Getting Up To Speed With...Ron Brewster
By Ben Deatherage
Ron Brewster is a driver that has been to a lot of race tracks in the Western United States and has gained a lot of experience. After taking off a whole decade from racing Ron managed to capture the 2014 Western Racing Series Late Model Lite championship in his first year ever competing with the series.
This year Brewster, who now calls Redmond home but is originally from Salem, will take on the regulars of the Northwest Extreme Late Model Series. It'll be the first time that he will be back in a Late Model since 2004.
Name: Ron Brewster
Hometown: Redmond, Oregon
Chassis: Rocket (Crate Late Model) Rayburn Copy (Late Model Lite)
Sponsors: Central Oregon Trucking, Driving Force Graphics, W.W. Trailers, Shocks by John Duty Racing
Year Racing: 25
BD: When did you start your racing career?
RB: I started racing in 1980 at the age of 15 at Willamette Speedway and I had to get Clair and Evelyn Arnold's permission. Evelyn got me a waiver that I had to sign to let me race and I started out in the J-Cars. I left the car at the track every week and would work on the car on Saturdays or if there was a lot of work to be done we would would make it down on Friday nights. What was really nice is that Clair had a welder there if we needed help fixing things.
In 1985 I lost the championship by one point after a hard fought season. That was probably my favorite year of my whole career. Later on I bought a cantilever car from Jerry Patterson for my first Outlaw and one year I finished fourth in a race with the P.O.S.S.E. (Pacific Outlaw Super Stock Enterprises) drivers with it at Willamette.
I ran Willamette Speedway all through the 1990's consistently. Our team had some really nice cars and we began to get really competitive and finished up in top ten in the points on several occasions.
My work took me out of Oregon to California and I discovered the Carquest Dirt Late Model Series which was like the Outlaws at Willamette but without the sideboards. I really wanted to try that so I ran that deal a few years and finished well a couple of times in the points.
In 2004 I sold my car to Frank Sosse and quit racing until last year when I came back. I bought a Late Model Lite and went out and won the series championship. We worked hard and serviced the car and finished races and we were able to win several races and have some pretty big success. I was happy to come back after ten years and do that.
BD: Why #31B?
RB: I got remarried a couple of years ago and our wedding date is August 31st. So I wanted something fresh and clean and it's worked well. When I was in the Sportsman I was pretty much always #00. That number was chosen because no one really had that number, we were that number for a long time.
BD: Who was your favorite race car driver growing up?
RB: If you're talking NASCAR I have always been a Dale (Earnhardt) Sr. fan. But locally I was always a big fan of Don Wilson when he ran at Lebanon. He was probably my biggest hero. I remember when I was putting my car together in 1985 and I scrapped enough money I was able to buy some heads from him. I just remember how nice he was and how well he treated me.
BD: Any big plans for 2015?
RB: Our main focus will be the Crate Series. That's where we've put a lot of our resources into our Crate car and it's probably the nicest one I've ever had. We want to go out and do well and I think we have the right pieces to do it.
I'll run just a couple of Late Model Lite races this year. I think they're is one at Cottage Grove and a couple of races at Sunset that I'll be able to make. But my car will race the whole Late Model Lite schedule but it will have different drivers in it throughout the season.
BD: Since you're planning to run with the Northwest Extreme Late Model Series what track looking forward to race at this season?
RB: Well I'm concerned about Sunset (Speedway Park) mainly because there are a lot of guys that have the upper hand over me with a lot of laps and experience at that place. I'm really excited to go back to Cottage Grove and Yakima. The only track I haven't been to yet is Coos Bay. I just want to go out and stay out of trouble.
The 2015 Northwest Extreme Late Model Series starts on Saturday April 25th at Sunset Speedway Park in Banks. For the latest news and information on the NELMS log on to latemodel.nwextremeseries.com. Also check out the Facebook page and "like" it.