Page 14
The INDEPENDENT, July 2, 2009
Vernonian Meyers sets new track record at St. Helens Speedway
by Mike Weber
Gary Meyer, of Vernonia, set
a new track record for four-cy-
clinders with a 16.207 on June
20.
Area drivers Jereld Strawn
and Justin McMullen overtook
division leaders to move atop
the point standings in the Em-
mert Motors sponsored race
Saturday, June 27, at River City
Speedway in St. Helens.
The husband/wife duo of
Michael and Jenelle Harrison of
St. Helens, recorded top five
finishes. Deer Island’s Scott
McMullen notched his first A
main event win this year and
Vancouver’s Stacey Fordyce
was nearly unbeatable in the
women’s class.
Portland’s Rick Graham,
Gresham’s John Nusom, Van-
couver’s Robert Jenner (modi-
fied) and Corey Esteban
(PHRA) of Gaston all won A
main events. Corbett’s Colleen
Winebarger won the first race
of the new Tracer Division, a
Run with Extra Confidence
with Chevron
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class for kids age 13-16.
The top eight qualifying cars
were inverted in reverse order
at the front of the 16-car sports-
man main. Graham, who was
eighth fastest, started on the
pole position and led the 20-lap
main from start-to-finish with
his T&T Draggin’ Wagons Tow-
ing/Perfection Automotive 1978
Pontiac Firebird.
Nusom, one of many double
duty drivers who compete in
two Columbia County Racing
Association classes, was run-
nerup eight car-lengths behind
Graham in his Chevrolet Ca-
maro. Strawn, a sportsman
class rookie, took sixth with his
Recovery Racing 1978 Buick
Regal. Strawn, who also won
the heat race, moved from sec-
ond into first in the standings.
Milwaukie’s Eric Lindquist, who
led Strawn by just two points
prior to the race, finished 11th.
“It feels good to be the points
leader as a rookie,” said
Strawn, a fourth year driver
who competed in the street
stock class the last three years.
“There’s a lot of fast cars that
I’m trying to keep up with in this
old car, but it’s sure running
pretty good. I thought that I
might have a chance to do fair-
ly well this year. I didn’t really
think that I would be where I’m
at right now, so I’m pretty hap-
py.”
Scott McMullen started sixth
in the 12-car mini stock main.
McMullen maneuvered up to
second by the third lap, behind
frontrunner Adam Beehler in
his Dan Garrison CPA spon-
sored Honda Civic. It was a two
car race between McMullen
and Beehler the next 12 circuits
as the duo moved in front by
nearly half a lap over third
place driver Jenelle Harrison, in
the Wayne Martin Floor Cover-
ing 1979 Datsun 210.
McMullen
moved
past
Beehler on lap 15 and led the
remainder of the 40-lap race to
get the victory in his McMullen
Water Systems 1981 Ford
Mustang. Harrison was run-
nerup for her fourth straight top
five finish. Justin McMullen
(Scott’s son), the defending se-
ries champion, took third for his
fourth straight top-five in his
Skinny’s Texaco Mustang and
moved past Vernonia’s Gary
Meyer for the lead in the stand-
ings.
“It was a fun race and it felt
good to be out in front of all the
other high caliber of competi-
tors that we have in this class,”
said Scott McMullen, who also
won the trophy dash. “It was
exciting to get my first win this
year.”
Nusom passed Portland’s
Todd Newton on the 12th lap of
the street stock main and led
the remainder of the 30-lap
race to get his second win this
year with his City Sprint Deliv-
ery Service Camaro. Nusom
won by one car length over his
brother Curt, the defending
champion. Portland’s Tom Zy-
wicki was third and Michael
Harrison took fourth in his Dou-
ble J Tires Chevy Malibu.
“The season has been going
pretty good and I’m hoping to
win the street stock Rookie-of-
the-Year Award,” said Harrison,
whose three car team also in-
cludes Tim Oyler of St. Helens.
“Jenelle has been real consis-
tent and we haven’t had any
breakdowns or flat tires with
her car. This is an inexpensive
way to have lots of fun. We just
want to keep the track operat-
ing well. We’re offering any-
body an opportunity to drive our
cars to pack the track too.”
Fordyce won the main, heat,
was second in the dash and
was the fastest women’s class
qualifier with her 1975 Chevy
Nova.
