Inside TJ Moon’s Oxford 250 Weekend
9/2/2026
TJ Moon’s return to his Maine racing roots delivered three action-packed days of racing, challenges and unforgettable memories behind the wheel of Dean Hanscom’s Limited Sportsman at Oxford Plains Speedway. To make the weekend even more special, Dean surprised TJ by swapping the car’s usual #29 for TJ’s familiar #9!
TJ’s connection to Oxford Plains Speedway began long before this weekend. Watching his dad, uncle and friends race helped spark his own love for the sport, eventually leading to a couple of his earliest races on the track’s go-kart layout. This Oxford 250 weekend marked a special milestone: TJ’s first time ever competing on Oxford’s full-size oval. From watching the people who inspired him to taking the green flag there himself, it was a meaningful full-circle moment—a new chapter at a place already filled with family memories.
Sunday: The journey began the Sunday before race weekend, when TJ and his dad made the 12–14-hour drive to Maine. Long before the first green flag, they were already putting in the miles to make this opportunity possible. Those long hours on the road are a part of racing fans don’t always see, but they reflect the family commitment behind every lap.
Monday: Wednesday: The days leading up to race weekend were a mix of preparation and time with loved ones. TJ’s racing seat was installed, the car was scaled, and the #9 was prepped and ready to hit the track at Oxford Plains Speedway. Alongside the race preparations, TJ and Jeff made time to catch up with friends and family while back in Maine. Reconnecting with familiar faces made these days a special part of the trip—a reminder that returning to his racing roots meant more than getting behind the wheel.
Thursday: Practice day was all about learning Oxford’s full-size oval and getting comfortable behind the wheel of the #9. TJ picked up the track quickly, making the most of valuable seat time while the team worked to establish a baseline setup they could build on throughout the weekend. Consistency was a key focus, with TJ working to put together repeatable laps and keep his times in line with the competition. Each run provided feedback for adjustments, helping TJ and the crew prepare for the three days of racing ahead.
Friday: Starting 4th in the 10-lap heat, he battled a tight #9 and finished 9th. Those handling challenges continued into the 35-lap feature, where he lined up 14th in a 19-car field. After slipping back to 17th, TJ kept digging and worked his way forward. With no cautions to bring the field back together, he had to make that recovery under green-flag conditions. He brought the #9 across the line 13th, recovering four positions and gaining valuable seat time along the way. It was a demanding start to the weekend, but TJ kept fighting all the way to the checkered flag!
Saturday: TJ gave the fans plenty to cheer about! Starting 8th in the 10-lap heat, he powered forward three positions to finish 5th. He lined up 3rd for the 35-lap feature, but the fight was far from over when he slipped back to 7th. TJ took the #9 to the outside and went to work, battling his way back into the top five. That determined outside-line charge earned him a hard-fought 5th-place finish—his best feature result of the weekend! After Friday’s handling struggles, Saturday’s performance was a rewarding highlight for TJ, the crew and everyone cheering him on.
Sunday: Rain changed the plans for the final day, canceling the 10-lap heat races and placing TJ 5th in the lineup for the 35-lap feature. When another car was unable to start, the #9 moved up to 4th. Once the green flag flew, an extremely tight car made it difficult to hold position, and TJ slipped toward the back. During a caution, he headed to the pits, where the crew gave the car a quick look-over and made an adjustment. TJ returned to the track and kept battling, bringing the #9 home 11th. While it wasn’t the finish they had hoped for after Saturday’s top five, TJ and the team worked hard to make the most of a challenging finale.
While the finishes weren’t always what the team hoped for, TJ and the crew never stopped giving their best. Working through handling challenges and making adjustments along the way, they showed determination and teamwork throughout all three days. The seat time was priceless, and the experience and lessons learned will stay with TJ well beyond this weekend.
A heartfelt thank-you to Dean Hanscom for giving TJ this incredible opportunity and making this weekend possible. The outpouring of support each day meant so much—from everyone working hands-on with the car to every fan who came out to cheer TJ on. Every helping hand, encouraging word and familiar face made this weekend truly special.
We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who supported TJ and the team throughout all three days. A special thank-you to the Mayberry family and all the track personnel for the hard work and dedication that went into making this Oxford 250 weekend possible. We appreciate everything you do for the racers, teams and fans, both behind the scenes and throughout race weekend. What a weekend at Oxford Plains Speedway!
8/14/2026
Full Circle at Oxford: TJ Moon Returns to Maine in the No. 29
The third-generation driver will compete in the Limited Sportsman division throughout the 53rd Annual Oxford 250 weekend.
