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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 5, 2011)
Page 20 The INDEPENDENT, October 5, 2011 Vernonian Doug Davenport takes 2011 CCRA Modified title by Mike Weber Doug Davenport, Joel Beehler, Brad Martin, Cody Smith, Kathy McMullen and Curt Nusom each notched top- three finishes to conclude the stock car racing season by win- ning Columbia County Racing Association division champi- onships. Gresham drivers Dave Walters and John Nusom also captured CCRA titles in the 10th and final points race of the season Saturday at River City Speedway in St. Helens. Beehler and Smith notched main event wins to cap remark- able seasons in which they had numerous victories and a dom- inating performance to win their first ever CCRA titles. Beehler, 21, of St. Helens, won his sev- enth straight main with his Johnny’s Bar & Grill Subaru Im- preza to capture the Mini Stock Division Championship. His eight total wins tied the all-time single season series record held by Vancouver's Joe Cher- ington, set in 2004. Smith captured the Tracer Division (age 13-15) by winning his ninth main this year with the Run with Extra Confidence with Chevron DELO 400 ™ PLUS MOTOR OIL The name you trust for: • Gasoline • Diesel Fuel • Oils • Solvents • Additives • Greases S EE US FOR H EATING O IL D ECK & S HINGLE O IL A NTI F REEZE CALL (503) 429-6606 WILCOX & FLEGEL 720 Rose Avenue • Vernonia Alliance Automotive/M & B Cylinder Heads Chevrolet Ca- maro. Smith, 14, was the fastest in time trials on the quarter-mile clay oval track at 16.70 seconds and he was un- defeated as he took the check- ered flag in the trophy dash and heat race also. Smith, a Scappoose High freshman, recorded a combined total of 24 victories, including seven heat race wins and eight dash victories. “I won lots of races and had a lot of fun and it's exciting to win my first championship,” said Smith, whose dad, Dan, took second place in the Sportsman Division while driv- ing an identical Camaro. “Win- ning the final race in a good battle with Jonathan West real- ly capped a very good season for me.” Dan Smith took the lead in the sportsman main after pass- ing Lisa Liner on lap nine. Smith led until Russell overtook him on lap 22. Russell, the de- fending series champion, led the final 18 laps to notch his second straight win and third overall with his JD’s Bar & Grill/Competitive Edge Sign & Design Monte Carlo. Russell won by a half a lap advantage over Woodland’s Devon Reed, and division champion Curt Nu- som of Gresham took third. Jeremy Martin, Jeremey Wetherbee, Ryan Martinez, Greg Lane and Dennis Pittsen- barger also recorded main event wins. Lane won the Pa- cific Mini Sprint main, while Walters captured the division championship with eight main event wins. Pittsenbarger won the four-cylinder late model main. Victoria West of Scappoose, led from start-to-finish with her Warren General Store 1973 Camaro to capture her first ever women’s division main. Jenae Frelich of St. Helens, was second followed by Deer Island’s Kathy McMullen, who captured her second straight women’s championship. McMullen captured five wins and nine top-five main event finishes with her McMullen Wa- ter System’s/Al’s Transmission 1979 Chevy Malibu. It marks the final year in the series for McMullen, who started her ca- reer in 2005 while competing her first four seasons in the mini stock class. Martin of St. Helens, took the lead on lap 24 of the modi- fied main after passing fron- trunner Clark Tenney of Scap- poose, who spun out in turn four after leading the first 23 laps. Martin a former series champ (2007), led laps 24-40 to get his second win and nail down a runnerup finish in the point standings