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/

Henderson Serves Notice, Wins Second Super 6 Race Of The Season

Eureka, CA (August 28, 2017) – A packed house was in attendance this past weekend at Redwood Acres Raceway. It was Anderson Logging Driver Appreciation Night and the thrill of the racing was likely matched with the thrill of the opportunity for fans to meet their favorite drivers during the on-track meet and greet. With the packed schedule for the evening, track officials opted not to run heat races for all divisions with the exception of the Legends and late models.

Tim Buzzard, Jr. made his first visit to the Acres on the weekend as was fast time in the California State And Federal Employee’s Credit Union with a 20.750. The 20-lap main event was ran half forward and half backward around the 3/8-mile track. The first five laps saw the lead change hands between three drivers, Andy Savage, Tim Ratzlaff and Nick Ford. Buzzard, Jr. moved to the lead on lap six and held it until the mid-race caution flag where the field was turned around to race in the opposite direction. Daniel Buell gained the advantage on lap 11 before giving way to Buzzard, Jr. on lap 12. Buzzard, Jr. led until the final lap when he and Ford got together in turn four. Buell was able to sneak by the incident to claim the win. Buzzard, Jr. and Ford crossed the line in second and third. Rookie, Lindsey Zito continues to impress as she finished fourth and another Acres visitor, Michelle O’Dell placed fifth.

Qualifying for the Nor-Cal Automotive Legends division was paced by Cottonwood, California driver, Derek Copeland with an 18.064. Copeland followed up his fast time with wins in both the trophy dash and heat race. Daniel Whitley led the first four laps of the 25-lap main event. On lap five, Copeland powered to the lead, a position he would never relinquish. Whitley had a fight for second with Tyler Peach nipping at his heels. Whitley spun on lap 16 bringing out the caution. The yellow flag only delayed the inevitable for Copeland and he took the victory. Robert Miller was second followed by Joe Brattoli, Peach and Whitley.

Fast time for the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bombers was John Lally with an 18.461. Jim Redd came out on top in the four-lap dash. Kolby Jackson led the opening three laps of the 25-lap main event. On lap four, bomber rookie Sam Brown took over. Brown was impressive as he held the lead for the majority of the race. Sadly for him, the chance for victory was taken away. On lap 16, Jeff French maneuvered his car to the race lead. From there on it was French’s race. At the finish it was French taking his second main event win of the year. Brown took second as Jackson, Chris Naughton and Bethany Rapp rounded out the top five finishers.

As the season as progressed, Brett Murrell has served notice to the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock class that he is the top driver in the division. He set fast time with an 18.830. Scott Taylor held on to claim the trophy dash. Troy Lee used his pole position staring spot to lead the first five laps of the 25-lap main event. On lap six, Brett Murrell took over. Brett’s older brother Brian made his first start of 2017 and showed no signs of rust as he ran in second for most of the race. On the seventeenth circuit, Eugene Palmer got by for second. Palmer did all he could to try to close in on the leader but just didn’t have enough. Brett Murrell crossed the finish line first ahead of Palmer. Taylor was third with Murrell, Jr. fourth and Lee fifth.

Ronnie O’Neil set quick time for the Lone Star Junction Thunder Roadsters. O’Neil’s time was 17.374. Tommy Payne was able to hold of O’Neil in the trophy dash to take the victory. O’Neil dominated the majority of the race but a late yellow flag bunched the field. The restart saw some of the best racing at the Acres all year as O’Neil and Payne went door-to-door for the final six laps. The lead changed between the two drivers three times before O’Neil was able to gain the advantage on the low line. Payne never gave up and on the final lap he made a last ditch effort to get by O’Neil. Payne didn’t have quite enough as O’Neil took the victory by only 43-thousandths of a second. Chris Lawrence was third, Tyler Peach fourth and Paul Baker fifth.

22 drivers showed up for the Super 6 Late Model Challenge Series race sponsored by Anderson Logging, Danielson Construction, Mid-City Motor World and North Coast Lighting And Electric. Brandon White narrowly was the fast qualifier with a 15.761. As always, the heat races determined the starting positions for the 75-lap main event. Eddie Klein won the first heat and Marty Walsh in second. Dennis Delbiaggio opened some eyes as he won the third heat which gave him pole position for the feature event.

The field narrowed down to 20 as both Jim Walker and Mike Bourbon had issues that prevented them from starting the event. Dane Nissen grabbed the lead briefly before giving way to Mic Moulton on lap four. Moulton led until lap 30 until it appeared a right front tire went down on his car. Moulton pitted under yellow handing the lead to David Henderson. When the race got going, it was clear that Henderson had one of, if not the best car in the field as he was able to pull away from second place, Brandon White.

