COLE BUTCHER WINS ANOTHER OXFORD 250

Recovers From Penalty and Being Sent to the Back Earlier in the Race

By Luke Trottier

Cole Butcher has transcended the label of ‘Rising Star’ and has established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the Super Late Model universe. The Nova Scotia native recently set his sights on the 50th Oxford 250, a race steeped in heritage and competitive spirit.

Coming from a racing family, Butcher’s climb in the racing world has been nothing short of remarkable. And he has an impressive list of role models.

“My dad was probably my biggest inspiration,” said Cole, after winning the Oxford 250 for the second year in a row. “He’s a hard worker; he used to race before I was born, and loves the sport. Then you have Kyle Busch, Junior Hanley, Scott Fraser, Jim Hallahan.”

Asked if he envisioned achieving so much success, as a racer, Cole replied, “Oh no, not at all. We just did this for fun… and it’s still for fun. But we’re very, very serious about what we do. We’re involved and we race all over North America.

“It started with the family, and we kept getting better, and it grew from there. Around 2016, I never thought I would be racing all over the States or winning the Oxford 250. There’s the dream of maybe someday going to NASCAR, maybe not, I don’t know. It is what it is, I’m kind of old right now, so if we get there, we get there. If we don’t, we don’t.”

Racing under Donnie Wilson Motorsports,

Butcher underwent a change of equipment that appeared to many to be seamless, but it didn’t come without its challenges.

Butcher continued, “Transitioning from a Pro Late Model to a Super Late Model took me a number of races, probably a year or so. The horsepower is such a big difference. About 2-300 horsepower difference, so just managing your tires, your throttle, everything, that was probably the biggest challenge.”

The Nova Scotian has consistently finished strong in big money races like Florida’s Snowball Derby and events on the CARS Tour Pro Late Model Series. Notably, he also holds second place (as of September) in the National ASA Tour points standings, trailing only Ty Majeski, a NASCAR Truck Series standout.

Stellar In Pass Action

In the PASS series, Butcher’s performances for his No. 53 family-owned Butcher Racing team have been stellar. Since his return in 2022, he’s earned multiple wins, including back-to-back championships in the Oxford 250, making him the first Canadian to accomplish this feat.

The 50th running of the Oxford 250, on August 27, was a roller-coaster for Butcher. Starting near the rear, he showcased his talent and aggressive driving to win the second heat race, thereby securing a front-row start in the main event.

Seven laps into the 250, a collision with Jimmy Renfrew Jr. resulted in a penalty that sent Cole to the back of the pack. However, a strategic tire change and an excellent pit stop saw him re-enter the top-10, later in the race.

“I just knew I made a mistake. Going to the back was not the ideal situation, being that early in the race, and with there being so much ‘lap leader’ money on the table.

“Going to the back definitely wasn’t a good thing,” Butcher continued. “I was nervous for multiple reasons: getting wrecked, or any incident that was out of my control. Luckily enough, we were able to come away with the victory. Luck was definitely on our side.”

The racer credits his pit crew for playing a big part of getting him back into contention. “Having a great pit crew that got us out of the pits – we probably gained five or six positions on the last pit stop. That was probably one of the biggest reasons we were able to win.”

Over the final 70 laps, Butcher’s car dominated the field. He took the lead with 30 laps remaining and finished almost two seconds ahead of his closest rivals, Joey Doiron and D.J. Shaw.

This victory was a culmination of teamwork and individual skill. Despite some mechanical setbacks, including clutch issues and an engine change pre-race, the team demonstrated that racing is not just about individual prowess but a collective effort. The win stands as a testament to what can be achieved when skill, strategy, and teamwork align perfectly. IT