First time winner caps off fantastic night of racing
By Matthew J. Sullivan
It was hardly Summer time weather this past Saturday night at Redwood Acres Raceway but the cooler conditions did not prevent the drivers from providing great racing action at Eureka, California’s 3/8-mile paved oval. It is not an overstatement to say that the racing at Redwood Acres Raceway is truly some of the best racing in all of west coast racing with close and clean competition in all four local divisions. Joining the regular action was the Airport Auto Brokers Late Model tour division who were making their second visit to the Acres for their fifth race of the 2012 season.
The real stock car count has improved dramatically over the past two races as a total of 13 cars and drivers showed up to race. Nick Green won the trophy dash over Casey Mitchell, Ryan Walters and Harvey Holms. The first heat was won by Doug Way who was making his first start of the season ahead of Donnie Hyman and Jim Redd while the second heat went to Dustin Walters over his brother, Ryan and William Sand. The feature event was a thrilling race that was highlighted with a duel for the lead between Green and Casey Mitchell. Mitchell eventually prevailed at the top but unfortunately for Green, his night would end prematurely as he spun in fluid from Sand and hit the turn three wall. Mitchell held off Dustin Walters for the victory while Dax Kinsey, Tyler Avelar and Holms rounded out the top five.
The roadrunner division had another strong car count with 18 cars taking to the track. The trophy dash victory was taken by Tim Abeyta ahead of Jerry Toledo, Brett Murrell and Michael Lawrence. The first heat was slowed for a time when Jennifer Barrett hit the water barrels at the turn two pit entrance but fortunately she was okay. Jordan Paiment won the first heat race over Brian Murrell and Ronnie O’Neil who made the move from the real stock division to the roadrunner class. Johnnie Daniels brought out a new car and was the winner of the second heat race over Gary Klinetob and Jarrett Mayo.
With the high number of cars, a B feature was held with the top two drivers transferring to the A feature. Paiment and Erik Hoffmeister nearly saw their opportunity to advance when they collided in the closing stages of the event but they were able to take the top two spots. The A main featured a thrilling duel for the lead between Brett Murrell and Toledo. On the white flag lap, Toledo moved past Murrell for the lead and the eventual race victory. Murrell held on to second followed by Abeyta, Lawrence and Klinetob.
Thomas Payne took the thunder roadster trophy dash victory ahead of Bernard Burns, David Henderson and Paul Peeples, Jr. Chris Sarvinski won the first heat but later scratched from the feature before it started. Mike Ward and Lance Martin followed Sarvinski to the line. The second heat victory was taken by David Henderson over Bruce Ziemer and Peeples. Ward led the early stages of the feature but as has been the case all year long, the dominant trio of Peeples, Henderson and Payne. Henderson did all he could to challenge Peeples for the victory but had his hands full fighting off Payne for the second position. At the checkered flag it was Peeples winning over Henderson, Payne, Lonnie Tamboury and Ziemer.
The sportsman division only had six cars for the night down from 10 the previous race the week prior. Kenny Demello won the trophy dash over Dennis DelBiaggio, Brandon Barnwell and Angelo Marcelli. DelBiaggio won the heat over Barnwell and Marcelli. Marcelli held off the faster Barnwell to take the feature victory with DelBiaggio, Demello, Roger Sanderson and Jeremy Yarberry.
The AABLM trophy dash victory was taken by West Coast racing legend, Jim Walker over Junior Roddy, Keith Nelson, Brandon White, Randy Houston and David Miller. The front row starters, Jeremy Donahoo and Forrest Kuecker brought the field to the green in the 75-lap feature. Kuecker led the first lap, while Donahoo the second. Kuecker took the lead firmly on lap three and was never seriously challenged, even after two brief cautions. At the finish it was Kuecker taking his first AABLM victory handily over second place, Jeremy Doss. White placed third over Miller and Nelson.
Racing at Redwood Acres Raceway takes a break for a week before returning Saturday August 4th for California Truckers Association Appreciation Night.
June 21st Race Results
Real Stocks
Trophy Dash: Nick Green, Casey Mitchell, Ryan Walters, Harvey Holms
Heat Race 1: Doug Way, Donnie Hyman, Jim Redd, Tyler Avelar, Brian Murrell, Jr., Chris Naughton
Heat Race 2: Dustin Walters, R. Walters, William Sand, Green, Holms, Casey Mitchell, Dax Kinsey
Main Event: Mitchell, D. Walters, Kinsey, Avelar, Holms, Naughton, Redd, Way, Green, Murrell, Jr. , Sand, R. Walters, Hyman
Roadrunners
Trophy Dash: Tim Abeyta, Jerry Toledo, Brett Murrell, Michael Lawrence
Heat Race 1: Jordan Paiment, Brian Murrell, Sr., Ronnie O'Neil, Ken Barrett, Kayla Foster, Erik Hoffmeister, Gray Etheridge, Ken Lawrence
Heat Race 2: Johnnie Daniels, Gary Klinetob, Jarrett Mayo, Toledo, Abeyta, Murrell, Ryan Ahrens, Lawrence
Main Event: Toledo, Murrell, Abeyta, Lawrence, Klinetob, Daniels, Ahrens, Barrett, Paiment, Hoffmeister, Jarrett Mayo, Ronnie O'Neil
Thunder Roadsters
Trophy Dash: Thomas Payne, Bernard Burns, David Henderson, Paul Peeples, Jr.
Heat Race 1: Chris Sarvinski, Mike Ward, Lance Martin, Chris Lawrence, Jim Rich, Robbie Nelson, Rob Nelson
Heat Race 2: Henderson, Ziemer, Peeples, Jr., Payne, Burns, Lonnie Tamboury, Belinda Ward, Fergy Ferguson
Main Event: Peeples, Jr., Henderson, Payne, Tamboury, Ziemer, M. Ward, Burns, Martin, Robbie Nelson, Fergy Ferguson, B. Ward, Lawrence, Rich, Rob Nelson
Sportsman
Trophy Dash: Kenny Demello, Dennis DelBiaggio, Brandon Barnwell, Angelo Marcelli
Heat Race: DelBiaggio, Barnwell, Marcelli, Demello, Roger Sanderson, Jeremy Yarberry
Main Event: Marcelli, Barnwell, DelBiaggio, Demello, Sanderson, Yarberry
Airport Auto Brokers Late Models
Qualifying: Junior Roddy 15.819, Randy Houston 15.833, Jeremy Doss 15.839, David Miller 15.861, Jim Walker 15.973, Brandon White 15.995, Keith Nelson 16.013, Trevor Cristiani 16.087, Forrest Kuecker 16.123, Jeremy Donahoo 16.174, Allen Gibney 16.733, Roger Sanderson 16.752
Trophy Dash: Walker, Roddy, Nelson, White, Houston, Miller
Main Event: Kuecker, Doss, White, Miller, Nelson, Roddy, Houston, Walker, Sanderson, Donahoo, Gibney, Cristiani.