| Ken
Farrington was a teenager when he was first introduced to
stock car racing.
His mother, Mrs. Inez Farrington, handled the
publicity for the Pine State Stock Car Racing Association when it
was founded in the spring of 1949 – a full year before Oxford
Plains Speedway opened.
Ken was at Beech Ridge Speedway when the gates opened for the
first time in 1949. He also attended the stock car races held at
the Norway Fairgrounds the same year.
The following May, his fifty-plus year
association with Oxford Plains Speedway began. Ken never missed
a race at Oxford during the 1950’s.
But, it wasn’t until the close of the decade, 1959, when he
got to work on a race car – the #81 of Ed Niemi. In the 1960’s,
Ken became a crew member for Charlie Huff on the famed #68.
One
of Ken’s most memorable moments took place in 1970 when Al
Hammond won the Sportsman track championship at Oxford with a
motor Ken built.
After two more track championships with Hammond and car owner
Tony Dipompo, Ken moved into the position of technical inspector
for Oxford. Ken was a familiar face at the speedway every
Saturday night until 1987 when the NASCAR Busch North Series was
created and he was asked to help the fledgling touring series.
Ken’s guidance as the series’ Technical Director and later
Race Director helped the series grow to over 70 cars before his
retirement in 1996.
Ken has been honored with the NASCAR Dedication Award (1993),
track awards from Holland (NY) Speedway and New Hampshire
International Speedway (1996), Oxford Plains Speedway Promoter’s
Cup (1998) and Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Pro All Stars
Series and the Northeast Motorsports Expo.
Ken and his wife of 51 years Phyllis make their home in
Oxford, Maine. |
