The INDEPENDENT, October 2, 2008
Page 21
Speedway’s “Run What Ya Brung” is a chance to race just for fun
by Mike Weber
River City Speedway’s regu-
lar season concluded Septem-
ber 13, but stock car racing
drivers returned to the Colum-
bia County Fairgrounds facility
to compete again in the non
points “Run What Ya Brung”
race Saturday, September 20.
It was also an opportunity for
an encore by Tricia Brittain of
St. Helens. A week ago, Brittain
won the 2008 Sportsman Divi-
sion Championship to become
the first woman in the speed-
way’s 22-year history to win the
title.
Run What Ya Brung is a tra-
ditional fun and stress free
event for racers. They don’t
have to worry too much about
points and their order of finish.
Nevertheless, Brittain was back
behind the wheel of her Fast
Racing/Rose Valley Market
Chevrolet Monte Carlo vying
for a frontrunner position on the
quarter-mile clay oval track.
Brittain, 37, maneuvered up
from a 10th place starting posi-
tion in the 16-car field and fin-
ished third in the 50 lap com-
bined Sportsman/Street Stock
A main.
Wilsonville’s Jesse Freeman
won the A main with his Free-
man Tile Camaro and Port-
land’s Todd Newton took sec-
ond, just ahead of Brittain.
Scott McMullen of Deer Island,
earlier drove Brittain’s Chevy
into victory lane after winning
the 30 lap B main.
“After Scott won the B main,
I felt like had to go out there
and redeem myself and get a
top three finish,” said Brittain,
who had a career best time in
qualifying at 14.60 seconds.
“My car was running great, the
track was tacky and in excellent
condition. People don’t realize
how much work is involved in
preparing the track for a race.”
Tricia’s
husband
Sam,
speedway president Ed Bras-
mer and Charlie Rigdon work at
the facility Monday through Fri-
day to prepare the track prior to
Columbia County Racing Asso-
ciation events.
“I’m very excited about win-
ning the championship,” said
Brittain. “It still doesn’t seem
like it actually won it. I probably
won’t realize how wonderful it
really is until we get the big tro-
phy at the banquet.”
The Columbia County Rac-
ing Association Awards ban-
quet will be held November 8 at
the Elks Lodge in St. Helens.
Clark McGaugh of Vernonia,
who was competing for the first
time ever, took 11th in the A
main while driving The Inde-
pendent Oldsmobile Cutlass
owned by Vernonia’s Rob
Williams. McGaugh is the own-
er of The Independent, a Ver-
nonia newspaper. Williams
drove the car in the heat race
and his wife Natalie competed
in the women’s race and took
fourth.
Dylan Hallberg of Portland,
passed Jody Turner of St. He-
lens on lap 12 of the 40 lap Mini
Stock main and led the remain-
der of the race to take the
checkered flag. It was the first
win this year at the speedway
for Hallberg, 16, with his Mar-
ty’s Transmission Volkswagen
Golf.
Turner, competing for the
first time in three years, fin-
ished seventh and won the tro-
phy dash with the Bob Lam-
phere Beaverton Dodge Neon
owned by Vernonia’s “Holly-
wood” Gary Meyer. “I sold my
Dodge Challenger and all my
equipment, so I’ve been away
from racing for awhile,” said
Turner. “Gary built one heck of
a car and it was sure nice of
him to let me drive it. I had a
blast and it sure was fun to
come out here and see all my
friends again.”
Vancouver’s Don Jenner
won the Modified main and Su-
san Nelson of Portland, won
the Women’s Division race with
her Pontiac Firebird. Owen
Olinger of Woodland, won the
Micro Sprint race with his
ICS/Bedrock Concrete Cutting
open wheel racer.
The speedway’s new con-
cessionaire, Columbia Empire
Meat Company, celebrated
LUCILLE B. GREEN
Lucille B. Green, 86, Aloha, died
September 1, 2008.
Mrs. Green was born in Nebraska.
She was an elementary school teacher
in Cheyenne, Wyoming, San Diego,
California, Portland and Vernonia. She
taught fourth and fifth grades at Wash-
ington Grade School in Vernonia from
1963 until she retired in 1985.
Survivors include her son, Dale Hill
of Hillsboro; her daughter, Lana Vetch
of Aloha; two brothers, Max Bahe of
Ohiowa, Neb. and Rex Bahe of Shick-
ley, Neb.; and two sisters, Ruth Leff of
Knoxville, Tennessee and Betty Col-
grove of Forest Grove.
They made their home in Portland. She
moved to North Plains after 1955. She
worked as a bookkeeper and account-
ant for physicians.
She was preceded in death by her
husband and two brothers, David and
Sam Strubb.
Survivors include one son, Peter V.
Yazzolino of Portland; four daughters,
Joan I. Simpson of Chico, California,
Carol L. See of Coos Bay, Dalice A
Sawyer of Banks, and Darlene R.
Holscher of Forest Grove; a sister,
their first year with a fan appre-
ciation event. Owners Mike and
Laurie Lux of Hillsboro, gave
away free food and beverages
to race fans.
The final event of the motor-
sports season will be held Oct.
4 with another “Run What Ya
Brung” race.
