Kyle Busch is back in Maine to race at Oxford Plains Speedway this week. Busch won the 2011 Oxford 250. AP photo

OXFORD — Standing by his car before practice while discussing his competition, a smile slowly crawled across Kyle Busch’s face.

No, Busch wasn’t referring to his fellow competitors at Daytona or Talladega. The NASCAR champion instead was referencing drivers from the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) that he’ll drive against on Wednesday night at the Celebration of America 300 at Oxford Plains Speedway.

The race will pay $40,000 to the winner, one of the biggest Super Late Model purses this year, and nearly double the $25,000 given to the Oxford 250 winner.

Busch, 39, is one of the most polarizing drivers in NASCAR history, thanks in part to his aggressive driving style. He made his NASCAR debut 23 years ago and won Cup Series championships in 2015 and 19. But he still competes in several small track races each season.

Why?

“I love the grassroots racing, always have, always have been back into the late models,” said Busch, who is 17th in the Cup Series standings. “I’ve been doing it a little bit more these days with Brexton Busch, my son, racing in the micros and bandoleros, things like that. It’s always fun to do the weekday shows, where you get an opportunity to run. Obviously, my weekend job gets in the way of (grassroots racing) on the weekends.

“It’s still competition, you want to go out there and win. You want to beat everyone everywhere you go, whether it’s Oxford, Maine or the Daytona 500. That’s the main aspect of it.”

Last season, Busch competed in a 125-lap race at Lee USA Speedway in New Hampshire, finishing second to PASS driver Derek Griffith, who will also be competing Wednesday night.

“At different race tracks I’ve been to, I’ve had different relationships in different racing with a lot of the guys,” Busch said. “Whether it’d be (PASS drivers) Johnny Clark, Cassius Clark, Derek Griffith, all of the dogs that have traveled around the country. Not only have we raced up here, but we’ve raced everywhere else as well. It’s been really fun to be able to race against them over the years. I’ve won a couple; they’ve won a couple. We’ll see who gets it this time.”

NASCAR star Kyle Busch looks over his car before practice at Oxford Plains Speedway on Tuesday. Busch will be driving in the Celebration of America 300 on Wednesday night. Dave Dyer/Kennebec Journal

Busch is no stranger to OPS; he won the 2011 Oxford 250, topping Nick Sweet and Austin Theriault, who finished second and third, respectively.

“I just remember being able to come up here to race (in 2011) and the stands were packed in this place,” Busch said. “The stands were always full, the camping (area) always looked really good. The pit area looked strong, too. It’s a little different now, this being a midweek show, a July 4th show.”

Busch will be driving the white No. 51 Cushman Competition car. The team is led by driver Austin Teras, who is currently fourth (1,198 points) in the PASS North standings. He arrived in Maine early Tuesday afternoon, receiving a ride straight to the OPS pit area. After a quick change into his blue racing suit, Busch immediately hopped into car, getting a feel for the vehicle before taking it onto the track for practice.

“I’ve always had my own late model stuff for a long, long time and was able to be successful with that,” Busch said. “I’ve won a few shows in other people’s equipment. It’s nice to come out here and try my hand in Austin’s car.”

Busch is not the only NASCAR driver set to race at OPS on Wednesday night. Daniel Hemlic, 30th in the Cup Series standings, will also race, along with NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Bubba Pollard. Both drivers have previously raced at OPS, with Pollard winning the Oxford 250 in 2018.

“Super Late Model racing has been in my life for many, many years,” Hemlic said. “I’ve gotten to come up here a couple of times, just to see another part of the country. I love it. I’ve always had fun and enjoyed the people and this camaraderie… I’m just here to have a little fun, and I think the competitor in all of us takes over during the first couple of laps.”