Top 50 Drivers in Oxford 250 History - No. 20 - 16

Every year since 1974, Oxford Plains Speedway in Maine has hosted the Oxford 250. The event has seen many different forms, cars, drivers and sanctioning bodies over the years, but it has also seen plenty of star power during that time.

In celebration of the 50th Annual Oxford 250 taking place on August 25-27, 2023, Racing America has assembled a ranking of the top 50 drivers in the history of the event. We will unveil them in installments leading up to the big weekend in August, where you can watch the Oxford 250 here on Racing America if you are unable to attend the golden anniversary event in person.

This week, we break into the top 20 in our Oxford 250 ranking and unveil five more members of the list.

Top 50 Drivers in Oxford 250 History: 50-46 | 45-41 | 40-36 | 35-31 | 30-26 | 25-21

20 – Curtis Gerry

Curtis Gerry is always a name to watch when he arrives at Oxford Plains Speedway. He’s a former Super Late Model track champion, as well as a former winner in the Oxford 250.

In his last nine Oxford 250 appearances, Gerry has finished in the top 10 five times, and two of those finishes outside of the top 10 were an 11th in 2013 and a 12th in 2020. Gerry led 102 laps to win the 2017 Oxford 250, taking the lead for the final time on lap 198 from Scott McDaniel.

19 – Tommy Ellis

From one of the locals of the state of Maine in Gerry, we go to Richmond, Virginia’s Tommy Ellis. Ellis raced in the Oxford 250 eight times between 1978 and 1990 under a variety of banners, from the NASCAR Late Model Sportsman championship, to the NASCAR North Tour that became the ACT Pro Stock Tour, to the NASCAR Busch Grand National/Busch North Series combination events.

Regardless of the sanctioning body, Ellis knew how to finish near the front in the Oxford 250. Outside of 1982, when he was involved in an early accident, Ellis’ only finish outside the top 10 was a 15th-place showing in 1990. In 1983, Ellis started 27th but drove his way to the front to take the victory.

18 – Mike Barry

Another driver who competed during this time span in the Oxford 250 was Vermont’s Mike Barry. The nine-time ACT Pro Stock Tour race winner went to victory lane in the Oxford 250 in 1982, finishing ahead of Butch Lindley and Dick McCabe.

The victory was part of a three-year stretch where Barry finished in the top five all three years between 1981 and 1983. He also finished eighth in 1980, and led 16 laps before his fourth-place finish in 1983.

17 – Johnny Clark

The 2020 Oxford 250 came down to a battle of two veterans both seeking their first win in the crown jewel event, with Johnny Clark taking the upper hand over Jeff Taylor. Clark has been very strong in recent years in the 250, carrying a string of four consecutive top-five finishes in this year’s race.

Clark had a strong resume in the event before the 2020 victory, including starting on the pole in 2004, a runner-up finish in 2005 and a fourth-place finish in 2015. Overall, Clark has led 341 laps in the Oxford 250 in his career.

16 – Joey Polewarczyk, Jr.

Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. is probably better known by a much shorter name, “Joey Pole.” No matter what you prefer to call him, he is an Oxford 250 winner after taking the victory in the 2012 edition of the event.

Polewarczyk was dominant in 2012, leading 202 of the race’s 250 laps to finish ahead of Jeff Taylor and Austin Theriault. He’s scored three top-five finishes since then, including a runner-up finish in 2018.