The closest points race in Beech Ridge Motor Speedway’s 63-year history will end Saturday night.

Three points separate the top three drivers in the Pro Series, the top division at the Scarborough track.

“I don’t ever recall a points race in the history of this place that has come down to one-point separation among the top three drivers,” said the track owner, Andy Cusack. “It’s going to an amazing race Saturday night, a tense race, I’m sure, for the fans and crews of each driver.”

Bill Rodgers of Old Orchard Beach holds a one-point lead over Trevor Sanborn of East Parsonsfield. Aaron Ricker of Tamworth, N.H., trails Sanborn by two points.

None of the three contenders has won a Beech Ridge Pro Series title.

“The track can’t lose,” Cusack said. “All three of those drivers will be first-time champions, and they’re all great people and they will be great representatives as champions of this race track.”

Rodgers, 47, vaulted into the points lead Saturday night by winning the 40-lap feature.

In that race, the 21-year-old Ricker finished second and the 22-year-old Sanborn, the division’s points leader for much of the season, was seventh.

“I haven’t been in this situation before,” said Rodgers, who has finished no better than third in his 16 seasons in the Pro Series. “How we’re going to approach it is to try to have some fun and not worry about the points and try to win the race. I have to win the race if I’m going to have a chance at winning. Finishing third or fourth, with one of those guys in front of me, isn’t going to do it.”

Last Saturday, Rodgers took the lead from Ricker on a restart with nine laps left.

“I was able to restart on the outside of him, which is the preferred groove, where the grip is,” Rodgers said. “We got by him, set in front and were able to maintain (the lead).”

In his last five starts, Ricker has finished no worse than second. Two weeks ago he got his first Pro Series victory.

In recent weeks, Sanborn has been plagued by handling problems.

“Things haven’t gone well for us but I think we’re a lot better than we were,” he said.

CHAMPIONS ALSO will be crowned in three other divisions at Beech Ridge.

In Sports Series, Corey Bubar of Windham has a 40-point lead over Frank Wear of Buxton.

In Wildcats, Brian Caswell holds a 14-point lead over Scarborough’s Nicholas Cusack, the track owner’s nephew. Alby Ovitt of Barrington, N.H., trails the leader by 22 points.

Ryan Phillips of Buxton is 17 points up on Shawn Brackett of Scarborough in road runners.

SUNDAY WILL BE the last hurrah for drivers at Oxford Plains Speedway.

Drivers in the Late Models, the track’s top division, won’t be racing, but the drivers in the other seven divisions will get a chance to race one more time in The Local Edge Phonebook’s Little Guys 100 and the Acceleration Series Showdown.

“The Late Models get the notoriety during the season and this is a time for the little guys,” track owner Bill Ryan said.

On the schedule are 20-lap feature in Renegades, 30-lap features in the Ladies and Truck divisions, 50-lap features in Runnin’ Rebels and Outlaws, and 100-lap features in Mini-Stocks and Strictly Stocks.

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

pbetit@pressherald.com

Twitter: PaulBetitPPH

 

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