The caution flew on lap 50 when George Young hit the wall hard coming off turn two. Thankfully Young was okay but his car showed severe damage from the incident. Several late race yellows put Henderson on the hot seat as he needed to make perfect restarts. Only once did White seriously challenge Henderson. Back in the pack, Moulton was making a fantastic recovery as he drove from the back of the pack in thrilling fashion. Nobody had anything for Henderson though and he was able to take his second win of the year by nearly two seconds. White held on for second while Moulton got by his lead title rival, Eric Gannon for third on the last lap. Dane Nissen returned from being away from on-track action as he rounded out the top five.

Racing takes a break at Redwood Acres for Labor Day weekend and will return September 9th. Joining the roadrunners, Legends, bombers, mini stocks and Thunder Roadsters will be the North State Modified Series which will be making their third and final stop at RAR this season. The Super 6 Late Model Challenge Series will return for the Fall Spectacular on September 30th and October 1st. The track champion for the late models as well as all five other divisions will be decided that weekend.
For full race results, points information and anything else, please visit Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website www.RacingTheAcres.com

Ray, Lally Big Bomber Bash Victors

Eureka, CA (August 6, 2017) – For the seventh time in the 2017 season, Redwood Acres Raceway was in action. It was Renner Petroleum Night at the Races. In addition to the four other local classes of cars, RAR hosted a high-dollar Bomber Bash.

Brandi Robertson was making her first start ever at Redwood Acres Raceway in the California State and Federal Employee’s Credit Union roadrunner division. She set fast time with a 20.185. The first of the two 20-lap main events was caution plagued and featured several incidents. One in particular included Tim Ratzlaff and Daniel Buell. Ratzlaff hit wall off turn two while Buell had his front bumper ripped off. Nick Ford patiently worked his way through traffic. With three laps remaining, Ford took the lead from his brother, Dylan. At the finish it was Nick Ford winning over Buell, Jake Keeling, Robertson and Jennifer Murrell.

The second main was much cleaner as the roadrunners ran backwards this time. Keeling looked primed to take his first-ever main event win as he ran away from the pack and dominated the first half of the race. Unfortunately for Keeling, he could not hold off Buell. On lap 13, Buell took the lead. Buell’s advantage over Keeling at the finish was only half of a second. Tim Ratzlaff recovered from the first main issues to take third. Andy Savage placed fourth while Bob Ratzlaff took fifth.

11 Nor-Cal Automotive Legends cars took to the track on the night. Joe Bratolli set quick time with a 18.115, only a hundredth quicker than Brian Kamisky. Kamisky took the trophy dash win while the heat races were won by Brad Curtice and Kamisky. Tyler Peach took the lead at the start of the 25-lap main and showed his potential as he led the majority of the race. The best racing on the track was being done by Curtice who slowly but steadily maneuvered from the back to the top five. Buddy Cox took the lead with nine laps remaining. A lap later, Curtice spun out of the third spot for the only yellow of the race. The restart fell into Kamisky’s hands as he was able to take the lead and held on for the final six laps. Young, Daniel Whitley made a good account for himself in second followed by Cox, Curtice and Brent Mack.

Qualifying for the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock division was paced by Brian Murrell, Sr. with a time of 18.976. Eugene Palmer was the trophy dash winner while heat race wins went to Troy Lee and Brett Murrell. Brandon Katri and Lee traded the race lead in the first five laps of the 25-lap main event. On lap five. Brett Murrell powered to the race lead. As he has done for the majority of the season, Murrell was dominant as he was able to lead the rest of the way. Palmer was able to close the gap a bit in the final stages but at the finish it was Brett Murrell taking another main event victory. Palmer took second while Murrell, Sr. Scott Taylor and Gary Klinetobe rounded out the top five finishers.

Ronnie O’Neil was quickest in qualifying for the Lone Star Junction Thunder Roadster class with a 17.410. Both the trophy dash and heat races were won by Chris Lawrence. In the 30-lap feature, Lawrence took the lead on lap one and was able to hold on to it for the first 13 circuits. O’Neil powered by on lap 14 and was able to run away from the rest of the pack. Tommy Payne moved to second on lap 17 but did not have the strength to seriously challenge O’Neil for the win. At the checkered flag it was O’Neil getting his first main event win of the season. Payne took second while Lawrence held on for third. Chris Sarvinski placed fourth and Donnie Brown fifth.

The Acres hosted its first Bomber Bash of the season with two 50-lap features for the night. The Fortuna Wheel and Brake sponsored division had an influx of the purse thanks to Four Star Realty, Lally Motorsports and Renner Petroleum. The winner of each heat race was awarded $1,000. If a driver was able to sweep both races, they would be eligible for $5,000 in bonus money during the Fall Spectacular weekend should they win both races on that date.

