WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2018
HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A9
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Last lap for a ‘weekend warrior’
“He’s a great driver —
a real weekend warrior
like most of us.”
Greg Walden,
Hermiston Raceway promoter
STAFF PHOTO BY BRETT KANE
Vic Beard waves a checkered flag as he takes the final lap of his racing career on Friday at the Hermiston Raceway.
Friday night’s race
honors longtime
driver Vic Beard
of burnt rubber.”
Hermiston Raceway’s next
event is scheduled to take place on
Saturday, August 18 at 6 p.m.
Auto racing
Hermiston Raceway, Week 9
By BRETT KANE
STAFF WRITER
Friday night’s race at the Herm-
iston Raceway began by honoring
a veteran of the track.
Vic Beard, 70, had been work-
ing on his 2007 Chevrolet Impala,
painted red and white with the
number 77 displayed across the
doors, with the intention of con-
tinuing his career as a Hermiston
racer.
However, he grew too tired
to make it down to the course to
compete. He was later diagnosed
with stage four pancreatic cancer.
Beard took his final lap around
the raceway during the night’s
opening ceremonies. He was fol-
lowed by nearly 30 of his fellow
drivers.
“He’d been competing here for
over 20 years,” said Hermiston
Raceway promoter Greg Walden
(not the Congressman). “He’s a
great driver — a real weekend
warrior like most of us.”
A packed stadium stood and
applauded as Beard took his lap,
and soon the evening’s races were
underway.
The event, titled Friday Night
Showdown, pitted drivers against
each other divided into six catego-
Hornet Main
1st #777 Devin Taylor
2nd #77 David Knowles
3rd #7 Tracy “Snoop” Howell
4th #11 Joe Dunn
5th #12 Kris Marlow
6th #18 Karen Pitzer
7th #13 Ryan Rodabaugh
8th #1 Rob “Ricky Bobby” Cassano
9th #21 Owen Berglund
10th #24 Justus Zamudio
11th #883 Woodrow Pittman
12th #69 Cody McDonald
13th #22 Caroline Barnes
14th #17 Kedric Preston
Mini Stock Main
1st #49 Angel Oseguera
2nd #29 Andy Pierce
3rd #71 Logan Blackburn
Super Mini Stock Main
1st #11X Patrick Mullins
2nd #11 Chris Kohler
3rd #27 Ron Wilbur
4th #8 Bradd Arneson
STAFF PHOTO BY BRETT KANE
Melissa Schroder and Treina Critchfeild of Kennewick, and Tammy Vetsch of Tacoma cheer on drivers at the
Hermiston Raceway.
ries: Late Models, Street Stocks,
Legends, Mini Stock & Super
Mini, Bombers, and Hornets. Cars
were categorized depending on
various specifications, including
car size, engine type, and material
used to outfit the cars.
The event began with a series
of heat races, which consisted of
eight cars and eight laps. The top
four drivers of these races would
then move on to the main event,
which consisted of races lasted
upwards of 30 laps.
After the races finished, audi-
ences were in for a special event
— CrashMania’s demolition
derby Point Series took over
Hermiston’s course. The tourna-
ment consists of six races held
throughout southeast Washing-
ton and northeast Oregon. The
competitor who has accumulated
the most points by the end of the
tour is set to receive $1,000 and a
CrashMania championship belt.
“It’s been a great season,”
Walden said. “All of our classes
have been growing, and we’re
providing good entertainment for
the fans.”
Audiences regularly jumped
to their feet as cars roared by the
stands, either cheering in support
or jeering at a flagman’s decision.
“I’ve been to more races here
than I can count,” said Trenia
Critchfield of Kennewick. “It’s
exciting, it’s tradition, and the
new promoters have done a great
job of keeping it up and running.
And you just can’t beat the smell
Bomber Main
1st #17 Kedric Preston
2nd #123 Jeremy Erb
3rd #55 Justin Gage
4th #2 Arlen Calley
5th #N21K Carl Leggett
Street Stock Main
1st #77 Jeff Stremcha
2nd #46 Terry Osborn
3rd #28 Kaylynn Jeffery
4th #18 Adam Baker
5th #75 Terry Lydell
Legend Main
1st #24Z Jose Zamudio
2nd #81 Ben Matheson
3rd #54 Trace Thompson
4th #13 Donnie Rabbit
5th #43 Bill Kik
6th #2 Jeff Mueller
7th #3 Neena Kik
8th #23 Steve Owen
Late Model Main with a special tribute to
#77 Vic Beard
1st #12 Rick Gerrard
2nd #15 Dan Nelson
3rd #3 Ken Bonney
4th #7 Tom Abercrombie
Catch a local at the Farm-City Pro Rodeo
By BRETT KANE
STAFF WRITER
Local cowboys and cow-
girls will take to the Farm-
City Pro Rodeo Area to
defend their home turf — or
dirt — this week.
Several local competitors
are currently ranked within
the top 20 on the 2018
Columbia River Circuit and
will perform throughout the
week’s rodeo events.
You can catch steer wres-
tlers Dalton Massey and
Ryan Bothum of Hermiston
on Friday at 2 p.m. during
that day’s slack. Massey
is currently ranked at No.
8 and Bothum at No. 13.
Bothum will also compete
that night at 7:45 p.m.
Team ropers Andy Carl-
son and Jake Stanley of
Hermiston, currently hold-
ing down the No. 6 and
9 spots, respectively, will
compete in the slack mat-
inee on Saturday at 2 p.m.
and the rodeo’s fourth night
at 7:45 p.m. Other local team
ropers include B.J. Roberts
of Hermiston and Phoenix
Everano of Pendleton.
Brad Goodrich and
Michael Pederson of Herm-
iston will compete in the
rodeo’s tie-down competi-
tions on Friday and Satur-
day. Goodrich is ranked at
No. 3 in the event, and Ped-
erson is at No. 9.
Seth Hopper of Stan-
field stands at No. 10 and
will perform for the slack
on Thursday, and during the
second night at 7:45 p.m.
Other local athletes
include barrel racers Jor-
dan Minor, currently ranked
at No. 4, Mary Shae Hays,
and Jami Erwert of Herm-
iston, and Amy Coelho and
Libby Gibson of Echo, bull
rider Clay Hall, and Stan-
field steer wrestler Travis
Taruscio.
“The idea of this rodeo is
to attract the best contestants
for the fans to watch,” said
director Jon Gill. “We have
the best contestants and live-
stock out there. It’s a pretty
good draw. We’re honored
to have them.”
Go see it
The Farm-City Pro Rodeo is Wednesday
through Saturday at the Eastern Oregon
Trade and Event Center in Hermiston.
Start: 2 p.m. slack, 7:30 p.m. main
performance
Cost: $17 for general admission
HH FILE PHOTO
Ryan Bothum turns his steer in 5.1 seconds in steer wrestling
at the 2016 Farm-City Pro Rodeo in Hermiston. He will
compete this Friday in Hermiston.