by Mike Weber
Warren's Dan Fox captured a third
Reser's Fine Foods modified main event and Tim Williams
of Scappoose, notched his first ever sportsman A main
victory, but a memorial in honor of former driver and
fallen Army Reserve soldier Joseph Jeffries was the
highlight of the "Workingman's Classic" Saturday
at River City Speedway.
The 21-year-old Jeffries was killed
May 29, 2004 in Afghanistan when a military vehicle
he was in struck an explosive land mine. Joe's dad,
Mark, organized the special tribute and his remarkable
fundraising efforts produced over $2000. 20 percent
was donated to the Columbia County Toy & Joy Program
and the remainder was awarded to mini stock division
drivers, which was the classification that Joe participated
in for two seasons (2001-02) at the St. Helens track.
With football season just around the
corner, perhaps it was appropriate that passing, albeit
a different form, was the key to victory for A main
event winners Joe Cherington (mini stock), Curt Nusom
(street stock) and Stacey Fordyce (women's division).
All three posted impressive wins after maneuvering up
from 10th place starting positions. St. Helens drivers
Marty "McFly" Holmason (modified), Jared Hanson
(mini stock) and "The Enforcer" Terry Moss,
each captured B main wins.
The nickname for Moss is appropriate
since he's a St. Helens Police Department officer. It
was the first ever B main win for Moss, 37, a third-year
competitor who drives the Heller Enterprises/Cage Offroad
Chevrolet Malibu. Holmason won the modified B main while
driving his Emmert Motors/Mountain View Electric open-wheel
race car.
Rainier's Greg Greer led the first
eight circuits of the modified main until Fox passed
him on the inside of the back straightaway and led the
remainder of the 40-lap race with his Malar Performance
Engines/Northwest Competition Motorsports open-wheel
style racer. Fox, a 23-year motorsports veteran, has
his sights set on winning his first Columbia County
Racing Association title. It would be the second championship
of his career, as Fox won Portland Speedway's street
stock division in 1984.
"It's nice getting a third win
and it helps increase my lead in the point standings,
so if I just get top-five finishes in the last five
races, then I'll have a good chance to accomplish my
goal of winning the title," said Fox, the current
division leader. "Everything's been going pretty
well and this is my last season, but I wouldn't even
be able to compete without the tremendous amount of
sponsorship from Tony Malar, who really does a fantastic
job working on the motor to keep it running in such
excellent condition for every race."
"I'm just elated to get my first
sportsman win, especially since I had a DNF (didn't
finish) in the last race (July 9) and then dropped a
few positions in the point standings," said Williams,
who led from start-to-finish with his STC Racing Parts/Alliance
Automotive Camaro. "The car was running great,
with perfect handling in the corners and it's sure been
a good season, the best of my four-year career."
Cherington, the defending mini stock
champion from Vancouver, overtook Warrenton's Mark Guindon
on lap 19 and led the remainder of the 40-lap main with
his Circle H Enterprises/Dusty's Machine Shop Datsun
210. Nusom, from Gresham, took the lead in the street
stock main after passing Rainier's Jon "Razor"
Gillett on lap 18. Nusom took a commanding advantage
in the Tom's Auto & Performance Camaro and won by
half a lap over Gannin Thomas of St. Helens. Fordyce
grabbed the lead on lap nine of the women's race and
stayed up front to notch her second win in the Discount
Race Car Parts Monte Carlo.
The 10th event on the 14-race CCRA
schedule is the Budweiser Race Aug. 13, featuring the
Northwest Street Stock Tour, followed by the Aug. 20
Pepsi Race.
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