the event without incident points: Stout, Higgins, Alcares, and Jeff Aho, who finished in 16^th after experiencing mechanical issues at the start of the race.

TJ Henson one the Hard Charger of the Race Award, having gained 10 spots from his 16^th place starting position to finish 6^th. Eric Stout set the fastest lap of the race, completing lap 86 in 14.458 seconds.

Stout’s seventh win of the season further extends his lead in the championship standings, he is now 59 points ahead of Bradley Stefane. Kenny Allen stays in third, Chad Alcares moved up to fourth and Brian Bianchi dropped back to 5^th in the standings.

The series next visits historic Hickory Motor Speedway on March 20^th for the 12^th race of the season. The green flag drops at 7:55 PM Eastern. Catch all the action LIVE on Virtual Grip Network.