Moulton Returns To Form While Price Cashes In

Eureka, CA (July 22, 2018) – The 2018 season at Redwood Acres Raceway is rapidly coming to a close with this Saturday night’s Harper Motors Night at the Races marking four races left on the schedule. While the Compass Community Credit Union roadrunners had the night off, the late models returned to action. In addition, the North State Modified Series made their second visit to the Acres this season.

Lane Anderson has been fast all season in the Bandolero division and continued that by setting the fastest time in qualifying at a 21.354. Ethan Imperatrice made his first start of the season and was able to win the trophy dash and the heat race. Trey Daniels took the lead at the start of the main event and had control of it for the first six circuits. Imperatrice moved to the lead on lap seven before Daniels retook the position. Two laps later, Daniels fell out of the race giving Imperatrice the lead but in another two laps, Imperatrice also fell out. Anderson took over the top spot and was able to lead the rest of the way and score the victory. Maleesa Miles finished second followed by Aiden Kimberling and Kadence Mace. Imperatrice was scored fifth.

Qualifying for the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bombers was led by Wyatt Roach with a 18.424. Roach took the dash win while Sam Brown was the heat race winner. Brown used the pole position to his advantage in the feature event as he was able to take over and lead until lap eight. That’s when Roach took over. He was able to hold on and take his first main event win of the season. Brown and Jim Redd finished second and third.

In the NorthCoast Lighting And Electric Legends division, Brad Curtice set fast time with an 18.121. Chris Lawrence was the trophy dash victor while Aiden Daniels and Curtice were the heat race winners. The opening lap of the feature was led by David Dunlap. Lap two saw Aiden Daniels move to the front. Curtice quickly sliced his way through the field and moved to the lead on lap eight. The field spread out and Curtice was able to gap Aiden Daniels. At the finish it was Curtice taking the victory by nearly two seconds. Aiden Daniels narrowly beat Lawrence to the line for third. Kylie Daniels finished a strong fourth with Zach Frazer rounding out the top five finishers.

The ever-competitive Humboldt Hydroponics mini stocks were paced by Brian Murrell, Sr. as he set a qualifying lap of 18.980. Eugene Palmer crossed the line first in the trophy dash and Brian Murrell, Jr. winning the heat race. Nick Ford held the lead for the first five laps but contact between he and Trevor Eacret allowed Brett Murrell to move to the position. The rest of the event came down to a battle between Brett Murrell, Palmer and Murrell, Sr. As the laps clicked off, Brett Murrell was able to stretch his lead. At the finish line it was Brett Murrell winning. Palmer held off Murrell, Sr. for second while Brian Murrell, Jr. and Scott Taylor finished out the top five drivers.

Darrin Sullivan narrowly took fast time for the North State Modified Series setting a 16.548. Herman Pulyer prevailed in the Lucas Oil Dash For Cash. The invert for the 60-lap main event was 10 which put Stuart Campbell on the pole. After falling back to the third position, Eric Johnson was able to move to the lead on lap 10. Kris Price moved his way to second after 15-laps and on lap 19 he took over the race lead. Price was able to slowly pull away from the rest of the pack.

Eric Price, Jr. was a favorite going into the event but fell out just before the halfway point. Terry Deal took second from Eric Johnson with 15-laps remaining but was well behind the leader. With three laps remaining, smoke poured from Sullivan’s car taking him out of action and necessitating a caution flag. The field bunched up for a sprint to the finish however Deal was not able to get by Eric Price. At the finish it was Price holding off Deal for the win. Johnson was second ahead of Randy Houston and Dustin DeRosier.

Less than 0.056 seconds separated the top three in qualifying for the Mid-City Motor World Super Six Late Model Challenge Series with Mic Moulton setting the fastest lap. George Young was the winner of heat race number one while Luke Hall won heat number two and pole position for the NorthCoast Lighting & Electric main event.

Hall jumped to the lead at the start of the feature with Dane Nissen following him into second. David Henderson slotted into third while Moulton held fourth. With nary the sign of a caution flag, handling and tire wear proved to be more important than usual. The halfway point saw Hall still leading Nissen but third place was switched between Moulton and Henderson. The front three closed up on each other. On lap 40, Moulton maneuvered past Nissen and chased Hall for the lead. With 15 to go, Moulton took the lead from Hall. Moulton was able to slowly pull away as the rest proved to be caution-free. Moulton crossed the finish line first over Hall, Nissen and Henderson. Kenny Demello put in a solid fifth place effort.

Racing on the 3/8-mile paved oval at Redwood Acres Raceway will take a month-long break as August 18th is the next race on the schedule. Prior to that event, RAR will host the Malicious Monster Truck Insanity Tour on August 3rd and 4th. Tuff trucks will also be in action as well as monster truck rides. Saturday night will be the second boat race at the Acres in 2018.