Mike Sullivan set fast time in the bombers with a 17.984. Erick Ray was the trophy dash winner. The heat races determined the starting lineup for the first feature. Ryan Walters won the first heat which gave him the outside front row position. Sullivan won the second heat race which gave him the pole. Sullivan shot to the lead in the first main and looked to have the best car in the field as he was able to run away from the pack. Walters fell into second place and had his hands full with Ray for the position. During a caution on lap 26, Sullivan’s car lost power down the front stretch and he fell out of action for the night.

The restart featured a spectacular duel between Walters and Ray for the lead. Between laps 31 through 35, the lead changed hands each time amongst the two. On lap 36, Ray got the advantage and was able to hold off Walters the rest of the way. The top five for the first main was Ray, Walters, Jeff French, Ryan Ahrens and Kolby Jackson.

With $1,000 in his pocket, Ray looked to sweep both races to be eligible for the big bonus at the Fall Spectacular. Ray drew the number eight which inverted the first eight finishers in the first main for the second. This gave John Lally and Jim Redd the front row for main event number two.
Lally quickly moved to the lead at the drop of the green as the field spread out. All eyes were on Ray who had trouble maneuvering through the field. Ray’s hopes of sweeping the night and going for the bonus were dashed on lap 13 when he and Ahrens made contact in heavy traffic. Ray was forced to the pits for the night. Up front, nobody had anything for Lally. He was able to lead flag-to-flag and took the win by nearly four seconds over Walters. French placed third for the second time on the night. Donovan Cox and Jim Redd completed the top five.

Racing on the 3/8-mile paved oval goes on hiatus for three weeks before returning Saturday August 26th. The event will be both Driver Appreciation Night and Back To School Night. In addition to the roadrunners, Legends, bombers, mini stock and Thunder Roadsters, the final point race of the season for the Super 6 Late Model Challenge Series will also take place. Another feature for the night will be the annual Murrell 500.

Between then and now, Redwood Acres Raceway will host monster truck action with the Malicious Monster Truck Insanity Tour visiting the facility on August 11th and 12th. Additionally there will be Monster Truck rides and Tuff Trucks both nights. The Saturday August 12th event will also feature the popular boat races. Pre-sale tickets and more information about the event are available at www.RacingTheAcres.com. Pre-sale tickets are also available at the fair office and Fortuna Wheel & Brake.

White Wins Third Firecracker 100 In A Row

#19 won his third straight Firecracker 100

Eureka, CA (July 2, 2017) – After a two week break in action, racing at Redwood Acres Raceway returned this past Saturday night for a very special Independence Day weekend event presented by North Coast Lighting And Electric. Roadrunners, bombers and mini stocks were in action along with the fourth race in the Super 6 Late Model Challenge Series, the third annual Don Graham Memorial Firecracker 100. Following the 100-lap feature event, RAR treated fans to a dazzling fireworks display.

Qualifying for the California State And Federal Employees’ Credit Union roadrunner division was paced by Daniel Buell with a 20.530. The first 20-lap main was run backwards and proved to be a Ratzlaff family affair. Bob Ratzlaff dominated from the pole, leading the opening 10 laps. On lap 11, Tim Ratzlaff took over and never looked back. Tim Ratzlaff took the win over Buell, Nick Ford, Jake Keeling and Lindsey Zito.

Natya Dawn led the first three laps in the second main which was run in normal fashion. Things got busy after that as Buell and Ford traded the lead several times. Buell finally got a firm hold on the lead on lap 12 and looked as though he had the win in the bag. Unfortunately for Buell, he broke out of the 21-second rule on lap 17 and was forced out of the lead. Ford took over and was able to hold off Tim Ratzlaff from there to take the win. Dawn narrowly beat Buell to the line for third while Jake Keeling finished fifth.

R.J. Randall was fast time in the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bombers with a time of 18.364. Jim Redd took the trophy dash win. Heat races in the bomber and mini stock divisions were not run on the night due to the 100-lap late model event and the post-race fireworks display. Kolby Jackson got the jump at the start of the 25-lap main event and dominated leading 17 laps. On lap 18, Randall was finally able to muscle by Jackson to take the lead. While coming to take the white flag, Randall’s car shut off. This allowed late arrival, Jeff French to take the lead. At the finish it was French winning by .810 over Kolby Jackson. Redd placed third while John Lally recovered from issues to finish fourth. Randall was credited with fifth.

Brian Murrell narrowly set the fastest time in the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock division with a 19.025. Brett Murrell was the trophy dash victor. Trevor Eacret briefly held the lead in the 25-lap feature but by lap four, Brett Murrell had moved from the back to the front and past Eacret for the top spot. Murrell’s closest competition came in the form of Gary Klinetobe who was able to close in Murrell’s lead. Unfortunately for Klinetobe, he did not have the strength to provide a serious challenge to Murrell. At the finish it was Brett Murrell taking home the win by over a second over Klinetobe. Scott Taylor finished third followed by Eacret and Rick Estes.

