Ruben Altice Wins at Oxford Plains as James Lowe Charges Back to Second

Oxford, ME — The seventh round of the Bootleg Racing League (BRL) Late Model Invitational Series Season 35 took place at the uniquely challenging Oxford Plains Speedway. The doughnut-shaped short track delivered a grueling 100-lap test of patience and tire conservation, with drivers constantly turning the wheel around the compact oval that Ricky Hardin described as a “giant circle.”

The starting lineup was set by inverting the top 13 finishers from the previous race, putting Tom Hilbert on the pole alongside Jeff Sharp. Michael Goodman, John Wilson, Ruben Altice, Donnie Moore, Lowell Jewell, Mike Holloway, Chris Worrell and championship leader James Lowe rounded out the top ten. From the drop of the green flag, Hilbert immediately established himself as the driver to beat, leading the opening 41 laps. He attacked the track with a “drive it like he stole it” mentality, building a strong early advantage while the rest of the field struggled to make the outside groove work.

The tight confines of Oxford Plains eventually produced several cautions as drivers fought for limited real estate. Jeffery Kemper and Joe Segalla were among those involved in early incidents, while an accordion-effect check-up created another disruption. Donnie Moore also took an unexpected trip through the grass before eventually making his way back toward the pits. The biggest championship storyline came when points leader James Lowe became involved in a collision with Joseph Snyder, the “Butcher of Baton Rouge.” Lowe hit the wall after a check-up and found himself buried as deep as 14th, forcing the championship leader to begin another long recovery drive.

The race began to turn on Lap 42 as Hilbert’s aggressive opening stint finally caught up with his tires. After spending the first portion of the race at the front, Hilbert was shuffled toward the outside and rapidly lost ground. Ruben Altice, meanwhile, had taken a much more measured approach. The “Quiet Man” maintained his tires and inherited the lead, quickly showing that his patience could pay dividends over the long run.

Behind Altice, the fight for second remained intense. John Wilson, the “Canadian Goose,” used the outside lane effectively on restarts, while Worrell and Holloway stayed within striking distance. Lowe was quietly making his way through the field, picking off competitors one at a time. What initially looked like a disastrous night for the championship leader was becoming another impressive recovery performance.

As the laps wound down, tire wear became increasingly important. Chris Davis and Worrell both saw their competitive runs deteriorate as their tires gave up, with Davis eventually limping his car toward the pits. Kurt Smith, the “Cucumber,” went in the opposite direction, finding additional speed late in the race as other drivers faded. Smith moved into podium contention while Lowe continued his charge toward the front.

In the closing laps, Lowe completed the final stage of his comeback by passing both Smith and Wilson to take second place. But Altice had already built too much of an advantage. Having carefully preserved his right-rear tire through the first 80 laps, Altice entered the final 20 laps with roughly 50 percent of that tire remaining and maintained a gap of approximately 1.9 seconds over Lowe.

Ruben Altice crossed the finish line to claim his first victory of the season after leading the final 59 laps. James Lowe completed a remarkable recovery to finish second, while Kurt Smith secured third. Smith’s podium was particularly meaningful as the race marked his 100th consecutive start in the BRL Late Model Invitational Series, a remarkable streak spanning approximately nine seasons.

Altice’s victory demonstrated the value of patience at Oxford Plains, while Lowe’s runner-up finish allowed the championship leader to minimize the damage from his mid-race setback. With tire conservation once again proving to be the difference between victory and defeat, the BRL Late Model Invitational Series continues to show that at Oxford Plains, sometimes the fastest way to the finish is knowing when not to push.