(Oxford ME) Jeff Libby’s strategy was “not to look back.”
But he knew where Luke Mowatt was.
“I could see him going across my mirror,” said Jeff afterwards, “but I was just trying to focus on my line and not mess up.”
Jeff and Luke had at it for eighteen laps of the twenty-lap Bandits feature on Saturday night.
Jeff came away with his second win of the 2021 season at Oxford Plains Speedway.
Luke, who has been first or second in the last eleven races and won six races, did everything he could to get the lead.
Jeff started on the pole and Luke was quick to get out of the second row and in behind him.
There Luke would stay the entire remaining laps of the twenty-lap Bandits feature.
“I was trying to get by him with everything I knew,” said Luke. “I knew that it would be tough to get under him. I was hoping he’d slip up, but he just never did.”
“The tires got hot quick,” added Luke. “It was hard to go on the outside. I couldn’t do much after the first lap.”
Jeff had a lot to do with it because every way Luke tried to go (to pass), Jeff positioned his car to prevent it.
“Jeff is good at holding his spot,” said Luke.
While that race was going on, another many-lap race went on between Nick Wilson and Alex Mowatt for third place.
Nick started in the second row and Alex in the third row.
Jeff Libby and Luke Mowatt quickly separated from the rest of the field.
That left Nick and Alex to have an eighteen-lap battle for third place.
Nick, like Jeff Libby ahead of him, held the third spot and never gave it up.
Lap after lap Nick and Alex were side-by-side but the positioning never changed.
“Alex was beside me the whole race,” said Nick afterwards. “It wore me out, but it was fun.”
On July 24th, Nick held off both Mowatt brothers to get his first Bandits win.
This time Nick only had one of them to contend with. “We ran side-by-side and didn’t touch once,” said Nick.
Alex has won five times and only finished less than third twice in fifteen races. Tonight, was one of those times.
“I just held the inside line and kind of prayed,” said Nick. “I tried to race as clean as I could.”
Nice night for racing.
It seemed like a light crowd to me. Maybe folks are saving up for the 250 later this month.
Jeff Libby also won the Bandits heat tonight. “Tonight was our night,” he said.
(All of the pictures above and below will enlarge considerably if you click on them.)
McClelland Miscellanea 