Zach Emerson has been chasing a points championship at Oxford Plains Speedway for several years, coming close on a few occasions in his Street Stock car.

“I’ve been second a couple of times,” said Emerson, 33, of Sabattus. “It’s something I want.”

He’s close again this year.

Emerson enters the weekend with 216 points, which is good for second behind Kurt Hewins (226).

Emerson has recorded just one podium finish — third place on opening day — but he’s been consistent all spring.

“It’s been good,” he said. “Real good. I think we have a real good shot. I’ve never won one before but maybe this is the year. I’ve been told I’ve been driving a little harder this year.”

The Street Stock class features a bit more parity this season. There are five drivers separated by just 31 points. Hewins is the three-time defending points champ in the division.

“There’s a lot more competition this year,” Emerson said. “We just had our first repeat winner last weekend. It’s a new guy every week. It’s definitely been pretty exciting. I can’t wait for the rest of this season.

“We’ll see how it goes.”

Regular racing resumes at OPS tonight.

* * *

Reid Lanpher said he wanted to drive a few different cars at a lot of different tracks this summer.

Thursday, he got behind his NELCAR Legends car for the first time this season in a 25-lap feature at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough.

The track debuted its Thursday Night Thunder lineup , with the Legends cars closing the show.

“I’m looking forward to getting back into the Legends car,” Lanpher, 15, of Manchester, said before the race. “The Thursday Thunder is a good show. We got the car all ready. We’re good to go.”

Lanpher drove on the Legends tour last season before he signed with JR Motorsports in the fall. He’s driving a Late Model for the company NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr. owns, competing in the “Dirty Dozen” series in North Carolina and Virginia.

Lanpher hasn’t raced the Late Model in three weeks but will return to Motor Mile Speedway on June 22 for a pair of 125-lap features.

“We’ll go back down and be there for a week and a half,” he said.

In the meantime, Lanpher will drive the Legends car around.

“It’s not as much pressure driving the Legends,” Lanpher said. “I mean, there is pressure because everyone expects you to do well. But it’s a lot of fun.”

* * *

Left turns: The American-Canadian Tour is returning to Canaan Fair Speedway in Canaan, N.H., for the first time in eight years. The track was a regular stop on the tour from 1997 through 2005. A 150-lap feature is scheduled for Saturday. Jimmy Hebert leads defending ACT points champ Wayne Helliwell, Jr., by 15 points in the standings. … Spud Speedway in Caribou will host the Canadian Atlantic Open Wheel Tour on June 23. It’s the first of two stops at the track this season.

Bill Stewart — 621-5640

bstewart@centralmaine.com

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