WESTBROOK -- Back in the day, two-time Oxford 250 champion Jamie Aube couldn't have imagined someone other than himself would win the prestigious short-track event.

Pressed on Wednesday afternoon during the annual TD Banknorth 250 media day in advance of Sunday's 2 p.m. start at Oxford Plains Speedway, Aube tossed a familiar hat into the ring.

"Years ago, I was pretty cocky and I would have said, 'Geez, I can't think of anyone else who could win it,' " Aube said. "I was a lot younger then, and now that I've won it a couple of times, I'd have to put my money on Mike Rowe."

Rowe was a popular choice among the drivers in attendance. The winningest driver in Oxford Plains history was joined by the track's current Late Model points leader Travis Adams of Canton and multi-time American-Canadian Tour driver Jean-Paul Cyr of Milton, Vt., on the list of pre-race favorites among the 13 drivers polled.

"I'd pick Mike Rowe," said 17-year-old D.J. Shaw of Center Conway, N.H., who beat Rowe to win the Coastal 200 at Wiscasset Raceway back in May. "He's been running good the last few times (in a Late Model) and he's won it before."

Rowe is a three-time Oxford 250 champion, having won in three different decades (1984, 1997, 2005). He's also won 150 career races on the .375-mile track.

But that doesn't mean he sees himself as the man to beat, especially after finishing just seventh in the New England Dodge Dealers 150 at Oxford in April and eighth in the L-A Harley-Davidson 100 there less than two months later.

"Travis (Adams) is just doing an awesome job right now," Rowe said of the driver who has won three straight Late Model features entering the weekend.

Ben Rowe, a two-time winner who some in the room felt could win Sunday, echoed the sentiments of his father.

"I went over there on July 4th and sat in the stands and watched," Ben Rowe said. "And I'll tell you, (Adams) is obviously hooked up right now. Barring any trouble, he's going to be the one to beat."

Cyr is a six-time American-Canadian Tour champion, though he typically enters races at Oxford with trepidation, by his own admission. That still didn't stop others from heaping praise upon his shoulders Wednesday.

"Usually, the Saturday night guys don't go and do well (in the 250)," said longtime Oxford regular Tim Brackett, the 2005 track champion. "I'm going to go with an ACT guy and say Jean-Paul Cyr will win."

"He's obviously been dominant in this type of car over the years," Oxford Plains owner Bill Ryan said of Cyr.

Travis Barrett -- 621-5648

tbarrett@centralmaine.com