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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 6, 2009)
Page 22 The INDEPENDENT, August 6, 2009 Ray and Shelley Cota injured while helping at River City Speedway by Mike Weber An infield accident at the River City Speedway on Satur- day, August 1, sent two Vernon- ians to the hospital. Ray and Shelley Cota of Vernonia both were injured by a car that lost control and entered the infield. Ray helps at the track and Shelley serves as an EMT. Ray was released the same evening from the hospital with cuts and bruises. Shelley was still in the hospital at press time, with non-life threatening injuries, but is expected to be released soon. St. Helens drivers Tricia “Great” Brittain and Joel Beeh - ler won main events, and Deer Island’s Linda Holland won the women’s division races in the seventh round of stock car rac- ing action Saturday, August 1, at River City Speedway. Hol- land won a second consecutive main with the 1975 Recovery Racing Chevrolet Nova. The Nusom Racing team of Gresham, took the top three positions in the street stock di- vision. Curt Nusom, 46, notched his second straight main event win with his T&T Draggin’ Wagons Towing Ca- maro. Chris Quinn of Vancou- ver, won the modified main. Brittain, the defending sportsman class champion, started on the front row along- side John Nusom in the main. The two drivers benefited from the inverted lineup as the top- 10 cars from qualifying were placed in reverse order at the front of the 17-car lineup. Nu- som, who qualified 10th earned the pole position with the ninth fastest qualifier Brittain next to him. Nusom had the edge early in the race with his Bud’s Auto Wrecking Camaro while main- taining the key inside position around the quarter mile clay oval track. Brittain stuck to Nu- som like glue though, as the two circled the track side-by- side on laps 12 to 15. Brittain passed Nusom on the outside of the front straight- away on lap 16 with her Fast Racing/Rose Valley Market Chevrolet Monte Carlo. The race was delayed by eight yel- low flag caution periods. With seven uninterrupted laps, Brit- tain moved out to a straight- away length lead over Nusom by lap 34. The right front wheel on Stephen Kaptur’s Chevy Malibu came off in turn three, as flagman Russ Voight sig- naled another slow down. Brittain’s lead was reduced significantly as her car was bumper to bumper with Nu- som’s car on the lap 34 restart. She was able to hold onto her advantage the remainder of the 40-lap race and won by six car lengths over Nusom. Portland’s Rick Graham was third, fol- lowed by Frank Elwess and Mil- waukie’s Eric Lindquist. Elwess of Portland, took over the divi- sion points lead and is the fifth different leader this season. “We don’t have mirrors, so you never know what’s going on behind you,” said Brittain, who notched her first win this year and fourth top five finish. “I just try focusing on what is hap- pening ahead of me and partic- ularly with the lapped traffic. My car handled pretty well on the outside and I was finally able to get around Nusom. John is a good driver who is always tough to beat. It’s nice to get into the lead after passing somebody like John, who is re- ally a great competitor.” It was a meaningful win for Brittain, 38, who won on her son Zack’s 19th birthday. Zack is currently in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He’ll be leaving in two weeks for a deployment in Iraq for possibly one year or more. “You can’t always win, so you just take what you can get,” said Nusom, 40, a double duty driver who competes in two classes and took second in the street stock main. “I like to win, but anytime you get two run- nerup finishes, that’s pretty sat- isfying too.” John was second to his brother Curt in the street stock main and Curt’s son Brad took third. Mike Harrison of St. He- lens, was fourth and Tom Zy- wicki of Portland was fifth. Beehler took the lead in the mini stock main after passing Washougal’s Devon Reed on lap 12. Beehler, 17, led for the duration of the 25 lap race with his Johnny’s Bar & Grill Dodge Neon to capture his third win this year. Defending champion and current points leader Justin McMullen, 