Eureka, CA (August 13, 2018) – After a near month long break racing returns to Redwood Acres Raceway this Saturday night. Anderson Logging will be presenting the annual Driver Appreciation night at the 3/8-mile paved oval. With the 2018 season quickly coming to an end and championships on the line, fans should not expect anything less in every race in all of the Acres’ divisions.
Saturday night will be bittersweet for many drivers, crew members and fans as it will be the first race at RAR since the passing of Paul Peeples, Sr. Peeples was a fixture on the track and in the pits at Redwood Acres Raceway for well over 40 years, going back to the days the speedway was a dirt track. In recent years, Peeples was crew chief of his son Paul Peeples, Jr.’s Thunder Roadster. In his honor, the roadsters will be racing this weekend for the first and only time in 2018. Prior to the start of Saturday night’s event, all drivers in the Thunder Roadster division will make a memorial lap in memory of Peeples.
It appears as though Nick Ford’s hold on the championship points lead in the Compass Community Credit Union roadrunners is very firm. He leads second place Lindsey Zito by 68 points. Tim Ratzlaff has been Ford’s biggest competition all year long and is third in points. Misfortune prevented him from starting several races which has likely prevented him from being neck-and-neck with Ford in points. His 73-point deficit to the leader is likely insurmountable. Two rookies round out the top five in Amanda Lohr and Ronny Crump. Only one point separates the two but unfortunately, they are well out of the running for the track championship.
Only three points separate first and second in the Bandolero division. Lane Anderson holds the lead but Aiden Kimberling has been consistent all year long and is second. Kadence Mace is third in the standings, 47 points behind Anderson. Malessa Miles sits fourth and 15 points behind Mace. Fifth place is Trey Daniels.
Chris Lawrence has been on point since the 2018 season started at the Acres. His numerous victories and consistent up-front runs have garnered him a 48-point advantage over Tyler Peach. Aiden Daniels has been very impressive in his rookie effort and he is third in the points. Katina Baker is also new to the Legends division at RAR and she is fourth, 20-points behind Daniels. Brent Mack is fifth and only a point behind Baker.
Jim Redd has been the points leader in the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bomber division almost literally since the year started. Second place Wyatt Roach had a late start to his season and has done everything possible to chip away at Redd’s lead. The gap between the two going into this weekend is 48 points. Sam Brown has been able to settle into the bomber division this year and has a third place in the standings for his effort. Division veteran Ryan Walters holds the fourth slot with Chris Naughton in fifth.
The fight for the Humboldt Hydroponics Mini Stock title features an oddity in the standings. Brian Murrell, Sr. has a 32-point lead over Eugene Palmer, a gap that is almost unheard of in the highly competitive division. Scott Taylor is always one of the top drivers to beat in his second year in the division and even though he’s still looking for his first feature win, he still has an outside chance at the championship as he is 49 points behind Murrell, Sr. Trevor Eacret won his first main earlier this season and is fourth but out of the running for the title. Nick Ford has the fifth position in his possession. This weekend’s mini stock feature will be the Fifth Annual running of the Murrell 500. The winner of the 25-lap race will earn the perpetual Murrell 500 trophy. Brett Murrell is the current Murrell 500 champion having won the 2017 running of the event.
In spite of Mic Moulton’s dominance in the Mid-City Motor World Super Six Challenge Series late model division, his lead over second place David Henderson is a close 12 points. Dane Nissen as been a front-runner all season long. Unfortunately for Nissen, he was unable to compete in the June 9th event otherwise his 66-point deficit to Moulton would be much closer. Kenny Demello is 97 points behind Moulton in fourth. Marty Walsh is fifth, 101 points behind the leader.
Before the racing action starts on Saturday’s Driver Appreciation Night, fans will be able to make their way onto the front straight to meet their favorite drivers and get an up-close look at all of the race cars in all of the divisions. The grandstands will open at 5:00 PM with the meet and greet starting at the same time. Fans will have over an hour to interact with their local short-track heroes as racing will begin at 6:30 PM.
RAR will also be hosting a donation drive for those who have been affected by the devastating Carr and Mendocino Complex fires. Fans who make a $10 donation will receive a complimentary ticket good for admission to the season-ending Fall Spectacular on Saturday September 8th.
For more information on this weekend’s special event, please visit Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website www.RedwoodAcresRacing.com or find the track on Facebook www.facebook.com/RedwoodAcresRaceway