Henderson, Moulton return to victory lane

Henderson, Moulton return to victory lane

By Matthew J. Sullivan

Racing returned to Redwood Acres Raceway Saturday night and it proved to be another action packed affair. The five classes of roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks, Thunder Roadsters and late models delighted a great crowd on what proved to be a cool night at Eureka, California’s 3/8-mile paved oval.

The Humboldt Hydroponics roadrunner trophy dash was won by Dylan Ford. Tim Abeyta took the win in the first heat while Ford followed his dash victory with a win in the second heat. The 20-lap feature was slowed several times in the early laps due to caution flags. Once things got settled, the two dominators in the division, Gary Klinetobe and Eugene Palmer battled for the race lead. Palmer had to give up two positions at the mid-way point due to breaking the 21-second barrier which allowed Klinetobe to put a gap over himself and the rest of the field.

On lap 17, Ford made contact with the back of Chad Grammer’s car in turn three bringing out the caution flag and bunching up the field for what would prove to be the race’s final restart. Young Jett Taylor showed surprising strength taking the lead away from Klinetobe. The final lap of the race featured a thrilling duel for the race win between Taylor, Klinetobe and Palmer. Coming off turn two, Palmer got to the inside of Klinetobe. Going into turn three, the front three cars were three wide for a brief moment. Taylor was able to win the drag race to the checkered flag to win his first main event win in only his fourth race. Klinetobe narrowly beat Palmer for second while Nick Vellis placed fourth and Abeyta took fifth.

James Moore took the trophy for the John’s Used Cars and Wreckers bomber division. The heat race was taken by Matt Simon. The main event was halted mid-way due to a serious accident involving Leonard Ward and Donnie Hyman. Coming off turn two, Ward’s right rear wheel left his car. With no time to react, Hyman hit the tire and flew into the air before coming back down on the track and sliding into the infield.

On site EMT and fire crew were on the scene immediately to tend to Hyman and the race was halted. Hyman was transported by ambulance to the local hospital and was later flown out of the area for further evaluation. At the time of this writing, Hyman was diagnosed with a lower vertebra injury but is awake and alert.

When the racing resumed, Simon and Eddie Klein battled for the race lead. With two laps remaining, Klein and Simon made contact off turn two resulting in a caution. Tyler Avelar took the race lead and held off Simon and Klein to win his first race of the season.

The trophy dash victory in the Suddenlink Communications mini stock division went to Rick Estes while the heat race was won by Nick Green. Sam Brown led the early stages of the 25-lap feature but soon faced the pressure from the faster cars of Green and Brian Murrell, Jr. On lap eight, Murrell used the inside line to get by Brown for the lead while Green followed into second. Murrell held the top position for two laps before Green powered by on the outside line. Green was able to cruise to the win, his second of the season. Murrell placed second followed by Chelsea Champagne, Brown and Cole Peterson.

The Bear River Hotel and Casino Thunder Roadster trophy dash victory went to Paul Peeples, Jr. who was also able to take the victory in the heat race. Robbie Nelson led the field to the green in the main event but by the end of lap one it was David Henderson who took the lead. The story of the season in the Thunder Roadster class has been the battle for wins between Peeples and Henderson with Peeples being on the winning end more often. The tables were turned on this night as Henderson was able to withstand all of Peeples’ challenges for the lead.

A brief caution from contact between Chris Sarvinski and Tommy Payne bunched the field but did not give Peeples the advantage that he was hoping for. At the checkered flag it was Henderson winning his second feature of 2014. Peeples took second, Nelson third, Sarvinski fourth and Payne fifth.

Luke Hall took trophy dash honors in the Mid City Motor World late model division. Mic Moulton ran away in the heat race and was victorious in that event. Al Acuna took the lead of the 35-lap feature from pole sitter, Ken Hallis at the start of the event and was able to pull away as the rest of the field sorted itself out. On lap two, Kenny Demello got sideways off turn two and slapped the back stretch wall bringing out a caution. Demello was able to drive his car to the pits but was not able to return to the race.

On the restart, Ryun Leazer was able to get under Hallis for second and was followed by Hall in third. The next lap, Hall and Leazer made contact going into turn one which sent both cars into the wall. Both cars were finished for the night. Oregon visitor, Dana Bowers also suffered cosmetic damage in the incident but was able to continue. Moulton took advantage of the side-by-side restart and was able to wrestle the lead away from Acuna. Moulton was dominant on the night and went the majority of the race unchallenged for the lead.

Jerry Peterson spun out of second for a caution but the closing of the field did nothing to hinder Moulton’s quest for the victory. At the checkered flag it was Moulton winning over Acuna. Bowers took third while Peterson was fourth and Hallis finished fifth.

Racing takes a week off at the Acres before resuming Saturday August 2nd. As always, the five local classes will be in action along with a special feature attraction that has not been seen at Redwood Acres Raceway, boat racing. Grandstands open at 5:00 PM while racing begins at 6:30 PM.