V.I.P. pre-sale tickets for the monster truck event are available to purchase at Redwood Acres Raceway’s website www.RedwoodAcresRacing.com as well as the Redwood Acres Fair office and Fortuna Wheel & Brake. More information on everything going on at the Acres can also be found on Redwood Acres Raceway’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/RedwoodAcresRaceway/

Moulton Wins Season Opening Thriller At The Acres

#10 Mic Moulton in the heat race for the Super Six late models

Eureka, CA (May 6, 2018) – Mother Nature decided to be more cooperative this past Saturday night as Redwood Acres Raceway held the first race of the 2018 season. The year was set to begin the previous week on April 28th but rain prevented that from happening. All six divisions were in action on opening night presented by Root 101 Nursery.

Prior to the start of the races, Redwood Acres Raceway paid tribute to Kevin Williford with a moment of silence and Eugene Palmer taking a lap around the track in his honor. Williford had been an announcer at the Acres for the past several years.

The Compass Community Credit Union roadrunners started off the action with their first main event. Nick Ford set fast time with a 20.423. Bob Ratzlaff jumped to the lead on lap one. A three-wide battle ensued as Tim Ratzlaff and Nick Ford and Bob Ratzlaff. Tim Ratzlaff took over the lead. Ford was able to get by on lap two but two laps later Ray Taylor, Jr. jumped to the lead and never looked back. Tim Ratzlaff scrubbed the wall and was able to continue for a few more laps before dropping out with a flat tire. The best battle on the track was for second as Ford and Ray Taylor, Sr. fought for the spot. Nobody at anything for Taylor, Jr. as he was able to take the win by a sizeable margin. Taylor, Sr. was able to beat Nick Ford to the line for second. Patrick Sproul placed fourth with Dylan Ford finishing fifth.

For the second main, the roadrunners were turned backwards around the track. Dylan Ford jumped to the lead and looked like he was going to be a major player. Issues on lap three gave Nick Ford the lead and allowed Sproul into second. The rest of the race was a nip-and-tuck battle between Nick Ford and Sproul. In the final laps, Sproul tried his best to pressure Nick Ford into making a mistake but Ford never did. At the finish it was Nick Ford winning with Sproul taking second, Ray Taylor, Jr. third, Ray Taylor, Sr. fourth and Dylan Ford fifth.

The bandoleros made their debut at the 3/8-mile paved oval. Lane Anderson set the fastest time in qualifying with a 22.147. Maleesa Miles was the heat race winner. Kadence Mace led the field to the green flag. Aiden Kimberling took the lead on lap one but on lap two Miles took over at the front. Miles and Anderson had a fantastic duel for the race lead. On lap nine, both drivers spun in turns three and four allowing Mace to take over the lead. Anderson got a good restart and was able to quickly take the lead. Anderson led from that point on and at the drop of the checkered flag it was Anderson winning over Miles. Mace took third, Aiden Kimberling fourth and Donnie Murrell placing fifth after issues at the start prevented him from racing.

Fast time in the Fortuna Wheel & Brake/Four Star Realty bomber division was Nick Green. Ryan Walters was victorious in the heat race. Walters took the lead at the start of the race and looked to have a firm hold on the top position. Green chipped away at Walters’ lead and midway through the race, the two were racing hard for the lead. On lap 15, Green prevailed. Green was able to pull away from the field and at the finish it was Green winning. Walters took second over Jim Redd and Sam Brown.

In the NorthCoast Lighting & Electric Legends division, Brad Curtice set fast time with an 18.039. Curtice followed up his success in qualifying in the heat race with a victory. MKinzy Uselton and Katina Baker led the field to the green flag. The faster qualifiers quickly tried to maneuver their way to the front. Christ Lawrence took the lead on lap three and was able to hold it until lap 6 when Curtice took over. It appeared as though Curtice’s experience in the Legends cars was going to prevent Lawrence, a former Thunder Roadster driver from keeping up. However, Lawrence’s experience transferred smoothly from one car to another and the top two ran closely all race long. Late in the race, the two leaders caught slower traffic. It appeared as though Lawrence would be able to use both cars as a pick. Curtice was able to maneuver his car better though the traffic and held on to his lead. Curtice was able to take the checkered flag over Lawrence. Brent Mack took third while defending division champion, Tyler Peach placed fourth. Baker rounded out the top five.

In the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock division, Brian Murrell, Sr. was the quickest in qualifying with an 18.286. Jordan Paiment won the first heat while the second heat was won by Eugene Palmer. The first six laps of the main event were caution plagued. Trevor Eacret’s spin in turn two brought out the yellow flag. Troy Lee and C.J. Dalton spun in turn two for another caution. After a jumped restart, Murrell and Dylan Hagmann has issues. A subsequent saw Scott Taylor take over the lead but spin bringing out the yellow and giving Palmer the lead. The last caution occurred when Murrell spun in turns three and four with Paiment hitting the wall. The rest of the race was clean as the field spread out and Palmer ran away. At the finish it was Palmer winning over Eacret, Taylor, Murrell and Gary Klinetobe.

