by Mike Weber
St. Helens drivers Jeremy Martin and
Adam Beehler captured A main wins and Tricia Brittain,
Don Grentz and Lisa Faulkner had runnerup finishes in
the Pavelcomm.com stock car races Saturday at River
City Speedway.
At the midway point this season after
five CCRA races, many local competitors have a good
shot at winning division championships, including Brittain,
Martin and Beehler.
After taking second to Portland's Mike
Graham in the Reser's Fine Foods Sportsman main, Brittain
took over the lead in the division point standings.
What's most notable about that is that Brittain is the
first woman driver in the speedway's 21-year history
to hold onto first place in the sportsman series.
An opening lap three-car crash on the
back straightaway involving John Nusom, Curt Nusom and
Doug Hurley sidelined the three frontrunners at the
outset of the sportsman main. Prior to the mishap, the
trio was among the division's top-four ranked drivers,
with defending champion Curt Nusom in first.
With extensive damage to their cars,
all three were unable to continue. After a lengthy delay
to get the race underway again, Portland's Mike Graham
was up front on the restart. Graham led all the way
in the 30-lap race to take the checkered flag with his
Perfection Automotive Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Brittain
of St. Helens, was a close second with her Fast Racing/Rose
Valley Market Chevy and she also won the heat race.
"I'm excited to have the points
lead, but I would've rather got it under better circumstances,"
said Brittain, who took fifth in the 2007 standings.
"I don't like seeing all my fellow racers involved
in crashes. It's not good for anyone and nobody can
really afford it. We're all out here to have fun and
I'm just lucky that I made it through the race unscathed.
I just tried to stay close to Mike Graham, who is really
a great driver, so I'm just glad to get second place."
Martin passed Rainier's Sean Fox on
lap four of the modified main and led the remainder
of the 40-lap race in the STC Racing Parts open wheel
racer owned by Sam and Jane Jeffers of Scappoose. It
was his second win and fifth straight top-five A main
finish for Martin, the defending champion.
"I don't even think about winning
another title, because it's going to be pretty tough
to beat Dan," said Martin, in reference to STC
Racing teammate Dan Smith, who drives an identical looking
Jeffers owned racer. "I've had lots of fun this
season and Dan is having a great year too. Sam gets
us everything we need to compete well and our goal is
to finish one, two in the division standings."
Martin won by a car length over Rainier's
Corey Cook. Sean Fox took third, followed by Smith of
Scappoose and Warren's Dan Fox.
Gresham's Curt Nusom took the lead
on lap 17 of the street stock main and led the last
23 circuits of the 40-lap event with his T&T Draggin'
Wagons Camaro. Don Grentz of St. Helens, recorded his
fourth top-five finish by taking second with his Yamhill
Auto Wrecking Camaro. Stephen Fenter of St. Helens,
a leading Rookie-of-the-Year contender, took third in
his Northwest Competition Motorsports Camaro and moved
up to third in the standings.
Joel Beehler led the first 10 laps
of the mini stock main with his Subaru. His uncle, Adam
Beehler passed him on the front straight on lap 10.
Adam Beehler held onto first with his Dan Garrison,
CPA sponsored Honda. Division leader Justin McMullen
of Deer Island, was second and Joel Beehler was third.
"Joel did a good job and it was
nice to see him leading the race," said Adam Beehler,
who notched his second win and fifth straight top-five.
"Justin is having great season, but I'm catching
up to him."
Castle Rock's Brenda Hurley led all
the way to win the women's main. Lisa Faulkner of St.
Helens, was next and Pam Graham took third.
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