to division champion Davenport of Ver- nonia. “I had a great season and it’s sure nice to end it like this in victory lane,” said Martin. “Doug and I battled it out all year and I just want to congrat- ulate him for winning the cham- pionship, because he really de- serves it.” It was Martin’s ninth top-five main event finish with his Reser’s Fine Foods open- wheel style modified race car and he was followed by Daven- port and Brian Blasier of Scap- poose. Davenport won the heat and had a near record-break- ing qualifying time (13.76), just short of Martin’s track record (13.65) set in 2009. It was the first time this year that anyone clocked a qualifying time less than 14 seconds. “It’s cool to see Jeremy, who’s a good friend of mine, get another win,” said Daven- port, who set an all-time single season record with seven wins and nine top-fives in his BSB Manufacturing/Spiralz Salon sponsored race car. “It’s awe- some to win the championship, but it sure was lots of hard work all season. I have some great sponsors, who help tremen- dously. I have to give lots of credit to my pit crew chief too, Fletcher Tofflemire. He’s my right hand man and I couldn’t have won the championship without his help.” River City Speedway’s sea- son finale was the traditional Run What Ya Brung race Octo- ber 1. A sincere thank you goes to Mike and Jenelle Harrison of St. Helens, for providing me with a wonderful and rare op- portunity for a hands-on experi- ence and gain an exciting new perspective of the track. The Harrison’s let me drive their Wayne Martin Floor Covering modified car during the track in- termission mud packing proce- dure. RIVER CITY SPEEDWAY 2011 Final Point Standings Sportsman Division – 1. Curt Nusom, Gresham 1,029. 2. Dan Smith, Scappoose 952. 3. Bud Russell, St. Helens 947. 4. Clyde White, Longview 863. 5. Aaron Elwess, Fairview 852. 6. Lisa Liner, St. Helens 823. 7. Sean Fox, Rainier 801. 8. Jesse Allen, Goble 774. 9. Bob Berg, St. Helens 769. 10. De- von Reed, Woodland 766. Street Stock Division – 1. John Nusom, Gresham 1,030. 2. Brad Martin, St. Helens 969. 3. Justin McMullen, Deer Island 964. 4. Rick Rehanek, Vancou- ver 896. 5. Mike Crase, Port- land 824. 6. Ken Bryan, Toledo 806. 7. Curtis Zelmer, Portland 805. 8. RT Cutler, Portland 744. 9. Aaron Snook, Portland 727. 10. David McDaniel, Scappoose 698. Modified Division – 1. Doug Davenport, Vernonia 1,083. 2. Jeremy Martin, St. Helens 1,001. 3. Clark Tenney, Scap- poose 945. 4. Sean Fox, Rainier 813. 5. Brian Blasier, Scappoose 798. 6. Sam Jef- fers, St. Helens 773. 7. Zelmer 770. 8. Clint Petty, St. Helens 645. 9. Mike Harrison, St. He- lens 602. 10. Robert Jenner, Vancouver 578. Mini Stock Division – 1. Joel Beehler, St. Helens 1,103. 2. Brad Beehler, St. Helens 884. 3. Tim Oyler, Warren 854. 4. Kyle Frelich, St. Helens 843. 5. John Oyler, Warren 809. 6. Lisa Oyler, Troutdale 799. 7. Charlie Ingram, Estacada 769. 8. Jerry Wright, St. Helens 708. 9. Darrin Rye, Deer Island 701. 10. Joneen Oyler, Gresham 574. Pacific Mini Sprint – 1. Dave Walters, Gresham 1,133. 2. Mike Opoka, Mesa, AZ 900. 3. Keith Everson, Marysville 690. 4. Dan Beck, Castle Rock 673. 5. Eric Dehning, Portland 599. 6. Jesse Shannon, Centralia 575. 7. Tracey Titus, Manzanita 545. 8. Darrin Pierson, Che- halis 303. Women's Division – 1. Kathy McMullen, Deer Island 1,081. 2. Jenae Frelich, St. Helens 1,044. 3. Morgan Tenney, Scappoose 976. 4. Tiffany Berg, St. Helens 966. 5. Victo- ria West, Scappoose 625. 6. Cori Rocks, Portland 274. Tracer Division – 1. Cody Smith, Scappoose 1,049. 2. Baleigh O’Connor, St. Helens 897. 3. Jonathan West, Scap- poose 831. Dwarf Cars – 1. Brad Martin 1,049. 2. Jenelle Harrison, St. Helens 867. 3. Travis Tolman, St. Helens 464.