Bradley Babb, a third-generation driver from Windham, will test his new Super Late Model against the region’s top drivers in the PASS North Series’ season-opening Fletcher and Ford 150 Sunday at Oxford Plains Speedway.

Babb, the reigning Pro Stock champion at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough, also plans to run May 4 when the PASS North series visits his home track for the Southern Maine Chrysler Dodge Jeep 150.

Babb, 20, intends to use the races to gauge whether he should spend more time on the regional tour this summer or limit his racing endeavors to running for points at Beech Ridge.

“If I run well in both of these races, I think I can convince my family to let me race on the tour,” he said.

The ACT Tour Rookie of the Year in 2010, Babb raced in PASS North events last May and September at Beech Ridge.

“I ran as high as third in the first race until I ran into tire problems,” he said. “I caught up in a wrecked car in the second race.”

Babb, who ran on a Late Model on the ACT Tour while a junior at Windham High, is the son of Bobby Babb Jr. and the grandson of Robert Babb, both multi-time champions in Beech Ridge’s top division.

For the first time in a decade, the Super Late Models will return to Oxford Plains Speedway on July 21 to run in the 40th annual TD Bank 250.

Car counts in the PASS South early-season events have averaged well above 30 cars, and the early entries for the first PASS North event of the season more than 25 cars.

Among the early entries is Reid Lanpher, a 14-year-old driver from Manchester who will make his PASS North debut this weekend.

JOHN PETERS, a rookie driver from Westbrook, will double up this weekend when the NELCAR Legends tour runs at Speedway 95 in Hermon on Saturday and at Oxford Plains Speedway on Sunday.

Two weeks ago, Peters, 16, finished seventh among 21 cars when the regional tour of the four-cylinder opened its season at Wiscasset Speedway.

Last year, Peters became the youngest driver in the 65-year history of Beech Ridge Motor Speedway to win a track championship when he finished first in the 10-race Beetle Bug JV Division for new drivers.

THREE DRIVERS from Maine were among the top 10 finishers last Sunday after the season’s inaugural ACT race at Lee (N.H.) USA Speedway.

Rowland Robinson Jr. of Steuben picked up $1,100 for finishing fourth in the 150-lap event.

Dave Farrington Jr. of Jay finished seventh and rookie Travis Stearns of Auburn finished eighth in the 28-car field.

The regional tour for Late Models will resume next weekend at Thunder Road in Barre, Vt.

Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 791-6424 or at:

pbetit@pressherald.com

Twitter: PaulBetitPPH