The Super Six Challenge Series late models presented by Mid-City Motor World and NorthCoast Lighting and Electric held their first race of the season. Northern California racing legend, Jim Walker showed everyone how it’s done in qualifying with a fast time of 15.685. Scott Baker won the first heat which saw contact between Kenny Demello and Tim Crenshaw in turn four with Crenshaw hitting the wall. David Miller won heat two. Demello was unable to start the 50-lap feature which saw Miller jump out to the lead over Brandon Ash. On the fifth lap, Brandon White began to make his presence felt as he moved past Dane Nissen for third. White then began challenging for the second spot on the high side of Ash.

The first caution of the night came out at lap 10 when the two Oregon drivers of Ash and Miller appeared to come into contact. The result was White inheriting the lead over Mic Moulton and Marty Walsh. White appeared to have the car to beat early in the run but as the laps went by, Moulton was able to close the gap. Meanwhile, Walker was making his presence known as he maneuvered past Walsh for third on lap 20. The next 20 laps featured an amazing and clean three-way battle for the lead. White had his mirror full of Moulton while Walker closed in on Moulton’s bumper. Moulton tried to make a move under White several times but was unsuccessful. Moulton was able to get under and past White for the lead just as a caution flew for Scott Baker’s spun car in turns one and two.

With scoring reverted to the previous lap, White moved back to the lead. On the restart, Moulton was able to take advantage of what looked to be an ailing #19 car for White. Walker was able to move past White with five laps remaining just as White nearly hit the wall in turn three. The final handful of laps saw Walker making a hard charge on Moulton. With two laps remaining Walker had closed in on Moulton. Walker appeared to have the stronger car but unfortunately for him, time ran out. Moulton was able to hang on to the finish in what might already be the best race of the entire 2018 season. David Henderson had a solid night and placed third over Ash and Miller.

The April 28th rainout tightened up the 2018 racing schedule as racing will return to the Acres this upcoming weekend May 12th. It will be Pepsi Night At The Races, an annual tradition at Redwood Acres Raceway for many years. All six divisions will be back in action in what should be a very interesting second race of the season. For more information including race results, points and division rules please visit Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website, www.redwoodacresracing.com You can also find the track on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/RedwoodAcresRaceway

Remaining 2018 Redwood Acres Raceway Schedule
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)

Houston Wins A North State Modified Series Thriller

Eureka, CA (July 23, 2017) – After a long three-week break, racing returned to Redwood Acres Raceway this past Saturday for Nor-Cal Automotive Night at the Races. It was a picture perfect day at the 3/8-mile paved oval as the North State Modified Series made their second of three visits to the Acres this season.

Nick Ford set fast time for the California State And Federal Employee’s Credit Union roadrunner division with a 20.461. Andy Savage led the opening lap of the first 20-lap main event which was run in normal fashion. On lap two, Ford moved to the lead, a position he would never relinquish. Jake Keeling and Tim Ratzlaff traded the second position until Daniel Buell took over the position. At the finish it was Ford taking the win over Buell, Keeling, Ratzlaff and Zito.

The second feature was run backward. Bob Ratzlaff led lap one but Tim Ratzlaff took over on lap two. The race was highlighted by a thrilling duel for the lead and the race win between Tim Ratzlaff and Buell. On the last lap, Buell made a charge for the lead going down the back stretch. In the final turn, Ratzlaff suffered tire issues and hit the wall. Buell was able to move past to take the lead and the win. Tim Ratzlaff held on for second followed by Ford, Ratzlaff and Keeling.

Fast time for the Nor-Cal Automotive Legends division was paced by Brad Curtice with a 18.121. Curtice took the trophy dash. He followed that up with a win in the heat which saw an unfortunate incident in turn four when Anissa Curtice hit the wall. Fortunately she was okay but done for the night. The opening five laps of the 25-lap main were led by Daniel Whitley. On lap six, Curtice took over and never looked back. Whitley did all he could to pressure Curtice but never could force a mistake. Curtice took the win followed by Whitley, Brent Mack, Tyler Peach and Mkinzy Uselton.

In the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bomber division, visiting driver, Ron Duke, Jr. set fast time with a 18.651. John Lally won the trophy dash while the heat race was taken by Kolby Jackson. The 25-lap main featured several spectacular incidents. The first occurred in turn three on lap 14, Jim Redd got together with Duke in turn three bringing out the yellow flag. On the restart, Bethany Rapp got into Jackson sending Rapp’s car over the hood of Jackson. Up front, Lally was dominant leading the final 21 laps. At the finish it was Lally winning over Jackson who made a thrilling run through the field in the final handful of laps. Jimmy Sorrels was third followed by Chris Naughton and Kimberly Sorrels.

Brett Murrell was quickest in the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock division with a time of 18.848. Brian Murrell, Sr. won the dash while Brett Murrell claimed the heat race. The first three laps of the 25-lap feature were led by Scott Taylor. On lap four, Brett Murrell moved to the lead. A restart on lap eight allowed Murrell, Sr. to move to the lead. The father/son duo had a great duel for the win with Murrell, Sr. coming out on top. Brett Murrell took second while Eugene Palmer, Troy Lee and Taylor rounded out the top five finishers.

