oregonEmeraldCup

MaxAmps Oregon Emerald Cup

Presented by Schumacher Racing Team

Mike Campbell takes modern; Jeff Campbell wins vintage


Thanks to our title sponsor, MaxAmps.com, this was a great event on a great day.	MaxAmps batteries being charged in the pits. .

For Mike Campbell's photos of the MaxAmps Oregon Emerald Cup, click here.

Race Recap

TUALATIN, Ore. – In 2007, Jeff and Mike Campbell showed that they still had a soft spot in their hearts for their hometown of Tualatin.

They did it again at this year's MaxAmps Oregon Emerald Cup, presented by Schumacher Racing Team.

But two other race winners were also crowned at the day's race.

Craig Mullen delivered Ben Keller his first career win as an owner when he won the Chuck Hickling Memorial (a.k.a. the vintage first connie) driving the Hawaii Kai III. Mullen had a good day - as usual - with Ben's boat and capped it off by holding off stiff competition from Bob VandenAkker's 1966 Miss Lapeer, Kerry Kjos' 1960 Miss Thriftway, John Earnest's 1962 Gale V, and John Burkey's 1967 Miss Wickman.

In the Bob Miller Memorial (a.k.a. the modern connie), Rick Lentz posted his second career win and the first for the U-95. Jesse Shehan's 1976 Spirit of Dayton Walther was unable to finish when his batteries conked out halfway through the heat, and Bill Shearer's 1978 Miss Madison was unable to start, struggling with radio issues.

In the modern final, Mike Campbell won the modern final with his trusty and dependable 1974 Country Boy, It was a great race between Mikes - Campbell and Mike Gossler. The two fastest modern boats in the club dueled in the final, with Gossler finishing second in his 1978 Circus Circus. Third place went to Jerry Johnston in the 1977 Natural Light, followed by Brian Gilmore, driving his dad's 1983 Gilmore Special. Fifth place went to Lentz in the U-95, who started as the trailer. Mullen and Nelson Holmberg were unable to finish after the two played bumper-boats in the front straightaway just after the start. Both boats ended up taking on water, with the Red Man Too upside down and the 1971 Pride of Pay 'n Pak pickle forks straight up.

Jeff Campbell's Pay 'n Pak Outrigger looked unstoppable again throughout the day, except for the one time it was involved in some bumping and ended up upside down in a preliminary heat. In the final, however, it was pretty clear that there would be no stopping the Outrigger.

After a great start, Campbell was able to simply cruise for the win. Second place went to Mike Campbell's 1968 Harrah's Club, followed by VandenAkker's steady and consistent 1963 Notre Dame. Ron Daum took fourth in the 1958 Wildroot Charlie after starting from the trailer position. Fred Holmberg's 1973 Red Man (driven by his son, Nelson) made the final for the second time in three races - earning a season-best 1,169 points in the preliminaries - but hit a buoy and kicked up its rudder, knocking the boat out of the race and causing a DNF. Other boats that were unable to finish the final included Gerry Bordon's 1970 Parco's O-Ring Miss and the 1969 Pay 'n Pak Hooktail that was driven by Gossler.

The weather was beautiful, and a consistent breeze, along with the shade provided by the trees in the Tualatin Commons and a slight mist off the big fountain behind the pits kept everyone cool and comfortable in the 90-plus degree heat.

It was just another fun day of racing as well.

Special thanks go out to Kerry Kjos, Jesse Shehan, Jeff Campbell, Mike Campbell, Dan and Brian Gilmore, Bill Shearer, Rick Lentz, Gerry Bordon, Jerry Johnston, John Burkey, Mark Gran, and Ron Daum for their help with pulling the trailer and all of the race set up and breakdown - as well as the operations of the day's event.

Another special thanks, too, goes to our sponsors - MaxAmps.com, Schumacher Racing Team and Cougar Racing Team, which provided the special "fun" prizes for connie participants.

The next event on the ERCU Red Dot Championship Series is the Columbia Cup, set for Saturday, August 16 at the Lake of Tualatin Commons. Mick Shutt is the contest director for that race, and would be happy to accept any help that's offered for his first turn CD'ing an ERCU race.