Local drivers Bruce Rayburn and Dwayne Melvin, who died within days around Christmas, will be honored this weekend with racing at Southern Oregon Speedway
Dwayne Melvin, who drove the No. 69 car, will be honored with the Dwayne Melvin Clash, a 69-lap race with a $3,000 prize for the winner, at Southern Oregon Speedway on Saturday. [courtesy photo]
The 55-lap Bruce Rayburn Classic honoring Eagle Point’s Bruce “the Rabbit” Rayburn Sr. will feature Friday’s $5,500 prize pool. [Courtesy photo]
Two races this weekend at Southern Oregon Speedway will honor the memory of two beloved racers who were only days apart in December.
The speedway will host back-to-back events: Friday will feature the $5,500 55-lap Bruce Rayburn Classic; On Saturday, the Dwayne Melvin Clash, $3,000 will be awarded to the fastest driver after 69 laps.
Lap counts for each event are an ode to the drivers’ license plates.
Gates for both events open at 5:00 p.m., with races starting at 7:00 p.m
Southern Oregon Speedway general manager Travis Hoppes said the local racing community is looking forward to honoring two of their favorites this weekend. Hoppes said it was an emotional time at the track as the two local racers passed almost back-to-back.
Medford’s Dwayne Melvin lost his battle with COVID the day before Christmas, while Eagle Point’s Bruce “the Rabbit” Rayburn Sr. died of non-COVID-related health complications two days after Christmas.
“Both were very well known. Bruce was one of the legends of Medford Speedway. He was in racing for many years. He was a car builder known for his Rayburn racing car chassis,” Hoppes said.
“Melvin was a sport mod driver and a big teddy bear of a guy. Everyone loved him. He would work on your car before he works on his own. He was one of our track champions when Sport Mods started. So many nights I’d be like, ‘Where the hell is Dwayne? We have to work on his car’” and he would work on someone else’s car. That was Dwayne.”
Melvin’s wife, Stacey Melvin, said outreach to the local racing community has been a boost in recent months.
“It’s totally amazing. I shared a picture of Dwayne on Facebook this morning and wrote him a note telling him how cool it will be when he looks down on all these racing families as they celebrate him this weekend,” she said.
“It’s bittersweet because it’s cool to see everyone get together. People are texting me from all over the west coast about this weekend, but it’s also sad. Dwayne was only 41. He should still be out there with everyone.”
Stacey Melvin, who grew up with Rayburn’s children, said her late husband, who worked in road construction, had a Rayburn chassis and the men were friends. His car number, she stressed, was a tribute to his uncle, well-known local racing driver Roger Haudenshild, whose pink and black car bore the same number.
Ardie Rayburn, Rayburn Sr.’s wife, said she was looking forward to seeing familiar faces at the two weekend events. She said her husband might laugh at the idea of a memorial race after competing in so many. The Rayburn family held his memorial service at the track.
“He was really sarcastic and funny so I can’t even imagine what he would say. He would probably sit in heaven and laugh at us, but I know he would be honored too,” the widow said.
“His number was 55, so the payout for the race is $5,500, which is a big sum for this area. Bruce was a man of few words, but when he said something, he said what was on his mind. I know he has competed in many memorial races for others so it would be an honor to see his friends in his own race.”
Hoppes said the loss of the two men, who were so close, kept the local speedway and fans busy.
“The loss of these two men had a huge impact on our racing community so this weekend will be very emotional for all of us and we expect a lot of fans for both races,” he said.
“Doing a memorial race for boys you hardly knew is one thing, but when they’re part of your family it’s quite another. It will be a very emotional weekend.”
Visit southoregonmotorsports.com for more information
You can reach Mail Tribune reporter Buffy Pollock at 541-776-8784 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @orwritergal.