19 cars showed up for the Super 6 Late Model Challenge Series Don Graham Memorial Firecracker 100 presented by Danielson Construction, Mid-City Motor World and North Coast Lighting And Electric. Unfortunately two of the drivers were unable to take time as Dane Nissen and George Young both had issues that prevented them from racing. Brandon White set a new standard in the late model division with fast time and the track record, a 15.685. Marty Walsh won the first qualifying heat which netted him the ninth starting position. West coast racing legend, Jim Walker earned pole for the 100-lap feature with a win in the second heat race.

Brandon White used the outside pole to his advantage as he shot out to the lead at the start of the Firecracker 100. Right from the start, it was apparent that the handling on Walker’s car was not right as he dropped back dramatically in the field. Walker made seven laps before taking his car to the pits for the night. The first 22 laps were run incident-free until a three-car pileup in turn two involving Dennis DelBiaggio, Richard Knight and Dustin Walters brought out the caution. The leaders were able to narrowly avoid the incident.

Caution fever began with the yellow flying four times between lap 23 and lap 32. First, Kenny Demello spun. Then debris from Walsh’s car brought out two more yellows. Then contact between Ryun Leazer and Steven Gannon sent Gannon into the front stretch wall and out of the race.

The event only had one caution thereafter as there was a long and exciting green-flag run. White pulled out to the lead with his closest competitors coming in the form of Brandon Ash, Luke Hall and David Miller. As the race wound down, it appeared as though Hall began to close on White. On lap 70, series point leader Mic Moulton pulled off the track and out of the event. Four laps later, Hall succumbed to problems and was forced into the pits.

On lap 83, Ash had closed right in on White’s bumper. On lap 84, Ash got under White going down the back stretch for the lead. Just as Ash got to the lead, the caution flew as Kenny Demello spun on the front straightaway. This proved to be the big decider in the race as the caution cost Ash the lead due to the field not racing back to the caution flag and scoring reverting to the previous lap. The caution allowed White to cool his tires and he was able to pull away on the restart as Ash fell back to third following a pass by Miller. At the finish it was White winning the Firecracker 100 for the third straight year over Miller and Ash. Walsh placed fourth, the last car on the lead lap while Leazer was fifth.

Racing at Redwood Acres Raceway goes on a two-week summer vacation. The season resumes Saturday July 22nd with the North State Modified Series returning to the 3/8-mile oval for the second time in 2017. Between then and now, the Super 6 Late Model Challenge Series will be making its one and only stop to the 1/3-mile oval at Ukiah Speedway on July 15th. For more information on everything going on at Redwood Acres Raceway, please visit the track’s official website www.RacingTheAcres.com

Henderson Survives Full Moon Fever, Wins Biggest Race of Career

Late model winner, David Henderson

Eureka, CA (June 11, 2017) – It was Harper Motors Night this past Saturday at Redwood Acres Raceway. Joining the roadrunners, Legends, bombers, mini stock and Thunder Roadsters for the night were the late models for their third race of the Super 6 Late Model Challenge series.

Fast time for the California State and Federal Employee’s Credit Union roadrunner division was set by Daniel Buell with a 20.499. The first of the two main events for the division was ran backwards as Tim Ratzlaff took the lead on lap two and dominated the 20-lap event, leading 14 laps. Lap 16 proved to be Ratzlaff’s downfall as he hit the wall in turn three and fell out of the race. This handed the lead to Natya Dawn who had her hands full with Nick Ford. Dawn held the advantage on the white flag lap but going down the back stretch, Ford got the lead. At the finish it was Ford taking the win over Dawn, Daniel Buell, Bob Ratzlaff and Lindsey Zito.

Daniel Buell quickly raced to the lead of the second feature which was run under normal circumstances. The 21-second breakout rule came into effect in the latter stages of the race as both Buell and Tim Ratzlaff were forced to slow and allow the position behind to pass them. This played into Dawn’s favor as she was able to wrangle the lead with three laps to go. Unfortunately for her, just as in the previous race, Dawn was unable to hold off second place. Buell was able to get by on the final lap to take the win. Dawn held on for another second over Tim Ratzlaff, Ford and Jennifer Murrell.

Tyler Peach was the quickest in qualifying for the Nor-Cal Automotive Legends division with a time of 18.699. The night proved to belong to Peach as he was able to sweep the event with wins in the trophy dash, heat race and main event. Dominic Vogelsang placed second in the main followed by MKinzy Uselton.

In the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bomber division, R.J. Randall set fast time with an 18.207. Donnie Brown won the trophy dash and the heat race victories. A big incident ensued on the first lap of the 25-lap main event with Kolby Jackson and John Lally getting the worse end of it as both cars suffered damage. Lally was forced out of the race. On the restart, Randall took over and pulled out to a comfortable lead. Mike Sullivan slowly reeled in Randall in the closing stages but could only manage to get a little over a second to Randall. At the checkered it was Randall winning over Sullivan, James Moore, Brown and Bethany Rapp.

