The golden anniversary edition of New England's most prestigious short track race has come and gone. On Sunday, the 50th Annual Oxford 250 was held at Oxford Plains Speedway with thousands of fans in the stands and 60 PASS Super Late Model drivers seeking one of the nation's crown jewel victories. 

Cole Butcher of Porter's Lake, Nova Scotia ended the night with his second straight win in the event and a winner's check that is expected to total a minimum of $26,800 ($25,000 base purse + $1,800 in lap money). 

But like every Oxford 250, the storylines from the day go far beyond just the winner. Here are five thoughts following the 50th Annual Oxford 250. 

Is Cole Butcher The Biggest Oxford 250 Villain Since Ralph Nason?

Every good storyline needs a villain. On Sunday night, Cole Butcher played that role perfectly en route to his second straight win. 

Butcher, who won last year's race after late-race contact with Maine driver and fan favorite Johnny Clark, heard scattered boos from fans during driver introductions. Then, six laps into the race, Butcher fueled the fire when he made contact with polesitter Jimmy Renfrew, Jr.'s car and sent him spinning in front of the field. 

Pro All Stars Series (PASS) officials sent Butcher to the rear for the incident, which was met by a loud round of applause from many of the fans in attendance. 

From there, Butcher worked his way back up to the front and eventually ruffled Joey Doiron's feathers to take the lead with 18 laps to go. 

Reactions from the crowd throughout the night were reminiscent (on a smaller scale) to those heard during Ralph Nason's dominant stretch from 1998-2000. It begs the question: is Cole Butcher the Oxford 250's biggest villain since "Racin' Ralph?" 

Regardless, Butcher will embrace all the boos in the world if it means he can become the second driver to win three straight Oxford 250s when he returns next year. 

A Heartbreak For Curtis Gerry And Jimmy Renfrew, Jr.

When we look back at the 50th Annual Oxford 250, one of the most talked about moments will be one that didn't occur during green flag action. 

After winning the last chance race and starting 38th on the grid, two-time Oxford 250 Curtis Gerry had charged all the way to the lead by Lap 140. Not far behind him in the runner-up position was Jimmy Renfrew, Jr. who had charged back to the front after the incident with Butcher on Lap 7. 

When the sixth yellow flag of the race waved on Lap 179 after a long green flag run, most in attendance expected all of the leaders to come down pit road. However, miscommunication about whether or not the pits were open resulted in Gerry and Renfrew remaining on the race track. 

The two drivers entered the pits for service on the following lap but exited the pits near the rear of the field after the mishap. The hole that was dug was too deep for either driver to escape. Gerry was involved in an accident and finished 25th, while Renfrew Jr. salvaged a 14th-place finish. 

Jimmy Renfrew, Jr. Deserves A Hat Tip

Jimmy Renfrew, Jr. didn't need to win the race on Sunday night to gain respect from those in attendance. Although the box score may show a 14th-place finish, the New Hampshire driver displayed maturity and perseverance following two incidents that could've completely derailed his night. 

After failing to qualify for the race one year ago, Renfrew won his heat race and led the star-studded 41-car field to the green flag for the 50th Annual Oxford 250. He then proceeded to lead the first six laps of the race and take a rollercoaster ride to a top 15 finish. 

While it's easy to lose sleep over what could've been, his performance should be one that's celebrated. 

A Different Oxford 250

To the fault of no one, Sunday night's 50th Annual Oxford 250 looked different than what we're accustomed to seeing at the crown jewel event. Instead of witnessing drivers make thrilling charges through the field in the second or third groove, we witnessed a race track that featured paint-swapping battles for the dominant inside racing groove. 

The lack of a second and third groove can likely be chalked up to one of the rainiest summers in recent memory in the state of Maine. A rain shower just prior to the 250-lap main event washed away any chance of seeing a second or third groove when the lights went down. 

All of this is not to say the race wasn't entertaining; it was just different. Because of how difficult it was to pass on the outside, we saw less respect from drivers than we're accustomed to seeing. More often than not, drivers had to use their front bumper to move their competition up the race track if they wanted to gain a position. 

This isn't to say that passes couldn't be made on the outside, but you had to be quite a bit better than the car you were attempting to pass in order to make it work. 

Qualifying For The Oxford 250 Is Still A Major Accomplishment

For those familiar with the Oxford 250, it's no secret that qualifying heats, consolation races and the last chance race are just as much a part of the show as the 250-lap main event. From low-budget local racers to the biggest regional and national teams, simply qualifying for the race is a major accomplishment. 

For many drivers, participating in the Oxford 250 will be their biggest accomplishment of the year. It's an accomplishment that is often celebrated with hugs and high fives in the Oxford Plains Speedway pit area. 

On the opposite side of the spectrum, it's also not rare to see a pre-race favorite fail to qualify for the race. We witnessed that on Sunday. 

2021 Oxford 250 winner Cassius Clark was the biggest star who failed to make the race after he was disqualified in post-race technical inspection following a consolation race. 2002 Oxford 250 winner Scott Robbins and four-time track champion Tim Brackett, who also fell victim to a technical inspection issue, also failed to qualify.