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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 18, 2008)
The INDEPENDENT, September 18, 2008 Page 21 Dodge takes 5th in main event while Nusom wins Street Stock title by Mike Weber Tricia “Great” Brittain of St. Helens, Dan Smith of Scap- poose and Deer Island’s Justin McMullen concluded the 2008 stock car racing season by win- ning Columbia County Racing Association division titles Sat- urday at River City Speedway in St. Helens. Brittain drove her Fast Rac- ing/Rose Valley Market Chev- rolet Monte Carlo to a fourth place finish in the sportsman main to capture the series title. It’s a notable accomplishment as Brittain is the first woman driver in the track’s 22 year his- tory to win the division. “At the beginning of the sea- son, I honestly never thought that I would be able to win the title,” said Brittain, 37, in her seventh year in sportsman and 11th season overall. “There’s so many tough competitors in this class and I don’t have the fastest car. I just try to run con- sistently and stay out of trouble and it payed off for me. It’s so exciting being the first woman to win the sportsman title and it seems almost unbelievable.” Smith took seventh in the modified main with the Reser’s Fine Foods/STC Racing parts open-wheel style racer owned by Sam and Jane Jeffers of Scappoose. He recorded top five finishes in seven of nine races to capture the second ti- tle of his 17-year motorsports career. “We had a good season and I’m glad that I won another championship,” said Smith, 38, who won the 2006 title. “The STC race team has been pretty dominating the last few years and I’ve had lots of fun. We have a great group of guys, in- cluding my teammate Jeremy Martin and our pit crew of Mike Harrison, Bobby Morley and Robert Smith. I enjoy having my kids (Amber, Katie, Cody) come out here supporting me, because without them here, it would be rather boring.” Gresham’s Curt Nusom won the street stock title and Port- land's Jacki Graham captured the women’s division crown. Jesse Freeman of Wilsonville, Eddie Farness of Sandy, Chris Quinn of Vancouver and “Holly- wood” Gary Meyer of Vernonia won main events in the sea- son’s final points race. McMullen maneuvered up from an eighth place start and was runnerup in the mini stock main to Meyer, competing for the first time this year in his Dodge Neon. McMullen had a top three finish in 8 of 9 races with his McMullen Water Sys- tems/Skinny’s Texaco Ford Mustang to capture the series title. Last year, McMullen won the Most Improved Driver award and took fourth in the point standings. “We were shooting for first place this year, everything worked out well and we had some good luck,” said Mc- Mullen, whose parent’s Scott and Kathy, also compete at the speedway. “I had lots of fun this season and I'm glad I won the title. I wish that I could’ve raced with Joe Cherington again this year. I put up good numbers and I’ve raced side-by-side with him in the past. I think that we could’ve had a good close bat- tle in the point standings.” Cherington of Vancouver, won the last four titles, but he didn’t return this year. Nusom drove his Tom’s Auto and Performance Machine Ca- maro to a runnerup finish to Farness in the street stock main. Nusom won the trophy dash and later gave his trophy to young fan Jessica Holt, 6. Curt won the title over Farness and his younger brother John, who are co-drivers in their Ca- maro. Terry Moss of St. Helens, took third with his Knife River Malibu and he finished third in the final standings for the sec- ond straight year. Graham had an impressive performance as the only driver who came from behind to win the title. Graham trailed division leader Brenda Hurley of Castle Rock, by 17 points prior to the race. Graham was simply un- beatable, though, while she swept every event in her T & T Draggin’ Wagons/Perfection Automotive Pontiac Firebird. Graham was the fastest qualifi- er on the quarter-mile oval at 16.39 seconds. She proceeded to win the trophy dash, heat race and moved up from eighth to win the main. “I’ve been trying to win a championship while racing here for 13 years, I had a great day and I’m so excited to finally win it,” said Graham, who is the speedway announcer. “I was in second place all season and I gradually worked my way up to catch Brenda and then won by just two points.” Mark Reser, Tigard; Curtis Zelmer, Portland. Heat 2: Dan Fox, War- ren; Chris Quinn, Vancouver; Don Jenner, Vancouver. Main: Quinn; Sean Fox; Dan Fox; Jenner; Bobby Morley, Scappoose; West; Reser; Dan Smith, Scappoose; Corey Cook, Rainer; Chris Long, Port- land. Street Stock Division – Fast Time: Brad Nusom, Gresham 16.35. Trophy Dash: Curt Nusom. Heat 1: Stephen Fenter, St. He- lens; Tom Zwicki, Portland; Mike Crase, Portland. Heat 2: Eddie Farness, Sandy; Ron Dodge, Ver- nonia; Todd Newton, Portland. ia. Heat 1: Jason Woody, Portland; Joe Wheeler, Portland; Devon Reed, Washougal. Heat 2: Brad Beehler, St. Helens; Adam Beehler; Justin McMullen, Deer Is- land. Main: Meyer; Justin Mc- Mullen; Scott McMullen, Deer Is- land; Brad Beehler; Ric James, Portland; Adam Beehler; Bob Wal- lace, Portland; Eric Lindquist, Mil- waukie; Jerry Winchester, Longview; Woody. Women’s Division – Fast Time: Jacki Graham 16.39. Trophy Dash: Graham. Heat 1: Kathy Griffin, Scappoose; Kim Lemmons, Tole- do; Suzy Farness, Sandy. Heat 2: Curt Nusom, on the outside, while Vernonia’s Ron Dodge races the number 7 Oldsmobile dur- ing racing action in St. Helens, on September 13, during the last points race of the year. CCRA RIVER CITY RESULTS September 13, 2008 Sportsman Division – Fast Time: Danny Asher, Portland 16.00. Trophy Dash: Curt Nusom, Gresham. Heat 1: Pam Graham, Portland; Tony Hendon, Portland; Daniel Thompson, Astoria. Heat 2: Tricia Brittain, St. Helens; Jesse Freeman, Wilsonville; Curt Nusom. Main: Freeman; Curt Nusom; Derek Vorseth, Yamhill; Brittain; Larry Lemmons, Toledo; John Nu- som, Gresham; Asher; Matt Taylor, Portland; Graham; Thompson. Modified Division – Fast Time: Gannin Thomas, St. Helens 15.19. Trophy Dash: Sean Fox, Rainier. Heat 1: Don West, Deer Island; New York Life Insurance Company Life Insurance - Long Term Care Insurance - Retirement Planning - Fixed Annuities* - Mortgage Protection Mutual funds - Business Insurance - IRA/SEP/TSA Jim Presley, Financial Services Professional Vernonia, Oregon Office: 503-429-0747 Cell: 503-929-3455 *Issued by New York Life Insurance and Annuity Corporation (A Delaware Corporation) Main: Farness; Curt Nusom; Terry Moss, St. Helen; Brad Nusom; Dodge; Don Grentz, St. Helens; Crase; Doug McVae, Scappoose; Newton; Zwicki. Mini Stock Division – Fast Time: Adam Beehler, St. Helens 16.87. Trophy Dash: Gary Meyer, Vernon- Graham; Stacey Fordyce, Vancou- ver; Susan Nelson, Portland. 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