Qualifying for the Lone Star Junction Thunder Roadsters was led by Paul Peeples, Jr. with a 17.399. Peeples went on to win the trophy dash while Tommy Payne was the heat race winner. Ronnie O’Neil held the lead for the first three laps but the 30-lap feature was dominated by Peeples. He took the lead from O’Neil on lap four and was able to drive away from the field. At the checkered flag it was Peeples winning followed by Payne, O’Neil, Chris Lawrence and Mac Collado.

Charlie Collins was the fastest of the 19 North State Modified Series drivers with a time of 16.267. The winner of the Lucas Oil Dash for Cash was modified veteran, Richie Potts. The invert for the 60-lap feature was four which gave Randy Houston pole position. Darrin Knight briefly moved to the lead at the start from his outside front row position but Houston’s inside line prevailed. A cat-and-mouse game for the lead ensued between Houston and Knight. As the two moved through slower traffic, Houston was able to gain an advantage.

The lone caution flag flew on lap 48 when Orion Mosher spun off turn four. The restart gave Knight and the rest of the field another chance to challenge Houston. Nobody had anything for Houston on the night as he led wire-to-wire to score the victory. Knight held on for second over Collins, Kris Price and Darrin Sullivan.

Racing at the Acres takes a week break and returns Saturday August 5th. Joining the roadrunners, Legends, bombers, mini stock and Thunder Roadsters will be the West Coast Sportsman division which is in its inaugural season. For more information, please visit Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website, www.RacingTheAcres.com

Track champions crowned at Redwood Acres Raceway

By Matthew J. Sullivan

The final points race of the 2016 season at Redwood Acres Raceway took place this past Saturday night. In addition to champions being decided, the Acres played host to the second boat race of 2016. All in all, it was another exciting and fantastic night at the Acres thanks in part to Maxwell’s Custom Automobiles who sponsored this weekend’s action.

Bethany Rapp paced the California State and Federal Employees Credit Union roadrunner qualifying field with a 20.590 lap. Dominic Vogelsang continued his late season surge in the trophy dash by taking the win. Jennifer Murrell won the first heat race while Vogelsang took the second. The 20-lap feature saw the lead change hands in each of the first three laps as Bob Ratzloff, Patrick Sproul and James Nichols traded the top position.

Nichols dominated the event, even when the field was turned around at halfway to go around the track in the opposite direction. With just five laps remaining, Vogelsang began his assault on the lead. On lap 16, Vogelsang maneuvered past Nichols to take the lead. Vogelsang would go on to lead the rest of the way, taking the victory. Nichols held on to second over Rapp, Troy Taylor and Sproul.

The 2016 roadrunner champion was Tyler Peach. Peach spent much of the night staying out of traffic in hopes of avoiding major catastrophe in order to claim the title. In the end he was able to do it driving Daniel Buell’s car.

The track championship in the Fortuna Wheel and Brake bomber division was already decided before the night started. James Moore had enough of a cushion over second place that he didn’t need to start the season finale. In fact, Moore was unable to compete on the night due to a back injury. Driving his car in his stead was Acres veteran, Ryan Walters.

Walters was fastest in qualifying with a 18.139. Kolby Jackson took the trophy dash win as well as the victory in the heat race. Shane Toole led the opening lap of the 25-lap main event. Jimmy Sorrels led the next three laps before Toole regained the lead. On lap six, Walters moved his way into the lead and never looked back. At the finish it was Walters taking the victory by nearly four seconds over second place, Corey James. Sorrels placed third while Toole and Ryan Ahrens rounded out the top five finishers.

The Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock division title was up in the air with Gary Klinetobe, Jarrett Mayo and Eugene Palmer vying for their first championship in the division. In qualifying, Brett Murrell was fastest with an 18.700 driving his father, Brian Murrell, Sr’s car. Murrell was the trophy dash winner while heat race victors were Nick Ford and Palmer.

The opening two laps of the 25-lap main were led by Palmer. On lap three, Mayo took the lead. Murrell was clearly the fastest car on the track and on lap six, he moved by Mayo for the top spot. Murrell ran away from the pack as the three title contenders of Mayo, Klinetobe and Palmer fought it out for second. At the finish it was Murrell taking the win over Mayo, Klinetobe, Palmer and Sam Brown. Klinetobe was declared the champion, having beat Palmer by only seven points. After the event, Klinetobe announced his retirement from racing at the Acres.

In the Thunder Roadster division, two men were fighting for the track championship in Tommy Payne and Ronnie O’Neil. In qualifying O’Neil set fast time with a 17.142. Aaron Byers took the wins in both the trophy dash and the heat races but had an unfortunate accident at the start of the 30-lap main which also collected Dax Kinsey. O’Neil moved to the race lead on lap six and dominated the feature event while Payne had his hands full racing Donnie Brown. At the finish it was O’Neil taking the win over Payne, Brown, Jett Taylor and Byers. Payne was crowned track champion in the division by only four points over O’Neil. Following the race, both drivers shook hands and congratulated each other on what was a thrilling season of racing in the Thunder Roadster division.