River City Speedway
September 20
Run What Ya Brung Results
Sportsman/Street Stock – Fast
Time: Tricia Brittain, St. Helens
14.60. Trophy Dash: Clyde White,
Longview. Heat 1: Ben Crase,
Portland; Justin Nusom, Gresham;
Willie Harris, Portland. Heat 2:
Mike Crase, Portland; Aaron Pret-
tyman, St. Helens; Don Thompson,
Astoria. Heat 3: Jesse Freeman,
Wilsonville; Brittain; Tony Hendon,
Portland. B Main: Scott McMullen,
Deer Island; Don Thompson, Asto-
ria; Ben Crase; Curtis Zelmer, Port-
land; Steven Nusom, Gresham. A
Main: Freeman; Todd Newton,
Portland; Brittain; Rick Graham,
Portland; Thompson; Mike Crase;
Hendon; Mike Graham, Portland;
Eric Fors, Portland.
Mini Stock Division – Trophy
Dash: Jody Turner, St. Helens.
Heat: Brad Ruth, Washougal; Jerry
Winchester, Longview; Hallberg,
Turner. Main: Hallberg; Ruth; Joe
Wheeler, Kelso; Harold Erdel-
brock, Portland; Darrin Rye, Port-
land; Winchester; Turner; Justin
McMullen, Deer Island.
Modified Division – Trophy
Dash: Robert Jenner, Vancouver.
Heat: Don Jenner; Butch Valdez,
Portland; Robert Jenner; Brian
Blasier, Scappoose; Herb Thomas,
St. Helens. Main: Don Jenner;
Robert Jenner; Valdez; Blasier;
Thomas.
Women’s Division – Trophy
Dash: Sara Quinn, Vancouver.
Heat: Susan Nelson, Portland;
Quinn; Natalie Williams, Vernonia;
Stephanie Roberts, Portland;
Karen Harris, Portland; Traci Far-
ness, Sandy.
Main: Nelson;
Roberts; Harris; Williams; Farness.
Letters
From page 20
voted for the ordinance ( New
York Times , September 26,
2007).
“The Township Committee
has exerted and exhausted
much time, energy, and re-
sources into waging what can
only be classified as the begin-
ning stages of this battle in the
federal and state court sys-
tems.” Ordinance passed in
2007 repealing the law
(Reuters, Sept. 18, 2007).
Columbia County can’t af-
ford to waste our tax dollars. Or
to repeat mistakes. Please join
me in voting No on 5-190 and
5-191 – and talk to your family,
neighbors, friends and co-
workers on why this would be a
bad idea.
Georgiana Gordon
St. Helens
Please see page 22
Obituary
GRETCHEN ELIZABETH BUSH
Gretchen Elizabeth Bush, 70, Hills-
boro, died September 16, 2008. A cele-
bration of life was held September 20 at
Fuiten, Rose & Hoyt Funeral Home in
Forest Grove with Matthew Eagen offi-
ciating.
Mrs. Bush was born June 16, 1938,
in Fargo, North Dakota, to Wesley L.
and Ora Jean (Hammerud) Bolmeier.
When she was very young, the family
moved to Vernonia. She graduated
from Vernonia High School in 1956,
and from Willamette University with a
Bachelor of Arts degree.
In 1963, she married Richard “Rick”
Bush. They made their home in Virginia
for four years before moving to Hills-
boro. She owned and operated
Gretchen’s Lingerie Closet in Hillsboro
for several years.
Survivors include her husband; her
children; Rebecca Newland of Lake
Oswego, Adam Bush of Fort Worth,
Texas, and Rachel Boschma of Carl-
ton; her aunt, Lois Nelson of Hillsboro;
and seven grandchildren.
Remembrances are suggested to
Kaiser Permanente Hospice or to the
American Cancer Society.
Fuiten, Rose & Hoyt Funeral Home
in Forest Grove was in charge of
arrangements.
ALICE MAY JENSEN
Alice May Jensen, 96, North Plains,
died September 18, 2008. A celebration
of life was held September 30 at North
Plains Senior Citizen Center.
Mrs. Jensen was born June 28,
1912, in Malta, Montana, to Vernon and
Irene (Rose) Strubb. The family moved
to Portland in 1918 and then to Banks.
She graduated from Banks High
School in 1930.
In 1934, she married Carl Joseph
Yazzolino. They made their home in
Portland and divorced in 1947. She
married Leo Marvin Jensen in 1948.
Direct Cremation
550
$
Direct Burial
750
$
Plus Cemetery Costs
Tualatin Valley
Funeral Alternatives
~ There are Options ~
www.tualatinvalleyfa.com
237 West Main St., Hillsboro
503-693-7965
Grace V. Rose of Long Beach, Calif.;
grandchildren; great-grandchildren;
great-great-grandchildren; nieces and
nephews.
Remembrances are suggested to
The Friends of North Plains Library,
P.O. Box 525, North Plains, OR 97133.
Fuiten, Rose & Hoyt Funeral Home
in Forest Grove was in charge of
arrangements.
"A Trusted Name in Funeral Service"
Fuiten, Rose & Hoyt
Funeral Home
Third Generation
Family Owned & Operated
Jeffrey Hoyt, Gregory Hoyt,
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Stephanie Kachmarek
Attendant: Ray Pelster
2308 Pacific Av. Frst Grv....357-2161
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E-mail: Fuitenrosehoyt@aol.com
To sign the online guestbook or send
a condolence to the family, go to:
www.fuitenrosehoyt.com