If you are interested in participating in the upcoming boat races or have any further questions regarding other divisions, please visit the official site of Redwood Acres Raceway, www.racingtheacres.com. Further information regarding Donnie Hyman’s injuries will also be posted on the website as they become available in the coming days.

Lindstroth dominant in modified victory

Lindstroth dominant in modified victory

By Matthew J. Sullivan

Redwood Acres Raceway celebrated Independence Day weekend in style this past Saturday night. Not only did the Acres serve as host to the five local divisions of roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks, Thunder Roadsters and late models, the North State Modified Series made their second stop of the season at Eureka, California’s 3/8-mile paved oval. In addition to the fantastic racing, the night was capped off by a spectacular fireworks show that thrilled the large crowd in attendance.

Gary Klinetobe set fast time in the Humboldt Hydroponics roadrunner division with a 20.328 qualifying lap. Klinetobe followed that up with a victory in the four lap trophy dash. The first heat race went to Michael Lawrence who returned to the division due to his bomber being severely damaged several races ago. Dylan Ford took the second heat in thrilling fashion on the final lap.

The 15-lap feature for the roadrunners was slowed several times early on. One incident involved Kayla Foster who was sent head on into the back stretch wall. Foster’s car was finished for the night but she was unharmed. The story for the division this season has been the battle between Klinetobe and Eugene Palmer. Klinetobe moved to the front early while Palmer had to scrap through the field and wasn’t able to get to the front until the final two laps. At the checkered flag it was Klinetobe taking the win ahead of Palmer, Steve Kimberling, Tim Abeyta and Ford.

The John’s Used Cars and Wreckers bombers saw an influx of cars for the night as drivers from the Redding and Lake County areas made the trek to the Acres. David Dillinger set fast time with an 18.512 lap. Brian Smith took the trophy dash victory then was victorious in the heat race. Don Hyman led the feature early on but the out-of-town drivers made their strength known throughout the feature. Hyman did all he could to hold off Dillinger at the halfway point of the 20-lap main event but was unable to do so. Dillinger would go on to take the victory beating Smith, Leonard Ward, Eddie Klein and Kevin Coburn.

The O’Reilly Auto Parts/Del Reka Distributing mini stock class also saw several new cars join the field for the night. Visitor, David Felch set the standard in qualifying, beating all the local drivers with a 19.164 qualifying lap. Felch’s time in qualifying proved to be a prelude to how he would race in the evening as he won the trophy dash, the heat race and the main event. Brian Murrell, Jr. finished second while Rick Estes, Chelsea Champagne and Jordan Paiment rounded out the top five.

Robbie Nelson set fast time with a 17.187 qualifying lap for the Bear River Hotel and Casino Thunder Roadster division. The trophy dash win was taken by Paul Peeples, Jr. while Chris Sarvinski held off Peeples in the heat race. The 20-lap main event was highlighted by a nose-to-tail duel for the race lead between Sarvinski and Peeples. Coming off turn four on the final lap, Peeples found the inside line under Sarvinski and the two drag-raced to the line in a photo finish. Track officials determined that Sarvinski beat Peeples by a mere eight-thousandths of a second or about a foot. Thomas Payne finished third, Robbie Nelson fourth and Belinda Ward placed fifth.

Luke Hall set fast time for the Mid City Motor World late model division with a 15.938 qualification lap. The trophy dash victory was taken by Jerry Peterson who followed that up with a win in the heat race. The 25-lap feature saw a heated battle for the race lead between Hall, Mic Moulton and Peterson. Hall and Moulton were battling side-by-side for the lead coming off turn two on lap 13 when Hall got sideways into Moulton sending him spinning into the infield. Peterson got by in the melee but Hall got into his bumper going into the third turn. All three drivers restarted at the back which gave Al Acuna the race lead.

Acuna held onto the lead until four laps to go when the handling appeared to severely fall off on his car. Hall took advantage and quickly took the lead while Moulton and Peterson had to work slightly harder to get by Acuna. Moulton made one last effort to try to challenge Hall but it wasn’t enough in the end as Hall took the victory followed by Moulton, Peterson, Acuna and Ryun Leazer.

Citrus Heights racer, Jay Lindstroth broke the existing track record for the North State Modified Series with a 16.100 qualifying time. The Scubba Bub’s Dash for Cash went to Petaluma’s Richie Potts while the Lucas Oil Dash for Cash was taken by Linstroth. Both winners were awarded a crisp 100 dollar bill for their efforts.

Kyle Tellstrom of Ukiah was the benefactor of the five-car invert for the 60-lap feature and used his pole position start to his advantage by taking the lead from the drop of the green flag. In second place was Cody Braund of Anderson who had his hands full with Lindstroth and Kelseyville’s Darrin Knight who won the North State Modified Series previous race at the Acres in May. The biggest accident of the race took place on lap 18 in the third turn.  Involved were Corey James of Cottonwood, Don Swartz of Grass Valley, Rich Cobb of Klamath Falls, Oregon and Orion Mosher of Eureka.

