Johnny Clark Going Back to The Basics for Oxford 250

Even for a seven-time Pro All Stars Series (PASS) Super Late Model champion, the intensity of the Oxford 250 can be overwhelming.

The sleepless nights have already begun for Johnny Clark, who won the Oxford 250 in 2020. Clark has struggled recently at Oxford Plains Speedway, adding pressure to the upcoming weekend.

WATCH THE OXFORD 250 ON RACINGAMERICA.TV

“No lie, we’ve been struggling at Oxford this year,” said Clark while appearing on Racing America’s The Bullring ahead of this weekend’s race. “The harder we try, the worse we make things. I was up for three hours last night. It started for me long before this.”

Clark is currently second in the PASS North points standings, only behind five-time series champion D.J. Shaw. He scored his 50th career PASS win at White Mountain Motorsports Park in May.

However, Clark's two worst finishes of the season have come at Oxford Plains, finishing 20th in the Stearns & Daughters 150 and 26th in the most recent event, the Pierson Heating and Cooling 150.

In fact, things can’t go much worse for Clark than he did in the last PASS event at Oxford Plains. That evening, Clark’s race as part of a multi-car incident on the first lap of the feature.

“It’s going to get better. The warm-up here a couple of weeks ago did not go well. We didn’t even get a lap in, and we were on the wrecker.”

Instead, Clark is going back to the basics ahead of the 51^st Annual Bar Harbor Bank & Trust Oxford 250 on August 23-25.

“We’re opening the notebook up and going back to what we know really worked,” said Clark. “I can bet you that’s what Jeff Taylor will be coming with this weekend, and they’ll be competitive. That’s what we’re doing, taking a big step back and going back to what we do know works.

“It’s not even the speed we are looking for. It’s the longevity on a run. Of course, you can’t wreck out on lap one, either. The thing about the 250 is, you need as much luck as you need a good car to make it happen.”

The Farmingdale, Maine driver knows as well as anyone how challenging the Oxford 250 can be. His Oxford 250 triumph in 2020 came in his 16^th attempt at the race.

However, the pursuit of a second Oxford 250 victory means the world to Clark, referring to the race as the Daytona 500 of the Northeast.

“It’s always compared to the Daytona 500 of the Northeast or the Snowball Derby. It’s one of those events. It means a lot if you’re a New Englander. I grew up watching it, right? I was a fan before I started driving. I always wanted my dad to compete in it and we never got to that point.

“We’ve been competitive in it over the years. It means a lot to my whole family. To be able to win it in 2020, that was huge for our family team.

“It’s our Daytona 500. It’s our Snowball Derby. It’s one of the biggest Super Late Model events of the entire season.”

Fans can watch the 51^st Annual Bar Harbor Bank & Trust Oxford 250 live on RacingAmerica.TV. Click here to order your video ticket today to watch all weekend long.

-Photo credit: Will Bellamy, Racing America