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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 2006)
Page 16 The INDEPENDENT, September 21, 2006 Cook, Elwess, Cherington, Nusom, Fordyce take CCRA 2006 titles Columbia County Racing As- sociation’s 20th year concluded with Rodney Cook, Ray El- wess, Joe Cherington, Gre- sham’s Curt Nusom and Van- couver’s Stacey Fordyce win- ning division titles in the Napa Auto Parts Championship Sat- urday, September 16, at River City Speedway. There were also impressive performances by Deer Island’s Jereld Strawn and Celeste Hardesty of St. Helens, who won their first ever main events. Teia Thomas of St. Helens, led the first six laps of the women’s main until Hardesty overtook her on lap seven and led the remainder of the 40-lap race with her Fast Lube & Oil Chevrolet Monte Carlo. It was the first win in the series for Hardesty, a second-year driver, and her 12th top-five main event finish; she finished sec- ond to Women’s Division cham- pion Fordyce. Tria Prettyman of St. Helens was second, fol- lowed by Fordyce in the All Star Sports Bar Monte Carlo. Strawn started on the pole position of the street stock main and led the first eight circuits around the quarter-mile clay oval until Nusom passed him on lap nine. Strawn regained the lead for good with his Re- covery Racing/M Cutter Ponti- ac Firebird after passing Nu- som on the back straightaway on lap 12. Nusom was close behind Strawn as their cars were bumper-to-bumper throughout the 40-lap race. Street Stock Division Champi- on Nusom was runnerup in his City Sprint Chevy and he won the title by just two points over his brother, John. Dan Smith, of Scappoose, led from start-to-finish to cap- ture the Baxter Auto Parts Mod- ified A main, Vernonia’s “Holly- wood” Gary Meyer won the mini stock A main and Vancou- ver’s Don Jenner won the Reser’s Fine Foods Sportsman main event. Tricia “Great” Brit- tain of St. Helens, won the sportsman heat race, was 10th in the A main and took second behind Sportsman Champion Cook in the final point stand- ings, which was the highest fin- ish ever by a woman in the sportsman series. Aaron Prettyman of St. He- lens, led the first 11 laps in the sportsman race until he was sidelined after his Camaro overheated. Jenner then moved ahead and led the re- maining 29 laps with his Tom’s Performance Machine Monte Carlo, winning by a straight- away length over Wilsonville’s Jesse Freeman. Area competi- tors finishing in the top-10 in- cluded Deer Island’s Stephen Kaptur (4th) and St. Helens drivers Jon Gillett (5th) and Lisa Faulkner (9th), followed by Brittain in the Competitive Edge Sign & Design Monte Carlo. Sportsman Champion Cook, of Rainier, was eighth in his Dan Holum Trucking sponsored Chevy. “It was an absolutely great season, the best ever of my five years in the sportsman class, VERNONIA INN Enjoy a quiet weekend with us. FULL SIZE, IN ROOM HOT TUBS Queen Beds • Private Bath • Separate Entrance Cable TV • Phones • Handicapped Access • Commercial Rates FOR RESERVATIONS CALL 1-800-354-9494 / 503-429-4006 Gift Certificates Available 900 MADISON AVE., VERNONIA, OR 97064 Just one block off scenic Nehalem River Hwy. (Oregon 47) I’m thrilled with all the success we’ve had and I just couldn’t be any happier,” said Brittain, whose Warren Country Inn/Fast Racing team includes her husband Sam, along with her dad, Bud Fast. “Sam and dad worked hard all year and did a tremendous job preparing the car to keeping it running great every week.” Smith led the modified main all the way to notch his first win in the STC Racing Parts/Al- liance Automotive racer owned by Sam and Jane Jeffers of Scappoose. Jeremy Martin of St. Helens, was second in an identical looking Jeffers-owned car to give the Reser’s spon- sored team a 1-2 finish. Cor- bett’s Scott Winebarger was third, followed by Portland’s Marc Sayre and Clint Petty of St. Helens. Sayre took second in the standings to Modified Champion Elwess of Portland, who was eighth in the Triple E Racing/Cedarscapes Green- house racer. “We have an awesome crew with my brother, Robert, Bobby Morley and Dennis Blasier and I couldn’t ask to drive for a bet- ter owner than Sam Jeffers,” said Smith. “I didn’t win one main, but I was consistent