Brad Curtice set fast time in the Legends division with a 18.083. Robert Miller went into the night with a comfortable lead and only needed to start the feature to complete his championship run. He helped his effort with a win in the trophy dash while Curtice took the heat win. Curtice dominated the 25-lap main event as he led from the drop of the green flag to the drop of the checkered. Miller secured his title with a second place effort. M’Kinzy Uselton finished third while Anissa Curtice was fourth.

The night finished off with another captivating boat race with Maxwell’s Custom Automobiles putting up the purse for the event. For the second time in 2016, fans were thrilled as over ten boat racers took to the track in a night of nautical destruction. In the end, the winner was determined by the loudness of the crowd. Acres fans declared Chris Garth the winner with second place being awarded to Tim Roscoe.

2016 at the Acres concludes October 7th, 8th, and 9th with the return of the Fall Spectacular. Late models and modifieds highlight the event while roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks, Legends and Thunder Roadsters will also be in action. Saturday gates open at 4:00 PM while racing begins at 6:00 PM. On Sunday, gates open at 11:00 AM and racing begins at noon. For more information about the Fall Spectacular including entry forms and purse payout please visit Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website, www.racingtheacres.com

Henderson clinches title for Moulton in substitute role

By Matthew J. Sullivan

It was a fine evening for racing this past Saturday night at Redwood Acres Raceway. It was Mid City Motor World Night at the Races and all six local divisions were in action including the late model division which was running its final point paying event of 2016.

Prior to the racing action starting, Redwood Acres Raceway and its fans paid tribute to the late Nyle Henderson. Henderson was a former racer at Redwood Acres Raceway and was a fixture at the Acres for more than 30 years. Nyle Henderson is the father of the late, Steve Henderson who was also a driver at Redwood Acres Raceway in the 80s on the dirt and the 90s on the pavement. Henderson is also the grandfather of current RAR driver, David Henderson.

James Nichols was fast time in the California State and Federal Employee Credit Union roadrunner division with a 20.763. Dominic Vogelsang won the trophy dash while heat race victors were Ken Barrett and Nichols. The 20-lap feature started off with the cars running in the opposite direction. The race was slowed early when Gage Ethridge hit the wall in turn three. Ken Barrett led the opening two laps before Vogelsang took over. Even after the cars were turned around to run the proper direction around the track, Vogelsang was dominant. At the finish it was Vogelsang taking his first main event win. Nick Ford placed second followed by Nichols, Barrett and Tyler Peach.

Qualifying for the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stocks was paced by Brian Murrell, Sr. with a 19.045. Gary Klinetobe took trophy dash honors while heat races were won by Brian Murrell, Jr. and Rick Estes. The 25-lap feature was led early on by Brian Murrell, Jr. On lap six, Rick Estes took over and never looked back. The best battle for the rest of the race was for third between Jarrett Mayo, Klinetobe, Palmer and Murrell, Jr. At the front, Estes was able to hold on and withstand a late charge by Murrell, Sr. to take the win. Mayo took third, Klinetobe fourth and Palmer rounded out the top five.

Brad Curtice set quick time for the Legends class with a 18.001 qualifying time. Robert Miller took the trophy dash win while Curtice took the heat race victory. Curtice and Miller resumed their season-long battle in the 25-lap main event. In spite of Curtice leading from start-to-finish, it was a tight race between the two. At the finish it was Curtice taking the win over Miller, Anissa Curtice and M’Kinzy Uselton.

Kolby Jackson was fast time for the Fortuna Wheel and Brake bomber division with a 18.276. The trophy dash saw an unfortunate accident between John Lally, Ray Taylor, Sr. and Jordon Paiment which sent Paiment hard into the wall. While Paiment was okay, he was finished for the night. Jackson won the dash. The heat race was taken by Taylor, Sr. Steven Taylor led the opening lap of the 25-lap main before Jackson took over the lead. Jackson would never fall out of the top position. The event was cut short of its scheduled distance when Lally spun in turn three. James Moore had nowhere to go and slammed into Lally’s rear-end. Thankfully both drivers were okay. Officials declared the race official with Jackson being the winner. Ray Taylor, Sr. was second while Moore was credited with third. Shane Toole finished fourth while Steven Taylor placed fifth.

The fastest driver in Thunder Roadster qualifying was Ronnie O’Neil with a 17.339. Aaron Byers won the trophy dash while Tommy Payne took the heat race. Jett Taylor led the first lap of the 30 lap main but on lap two it was Byers in the lead. The highlight of the race was for third between Donnie Brown, O’Neil and Payne. On lap 19, Payne finally prevailed to move into third. Nobody had anything for Byers on the night as he took the win in dominating fashion. Taylor placed second followed by Payne, O’Neil and Brown.

13 Mid City Motor World late models took time with David Henderson setting fast time with a 15.828. Henderson was racing as a substitute for Mic Moulton who was injured in the most recent race on August 20th. Henderson’s role as Moulton’s sub took an even bigger role on the night as the points champion in the division was on the line and Moulton was the points leader over Marty Walsh.

