Eureka, CA (April 17, 2018) – The first race of the 2018 racing season at Redwood Acres Raceway is quickly closing in. The season opening event on Saturday April 28th will be Root 101 Nursery Night at the Races and will be the start of what should be another thrilling year of racing on the 3/8-mile paved oval.
One of the unfortunate changes of 2018 is the loss of the Thunder Roadster division which had struggled with its car count the past several seasons. In its place is a brand-new division, the Bandoleros. These cars have a wheelbase of 70 inches with a 570CC Briggs and Stratton Vanguard engine powering the 550-pound machines. Due to the size of the race track, the engines will be restricted to allow safer competition. The Bandoleros are designed to be a stepping stone for young drivers who are looking to move on from quarter-midget or outlaw kart racing. Drivers as young as 8 and as old at sixteen will be competing in the new division.
The Northcoast Lighting And Electric Legends will return for their third year of racing at RAR. This division is another stepping stone for drivers who are looking to eventually make the transition to bombers or late models. 2017 champion Tyler Peach used his experience in the roadrunner class to claim his title. Going into 2018, Peach will be the favorite to repeat but doing so should be an even tougher task.
Daniel Buell and Nick Ford waged a spirited battle for the Compass Community Credit Union roadrunner division last year. Only 13 points separated champion Buell and runner-up Ford. The new season could bring new players into the fold. Both car and driver in the roadrunner class or similar divisions such as hornets, four bangers and jammers who are also members of the North Coast Racing Association will have free entry. Non-members will be required to purchase pit passes to race. Membership forms are available on the track’s website www.redwoodacresracing.com
Drivers in the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock division will have their hands full if they want to beat Brett Murrell in 2018. Murrell was an almost unstoppable force in 2017 as he won six times and finished second three times. His strong effort helped him take the division’s track championship in spite of him missing the first race of the season.
The Fortuna Wheel And Brake bomber division saw several different drivers in victory circle last year. John Lally took the championship with three victories and had a sizeable margin in the point standings. Things should be much closer this season with Kolby Jackson and Bethany Rapp looking for their first wins while Jim Redd will also be one to watch every race.
It’s certain that the Mid-City Motor World Super 6 Late Models will provide a lot of action throughout the upcoming season. Mic Moulton only won once in 2017 but steady finishes earned him the championship for the series. Brandon White was a force with three wins including both big-time races the Don Graham Memorial Firecracker 100 and the Dennis Wendt Memorial Mid-City Motor World 100. While both drivers will be favorites this season, they’ll also have to contend with David Henderson who won twice and Marty Walsh who surprisingly went winless in 2017.
2018 will feature a new start time for the opening of the grandstands and the start of the races. Grandstands will now open at 5:00PM while racing will begin at 5:30PM. All five divisions will be in action. For more information on the new season including rules, race and points results, visit Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website www.redwoodacresracing.com
2018 Redwood Acres Raceway Schedule
Saturday April 28th – Root 101 Nursery Night At The Races (Featuring Super 6 Late Models)
Saturday May 12th – Pepsi Night At The Races (Featuring Super 6 Late Models)
Sunday May 27th – O’Reilly Auto Parts Night At The Races (Featuring North State Modifieds, Late Models off)
Saturday June 9th – Renner Petroleum Night At The Races (Featuring Super 6 Late Models)
Friday June 22nd – Fair Race (Featuring Demolition Derby and Boat Race, Late Models and Bombers off)
Saturday June 23rd – Tractor Pulls (VIP tickets available, no oval racing)
Saturday July 7th – Don Graham Memorial Firecracker 100 (Featuring fireworks, Bandoleros and Legends off)
Saturday July 21st – Harper Ford Night at the Races (Featuring Super 6 Late Models, North State Modifieds, Mustang car show, roadrunners off)
Friday/Saturday August 3rd and 4th – Monster Trucks
Saturday August 18th – Anderson Logging Driver Appreciation Night (Featuring Super 6 Late Models, Murrell 500)
Friday/Saturday September 7/8 – Mid-City Motor World Fall Spectacular (Featuring North State Modifieds on Friday, Super 6 Late Models on Friday and Saturday)