SAYRE WINS FIRST BUDWEISER 100

Portland, Ore. Eric Sayre of Vancouver, Wash. finally won the race he so
longed for, the Annual Budweiser 100 at Portland Speedway. The win was a
return to form for the dirt racing ace who has struggled finding the right
combination on the tricky Portland clay. Sayre was followed to the line by
Don Jenner, Ray Elwess, Tom Pinkowsky, and Gary Morris.

Don Jenner got the evening started with a quick lap of 16.517 that paced the
Grand American Modified field. Dan Fox bested Tigard's Richard Whiteman, Ray
Elwess, and Jenner in the four-lap Trophy Dash for the four fastest from
qualifying. Sonny Sayre lead Donnie Martin, Ed Farness, and Curt Zelmer in
the first Heat Race. Then it was Boring, Oregon's Gary Morris blitzing the
field in the second Heat Race over Sonny Modaff, Jenner, and Fox.

The 100-lap event started with drivers lining up for a 10-car invert that
placed fast timer Jenner in the tenth position. The invert put Sonny Sayre
and Ed Farness on the front role. By the end of lap one, E. Sayre had moved
up to the third position from his sixth starting position. Donnie Martin
controlled the point until a lap 6 caution for a spin by Curt White of
Eugene, Ore. On the lap 10 restart, Chris Quinn lost his bid for the top
five when he had to pit for a cut left rear that dropped the rising star a
lap down to the field.

On lap 12, Martin spun while leading, he managed to refire the motor but
fell to the tail end of the lead lap. S. Sayre assumed the lead closely
pursued by his brother Eric Sayre with Morris in tow followed by Elwess, and
Sonny Modaff. E. Sayre dove the outside of his brother to take the lead
briefly on lap 17, but lost it as quickly as Morris drove his car in hard on
the low side and took the lead as the two crossed the line on lap 18. Morris
maintained the lead throughout the rest of the first 50-lap segment. On lap
51, Starter Russ Voight threw the yellow for the mandatory half time break
that allowed the crews to refill the cars with fuel and make adjustments to
the chassis. Anyone wishing to change tires would have to restart at the
rear of the field.

During the break Sayre reflected on his chances of winning the race, "As
they say in racing, catching him is one thing and passing is another," Sayre
said. "The track is dry-slick and as long as we have some long green runs
I'll be in good shape.

"We're alright, this is my kind of race," stated Tom Pinkowsky. Pinkowsky is
a three-time Portland Speedway Asphalt Late Model champion who has found
victory lane twice on the clay this season.

Don Jenner is also a two-time winner this season in Grand American Modified
action and the hottest driver in the division. "I need the outside groove to
come in for me to make my move," Jenner said.

Perhaps the happiest person in the pit area was Zoe Minsker who was all
smiles after the first 50-laps. Minsker is the only female racer in the
Track's premier division.  Her goal all season has been to finish races and
get seat time. "This is a lot of fun", Minsker commented. "I have a steep
learning curve, I just want to finish." Minsker would finish the 100-lap
event in 11th place one lap down.

Racing action resumed on lap 52 after the intermission with E. Sayre
assuming the lead because Morris opted to change rear tires to start the
second half in the back of the field. Sayre would lead the entire second
half of the race, but the action was fast and furious behind as Morris had
moved back into the top five by lap 90. Over the final 10 laps Jenner dogged
Elwess for the second position and was finally able to move under on lap 98
to secure his 6th top five finish of the season.

Sayre took the checkers over Jenner, Elwess, Pinkowsky, and Morris. The win
for Sayre marked the accomplishment of a dream he has had since he raced the
pavement Late Models on the historic half-mile. Sayre dedicated the win to
his grandmother who had never seen him win the "big one."

"This win is for my family, my crew, and you grandma," Sayre said as he
pointed skyward. "We made some changes that we haven't tried this year.
Running at some of the other dirt tracks has helped us, you had to run the
track tonight like it was asphalt. I finally won something that I have been
trying for a long time. When the track was pavement, this was the race to
win, it is our Daytona 500."

Second place finisher Jenner has quietly finished in the top five all
season. "I have always run this good all season, you guys just have not
noticed me," Jenner stated. "Congratulations to Eric, if we had a few more
laps maybe I would of had something for him."

"The power steering broke with 10-laps to go," an exhausted Elwess said. "I
couldn't hold off Jenner, the car just did not want to turn. Prior to the
last 10 laps the car drove great."

In the evenings other weekly action the NASCAR ShorTrack Sportsman took to
the track for their 25-lap battle on the third-mile Bud Bowl. Chris West and
Clyde White started the event on the front row, with divisional point leader
Martin Stanwood in 10th.

Dan Harris of Portland, Ore. got the early jump on the field passing the
front row starters by the completion of lap 1. As  the field sped pass the
line on lap-two, the #37 Timber Wolf Chevy of Doug Mitchell broke a water
line showering the field in steam as the they went into turn one. The water
on the track caused several cars to spin including Mitchell, West, Graham,
and 2000 Late Model Champion Jody Tanner. By lap 10 the hard-charging Scott
Winebarger of Portland, Ore. had moved his way into the top five. Harris
continued to hold the point as he quickly established a multi-car lead over
Stanwood and Brad Tanner.

Tanner's charge to the front was derailed by a spin which put the three-time
winner this season to the rear. Winebarger by this time had used the outside
groove to secure second position behind Harris. As the race was winding down
to the last couple of laps, Winebarger started to show the form he exhibited
on asphalt as he rocketed by Harris on the white flag lap. Winebarger went
on to win by two car lengths over Harris, M. Stanwood, Dale Holland, and
Mike Graham. The rest of the top ten were Jay Estes, Brad Tanner, Andy
Church, Darrell Smith, and Chris Quinn.

Racing returns to Portland Speedway two times next as the hy-per-lube
Northern Sprint Tour rolls into town for their third event of the season at
Portland Wednesday, July 18. This special Wednesday evening show is part of
the Northwest Speedweeks that pits the best 360 Sprint Car Drivers against
each other in six straight nights of racing. Spectator gates for this
special event open at 5:00 PM with racing starting at 6:30 PM. Ticket prices
are $19 for adults, $15 for seniors and Military w/ID, $9 for juniors
(11-17). Children 10 and under are free with a paid adult. Family packages
are $48 (2 adults, 2) and reserved seating is $40. Advance tickets are
available all Ticketmaster locations or online at www.portlandspeedway.com.

Then Friday, July 20 the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Modifieds return along
with the ShorTrack Sportsman, Street Stocks, Figure 8's, and Bumpin'
Bombers. Spectator gates open at 5:00 PM with Qualifying Heat Races and
Trophy Dashes starting at 6:45 PM with main events to follow. Adult
admission is just $10. Log on to www.portlandspeedway.com for all the latest
news and information about your action track, Portland Speedway-The Dirt
Track.