Walsh took the trophy dash win while heat race victories went to Kenny Demello and Henderson. Demello led the opening lap of the 50-lap feature before giving way to Corey James. James’ time up front was short as Henderson moved to the lead on lap six. Meanwhile, Walsh was having to play catch up having been involved in an opening lap tangle which put him at the rear of the field.

Racing came to a halt on lap 30 and several cautions slowed the race. The most notable incident involved Dustin Walters and Walsh with both going to the rear. Henderson looked to have the dominant car but began suffering issues. On lap 38, James maneuvered back to the lead. Two laps later a major incident in turn four brought out the yellow. Officials deemed the race official with James taking the win and Henderson helping Moulton claim the championship. Walsh recovered to finish third while Robbie Nelson and Ken Hallis rounded out the top 10.

Racing at Redwood Acres Raceway returns Saturday September 24th for the final points race of the season presented by Maxwell’s Custom Automobiles. The late models will be off but the other five local classes will be in action to determine who will win the track championships in each division. Concluding the event will be the second boat race of 2016.

2016 at the Acres concludes October 7th, 8th, and 9th with the return of the Fall Spectacular. Late models and modifieds highlight the event while roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks, Legends and Thunder Roadsters will also be in action. For more information about the Fall Spectacular including entry forms and purse payout please visit Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website, www.racingtheacres.com

Boldways, Curtice close out kart season with wins

By Matthew J. Sullivan

The final outlaw kart race of the 2016 season took place this past Saturday night at Redwood Acres Raceway. It was Williamson Fianancial Night at the Races with drivers in three classes took to the .110-mile dirt oval for the last time this season.

T.J. Sorrels of Ukiah has been a terror in the beginner box stock division in 2016 and he was once again quick qualifier with a 10.768. Sorrels went on to take the wins in both the trophy dash and heat race. The 20-lap main event was slowed only once in an incident that proved costly for Sorrels who was among those involved. Jacob Boldway dominated the race, running away from the pack while Sorrels maneuvered his way to second. Sorrels closed the gap in the closing laps but spun in turn two costing him a chance at the win. At the checkered flag it was Boldway taking the win over Sorrels. Janice Walters had her best run of the season in third followed by Zacunda Fansler and Kai McCrady-Hirsch.

Another Boldway showed strength in the box stock class as Jeremiah Boldway was quick time in qualifying with a 10.221. Maleesa Miles was the winner of the trophy dash which saw Derek Kessler taken out of action in a lazy rollover. Boldway took the heat race victory. Miles took the lead early on in the 25-lap main and showed strength in the first half of the event. On lap 14, Boldway made the pass for the lead moving Miles to second. Boldway was able to hold on the rest of the way to take the main event victory over Miles. Kandace Mace placed third followed by Quentin Ikeya and Jayden Molloy.

Brad Curtice set fast time in the 500 karts with a 8.773. Anissa Curtice took the trophy dash win while Brad Curtice won the heat race. Only three karts started the main as Dax Williamson, Steve Kimberling and Jamie Jorgenson all had issues prior to the main. Anissa Curtice looked to have the fastest car in the early going of the 30-lap feature but issues knocked out her out of the race. This handed the lead to her father, Brad who was able to hold off Tony Miles to take the victory.

With action on the dirt oval coming to an end, the focus of the rest of the 2016 season at Redwood Acres Raceway shifts to the 3/8-mile paved oval. The next event at the Acres is Saturday September 10th with racing presented by Mid City Motor World. It will be the final point-paying event for the late model division. The final point race for the rest of the five local divisions will take place Saturday September 24th with the special Big T Jackpot race for the roadrunners and the second boat race of the 2016 season. That race is sponsored by Maxwell’s Custom Automobiles. RAR officials have also added to the schedule the return of the Fall Spectacular on October 8th and 9th featuring all six local divisions. More details will be provided on the season-ending event soon.
For more information on everything going on at Redwood Acres Raceway including video of all the main events from this past Saturday night, please visit the track’s official website www.racingtheacres.com

Curtice, Fuller Big Winners On Fair Night

By Matthew J. Sullivan

It was a special night for Redwood Acres Raceway outlaw kart drivers this past Friday night as the speedway hosted its first ever outlaw kart races during the Redwood Acres Fair. Drivers in the four divisions put on an exciting show for the fans in attendance, many of whom were witnessing their first outlaw kart races ever.

Qualifying in the beginner box stocks was paced by Taylor Fuller with a 10.409. T.J. Sorrels was the winner of the dash while the heat was won by Fuller. In the 20-lap main, Fuller got the jump into the lead and was gone from there. The best battle on the track was for second place between Drew Barry and Sorrels with Barry eventually gaining the upper hand in the latter stages of the race. At the checkered, it was Fuller winning by nearly a second over Barry and Sorrels. Jacob Boldway crossed the line fourth while Kai McCrady-Hirsch rounded out the top five.

