by Mike Weber
St. Helens drivers Stephen Kaptur
and Don Grentz won their second A main wins of the season
in the Lemmons Trucking sponsored stock car races Saturday
at River City Speedway.
Three former Columbia County Racing
Association division champions won for the first time
this year as Chris Quinn, John Nusom and Stacey Fordyce
all recorded main event victories. Local racers Sean
Fox, Dan Fox, Justin McMullen, Gerald Strawn and Kathy
Griffin notched top three A main finishes.
The sportsman and modified mains ended
early by red caution flags with two wild, multi-car
crashes halting the action as both races were unable
to resume. Many drivers were treated by Metro West Ambulance
emergency medical technicians at the track. Jeremy Martin
of St. Helens, had some injuries that required him to
be taken to the hospital for treatment.
In the Reser's Fine Foods Sportsman
main, Tricia Brittain, Tim Williams, LeRoy White and
Aaron Prettyman were involved in a four car, lap 27
mishap on the back straightaway. Gresham's John Nusom,
who passed Rick Rehanek on the second lap, was in front
when the crash occurred and got the win with his Tom's
Auto & Performance Machine Chevrolet Camaro. Brittain
of St. Helens, took sixth with her Rose Valley Market
Monte Carlo and she leads the series point standings.
"Tricia took a hard hit, her head
and neck is a little sore, but she's doing alright,"
said her husband, Sam Brittain. "That's the way
things go in racing. Sometimes you're on top of the
world and other times, things don't go so well. It really
wasn't anyone's fault and it was just a racing incident.
It's the most damage we've had to the car in a couple
years. We'll fix it and be back in two weeks for the
Labor Day Races (Aug. 30-31)."
Quinn of Vancouver, started on the
pole position of the modified main and led all the way
with his Gunderson Tire/ASK Engineering open-wheel style
racer. The race ended on lap 32 with a three car crash
on the back straightaway involving Martin, Rainier's
Greg Greer and Dennis Blasier of Scappoose. Sean Fox
maneuvered up from an eighth place start to get a season
best second with his Outrageous Audio/Malar Performance
Engines racer.
"I'm pretty happy, the car was
working absolutely beautiful and the motor was running
great, thanks to Tony Malar," said Sean Fox, whose
dad Dan was right behind in third. "Our Northwest
Competition Motorsports crew of Gary Knox, Steve Fenter,
Dave Fenter and Doug Lafoone does an excellent job for
every race. It's too bad Jeremy got hurt and I sure
hate to see things like that happen."
Stephen Fenter, who was atop the street
stock division prior to the race, led the first four
laps of the street stock main with his Camaro. Grentz
moved by Fenter on the outside lane on lap five for
the lead. Grentz held onto the top spot for the duration
of the 40 laps with his Yamhill Auto Wrecking/Sweers
Trucking Camaro. Gresham's Curt Nusom, was runnerup
in his Steven's Printing Camaro and he took over first
place in the standings. Portland's Don Schott took third.
Terry Moss of St. Helens, maneuvered up from the rear
of the 13-car field to take fourth with his Knife River
Chevy Malibu.
"This is my best year ever and
I would be pretty satisfied if I can just finish in
the top five of standings," said Grentz.
Kaptur moved up from eighth place to
win the mini stock main with the Mary Jean's Flowers/Reliant
Elevator Ford Pinto owned by Milwaukie's Eric Lindquist.
Scott Beaudoin was second and McMullen, the division
leader, was third.
Fordyce of Vancouver, took the lead
from Griffin on lap two of the women's main and led
the remainder of the race. Kyle Mahner, 16 of Clackamas,
led all the way to win the Micro Sprint main. Longview's
Steven Schreiner led from start-to-finish with his Dodge
Neon to capture his second student division main event
win.
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