OXFORD -- Even after running the race of his life, Roger Brown couldn't believe he was standing in TD Banknorth 250 victory lane.

Brown patiently waited for his opportunity to get to the front of the field, and then the Lancaster, N.H., driver was aggressive enough to hold off the charges of David Avery and Dale Verrill in the closing laps and win the 34th annual event Sunday night at Oxford Plains Speedway in front of an estimated crowd of more than 10,000.

Verrill finished second by the length of a front fender, and American-Canadian Tour driver Scott Payea was third. Oxford Plains weekly competitor Jon Brill of Sebago and Dennis Spencer Jr. of Oxford rounded out the top five.

"This is the biggest race we've ever run, and probably will ever run. To win it is amazing," said Brown, who collected a winner's share of $35,800. "I've definitely put my name in the record books with a lot of prestige, and with a lot of honorable and exceptional race car drivers that I probably don't deserve to be in the record books with, but I'll take it."

Brown became the first 250 winner not from the state of Maine since Ontario driver Dave Whitlock won it in 1995, and he is the first New Hampshire champion since Dave Dion won in 1992.

Brown, 28, who had been coming to the race as a spectator for the better part of the last decade, made further history by becoming the first driver to win the event under the Late Model banner. After 14 years of having the Pro Stock class compete in the prestigious midsummer classic at the track, the less expensive and more strictly regulated Late Model division was handed the reins for this season.

"There were 95 guys here, and more than likely 95 percent of them wouldn't even have had the chance to qualify for a normal 250 up to this year," Brown said. "There were 95 guys here that could have won the race. It feels good for me to be a little guy racing Late Models trying to make a name for myself, to be able to come here and win it."

"There were 95 guys here, and more than likely 95 percent of them wouldn't even have had the chance to qualify for a normal 250 up to this year," Brown said. "There were 95 guys here that could have won the race. It feels good for me to be a little guy racing Late Models trying to make a name for myself, to be able to come here and win it."

Brown was running away from second-place Avery when the pair hit lapped traffic with less than 30 laps remaining. Avery used a slower car as a pick to get by Brown, but, as they crossed the finish line, the two made contact again with Avery spinning off the track in turn one.

It was the 14th of the race's 15 caution flags. The race record is 21 cautions periods, set in 1997.

On the restart, Brown was gone again as Payea chased him in vain. That opened the door for the 59-year-old Verrill, who chipped away at Brown's lead over the final few laps and tried to pass him off the final turn. Brown held on, but the two made contact after the checkered flag, and Verrill went spinning into the dirt banking.

"I was gaining on him. I just had to figure out the right groove to run to catch up with him," Verrill said. "It was just too late. If it was a little sooner, I probably could have caught him. I didn't know if I could get by."

En route to victory lane, Brown had to endure 10 restarts from the front of the field. Every time, he was able to separate himself from his pursuers.

"I just kept (the car) down and went as fast as I could," said Brown, who short-pitted on lap 90 to try and improve his track position after starting 30th in the 44-car field.

He lined up 15th following his pit stop and cracked the top 10 just past the halfway mark. He took the lead from Carey Martin on a lap 142 restart.

"We took four tires and then I was able to just ride around on the bottom and not really have to pass anybody. Then I was in second," Brown said. "It worked out."

A high attrition rate kicked in at that point, as pre-race favorites like Travis Adams and Jean-Paul Cyr found themselves out of contention. The six-time ACT champion Cyr stopped on the backstretch during a lap 90 caution flag and needed a push back to his pit stall. Adams hit pit road on lap 105, and after a couple of laps for service, was back on the track but without a shot at victory.

Neither Nextel Cup driver entered in the race was a factor. Terry Labonte's day came to an end on lap 102, after being collected in a multi-car incident in turn one. Kevin Lepage was still running at the end, though he was several laps down after a number of pit stops.

Lepage was credited with 21st place, while Labonte was 42nd after each needed a provisional to make the field.

Travis Barrett -- 621-5648