Speedway karts returned to the Acres for the night with Ed Gurbb setting the fast time in qualifying with a 9.991. Nick Davis was the winner of the trophy dash and heat races. The 15-lap main event was dominated in the opening half by Larry Fuller. However on lap nine, Gurbb took the lead. Gurbb was able to pull out to a massive lead and was the winner at the checkered flag by over 3 seconds. Larry Fuller placed second followed by Davis and Lori Fuller.

The 250 and 500 karts were combined for another night with Daniel Whitley setting fast time at a 8.511. Redding’s Ken Mahoney won the dash while Sean Fuller took the heat race. Fuller led the opening six laps in the 30-lap main. Brad Curtice took over on lap seven and looked to be dialed in on the night. Nobody was able to mount a serious attack on Curtice even with a few restarts. At the checkered flag it was Curtice taking the win followed by Kyle Whitley, Mahoney, Anissa Curtice and Steve Rambo.

Lower Lake native, Dryver Dothage was fast time in the box stock class with a 9.814. Natalie Richard won the trophy dash while the heat races were taken by Brianna Fuller and Dothage. The first half of the 20-lap main featured a fantastic duel between Richard and Dothage for the race lead. Unfortunately on lap 15, the two collided with Dothage suffering irreparable damage to his kart. The restart saw the renewal of the rivalry between Richard and Fuller. With five laps remaining, Fuller was able to sneak by Richard for the lead. From there on out it was Fuller taking the checkered flag over Richard, Maleesa Miles, Derek Kessler, Jr. and Quintin Ikeya.

Outlaw kart racing at the Acres takes a break for a few weeks before returning Saturday July 16th. After that event, there will only be two more chances to see the karts in action. Saturday July 30th is the second to last event for the karts while Saturday August 27th is the final event of the year. For more information on the outlaw karts at Redwood Acres Raceway, please visit the track’s official website www.racingtheacres.com

Richard, Sorrels outlaw kart victors at the Acres

By Matthew J. Sullivan

The second outlaw kart event of the 2016 season at Redwood Acres Raceway took place this past Saturday night. It was Humboldt Performance and NorCal Automotive Night at the Races as drivers took to the .110-mile dirt oval.

Taylor Fuller was fast time in the beginner box stock division setting a 10.671. Fuller took the trophy dash win while T.J. Sorrels was the heat race winner. Jacob Boldway led the first two laps of the 20 lap main before Sorrels took over. Fuller looked to have the setup right on his kart and on lap nine Fuller took the lead. Fuller looked to have the victory in hand until getting tangled with slower traffic with three laps remaining. Sorrels regained the race lead and was able to hold on the remaining few laps for the win. Fuller got back to second over Boldway, Adrian Richard and Kai McCardy-Hirsch.

Four speedway karts visited the Acres for the night to help add to the show. Sean Fuller was quick time in qualifying with an 11.385 qualifying lap. Lori Fuller won the trophy dash with Nick Davis claiming heat race honors. Lori Fuller led lap one of the 20 lap main event before giving way to Sean Fuller. It was pure dominance from that point on as Sean Fuller was able to cruise to the win by nearly eight seconds. Davis, Lori Fuller and Larry Fuller rounded out the field.

The 250 and 500 karts were combined for the night with Sean Fuller setting a sub-10 second lap in qualifying with a 9.836. The night belonged to Brad Curtice who took the dash and heat race wins. Anissa Curtice led the first two laps of the 30-lap feature before her father, Brad took the lead. He was able to lead from that point to the checkered flag. Anissa Curtice and Fuller took second and third.

Timmy Walters was the only driver under 10-seconds in the box stock class as he set a time of 9.510. Natalie Richard won the trophy dash while the heat races were taken by Malessa Miles and Brionna Fuller. The 25-lap main featured a fantastic duel for the lead between Fuller and Richard. Fuller led the opening 11 laps before Richard utilized lapped traffic to take the lead. Fuller regained the lead on lap seventeen but got tangled with lapped traffic with five laps remaining. This gave Richard the lead and she was able to hold on to take the win. Jeremiah Boldway crossed the line second with Quentin Ikeya third, Miles fourth and Fuller placing fifth.

The 2016 schedule for Redwood Acres Raceway heats up this coming weekend. Friday June 24th the outlaw karts return to the dirt for a special fair night race. The following night, Saturday June 25th features a special Night Of Destruction. Both fair races are presented by DelReka Distributing with grandstand admission for the Friday event included with the price of fair admission. The late models will have the night off but the other five local classes will be in action. Feature events include a pole race for the roadrunners and the popular boat race which will cap off the night. Grandstands will open at 5:00 PM while racing begins at 6:30 PM.

The next race for the late models is the Don Graham Firecracker 100 on July 2nd. The 100-lap feature will be followed by a thrilling fireworks show. For more information about all of the upcoming races, please visit the track’s official website, www.racingtheacres.com

Walsh wins first feature of 2016

By Matthew J. Sullivan

For a while, it did not look as though Mother Nature was going to cooperate with the proceedings this past Saturday night at Redwood Acres Raceway. Following the roadrunner trophy dash, a heavy mist dropped over the 3/8-mile paved oval which delayed the racing action for nearly an hour. Thankfully the weather cleared up and fans were able to see a full slate of racing in all six local divisions on Pepsi Night at the Acres.

