by Mike Weber
For local stock car racing drivers
Celeste Hardesty and Ted Slape, River City Speedway's
rare midweek schedule proved to be a pretty special
occasion as they each posted their first ever main event
victories in the Columbia County Fair Benefit Race on
Wednesday. Hardesty, of St. Helens, was a two-time winner
as she drove her Rose Valley Market/Fast Lube &
Oil sponsored Chevrolet Camaro to victory lane in the
Women's main and trophy dash.
Slape, of Rainier, led from start-to-finish
to record an impressive first career Mini Stock main
event win as he won by a half lap over runnerup Mark
Beehler of St. Helens. Aaron Prettyman of St. Helens,
took over the lead from Portland's Jack Creswell with
a lap seven pass on the inside lane of the back straightaway
and led the remaining 23-laps to win the Street Stock
main. It was Prettyman's first A main event victory
of the season in the West Pac/D & L Pallet Jack
sponsored Camaro.
Kirk Brissett of Scappoose, also notched
his first win this year as he took the checkered flag
in the Sportsman main while driving the Wigwam Tavern/Scappoose
Smoke Shop Chevy Lumina owned by Keith Cernac of Scappoose.
Scott Winebarger of Corbett, took the lead on lap four
of the Modified A Main after passing Kelso's Larry Benson
and led the remainder of the 30-lap race to notch the
victory with his Discount Race Car Parts modified open
wheel style racer. Stephen Kaptur of Deer Island, won
the B main with the Reser's Fine Foods/STC Race Parts
modified car owned by Sam Jeffers of Scappoose.
Richard Petty of Scappoose, led all
the way to capture the 30-lap Dwarf Car main. Gannin
Thomas of St. Helens, won the Street Stock trophy dash
and Tim Williams of Scappoose, took the Sportsman dash.
Portland's "Mello" Marc Sayre won the Modified
dash and the Mini Stock dash. Wednesday's event was
a non-points race and the next Columbia County Racing
Association regular points race is July 30.
"My husband, Todd, gave me the
Camaro as a Christmas present last year, so it's great
and really an awesome feeling to finally get my first
main event win," said Hardesty, who is ranked fifth
in the division standings. "It was so much more
fun today basically because of the stress free conditions
without points and we didn't have to compete against
top drivers like Lisa Faulkner (first place) and Kari
Puncochar (second) who are so concerned about their
position in the division standings. I compete to have
fun and that's what counts, so I'm not worried about
points, but a top-five division finish would be nice
and I'm also hoping to win the Rookie-of-the-Year Award."
"It sure was fun and really quite
a thrill to get my first A main win and even though
it's without points, it was still one of the best races
this year," said Brissett, the 10th-ranked Sportsman
driver. "It's sure nice that Keith Cernac has provided
me with such an excellent race car to drive and his
two sons - Josh and Jeremy also do a good job as pit
crew members."
Josh competes in the Street Stocks
and he led the first five laps of the main in his 1970
Chevelle until he inadvertently collided with a large
tractor tire on the back straightaway and was unable
to continue after the yellow caution flag period. Creswell
led following a lap six restart until Prettyman moved
ahead to stay on lap seven.
On Saturday "The Workingman's
Classic" will be held as a memorial in honor of
former Mini Stock driver and Army Reserve Specialist
Joseph Jeffries, 21, who was killed in a land mine explosion
near a vehicle he was driving in Afghanistan May 29,
2004. His dad, Mark, is collecting donations from friends
and businesses with funds to be distributed at the track.
20 percent goes to the Columbia County Toy & Joy
Program and 80 percent will be awarded to the Mini Stock
main event starters.
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