White wins Super 6 opener at the Acres

#19 Brandon White won round one of the Super Six Challenge Series

Eureka, California (April 30, 2017) – You couldn’t ask for a nicer afternoon this past Saturday night at Redwood Acres Raceway. A packed house enjoyed the first race of the season at the 3/8-mile paved oval in what proved to be a thrilling night of action across all six local divisions.

Rookie, Daniel Whitley set fast time for the Legends division presented by Nor-Cal Automotive with a 18.346. Unfortunately, Whitley’s night was cut short in the trophy dash when he spun in turn four and backed into the wall. Brent Mack took the trophy dash win then went on to take the heat race win. Tyler Peach took the lead at the start of the 25-lap feature and made a good account for himself in spite of his inexperience in a Legends car. Peach held off the more experienced Mack for the first 17 laps before a spin by Dominic Vogelsang bunched the field. The restart proved to be to Mack’s advantage and he was able to take over the lead. Mack was able to hold on the rest of the way to take the victory over Peach, Vogelsand, M’Kinzy Uselton and James McBride.

Qualifying was paced by Jim Redd in the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bomber division. Redd’s time was 18.664. John Lally took the trophy dash win and was able to follow it up with a win in the heat race. The 25-lap main event was paced by Kolby Jackson in the opening stages. Redd took the lead away and had his hands full the rest of the race with Lally and Jackson filling his rear-view mirror. Lally made a late race charge on Redd but spun in turns three and four. Redd was able to hang on to take the victory. Lally recovered to place second followed by Jackson, Bethany Rapp and Kim Sorrels.

Fast time for the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock division was set by Brian Murrell, Sr. with a 19.136. Troy Lee took the trophy dash victory while heat race wins went to Rick Estes and Murrell. Estes led the first lap of the 25-lap main until he spun in turns one and two. Rookie driver, Scott Taylor inherited the lead and showed surprising speed in his first race as he led the majority of the way. On lap 15, Ed Robinson took the lead and appeared to be on his way to his first-ever main event victory before spinning out of the lead off turn four. Murrell took the lead from that point and was able to take the victory after holding off a late charge by Eugene Palmer. Tayler placed third followed by Troy Lee and Trevor Eacret.

Ronnie O’Neil set fast time in the Thunder Roadster division presented by Lone Star Junction with a 17.179. Tommy Payne was the winner of the four-lap trophy dash while Paul Peeples, Jr. took the heat race victory. Payne shot into the lead from the start of the 30-lap main. All race long the 2016 champion had his mirror full with either Peeples or O’Neil right on his bumper. O’Neil’s spin in turns one and two on lap 25 took him out of having a chance at the victory. Payne was able to withstand Peeples’ final charge to take the win. Chris Sarvinski was third while Aaron Byers and Chris Lawrence rounded out the top five finishers.

Daniel Buell was quick time in the California State And Federal Employees Credit Union roadrunner division. Buell’s time was 20.456. Tim Ratzlaff was the winner of the trophy dash while heat race honors went to Nick Ford. The first 10 laps of the 20-lap roadrunner main were ran in the familiar counter-clockwise format. Ford briefly held the lead before giving way to Ratzlaff. When the field was turned backwards in the clockwise format, Ratzlaff appeared to have the upper-hand. Ratzlaff was able to lead the final stages and take the victory over Ford, Buell, Jake Keeling and Natya Hanson.

The first leg Super 6 Late Model Challenge Series took place on the night. The Super 6 Series will feature four more races at Redwood Acres Raceway in 2017 and one at Ukiah Speedway on July 15th and is presented by Danielson Construction, Mid-City Motor World and North Coast Lighting & Electric.

Mic Moulton set quick time with a 15.854. In all, 16 cars qualified for the event. Leonard Ward III was not one of them however as he had an incident prior to qualifying which took him out for the night. The heat races determined the starting positions for the 75-lap main event. Riley Watson won the first heat which gave him the ninth starting spot. Eddie Kline took the second heat and pole position for the feature.

Home-town favorite, Brandon White took the lead from the start. It was a position he would never relinquish. The big story of the race was the trouble that drivers in second place encountered in the final stages of the main event. Marty Walsh was a strong second the majority of the night before he seemed to encounter issues which knocked him out of the spot. Tim Crenshaw moved to second before his car broke. Watson was having a strong run and took second after Crenshaw’s problems but he too succumbed to issues and was forced to the pits. Up front, White encountered no issues and was able to take the victory. Kenny Demello had a stellar run with a second place finish. Moulton placed third over Eric Gannon and Walsh.