with six top- five’s and having a good crew chief, Joe Stinnett along with my dad Frank, my two sons Aaron and Edward and my brother, Frank Jr., who also helped.” “Hollywood” Gary Meyer, of Vernonia, overtook Adam Beehler of St. Helens, on lap 12 of the mini stock A main and re- mained up front to notch his first win this year in the Meyer’s Auto Body Dodge Neon. War- renton’s Mark Guindon was a close runnerup, followed by Adam Beehler, Gladstone’s Ben Palmer and Mini Stock Di- vision Champion Cherington. It marked the third straight title for Cherington, 45, of Vancouver, who captured his fifth title in seven years. “My goal at the beginning of the year was to win another ti- tle, I had consistent finishes all season and that’s what it takes to win a title,” said Cherington, who had four victories and a to- tal of 12 top-five’s with his Cir- cle H Enterprises Datsun 210. “After winning a championship, it seems like everyone tries to do their best to beat you the fol- lowing season. I’ve had lots of fun and it’s nice being a five- time champion, but I might take next year off.” Rick Beehler of St. Helens (mini stock), Longview’s Larry Benson (modified), Castle Rock’s Doug Hurley (sports- man) and Sandy’s Chris Hall- berg (street stock) each record- ed B main wins. RIVER CITY SPEEDWAY SEPT. 16, 2006, RESULTS Sportsman – Fast Time: 15.61; Ken Bryan, Toledo, WA. Trophy Dash: Lar- ry Lemons, Toledo. Heat 1: Bryan Collins, Canby; Doug Hurley, Castle Rock; Joseph Vorseth, Portland. Heat 2: Tim Williams, Skip Pillow, Gresham; Aaron Prettyman, St. Helens. Heat 3: Tricia Brittain, St. Helens; Jesse Free- man, Wilsonville; Don Jenner, Vancou- ver. B Main: Hurley; Collins; Williams; Vorseth; Ron Williams, Longview. A Main: Jenner; Freeman; Steven Can- ham, Portland; Stephen Kaptur, Deer Island; Jon Gillett, St. Helens; Lemons; Pillow; Rodney Cook, Rainier; Lisa Faulkner, St. Helens; Brittain. Modified – Fast Time: 14.65; Clint Petty, St. Helens. Trophy Dash: Marc Sayre, Portland. Heat 1: Herb Thomas, St. Helens; Larry Benson, Longview; Curt Nusom, Gresham. Heat 2: Gannin Thomas, St. Helens; Dan Smith, Scap- poose; Scott Winebarger, Corbett. Heat 3: Sean Fox, St. Helens; Sayre; Petty. B Main: Benson; Thomas; Mar- cie Kisor, Scappoose; Nusom. A Main: Smith; Jeremy Martin, St. Helens; Winebarger; Sayre; Petty; Gannin Thomas; Greg Greer, Rainier; Ray El- wess, Portland; Fox; Rob Sjogren, Seattle. Street Stock – Fast Time: 16.18; Robert Duncan, Scappoose. Trophy Dash: Jeff Lovell, Portland. Heat 1: Tom Zywicki, St. Helens; Gary Meyer, Ver- nonia; Nathan Slape, Rainier. Heat 2: Dennis Krohling, Vancouver; Brett Eakins, Washougal; Brad Nusom, Gre- sham. Heat 3: Jereld Strawn, Deer Is- land; Curt Nusom; Mark Reser, Tigard. B Main: Chris Hallberg, Sandy; Krohling; Zywicki; Nick Novak, Scap- poose; Jeremy Cernac, Scapppoose. A Main: Strawn; Curt Nusom; John Haa- genson, St. Helens; John Nusom, Gre- sham; Reser; Lovell; Terry Moss, St. Helens; Krohling; Hallberg; Duncan. Mini Stock – Fast Time: 16.42; Brad Ruth, Washougal. Trophy Dash: Gary Meyer. Heat 1: Jared Hansen, St. He- lens; Frank Karnath, Washougal; Daniel Beaudoin, Washougal. Heat 2: Marie Sayre, Portland; Scott McMullen, Deer Island; Brad Beehler, St. Helens. Heat 3: Adam Beehler, St. Helens; Mark Guindon, Warrenton; Ben Palmer, Gladstone. B Main: Rick Beehler, St. Helens; Beaudoin; Kathy McMullen, Deer Island; Karnath; Josh Kelsey, Portland. A Main: Meyer; Guindon; Adam Beehler; Palmer; Joe Chering- ton, Vancouver; Brad Beehler; Bob Wallace, Portland; James Lutz, Port- land; Eric Lindquist, Portland; Beau- doin. Women’s Division – Fast Time: 16.04; Celeste Hardesty, St. Helens. Trophy Dash: Stacey Fordyce, Van- couver. Heat: Hardesty; Tria Pretty- man; Brenda Hurley, Castle Rock. Main: Hardesty; Prettyman; Fordyce; Hurley; Teia Thomas, St. Helens; Lin- da Holland, Portland; Sundee Ham- rick, Portland; Kathy Griffin, Scap- poose. 503-429-0280 Basic Auto Repair Rotor and drum machine on site Specializing in Brakes & Light Auto Repair Oil Change Special $19.95 most cars & trucks - up to 5 quarts Open Monday thru Friday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday & Sunday call for appointment 62481 Nehalem Hwy 47 North, next to Spartree Restaurant
