By Mike Weber
After leading the modified main event
from start-to-finish to record his second win this
year in Saturday's Reser's Fine Foods race, Clint Petty
of St. Helens, remained in contention for the Columbia
County Racing Association division title. Lisa Liner
of St. Helens and Kirk Brissett of Scappoose, continued
a two-way battle for Rookie-of-the-Year honors as they
both notched top-five finishes in the Longview NAPA
Sportsman main.
Local competitors who also posted
top-five A main finishes included Jeremy Martin, Dan
Smith, Rob Bjork and Marcie Heckman. Martin, of St.
Helens, notched a career best third place with a third
straight modified main top five while driving the Superior
Torque Converter sponsored open-wheel racer owned by
Sam Jeffers of Scappoose. Smith of Scappoose, recorded
his first ever modified top-five (fifth) while driving
another Jeffers-owned vehicle.
"I'm not sure what was happening
behind me, but I know that with the slick track conditions,
it was tough for anyone to pass because if you go into
the corners too fast, it's possible to lose control
and spinout," said Petty, who is ranked fourth
in the standings with his B& B Automotive/Competition
Motorsports sponsored car. "With five races left
on the schedule, anything can happen and I'm just hoping
that my good luck continues and maybe I'll finish near
the top of the standings at the end of the season.
Earlier this year, the car wasn't running very well,
but then I had some adjustments made on the motor at
B & B and now it's fine. It was a good race, the
car is running great and it's sure more fun to compete
here when everything's going well like it is now."
Fairview's Mark Jones overtook Hillsboro's
Kari Puncochar on the 16th circuit and he led the remainder
of the 40-lap street stock main to notch his first
win of the season in his Chevrolet Camaro. Vernonia's
Robert Williams was runnerup and series leader Scott
Puncochar of Hillsboro (Kari's brother), took third.
Bjork of St. Helens, posted his second top-five finish
(fourth) in his Snyder Roofing sponsored Camaro and
he also won the heat race.
Troy Schreiner of Longview, moved
up from a sixth place start in the 16-car field to
capture the sportsman A main in his Harren's Plumbing
Oldsmobile Cutlass. Schreiner, who is seeking to win
his second title in three years, maneuvered around
the quarter-mile dirt track like a motorcyclist on
a crowded freeway while quickly lapping cars. At the
conclusion of the race, Schreiner was a lap ahead of
everyone except for runnerup Randy Allen of Sandy and
third place finisher Brian Vaughn of Longview. Liner
notched her second top-five (fourth) in the Heckman
Trucking/Lawrence Oil Chevy Malibu and Brissett was
fifth, while driving the St. Helens Auto Body Lumina
owned by Kieth Cernac of Scappoose.
"Everything's sure going pretty
well - actually much better than I ever expected and
I'm having lots of fun, but my goal is to finish in
the top-five of the division and I think I'll have
a good chance for that," said Liner, who is currently
ranked fourth. "I'm hoping to win Rookie-of-the-Year,
but Kirk sure has a good chance of winning too. A top-five
division finish would be awesome, but of course I wouldn't
even be competing without the help from my dad (Paul
Liner) and our pit crew of Brian Vaughn and Eric Faulkner."
For the first time this year, someone
other than Kari Puncochar and Kelso's Paula Timmons
was in victory lane as Castle Rock's Brenda Hurley
won the women's main in the Meyer's Auto Body Pontiac
Grand Prix. Timmons, who had won the previous three
mains, was leading on lap 15 when she spunout in turn
four and then fell behind at the rear of the 14-car
lineup. Hurley led the next 25 laps and won by a car
length over Puncochar. Portland's Jackie Graham was
third and Heckman of Scappoose, was fourth.
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