19, took second. Reed was third, followed by Scott McMullen and Mike Harri- son. “I had another top three fin- ish and it’s important to be con- sistent in a close points race that Joel and I are involved in,” said McMullen. “Joel is a good, tough driver who is fun to race with. We both like to race clean, because neither one of us likes to do the repair work on our cars.” RIVER CITY SPEEDWAY Saturday, July 25 Results Sportsman – Fast Time: 15.87, Bud Russell, St. Helens. Trophy Dash: Clyde White, Longview. Heat 1: Mike Graham, Portland; LeRoy White, Portland; Jerry Strawn, Deer Island. Heat 2: Rick Graham, Portland; John Nusom, Gresham; Larry Lemmons, Toledo, WA. Heat 3: Rick Rehanek, Van- couver; Brian Vaughn, Longview; John Fordyce, Vancouver. Main: White; Vaughn; Frank Elwess, Portland; Nusom; Mike Graham; Strawn; Rehanek; Matt Taylor, Portland; Eric Lindquist, Milwaukie; Lemmons. Street Stock – Fast Time: 16.28, John Nusom. Trophy Dash: Curt Nusom, Gresham. Heat 1: Curt Zelmer, Portland; 2. Mike Crase, Portland; Hal Farness, Portland. Heat 2. C urt Nusom, Brad Nusom, Gresham; John Nusom. Main: Curt Nusom; John Nusom; Tom Zywic- ki, Portland; Brad Nusom; Crase; Mike Harrison, St. Helens; Ron Dodge, Vernonia; Farness; Todd Newton, Portland; Zelmer. Mini Stock – Fast Time: 16.48 Justin McMullen, Deer Island. Tro- phy Dash: Jenelle Harrison, St. Helens. Heat 1: Devon Reed, Washougal; Jerry Winchester, Longview; Tim Oyler, St. Helens. Alley Auto Wrecking ✮ ✮ Gasoline 503-429-7581 Most parts under warranty Open Tuesday-Saturday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Closed Sunday and Monday 54372 Nehalem Hwy South, Vernonia, OR 97064 6 miles south of town on Hwy 47 Buying unwanted vehicles with clear title Heat 2: Joel Beehler, St. Helens; Scott McMullen, Deer Island; Joel Beehler; Chuck Keller, Portland; Harrison; Oyler; Reed; Rich Good- ing, Castle Rock; Adam Beehler, St. Helens; Jason Scheibel, Longview. Modified – Fast Time: 15.18 Don Jenner, Vancouver. Trophy Dash: Ryan Cook, Portland. Heat 1: Greg Greer, Rainier; Robert Jen- ner, Vancouver; Don Jenner. Main: Greer; Don Jenner; Robert Jenner; Cook; Dennis Blasier, Scappoose; Zelmer. Women’s Division – Fast Time: 16.17 Linda Holland, Deer Island. Heat: Susan Nelson, Portland; Hol- land; Kathy McMullen, Deer Island. Main: Holland; Nelson; McMullen; Kim Lemmons, Toledo, WA. RIVER CITY SPEEDWAY Saturday, August 1 Results Sportsman – Fast Time: Clyde White, Longview 15.74. Trophy Dash: White. Heat 1: Stephen Kap- tur, St. Helens; Jerry Strawn, Deer Island; Dave Pfaff, Portland. Heat 2: John Nusom, Gresham; Rick Graham, Portland; Tricia Brittain, St. Helens. Heat 3: Larry Lem- mons, Toledo; John Fordyce, Van- couver; Frank Elwess, Portland. Main: Brittain; Nusom; Rick Gra- ham; Elwess; Eric Lindquist, Mil- waukie; White; Strawn; Fordyce; Larry Wetzel, Portland; Matt Taylor, Portland. Street Stock – Fast Time: Curt Nusom, Gresham 16.05. Trophy Dash: John Nusom. Heat 1: Mike Harrison, St. Helens; Curtis Zelmer, Portland; Tom Zywicki, Portland. Heat 2: John Nusom; Mike Crase, Portland; Brad Nu- som, Gresham. Main: Curt Nusom, John Nusom, Brad Nusom, Harri- son, Zywicki, Crase, Zelmer, Hal Farness, Sandy. Mini Stock – Fast Time: Justin McMullen, Deer Island 16.69. Tro- phy Dash: Jenelle Harrison, St. Helens. Heat 1: Devon Reed, Washougal; Rick Gooding, Castle Rock; Mike Harrison. Heat 2: Joel Beehler, St. Helens; Jenelle Harri- son; Justin McMullen. Main: Beehler, Justin McMullen, Reed, Scott McMullen, Deer Island; Mike Harrison, Jenelle Harrison, Jason Scheibel, Longview; Gooding. Women's Division – Fast Time: Kim Lemmons, Toledo 16.04. Tro- phy Dash: Linda Holland, Deer Is- land. Heat: Holland, Susan Nelson, Portland; Lemmons; Kathy Mc- Mullen, Deer Island. Main: Holland, Lemmons, Nelson, McMullen. Modified – Fast Time: Chris Quinn, Vancouver 15.79. Trophy Dash: Quinn. Heat: Dennis Blasier, Scappoose; Quinn; Zelmer. Main: Quinn, Zelmer, Blasier. While Having Fun at the Vernonia Friendship Jamboree & Logging Show, Join us for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner Mariolino’s 721 Madison Ave.,Vernonia • 503-429-5018 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)