OXFORD, Maine --  There’s at least one driver who will come to Oxford Plains Speedway on Monday morning with a smile on his face.

Scott Robbins dodged the raindrops and the bad luck handed out to many by the random draw on Sunday, leading every lap of the first of six heat races for the 35^th annual TD Banknorth 250 to earn the pole position for the prestigious summer classic.

A nearly three and a half hour rain delay pushed qualifying back until 5:20 p.m. on Sunday, and then two subsequent rain delays finally forced Oxford Plains officials to cancel racing for the night shortly after 8 p.m. The TD Banknorth 250 will resume with the final heat race, plus all the consolation rounds, beginning at 2 p.m. on Monday.

Robbins, who won the 2002 version of the race, said whether it was Sunday night or Monday evening, he just wanted a chance to run the entire race.

"If it only looked like we were only going to get halfway (and we started the race), I’d be pretty disappointed with that. This is a big race for us," said Robbins, who didn’t want to see rain become part of the race strategy. "Tonight, tomorrow, whatever -- as long as the whole race gets in."

Only twice has rain postponed the Oxford 250.

In 1986, former NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Chuck Bown won the race on a Monday. In 1979, Tom Rosati became the only teen-aged driver to win the ‘250.’ That race was postponed one week from its original date, with qualifying already having been completed.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick, whose father-in-law John Linville attempted to qualify for several Oxford 250s in the 1980s, qualified 11^th out of the fifth heat race. He is expected to be back at Oxford Plains on Monday for the race.

Other notables to qualify include two-time Oxford 250 winner Ben Rowe, three-time track champion Travis Adams, American-Canadian Tour points leader Scott Payea and 2006 Oxford 250 runner-up Bill Whorff Jr.

Patrick Laperle had an especially exciting qualifying run in the first heat race, charging from 13^th starting spot to challenge Robbins for the win on the final lap.

"I may have given him too much information," said Ricky Rolfe, the current OPS Late Model points leader – who gave a frustrated Laperle some set-up advice earlier in the day.

Rolfe had a tough qualifying effort in the fourth heat, failing to make the show. He does, as the high-point local driver, have a provisional starting spot to fall back on.

But the day belonged to Robbins, who last year had to make the big show by winning his last-chance qualifying race.

"It is an unbelievable relief," Robbins said. "You’ve got time to get ready, and you can just prepare, rest, relax, get something to drink, something to eat. Last year was just the opposite for us.

"I’ve done everything pretty much over the years here. I’ve won this race before, I’ve finished second in this race, I’ve won championships. It’s crazy, but the one thing I’ve never done is win a heat race in the 250.

"(Racing for the pole) is a little tense, even though I’ve been racing for a while. You’ve got nothing to gain, but you’ve got everything to lose. That’s the feeling."