The second race of the season on the pavement at the Acres takes place May 13th. On May 12th, the Acres will host the season-opening event for the outlaw karts. For more information regarding all the racing action at Redwood Acres Raceway, please visit the track’s official website www.RacingTheAcres.com

North State Modifieds return to the Acres

By Matthew J. Sullivan

After a long three-week break, racing returns to the 3/8-mile paved oval known as Redwood Acres Raceway this Saturday July 23rd. In addition to the six local divisions, the North State Modified Series will also be in action for Lithia Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram of Eureka Night at the Races.

The championship battle in the California State and Federal Employee’s Credit Union roadrunner class is a two-driver race at this point in the season. Steve Paiment holds the lead by 15 points over Tyler Peach. Patrick Sproul is the highest rookie in the standings in third but is 41 points behind Paiment. Bethany Rapp is fourth in the standings followed by Dominic Vogelsang in fifth.

In the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bombers, it’s a one man show for the division’s track championship. James Moore holds a huge 57 point advantage over second place, Ryan Ahrens. Rookie, John Lally holds down third in points while division dominator, Tyler Avelar is fourth. Another rookie, Kimberly Sorrels rounds out the top five in the division standings.

The Humboldt Hydroponic mini stock division features a tight, three-man race for the track championship. Only 11 points separate the top three drivers of Jarrett Mayo, Gary Klinetobe and Eugene Palmer. Daniel Buell is a mini stock rookie but has done well so far in 2016 and is fourth in the points. Brothers hold down fifth as Brett Murrell and Brian Murrell, Jr. are tied for the position.

The point battle in the Thunder Roadster class is even tighter as division rookie, Ronnie O’Neil leads veteran Tommy Payne by one point. Donnie Brown is third in the standings with Aaron Byers in fourth. Both drivers are still in the fight as they are 19 and 22 points behind the leader but they will need misfortune to strike O’Neil and Payne. Fifth is LeRoy Marsh, Jr. who has returned to the Acres after several years away from the track.

Brent Mack’s once substantial lead in the Legends division is slowly being chipped away by Robert Miller who is only 15 points behind. The daughter and father combination of Anissa Curtice and Brad Curtice are third and fourth in the standings. Young M’Kinzy Uselton holds down fifth in the points.

Despite suffering issues in the most recent event, the Don Graham Memorial Firecracker 100, Mic Moulton still holds the lead in the Mid City Motor World late model standings. Moulton leads Jedd Ambrosini by 14 points. Richard Knight is third in the points and is only four behind Ambrosini. Marty Walsh was unable to even start the last race but is still in the fight and fourth in the standings. Kenny Demello has been steady all season long and is fifth in the points.

The North State Modified Series will return to Redwood Acres Raceway for the second time in 2016. Darrin Knight dominated the first event and is the series points leader by 65 points. Knight has been a dominant force in the NSMS as he has won 3 of the last six series races at the Acres. Even though Knight is running away with the series championship, only six points separate second through fifth in the standings. Bryan Denton and Codi Barba are tied for the second position with 262 points. Darrin Sullivan is fourth while Mike Collins is fifth.

Grandstands open at 5:00 PM this Saturday while racing begins at 6:30 PM. One of the most anticipated events of the year follows on August 6th when the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series returns to the 3/8-mile paved oval for the third time ever. The Bear River Casino & Hotel and Renner Petroleum 125 promises to be intense and action-packed with the top super late model racers on the west coast taking to the Acres pavement. This upcoming weekend’s race will be the last that fans can purchase pre-sale tickets at a discount.

There are only two more chances to see the outlaw 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 everything going on at Redwood Acres Raceway, please visit the track’s official website www.racingtheacres.com

Championships still up in the air at the Acres

By Matthew J. Sullivan

The battle for the track championships in Redwood Acres Raceway’s six divisions is still up in the air. With the season nearly a quarter of the way done there are a lot of things that can change between this weekend’s upcoming race on June 11th and the final point races in September.

Redwood Acres Raceway’s newest division, the Legends are picking up cars as the season progresses. Current point leader, Brent Mack has managed to be the only driver to be able to start each of the four feature events this season and holds a commanding 28 point lead. Former Thunder Roadster racer, Robert Miller has used his experience to move into second. Brad Curtice is a point behind Miller in third while his daughter, Anissa Curtice is fourth only three markers behind. Denny Hadler, Jr. finished second in the most recent main event on May 29th and rounds out the top five in the standings.

