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OXFORD — Turns out the modern-day villain of the Oxford 250 will not be racing this year. However, Cole Butcher is welcome back to Oxford Plains Speedway.

During Oxford 250 media day at the track on Wednesday, Oxford Plains Speedway Vice President Mike Mayberry confirmed Butcher’s absence for Sunday’s race. The 2022 and 2023 Oxford 250 winner is listed as an entrant for Sunday’s race.

“I don’t believe he’s going to make it,” Mayberry said. “It’s his son’s first birthday so he had some stuff going on for that. I know at one point they were going to try to make it, but they weren’t going to be able to do that (with that event) and how that fell with some of the races (he was participating in).”

The Canadian driver was banned from last year’s Oxford 250 — preventing him from attempting to win his third straight — and Pro All Star Series races due to his aggressive driving style. Ralph Nason remains the only driver in the event’s history to have three straight victories, from 1998-00.

While Butcher will not be driving Sunday, Mayberry said he is welcome to drive future events at Oxford Plains, showing a thaw in the relationship between the driver and the Pro All Star Series (PASS).

“We’ll probably see him for some races in the future, certainly,” Mayberry said.

Both of Butcher’s victories came with controversy. In 2022, he bumped race leader Johnny Clark with eight laps to go, causing Clark to spin. Butcher took over the lead and held on to win while Clark, the 2020 champion, placed fourth.

“In my opinion, he never should have been disallowed (from racing last year),” Clark said Wednesday. “I don’t think we need to really keep people away from racing. Let the drivers repay the favor, if you will. … I’ll see Cole on the track someday.”

Butcher made contact with several drivers throughout the day, starting in the qualifying races, on the way to his win in 2023. Seven laps into the 250, he spun out pole-sitter Jimmy Renfrew Jr. and was sent to the back of the field on a penalty for rough driving. He made it back to the front, and with 26 laps remaining, Butcher aggressively passed Joey Doiron for the lead, earning the ire of Doiron and the fans at Oxford Plains Speedway.

DOIRON IS IN

A driver who will be participating in the Oxford 250 is Joey Doiron of Berwick. That was not initially a guarantee because Doiron had been in trouble with PASS due to recent rough driving.

Doiron participated in Wednesday’s media day and confirmed he will be racing Sunday and has smoothed things over with PASS officials.

“We’re going to race this weekend,” Doiron said. “We had some stuff to work out, both sides. But I feel like we’re in a good place now. I’m excited. I’ve never hidden my love for Oxford and this race. I’m excited to have another crack at it. I wasn’t sure that was going to happen a month ago.”

OPS Vice President Mike Mayberry declined to speak on any previous issues with Doiron.

Doiron has had a successful year at Oxford Plains. Last year he earned $40,000 by winning the first Celebration of America 300. He nearly repeated the feat this year but finished runner-up to Garrett Hall. In May, Doiron nearly led wire-to-wire to win the inaugural Memorial Day Clash 200. He also won the PASS Star 150 in May at Star Speedway in Epping, New Hampshire, and the St. Patrick’s Day 150 at Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina on March 13.

“I feel like in the last three or four years, our pit-stop race program has gotten a lot better,” Doiron said. “I’m super proud with how we ran the Memorial Day race here. It looks like we had the best car the whole race, but at the pit stop we made some big swings at it to make it better.”

Doiron finished sixth at last year’s Oxford 250.

JUST ANOTHER RACE CAR DRIVER

Kate Re is no stranger to making history. In 2020, she became the first woman to earn a starting spot in qualifying for the Oxford 250.

But as the Norway driver has busted through some glass ceilings, she now just appreciates being like any other driver in the field.

“I don’t look at the female side of it very much. At the end of the day I put my helmet on the same way everyone else does,” Re said. “When racing door-to-door with D.J. (Shaw), I don’t want them to say, ‘Oh, I’m going to race her differently because she’s a girl.’ I want them to race me the same as everyone else.”

Re (1,317 points) is second to Scott McDaniel (1,374) in the Oxford Plains Speedway Super Late Model driver points standings this season.

“We swapped chassis manufacturers to Port City Race Cars, and they’ve been a huge support system for us,” Re said. “They’ve helped us a lot. They’ve prepared some amazing cars, their racing package is great, and it’s working tremendously for us.

“It’s a little bit more stressful, knowing that there’s a lot more eyes on me now that we’re a contender for a championship and going into the 250 weekend, as well as swapping brands,” Re added. “But I’m excited. I’m ready for the stress and I’m ready for the pressure. I can’t wait to see what we can do come Sunday.”

Re finished 37th in last year’s race.