TRIBAL MEMBER NEWS
Hobby of Collecting Trophies
bv Brian Smith of The Columbian in Vancouver, Hash, (originally printed Oct. 3, 2006; reprinted with permission)
also won four titles at the Portland
Most everyone has a hobby.
Speedway - in 1984. 1987. 1988 and 1998.
Some people go shopping.
In fact. Cherington's been so sue-
Some watch television.
cessful on the track throughout his ca
Some work in the garden.
reer. it may have actually brought about
Something they do on the week
a temporary hiatus to his racing life.
end. in their free time.
“I might take a year off." he said.
Something they'd rather be doing
“I've been racing for a long time now.
than working.
And I told myself that I was just going to
For Vancouver’s Joe Cherington
race this year to win another cham
and Stacey Fordyce, it's racing.
pionship and make it three in a row."
“I'm proud of it." Fordyce said.
Crediting experience and an under
“It's a passion of mine. The competi
standing of how to fine tune his car
tiveness of it just makes it fun."
as being the keys to his success.
Fordyce and Cherington are more
Cherington quickly learned how to
than competitive. At River City Race
make his car work for him.
way in St. Helens. Ore., the Vancouver
Currently racing a purple 1981 Datsun
drivers are champions.
210 two-door hatchback in the four-
Fordyce's love of racing is a fam
cylinder division, the 45-year-old Hazel
Vancouver racecar driver Stacey Fordyce won the sportsman division at River
ily affair.
Dell native was able to apply lessons
"My husband (John Fordyce) got me Ci tv Speedwav in St. Helens, Ore., this season. (DAVE OLSON/The Columbian)
learned at his day job as a parts worker
into it,” she said. "He used to work at
at Westlie Ford in Camas to his hobby.
“We’re building a car for my son
“That's my biggest concern right
the Chevron in Hazel Dell. He's showed
“I own the car, do the maintenance
me a lot. At the beginning, 1 was busy now,” the 33-year-old stay-at-home to race out in Madras (Ore.),” Fordyce and besides one other person, am ba
said. “You only have to be 12 to drive
with my own thing. But as soon as I got mom said. “I time in faster than a lot
sically my own pit crew." Cherington
of
them.
1
think
I'll
probably
get
some
it.
and
he's
really
interested
in
it.
We'll
interested, I loved it. Now I can't imag
said. “Most of being a good racer comes
flak
from
them
if
I
do
move
up.
too.
My
have
our
whole
family
racing.
”
ine doing anything else.”
down to experience. Older guys just know
husband gives me a great car to drive,
Cherington first experienced dirt
Racing a blue and silver 1987
more tricks than the younger guys. But
so we’d do well.”
racing
in
1983,
at
the
now
defunct
Port
Chevrolet Monte Carlo at the River City
it's also about handling and horsepower."
A major factor in Fordyce's devo
land
Speedway.
Speedway in St. Helens, Ore., Fordyce
And even with the long hours at the
tion to racing is her ability to include
“
My
buddy
and
I
got
into
it,
”
track — Cherington estimated that he put
has quickly made a name for herself, her extended family.
Cherington said. “We used to race ja
15 hours a week into his car during rac
winning the championship title in the
On race days, her husband, son,
ing season - and his nine track titles and
women’s sportsman division in 2006, sister, mother-in-law, father-in-law, lopies. It just kept building and became
23 years of racing. Cherington's not yet
after finishing third in 2005.
nieces and nephews all lend their at what it is now."
In the 23 years since. Cherington
sure he’s ready to stop.
As a result of her quick success - tention and support while she is out on
“Maybe I'll just race something
has become something of a small race
Fordyce has only been racing for four the track.
different.” he said. “It's fun and enjoy
And there are even plans in the track legend in the Columbia River area.
years - and a shrinking pool of women
A five-time Columbia County Rac able. and I guess that's why I've done
drivers, Fordyce is ready to move on works to establish a tradition of racing
it this long.”
ing Association champion. Cherington
in the Fordyce family.
to a bigger challenge: the men.
Guess Who?
Above: From the Lincoln County
Leader, Toledo, Ore.
Making His Money the "Hard Way”
This 13-year-old makes his spending
money the "hard way, ” making three
packs a day up a steep hillside. He
gathers chit bark which he sells.
Each trip he brings up 50 pounds or
more. His parents report that he earns
around $100 during the season.
Right: Attending the Veterans Memo
rial Rededication Ceremony held
Aug. 27 at Chinook Winds Casino
Resort are Bill (left) and Don Foelker
(right) of Milwaukee, Ore, who are
the oldest commissioned officers
living in Oregon. Siletz Tribal elder
Maria Alicante Westervelt (center)
who lived in Japanese-occupied
Manila, Philippines, during World
War 11, joins the Foelker brothers
at the memorial.
November 2006
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Siletz News
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