Experience is paying off for Steve Paiment who leads the standings for the California State & Federal Employees Credit Union roadrunner division. Tyler Peach holds down second in the point standings and is 14 points behind Paiment. Bethany Rapp lies third and is an additional 13 points behind second place, Peach. Fourth position features a tie between Jennifer Murrell and Patrick Sproul.

Only two points separate first and second in the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bomber division. Tyler Avelar has been a force in the division in 2016 and leads the standings but James Moore is right on his heels in second. Ryan Ahrens is third but 39 points behind Avelar. John Lally is fourth in the standings, seven points behind Ahrens while Kim Sorrels is fifth.

With two main event victories in 2016, Jarrett Mayo leads the chase for the championship in the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock class. Mayo’s advantage is 10 points over second place, Gary Klinetobe. Eugene Palmer is third and 11 points behind Mayo while Daniel Buell is farther back in fourth, 22 points behind Mayo. Brian Murrell, Sr. is fifth in points and 35 markers behind the leaders.

Another Acres veteran who has put his experience to good use in 2016 is Tommy Payne. The former Thunder Roadster champion is looking to add another to his resume and leads second place Ronnie O’Neil by nine points. Aaron Byers is third in the standings and still within sight of Payne as he’s 12 points behind. Fourth is Donnie Brown who is a single point behind third. LeRoy Marsh, Jr. rounds out the top five, 28 points behind Payne.

The Mid City Motor World late models have been off for nearly a month and it should be interesting this Saturday to see how the break has affected the drivers and teams in the division. Only fifteen points separate first to fifth in the standings with Mic Moulton leading second place, Marty Walsh by two points. Racing legend, Jim Walker is third and four points behind Moulton. Jedd Ambrosini is fourth while Kenny Demello rounds out the top five.

Racing at Redwood Acres Raceway returns this Saturday June 11th for Humboldt Motorsports Night at the Races. As noted, the Mid-City Motor World late models will return to the track to join the other five local classes of cars. Grandstands will open at 5:00 PM while racing begins at 6:30 PM. For more information on everything going on at Redwood Acres Raceway, please visit the track’s official website www.racingtheacres.com

Moulton, Payne early season point leaders

By Matthew J. Sullivan

Two races have been completed in Redwood Acres Raceway’s 2016 season and already fans have seen some memorable moments in all six of the raceway’s local divisions. The excitement promises to ramp up this Sunday May 29th for O’Reilly Auto Parts Night at the Races. While the late model division will have the night off, the rest of the five local divisions will play host to the exciting North State Modified Series.

The points in Redwood Acres Raceway’s newest division, the Legends is currently being led by Brent Mack. He currently holds a substantial 37 point lead over the two drivers tied for second place, Brad Curtice and Anissa Curtice who also happen to be father and daughter. Mack’s large lead is due to avoiding catastrophe in the season opening race on April 30th. Keith Van Dyne is fourth and Robert Miller rounds out the top five. The class is expected to grow as 2016 progresses.

Steve Paiment has a three point advantage over Tyler Peach in the California State & Federal Employee Credit Union roadrunner division. Two female drivers sit third in fourth in the standings with Jennifer Murrell 14 points in arrears to Paiment and Bethany Rapp 17 points behind the leader. Rookie driver, Patrick Sproul is fifth in points and 20 behind Paiment.

The battle for the track championship in the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bomber division is very tight as a single point separates James Moore in first and Tyler Avelar in second. Ryan Ahrens holds on to third in the standings and is eight points behind Moore. Rookie driver, Kim Sorrels is fourth and 17 points behind Moore while another rookie, John Lally holds down the fifth position.

The Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock division has arguably produced some of the best racing at the Acres thus far in 2016. Only eight points separate first through third in the standings. Jarrett Mayo currently leads Gary Klinetobe by three markers while Eugene Palmer is right on both of their heels in third. Daniel Buell is a rookie in the mini stock class and has used smart driving and consistent finishes to get to fourth in the standings, 19 points behind Mayo. Fifth place is a tie between mini stock veteran, Brian Murrell, Sr. and mini stock rookie, Michael Lawrence. Both drivers are 28 points behind Mayo.