Brett Murrell set fast time in the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock division with an 18.987. Murrell followed his top qualifying time with a win in the trophy dash. Rick Estes was the winner of the first heat race while Scott Taylor narrowly won the second heat. It didn’t take Brett Murrell long to move to the lead as he was able to move from the back of the pack to first in only two laps. Jarrett Mayo looked to be Murrell’s stiffest competitor in the early going but heavy smoke began to pour from his car and he was forced into the pits. Murrell pulled out to what proved to be an insurmountable lead. At the finish it was Murrell taking the win over his father, Brian Murrell, Sr. Eugene Palmer was third followed by Estes and Taylor.

Paul Peeples, Jr. was the top driver in qualifying for the Lone Star Junction Thunder Roadster division. Peeples timed in with a 17.194. Tommy Payne won the trophy dash while Peeples took heat race honors. The main event proved to be Peeples’ playground as he was in the lead by lap two. As Peeples pulled away, the battle for second was as good as it gets with Payne and O’Neil trading the spot numerous times. With five laps remaining in the 30-lap feature, Payne was able to secure second from O’Neil. Peeples advantage at the finish was nearly four seconds over Payne and O’Neil. Chris Lawrence took third while Tyler Peach placed fourth in his first time in a Thunder Roadster.

15 late models took time in the Super Six Late Model Challenge series presented by Danielson Construction, Mid-City Motor World and North Coast Lighting and Electric. Mic Moulton set the standard in qualifying with a time of 15.922. The finish of the heat races determined the starting lineup for the 75-lap feature. Richard Knight won the first heat which garnered him the ninth starting position for the main. Eric Gannon won the second heat race and secured the pole position for the feature. Gannon took the lead at the start of the main but had his hands full as David Henderson was tight in his mirror. The two ran nose-to-tail for the first 28 laps. On lap 29, Henderson maneuvered under Gannon to take the lead.

A spin by Richard Knight on lap 34 brought out a rash of cautions. Tyler Avelar and George Young had a meeting with the water barrels at the turn two pit entrance forcing a caution flag and a lengthy cleanup. Two more lengthy cleanups ensued as oil was dropped on the track. When things got going again, Henderson got to moving. By lap 40, Henderson was out to a comfortable lead as Marty Walsh took second from Gannon.

As the race went on, Henderson’s strength did not wane. Moulton took second from Walsh in the final few laps but had no chance of catching Henderson without the aid of a caution flag. Henderson took the victory by over half the length of the 3/8-mile paved oval. Moulton placed second with Walsh, Gannon and Tim Crenshaw rounding out the top five.

Racing at Redwood Acres Raceway takes a two week break before returning Saturday July 1st for the Don Graham Memorial Firecracker 100 for the late models. While Legends and Thunder Roadsters will have the night off, roadrunners, mini stocks and bombers will also be in action. Following the races will be the annual fireworks spectacular which has become a huge attraction for fans. For those looking for their oval-racing fix in the next few weeks, outlaw kart action will take place Saturday June 17th.

The Best Of Humboldt Fair at Redwood Acres is set to take place in two weeks and Redwood Acres Raceway plays host to the MLM Motorsports tractor pulls Saturday June 24th. VIP tickets can be purchased for $20.00 on the track’s official website, www.RacingTheAcres.com as well as Fortuna Wheel & Brake and the Redwood Acres Fair office. For more information on the upcoming events at the Acres, please visit www.RacingTheAcres.com

Moulton survives to take Super 6 race win

#10 Mic Moulton took the late model win Saturday night

EUREKA, CA (May 13, 2017) – The second race of the 2017 season at Redwood Acres Raceway took place this past Saturday night. It was the annual Pepsi Night at the races and another packed house witnessed another memorable night that featured exciting racing and some scary incidents.

In the Nor-Cal Automotive Legends division, Cody Winchel set quick time with a 17.888. Winchel followed up his fast time with a win in the trophy dash. M’Kinzy Uselton won her first ever race in the first heat while Winchel took the second. Two rookies in Uselton and Dominic Vogelsang led the field to the green in the 25-lap feature. Uselton took the initial lead but lost it on lap three to Brad Curtice. Spins by Robert Miller in turn two and Vogelsang didn’t result in caution flags. Curtice had a firm hold on the lead until lap 10 when Uselton spun out.

After another caution, Winchel was able to take the lead on the restart and pulled to a commanding lead. Brent Mack suffered a massive engine failure on lap 19 which brought out the red flag. When racing resumed, Winchel reasserted himself as the top competitor and was able to take the win. Brad Curtice placed second while Miller, Anissa Curtice and Mack rounded out the top five.

