FAN CAN FINALE
Starting tenth and finishing seventeenth in a field of 19 cars, Sonny Sayre claimed his second consecutive Portland Speedway Street Stock championship Friday night, September 24, 1999 during the "KUPL Fan Can Finale" on the track's quarter-mile oval. Scott Williams nabbed the win in the Street Stock A-Main event, securing his third-place berth on the championship roster behind championship runner-up Scott Puncochar.
"It was harder winning the second championship," said the jubilant Sayre. "But it's been very rewarding for the whole team."
Williams took an outside-front-row start and parlayed it into a "never-look-back" win in the 40-lap A main. Fellow front row starter Loren Wade finished second while Michael Wade took third, Second place points finisher Scott Puncochar claimed fourth and John Nusom completed the top five.
"I knew I needed to win this one to stay third in the points," said Williams. "Luck was with us tonight."
Brandon Taylor borrowed a ride from Bomber regular George Simms and drove it to victory the first Bomber Main -- spinning out his opponents and receiving the nod from race officials in the "best-of-show" event. Andy Flath took advantage as two competitors spun each other out on the final lap, allowing him to flash by and claim victory in the second Bomber Main.
Curt Nusom claimed the 1999 championship in the Bomber division, beating out second place points finisher Craig Loomis by 24. The Bomber points win is the first divisional championship for Nusom at the track.
"It feels good to win one of these," said Nusom. "We may move up to Street Stocks next year. This is a great way to go out."
In a razor-close championship chase, Dan Cherington defeated brother Joe Cherington in the final Figure-Eight clash of the year and pushed himself 11 points in front of his sibling to lay claim to the 4-Cylinder Figure Eight division title. Eddie Farness finished third in the 20-lap main, while Danny Asher placed fourth and Mark Miller rounded out the top five.
"It was a thrill to race with my brother all year," said Cherington. "He won the championship last year, so told him it was my turn this season. He didn't make it real easy on me."