OXFORD — Add another driver from Turner to the list of Oxford 250 winners.

Glen Luce, one of the fastest drivers in practice all weekend, took the lead on lap 201 and then held off the challenge of young Reid Lanpher of Manchester to win the 42nd annual short-track spectacle at Oxford Plains Speedway on Sunday.

Glen Luce, of Turner, raises the checkered flag after winning the Oxford 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway on Sunday. Portland Press Herald photo by Carl D. Walsh

Luce, a regular on the PASS North Super Late Model tour who cut his racing teeth at Oxford, was the runner-up to Kevin Harvick in 2008.

Luce took the lead from Shawn Martin, who had led briefly after a multi-car crash on lap 191 brought previous leaders like Wayne Helliwell Jr. (led lap 17-161) into the pits for fresh tires.

Finishing third was Ben Lynch, a Derry, New Hampshire native, who now lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Past 250 champions Mike Rowe and Ben Rowe also live in Turner. Mike Rowe is Luce’s former father-in-law.

Helliwell Jr. was dominating at the halfway.

Pole-sitter Eddie MacDonald led the first three laps before giving way to outside pole-sitter Kelly Moore of Scarborough. On lap 17, Helliwell Jr., an ACT standout from Dover, New Hampshire, took the lead with an impressive inside move on Moore.

Helliwell led 100 straight laps until the fourth caution came out on lap 117. The top three of Helliwell, Johnny Clark, who started 21st, and Mike Rowe stayed out but most of the other contenders came in for fresh tires.

Even after two more restarts on older tires, Helliwell continued to pull away, with Clark in second. By lap 140, Corey Bubar, Joey Doiron and Jeremy Davis had cracked the top five. Doiron, of Berwick, was one of seven drivers to receive a provisional starting spot to get into the field, starting 35th.

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