OXFORD — It’s been nearly 15 years since a locally based driver won the Oxford 250. But who knows, maybe the streak will end Sunday.

Seventy drivers have registered for the race, and the track owner, Tom Mayberry, thinks another 10 to 15 drivers could show up when practice starts Friday on the three-eighths-mile asphalt oval at Oxford Plains Speedway.

Numerous helping hands push Gunnar Rowe’s stock car back to its trailer Wednesday. The 15-year-old Rowe will attempt to qualify for the Oxford 250 on Sunday.

Travis Benjamin is two-time defending champ

BIG RACE

WHAT: AIM Recycling USA 250 (aka Oxford 250)

WHERE: Oxford Plains Speedway

WHEN: Sunday, time trials 1:30 p.m., race 5:30 p.m.

Mayberry, who is also president of the Pro All-Star Series, said Wednesday that the field will include Mike Rowe of Turner, a three-time champion; Travis Benjamin of Morrill, the two-time defending champion; two-time winners Ben Rowe of Turner and Eddie MacDonald of Rowley, Massachusetts; and former champions Jeremie Whorff of West Bath and Scott Robbins of Dixfield.

Of that group, only Robbins, the 2002 winner, regularly races in the Super Late Model division at Oxford Plains. The other former winners compete on regional racing tours or at other tracks.

It’s difficult to tell just which group of drivers will have the advantage in the 250.

“It’s the pit stops that makes the difference,” said Tim Brackett, a veteran Oxford Plains driver from Buckfield who qualified for his first 250 in 1998.

“We’ve got a small Saturday night group that changes tires live once a year, and these guys (on the tour) do that a lot more and they practice it. We’re on a tire rule and we’re not used to throwing four (tires) on and see what happens.”

Each driver will have to pit at least once during the 42nd annual 250-lap race for Super Late Models.

“It brings in the whole pit crew,” Ben Rowe said. “It’s just not 70 or 80 drivers. We’ve all got six to eight guys behind us. A lot of people have to put their efforts into that one race.”

A full season of racing at Oxford Plains could help local drivers keep up with their PASS tour opponents.

“It’s been a great year so far,” Brackett said. “This place has slicked up a bit and it makes you drive more. Experience matters.”

As the point leader at Oxford Plains, Brackett, 53, is guaranteed a spot on the 42-car starting grid, but he could try to qualify for better position.

“We’ve kind of paced ourselves all year for this race and I’m really lucky enough to be in the race as the point leader, but I don’t want to start last either,” he said.

Kyle Treadwell, 24, who will try to qualify for his second 250 in only his second season in the super late modified division, said a number of local drivers have a legitimate shot at winning, but he’ll be happy just to be able to run it again.

“If my car runs like it did last Saturday night, we’ve got a shot at a top-10 finish for sure,” said Treadwell, who trails Brackett by 41 points in the track standings. “It’s baby steps for me. I just want to finish on the lead lap and get a solid top-10 (finish).”

NOTES: Trevor Sanborn, a pro stock division driver at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway from East Parsonfield, will be the first driver to draw for a starting spot in the time trials. … Gunnar Rowe, the 15-year-old grandson of Mike Rowe and nephew of Ben Rowe, will try to qualify for the second time. … Vanna Brackett, the daughter of Tim Brackett, is the only woman who will try to qualify.