OXFORD, Maine — When TJ Moon takes the green flag at Oxford Plains Speedway from August 28–30, the weekend will represent much more than another racing opportunity. It will be a homecoming, a tribute to one of New England’s most recognizable race cars and the continuation of a family legacy built at the historic Maine speedway.
Born in Poland, Maine, and now residing in Taylorsville, North Carolina, Moon will pilot the Dean Hanscom-owned No. 29 in the Limited Sportsman division. The official Oxford 250 weekend schedule includes Limited Sportsman racing on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, giving Moon three opportunities to compete during one of the most celebrated weekends in Northeast short-track racing.
A New Chapter in Oxford 250 History
The Oxford 250 traces its roots to July 14, 1974, when Joey Kourafas won the inaugural Oxford 200 after starting 19th. The event was expanded to 250 laps the following year to incorporate a pit stop, beginning its transformation into one of the country’s premier short-track races.
Over the decades, the event has attracted accomplished racers from across New England and beyond while creating some of the most memorable moments in regional motorsports. The 2026 edition marks the 53rd running of the race, with the main event scheduled for Sunday, August 30.
An Iconic No. 29 Tribute
The No. 29 that Moon will drive is immediately recognizable with its vivid orange body, black hood and nose, and oversized silver-white numerals outlined in blue. Its appearance is a modern tribute to the familiar orange No. 29 Fords driven by New England racing legend “Dynamite” Dave Dion.
Dion’s No. 29 became one of the most recognizable cars in Oxford 250 history. He captured three victories in the prestigious event—winning in 1975, 1985 and 1992—and became the first driver to win the race in three different decades.
The Dean Hanscom car’s orange design draws inspiration from Dion’s famous machines, giving Moon’s entry a meaningful connection to one of Oxford’s greatest champions.
Generations of Moon Family Success at Oxford
For TJ, the history surrounding Oxford Plains Speedway is also deeply personal. His father, Jeff Moon; uncle, Steve Moon; and great-uncles, Ron Moon and Dan Ashley, all contributed to the family’s racing legacy at the track.
Dan Ashley earned the 1978 Limited Sportsman/Super Street championship at Oxford, making TJ’s opportunity in the same division especially meaningful nearly five decades later.
Jeff Moon recorded 17 career feature victories at Oxford and captured the 2006 Triple Crown championship. Eleven of those victories came in Outlaw or Outlaw Sportsman competition, establishing him as one of the track’s most successful drivers in those divisions.
Steve Moon established himself as one of Oxford’s most accomplished Outlaw competitors. He earned 13 feature victories, placing him among the top 10 drivers in the speedway’s recorded Outlaw and Outlaw Sportsman history, and captured the 2015 Outlaws championship.
Ron Moon’s history at Oxford spanned several decades and multiple levels of competition. He won the pole for the 1985 Oxford 250 and later competed in several NASCAR-sanctioned editions of the prestigious race. Oxford’s official records credit him with 11 career feature victories. Decades after his early Oxford 250 appearances, Ron remained a competitive force in weekly racing, capturing the 2017 Outlaws championship—his first career championship—behind the wheel of the #9 car owned by Jeff Moon. The milestone was even more meaningful because Ron celebrated his first title alongside TJ, who earned his own first championship that same year.
Together, their accomplishments represent decades of dedication, competition and success for the Moon family at the Route 26 oval.
A Meaningful Return to His Racing Roots
TJ has built an impressive career competing in Bandoleros, Legend Cars, Pro Late Models, Spec Late Models and ARCA West competition across the country. However, returning to Oxford provides a special connection to where his family’s racing story was written.
Driving the No. 29 during Oxford 250 weekend brings several pieces of history together: the legacy of the Oxford 250, a paint scheme honoring Dave Dion, the Limited Sportsman championship won by Dan Ashley and the accomplishments of Jeff, Steve and Ron Moon.
The Moon family extends its sincere appreciation to Dean Hanscom for giving TJ the opportunity to compete during this historic three-day weekend. When TJ takes the green flag, he will be carrying much more than a familiar number—he will be carrying generations of Maine racing history with him.
For TJ Moon, Oxford 250 weekend will truly be a full-circle return to where it all began.
OXFORD 250 WEEKEND
August 28–30, 2026
Oxford Plains Speedway
Division: Limited Sportsman
Car: No. 29
Car Owner: Dean Hanscom
Racing: Friday, Saturday and Sunday