Donnie Brown was subbing for Jim Redd in the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bomber class and he set fast time for the night with a 18.400. Brown took the win in the trophy dash while Raymond Taylor won a spirited heat race. Ray Rapp was driving his daughter Bethany’s car for the night. He along with James Moore led the field to the green flag. The race was slowed on lap four when Jimmy Sorrels car stopped in the infield. Brown took the race lead on the restart but on lap seven, Moore maneuvered into first.

While moving through slower traffic, Moore tried to pass Chris Naughton on the outside of turn four. Unfortunately the two got together and hit the wall forcing both drivers out of the race. Brown resumed as race leader but spun in turns three and four on lap 20 giving Rapp the lead. With two laps remaining, Lally was able to get by Rapp for what proved to be the race win. At the checkered it was Lally winning over Rapp, Brown, Taylor and Moore.

Qualifying for the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock division was paced by Brian Murrell, Sr. with a 18.855. Brett Murrell was the trophy dash winner while heat race winners were Trevor Eacert and Brett Murrell. Cole Peterson and Troy Lee led the field to the green in the 25-lap main event. After two early cautions, Murrell, Sr. took the lead from Lee as Murrell followed into second.

The middle stages of the main featured a spectacular duel between the father and son duo of Brian and Brett Murrell. On lap nine, Brett moved to the lead. A lap later, the lead exchanged yet again with Brian getting the upper-hand. On lap 12, Brett made what proved to be the winning move for the lead. A late caution due to a spin by Lee in turn four bunched the field but Murrell was able to hold off all challengers. At the finish it was Brett Murrell winning followed by Brian Murrell, Sr., Jarrett Mayo, Eugene Palmer and Trevor Eacert.

Paul Peeples, Jr. set fast time for the Lone Star Junction Thunder Roadster division with a 17.188. Ronnie O’Neill took the trophy dash win while the heat race went to Peeples. Jason Mitchell and Chris Sarvinski paced the field to the green in the 30-lap feature. The race proved to be caution-free as Sarvinski took the lead from the start over O’Neill. On lap four, O’Neill moved under and by Sarvinski and pulled out to a substantial lead. As the race progressed however, Peeples was able to close the gap. With five laps remaining, the margin between first and second was barely a car length. O’Neill was able to withstand the pressure from Peeples and took the feature win. Payne placed third over Sarvinski and Corey Toole.

Fast time for the California State and Federal Employee’s Credit Union roadrunners was set by Daniel Buell with a lap of 20.518. Buell followed his fast time up with wins in the trophy dash and heat race. Natya Hanson and Jennifer Murrell led the field for the 20-lap feature. The first 10 laps were raced in reverse fashion and immediately Buell took the lead and ran away from the field.

Even after reversing the course and going in the normal direction, Buell was dominant. Nick Ford made up ground in the final few laps and by the last lap, the two were less than a car length between each other. Coming off turn four, Ford made a last ditch effort for the win. Buell and Ford raced side-by-side to the checkered flag with Buell edging Ford. Jake Keeling took third while Jordon Paiment placed fourth and Tim Ratzlaff fifth.

The second race of the Super 6 Late Model Challenge Series presented by Danielson Construction, Mid-City Motor World and North Coast Lighting & Electric took place on the night. Brandon White set the pace for the field of 17 cars with a time of 15.759. The heat races determined the starting lineup for the 75-lap feature. Heat race one was won by Northern California racing legend, Jim Walker while the second heat was won by Riley Watson.

Mic Moulton used the outside pole position to his advantage as he shot out to the lead at the drop of the green flag. On lap nine, third place starter and winner of the first Super 6 race, White took the lead. White looked to have the dominant car yet again as he led the majority of the first half of the event. Fan favorite Walker lasted only 20 laps before he pulled into the pits for the night. By lap 25, Brandon Ash had moved his way to second and began slowly gaining ground on White. On lap 40, Ash maneuvered by White for the race lead. A few laps later, White pulled into the pits with problems. Ash looked to have the race in hand until a caution flew on lap 68 due to fluid on the track. It was determined that the fluid was coming from Ash’s car and the Oregon driver was forced out of the race.

Watson inherited the lead and had a duel with Moulton and Marty Walsh. Coming off turn four on lap 69, Walsh and Watson got together. Walsh slide into the infield and back onto the track in turn one collecting Watson. Both drivers hit the turn one and two wall hard but thankfully neither was injured. Moulton took the lead and held off David Henderson’s charge in the final handful of laps to take the victory. Eric Gannon placed third while Kenny Demello had another stellar run in fourth and Richard Knight took fifth.

Racing at the Acres takes a break and will return for a special Sunday afternoon race on Memorial Day weekend May 28th. Legends, bombers, Thunder Roadsters, mini stocks and roadrunners will be in action along with the North State Modified Series. For those who are looking for a racing fix during the break, RAR will host the first outlaw kart action of the season Saturday May 20th. The season opener was originally scheduled for May 12th but was cancelled due to rain. For more information of everything going on at Redwood Acres Raceway, please visit the track’s official website, www.RacingTheAcres.com

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

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

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.