RIVER CITY SPEEDWAY
June 27, Official Results
Sportsman: Fast Time 16.13,
Mike Graham, Portland. Trophy
Dash: John Nusom, Gresham.
Heat 1: Nathan Slape, Rainier;
Tricia Brittain, St. Helens; Chris
Gallagher, Portland. Heat 2:
Jereld Strawn, Deer Island;
John Fordyce, Vancouver; Rick
Graham, Portland. Heat 3:
Clyde White, Longview; Larry
Lemmons, Toledo, WA; Mike
Graham. B Main: Slape; Gal-
lagher; Brittain; Ben Crase,
Portland; Bob Berg, St. Helens.
A Main: Rick Graham; John Nu-
som; Frank Elwess, Portland;
Fordyce; Rick Rehanek, Van-
couver; Strawn; Leroy White,
Portland; Pam Graham, Port-
land; Stephen Kaptur, St. He-
lens; Matt Taylor, Portland.
Modified: Fast Time 15.73,
Don Jenner, Vancouver. Trophy
Dash: Robert Jenner, Vancou-
ver. Heat: Dan Fox, Warren;
Curtis Zelmer, Portland; Dan
Smith,
Scappoose.
Main:
Robert Jenner; Don Jenner;
Smith; Fox; David Day, Port-
land; Zelmer.
Street Stock: Fast Time
16.04, Brad Nusom, Gresham.
Trophy Dash: John Nusom.
Heat 1: Zelmer; Mark Beehler,
St. Helens; R.T. Cutler, Port-
land. Heat 2: Todd Newton,
Portland; Curt Nusom; Mike
Harrison, St. Helens. Main:
John Nusom; Curt Nusom; Tom
Zywicki, Portland; Harrison; Roy
Girout, Portland; Eddie Farness,
Sandy; Ron Dodge, Vernonia;
Mike Crase, Porlland; Zelmer.
Mini Stock: Fast Time: 16.94,
Justin McMullen, Deer Island.
Trophy Dash: Scott McMullen,
Deer Island. Heat 1: Mark
Beehler, St. Helens; Jason
Scheibel, Longview; Rick Good-
ing, Castle Rock. Heat 2:
Jenelle Harrison, St. Helens;
Scott McMullen; Mike Harrison.
Main: Scott McMullen; Jenelle
Harrison; Justin McMullen;
Adam Beehler, St. Helens; Joel
Beehler, St. Helens; Gooding;
Devon Reed, Washougal; Tim
Oyler, St. Helens; Mark Beehler;
Scheibel.
Pacific Mini Sprints: Trophy
Dash:
Darren
Pierson,
Chehalis. Heat 1: Dave Walters,
Portland; Tracey Titus, Man-
zanita; Jesse Shannon., Cen-
tralia. Heat 2: Shannon; Pier-
son; Titus. Main: Shannon; Ti-
tus; Pierson; Walters; Verne De-
laney, Winlock.
Women’s Division: Fast
Time: 16.75 Stacey Fordyce,
Vancouver. Trophy Dash: Kathy
McMullen, Deer Island. Heat:
Fordyce; Susan Nelson, Port-
land; McMullen. Main: Fordyce;
Kim Lemmons, Toledo; Mc-
Mullen.
Tracers: Fast Time: 17.13,
Andrew Olsen, St.Helens. Tro-
phy Dash: Collen Winebarger,
Corbett. Heat: Winebarger;
Olsen: Matt Jenner, Vancouver.
Main: Winebarger; Jenner;
Olsen.
PHRA Dwarf Cars: A Trophy
Dash: Jim Dunn. B Dash: Jack
Mires. Heat 1: Ronnie Gilmore;
Jim Pavel; Mires. Heat 2: Dunn;
Roger Moore; Charles Millar.
Heat 3: Ron Love; Troy Kunas;
David Lewis. Heat 4: Corey Es-
teban; Rick Adams; Dave
Carter. C Main: Doug McVae;
Shane Younger; Mike Chad-
wick; Dean Hicks; Tristan Wood.
B Main: Mitch Meeuwsen;
Younger; Carter; Mires; Clay
Gobek. A Main: Esteban: Henry
Corbin; Adams; Pavel; Gilmore;
Younger; Jim Fischer; Mires;
Love; Lewis.