The restart proved to be the advantage that Linstroth needed as he powered by Tellstrom to the race lead. Knight moved into second in the closing stages and after a spin by Dustin DeRosier with 12 laps remaining, it looked to be a showdown between the front two cars. Linstroth got the advantage on the restart and was able to pull away from Knight. At the finish it was Linstroth winning over Knight, Tellstrom, Kyle Borden and Braund.

Racing at the Acres takes a break before returning Saturday July 19th. Grandstands open at 5:00 PM while racing begins at 6:30 PM. For more information involving Redwood Acres Raceway, please visit the track’s new and official website, www.racingtheacres.com . For more information concerning the North State Modified Series, visit www.northstatemodifieds.com.

North State mods return to the Acres

North State mods return to the Acres

By Matthew J. Sullivan

The 2014 racing season at Redwood Acres Raceway hits its halfway point this weekend, Saturday July 5^th for a special Fourth of July celebration at the 3/8-mile paved oval. Joining the local divisions of roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks, Thunder Roadsters and late models will be the return of the North State Modified Series which had raced at the Acres earlier this season during the May 25^th Memorial Day weekend races. Capping the night off will be a spectacular fireworks show, the first time Redwood Acres Raceway has held a fireworks event. It promises to be a memorable and spectacular night for fans.

The point leader in the Humboldt Hydroponics roadrunner division is Gary Klinetobe. Of the five feature races thus far this season, Klinetobe has been victorious in four of them. Eugene Palmer broke Klinetobe’s win streak in the most recent race on June 21^st, doing so by mere inches. Palmer lies 21 points behind Klinetobe in the standings. Tim Abeyta holds down third, 44 behind Klinetobe. Robbie Robinson is fourth, 52 points behind the leader and Kayla Foster is fifth, 76 points behind.

Leonard Ward has made the John’s Used Cars and Wreckers bomber division his personal playground this season. Like Klinetobe in the roadrunner class, Ward has dominated the field in the bombers winning four of the five races in 2014. Due to his success, Ward has a 20 point gap over second place, James Moore. A rookie at the Acres, Moore was victorious during the May 25^th event. 60 points behind the leader in third position is Tyler Avelar. Fourth in points is Michael Lawrence who is 69 points in arrears of Ward. Matt Simon is fifth, 71 points behind.

The O’Reilly Auto Parts/Del Reka Distributing mini stock division saw an influx of cars during the fair night races two weeks ago. Brett Murrell holds the points lead in the class ahead of his older brother, Brian Murrell, Jr. by 12. Nick Green is a rookie to the division but not to racing at Redwood Acres Raceway and is third and 47 points behind the leader.  The top three drivers all have at least one main event win thus far this season Brett Murrell with one, Brian Murrell, Jr. with two and Green with one. Chelsea Champagne is fourth 58 markers behind Murrell while Sam Brown is fifth, 60 behind.

Since crashing out on opening night on May 17^th, Paul Peeples, Jr. has dominated the Bear River Hotel and Casino Thunder Roadster division knocking off four straight main event victories and holding down the points lead. David Henderson won the opening night race and has finished second to Peeples in all four races that he’s won. The gap between the two is only nine points. Chris Sarvinski is third, 37 points behind Peeples. Thomas Payne is fourth, 41 behind and Robbie Nelson is fifth, 70 points behind.

The closest competition at the Acres in 2014 has come in the Mid City Motor World late model division. Mic Moulton leads second place, Luke Hall by only four points. Both drivers each have two main event wins so far this season. Kenny Demello holds down third and is 36 points behind Moulton. Division rookie, Ryun Leazer is fourth and 47 points behind while Jerry Peterson is fifth, 54 points behind. Peterson is the only other driver who has won this year, his victory having come on the May 17^th race.

The North State Modified Series will be making its second stop to the Acres in 2014 this weekend. It will be the fourth race of six for the new touring series this season. Jay Linstroth leads Cody Braund by 26 points in the standings. Kyle Borden is third, 34 points behind Linstroth while Dustin DeRosier and Rich Cobb are fourth and fifth, 38 and 46 behind the leader respectively.  Linstroth won the series opener at Shasta Speedway while the previous race at the Acres on May 25^th was won by Darrin Knight. Linstroth took the most recent victory on the tour at All-American Speedway on June 21^st.

There will be an open practice session for all cars on Friday July 4^th between noon to 6:00 PM. Grandstands open at 5:00 PM on Saturday while the racing begins at 6:30 PM. For more information regarding this weekend’s events or news in general for Redwood Acres Raceway, please visit the track’s new and official website, www.racingtheacres.com.