Championship favorites making early season push

Championship favorites making early season push

By Matthew J. Sullivan

The 2014 season at Redwood Acres Raceway has started off in fine fashion. The action on the track has been thrilling the first three races.  Between the door-to-door action and the close finishes, fans have witnessed great racing in all five of the Acres local divisions. Things should prove to get even more exciting in the coming weeks.

Gary Klinetobe has been the dominant factor in the Humboldt Hydroponics roadrunner division thus far in 2014. In the first three races this season, Klinetobe has won the trophy dash, heat race and main event, going 9-for-9. His dominance in the division shows in the point standings as he holds a comfortable 21 point margin over second place, Eugene Palmer. Third in the standings is rookie, Rick Estes, 29 points behind Klinetobe. Robbie Robinson and Tim Abeyta are tied for fourth position 33 points in arrears of Klinetobe.

The John’s Used Cars and Auto Wreckers bombers class has been Leonard Ward’s playground so far in 2014. Ward has won two main events in the former real stock division and has a 12 point lead ahead of rookie driver, James Moore whom already has a main event victory this season. Tyler Avelar and Michael Lawrence are tied for third 19 points behind Ward while Matt Simon is fifth, 52 markers behind.

The Renner Petroleum mini stocks have return to the Acres in 2014 but unfortunately the division has struggle with the car count. It is expected that more cars and drivers will be filling the division in coming races. Brett Murrell holds a 20 point lead over his older brother, Brian Murrell Jr. Craig Baker sits third 25 points back, Brian McIntosh is fourth 31 points behind and Jordon Paiment is fifth 36 points behind Murrell.

Paul Peeples, Jr. is the point leader for the Bear River Hotel and Casino Thunder Roadster class having won two main events. Peeples leads David Henderson by only two points. Henderson was the opening night main event victor. Chris Sarvinski is third in standings 18 points behind Peeples. Thomas Payne is fourth, 20 points behind. Robbie Nelson holds down fifth and is 57 points back of the leader.

The Mid City Motor World late model division has arguably had the most exciting racing of all five classes so far this season. The top three in points are separated by only five points and each driver has one main event win this season. Mic Moulton holds a slim two point margin over Luke Hall while Jerry Peterson is third. Veteran driver, Al Acuna is fourth in points, 21 behind Moulton and Kenny Demello is fifth, 23 behind Moulton.

One of the biggest weekends of the year for Redwood Acres Raceway takes place this weekend, Friday June 20^th and Saturday June 21^st for the Fair Classic. In addition to the five local divisions there will be special action both nights. Friday night will feature the Quad Ward while Saturday night will feature a demolition derby. More information on this weekend’s events can be found at www.racingtheacres.com. Grandstands open at 5:00 PM while racing begins at 6:30 PM.

Peterson, Henderson Pepsi night winners

Peterson, Henderson Pepsi night winners

By Matthew J. Sullivan

It was the dawn of a new era this past Saturday night at Eureka, California’s Redwood Acres Raceway as the 2014 racing season at the 3/8-mile paved oval began after an extended and lengthy off season. Besides being the first race of the new year, it was the first race for the track’s new promoters, Blair Aiken and his daughter, Jennifer Aiken. The Aikens took over promoting the Acres this year after Rich and Linda Olson decided to retire at the end of 2013 after 26 straight seasons as the track’s promoters.

Along with the new promoters taking over the responsibility of operating RAR, changes have been made on both sides of the track in order to better improve the experience for the fans. The mini stock class is back at the Acres after being away for a few years. A bigger change comes in the form of new rules for the real stock and sportsman divisions with the idea of local cars in both divisions being able to compete at other tracks in the region and vice versa.  On the fan’s side of the track, there is a new café with a fresh new menu.

The roadrunner division trophy dash win went to Gary Klinetobe. Victories in the heat races went to Steve Paiment and Klinetobe. Gray Ethridge led the opening few laps of the feature event before losing the lead to Rick Esty. A few laps later, Paiment took the lead away from Esty as the field sorted itself out.  Klinetobe and Eugene Palmer worked their way by Paiment just before Tim Abeyta had issues entering turn three and hit the wall.

Things got wild on the restart when Ethridge got together with Esty going into the first turn. Officials disqualified Ethridge for rough driving. On the next restart, Paiment spun resulting in another caution. The run to the checkered flag featured a duel between Klientobe and Palmer. Second place, Palmer tried his best to intimidate Klientobe out of the lead, including applying the bumper several times. Klientobe withstood Palmer’s challenges and went on to claim the win followed by Paiment and Kayla Foster.