The Thunder Roadster division has put on some exciting races as well in 2016. Tommy Payne is a former champion in the division and is the owner of an eight point lead over Thunder Roadster rookie, Aaron Byers. Donnie Brown is third and only four points behind Byers. Four points behind Brown is another rookie, Ronnie O’Neil. Fifth in the standings is a tie between LeRoy Marsh, Jr. who’s returned to the Acres after several seasons away and rookie, Jett Taylor.

The Mid City Motor World late models will not be partaking in the upcoming Memorial Day weekend events which likely is a blessing for several drivers in the division. Mic Moulton leads the standings in spite of suffering issues in the previous race on May 14th. Second place, Marty Walsh has been able to avoid any severe incidents and is only two points behind Moulton for the lead. Jim Walker is third in the standings, only four points behind Moulton. The West Coast racing legend’s car suffered heavy damage in the most recent race and it will be interesting to see how soon Walker will return to action. Jedd Ambrosini holds down fourth in the standings, only eight points behind Moulton while Kenny Demello is fifth, 15 points behind the leader.

The North State Modified Series visits Redwood Acres Raceway this weekend for their second race of the 2016 season, the Swartz Diesel Nor-Cal 60. Sacramento’s Jason Philpot won the season opening Gene Welch Classic at All American Speedway on April 23rd. The scheduled May 7th race at Shasta Speedway was rained out. Last season’s two NSMS races at the Acres were won by Rich Lindgren and Darren Knight.

Redwood Acres Raceway will hold an open practice Saturday May 28th from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM followed by a barbecue. Sunday grandstands open at 5:00 PM, while racing will begin at 6:00 PM. General admission is $15, seniors $13 and children 12 & under are $2.00. Kids under five years old are free while military members who present their military IDs will also enter free. For more information on this weekend’s upcoming races, please visit Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website, www.racingtheacres.com

Point races muddled after season opening event

By Matthew J. Sullivan

Opening night at Redwood Acres Raceway on April 30th proved to be a very interesting evening of racing on the 3/8-mile paved oval. The battle for the track championship in all six divisions still has a long way to go. Those at the top are looking to add to their early advantage while others hope to recover from woes suffered in the first race of 2016.

Steve Paiment currently leads the California State & Federal Employee Credit Union roadrunner standings. The division veteran holds a five point advantage over second place, Tyler Peach. Bethany Rapp and Jennifer Murrell are tied for third while Richard Standcliff is fifth. Standcliff is division rookie and won opening night’s main event in the roadrunners.

The Fortuna Wheel & Brake bomber division standings are currently being led by Tyler Avelar. His advantage is four points over James Moore thanks to his main event victory. Ryan Ahrens is seven points behind Avelar in third while Matt Simon and Kim Sorrels round out the top five, ten and twelve points in arrears to Avelar.

Jarrett Mayo was dominant in the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock division on April 30th. His advantage over Gary Klinetobe is four points. Eugene Palmer sits third in the standings and is only eight points behind Mayo. Division rookie, Daniel Buell is fourth 11 points behind Mayo while Brett Murrell is fifth and 12 points off Mayo’s lead.

After winning the first Thunder Roadster feature, division point leader, Tommy Payne will look to add another victory while padding his lead for the track championship. Payne has a six point lead over Donnie Brown in the standings. Aaron Byers and Ronnie O’Neill are tied for third and are seven points behind Payne. Chris Sarvinski had a tough first night but is still in the fight as he is fifth in the standings and only 10 points behind Payne.

Due to the rest of the field having issues on opening night, Brent Mack has a substantial lead in the new Legend division standings. Mack leads Anissa Curtice by 33 markers. Brad Curtice is 41 points behind while M’Kinzy Uselton is 43 points off Mack’s lead.

The Mid City Motor World late model point standings are currently being led by veteran driver, Mic Moulton. Second place is locked between opening night feature winner, Jedd Ambrosini and west coast racing legend, Jim Walker both of whom are three points behind Moulton. Another tie rounds out the top five drivers in the division standings as Marty Walsh and Kenny Demello are eight points behind Moulton.

Racing returns to Redwood Acres Raceway in this Saturday May 14th for Pepsi Night at the Acres. All six local divisions will be in action for what should be another thrilling night of action on the pavement. Grandstands open at 5:00PM with racing beginning at 6:30PM. For more information, visit Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website, www.racingtheacres.com.