The California State & Federal Employee Credit Union roadrunner trophy dash was won by Richard Stancliff. The two heat races were taken by Jennifer Murrell and Stancliff. Rookie driver, Bob Ratzlaff showed surprising strength in the first portion of the 20-lap roadrunner feature as he led six of the first ten laps. However, Ratzlaff broke the 21-second break-out rule and because he did not adhere to it, he was scored off the lead lap.

The second half of the feature was dominated by Shawn Molloy who was driving Daniel Buell’s car for the night. Molloy and Stancliff staged a great duel in the final handful of laps. Molloy got the advantage in the end and claimed his first ever main event victory. Tyler Peach ended up second followed by Steve Paiment, Stancliff and Patrick Sproul.

Rookie, John Lally won the Fortuna Wheel & Break bomber trophy dash in his first race at the Acres. James Moore took the heat race victory. Lally led lap one of the 25-lap main event but by lap two Avelar was in the lead. Avelar blitzed the field, dominating the rest of the event and taking his second straight bomber feature win. Moore took second over Lally, Ryan Ahrens and Jimmy Sorrels.

Rick Estes took the trophy dash win for the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock division. Heat one featured a photo finish with Jordon Paiment narrowly defeating Brian Murrell, Jr. Jarrett Mayo was the winner of the second mini stock heat. Michael Lawrence led lap one of the 25-lap main event but on lap two, Paiment maneuvered his way to the lead. On lap six, Estes found the line past Paiment to take over the top position.

The race featured a fantastic four-way battle between Estes, Eugene Palmer, Gary Klinetobe and Mayo with all four running nose-to-tail. Palmer was all over Estes and tried to use the high line to get to the lead. Palmer edged Estes to the line on the white flag lap and the two raced side-by-side in a thrilling battle for the win. Estes got the grip coming off turn four and was able to hold off Palmer to take the win. Klinetobe placed third while Mayo and Daniel Buell rounded out the top five finishers.

Tommy Payne won the four-lap Thunder Roadster trophy dash which featured an incident by Chris Sarvinski on the final lap while coming to the flag. Unfortunately, Sarvinski was finished for the evening. Payne also took the win in the heat race. Craig Baker led the opening four laps of the 30 lap affair before yielding to Donnie Brown. It wasn’t long before Brown’s brother, Aaron Byers began to challenge for the top position. On lap nine, Byers took the lead.

Brown had his hands full all race long for second position as Payne applied pressure. In the closing stages, Robbie Nelson made his presence known as well. With three laps remaining, Nelson used a three-wide pass to take the second position. Nelson did not have enough time to catch the leader though. At the checkered flag it was Byers winning his first ever Thunder Roadster main event. Nelson took second while Payne, Brown and Ronnie O’Neil placed second through fifth.

After several seasons away from racing, Robert Miller returned to take the trophy dash win in the Legends division. Miller had a scary wreck at the start of the heat race but fortunately he was okay and was able to return to the main event. Brad Curtice was the winner of the 10-lap heat. Curtice was absolutely dominant in the 25-lap main event as he was able to lead flag-to-flag to post his first feature win at the Acres. Miller placed second ahead of Brent Mack. Keith Van Dyne made the long tow from Washington to place fourth while Anissa Curtice finished fifth.

The Mid City Motor World late model division trophy dash was won by Marty Walsh who also took the win in the heat race. The 50-lap feature ended up being cut down to 30 laps due to several incidents and curfew. The first incident occurred on lap one when Kenny Demello got loose off turn two collecting Dustin Walters. Both drivers were out for the rest of the race. The second incident occurred in turns three and four when Jedd Ambrosini and Jim Walker tangled collecting Mic Moulton. Amborsini and Walker were able to continue while Moulton’s car suffered severe right front damage.

Walker suffered damage on his left front fender which caused his tire to smoke and led to what was the most frightening incident of the night. Going into turn three, sparks flew from Walker’s chassis hitting the pavement. Walker hit the third turn wall hard. Thankfully though his car was severely damaged, Walker was able to exit the car under his own power and was unharmed. At the front it was Walsh who was able to avoid the various disasters. At the finish it was Walsh sweeping the night and winning his first main of 2016. Richard Knight placed second over Tim Crenshaw who was making his first-ever start at Redwood Acres Raceway. Ambrosini placed fourth over Eddie Klein.

Racing returns to the Acres pavement for a special Sunday race on May 29th. While the late model division will be off for the night, the other five local divisions will be accompanied by the popular North State Challenge Series modifieds. Grandstands open at 5:00PM while racing begins at 6:00PM. General admission tickets for the event are $15, senior and military are $12, children 12 and under are $2 while children under five are free. Members of the military who have their military ID are also free. For more information of everything going on at Redwood Acres Raceway, please visit the track’s official website www.RacingTheAcres.com.