Prior to racing in the bomber division, Donnie Hyman’s car suffered issues in practice which forced him out of action for the night. Leonard Ward took home the trophy dash victory while Tyler Avelar narrowly beat Ward to win the heat race. Matt Simon became the second casualty of the night in the heat when he engine let go. The bomber feature was highlighted by an intense duel for the lead between Avelar and Ward. Avelar dominated the race until the closing stages when he began suffering issues.  Ward was able to inherit the lead and cruise to victory a lap ahead of second and third place finishers, Michael Lawrence and rookie driver, James Moore.

The mini stock had only three cars show up on the night with Brian Murrell, Jr. not being able to race after issues in practice. His younger brother, Brett Murrell was able to beat Jordon Paiment in both the trophy dash and feature races. Both drivers are mini stock rookies coming up from the roadrunner division ranks.

Paul Peeples, Jr. took the trophy dash win for the Thunder Roadster cars while David Henderson won the hotly contested heat race over Peeples. The Thunder Roadster feature got off to an unfortunate start when Robbie Nelson and Peeples wrecked coming off turn two. Henderson was also involved but spun and did not receive any damage to his car.

After the restart, Chris Sarvinski and Henderson staged a fantastic nip and tuck duel for the race lead. It appeared as though Sarvinski held the advantage in the power department while Henderson had the edge in handling. With 10 laps left, Henderson was able to find the low day past Sarvinski to take the lead and the eventual victory. Sarvinski fought off Tommy Payne for the runner-up position while Bruce Ziemer took fourth.

Jerry Peterson was victorious in the late model trophy dash. Heat race victories in the division went to Al Acuna and Mic Moulton. The 35-lap feature proved to be a slam-bang affair right from the first lap. Going into the third turn, Luke Hall made contact with Kenny Demello. Demello spun and appeared to have minimal damage but was unable to return to the track. After the restart, the race was slowed again for an incident, this time between Acuna and Peterson who were racing for the lead. Thankfully both drivers were able to continue in the race.

The highlight of the entire evening was the duel for the race lead between Moulton and Hall. The two veteran drivers raced door-handle-to-door-handle for numerous laps, thrilling the packed house. Moulton appeared to have the advantage handling wise but just as he was able to put a gap between himself and Hall, a caution flag flew.

As happens in short track racing, there was contact on lap 25 when Hall got into the rear of Moulton sending Moulton spinning out of the lead and both cars to the rear of the field. This gave the lead to Peterson who had been watching the top two cars duel for the entire race. After the restart, Moulton was able to quickly maneuver his way to second but that was as far as he would get.  Peterson had enough strength to fight off a last lap challenge from Moulton who spun between turns three and four on the final lap. Moulton’s spin allowed Hall to finish second with Acuna taking the third position.

Racing returns to Redwood Acres Raceway for a special Sunday evening event this weekend, May 25^th. It’s Salute The Troops night at the Acres featuring the North State Modified Series which is in its inaugural season. Of course the five local divisions of late models, Thunder Roadsters, bombers, mini stocks and roadrunners will also be joining in the action. Grandstand ticket booths open at 5:00 PM while racing begins at 6:30 PM. There is a special test and tune event Saturday the 24^th for all divisions.

For more information regarding this weekend’s races or anything else this season, please visit Redwood Acres Raceway’s new and official website, www.racingtheacres.com.

Henderson honors friend, sweeps Back-To-School races

Henderson honors friend, sweeps Back-To-School races

By Matthew J. Sullivan

It was Back-To-School Night at Redwood Acres Raceway this past Saturday night. To celebrate the occasion, track promoters, Rich and Linda Olson along with several raceway fans and sponsors donated backpacks and school supplies to children who signed up at the souvenir booth. Several drivers went into this past Saturday evening’s event with heavy hearts with the passing of former thunder roadster competitor, Chris Banfill. Banfill had been reported missing in late July and was found dead near the town of Rio Dell last week. His death was ruled a suicide due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Before the racing took place, drivers took to the track in their cars with a memorial lap and ceremony where a Corvette with Banfill’s number 25 passed through the middle of the field to take the checkered flag at the start/finish line.

The real stock trophy dash was won by rookie driver, Harvey Holm while Dax Kinsey took the trophy in the heat race. The feature proved to be a tough night for several drivers thanks to a handful of wrecks. Contact between Donnie Hyman and Holm entering the third turn on lap two collected Tyler Avelar and William Sand with Sand being the victim of a busted radiator. Kinsey looked to have the strongest car but had a battle on his hands trying to get by leader, Dustin Walters. While trying to make a run on the outside, Kinsey got loose and hit the turn two wall hard forcing him out of the race. Walters was able to hold on to win over Holm, Jim Redd and Hyman.

In roadrunner action, Brett Murrell took the trophy dash victory. The heat races were won by Michael Lawrence and Ken Barrett. The feature was slowed only once when Kayla Foster was turned by Barrett entering the first turn on the first lap. Thomas Halvorsen was the main victim as he received unrepairable damage that knocked him out of the race. Murrell tore through the field on the restart and absolutely dominated the race, winning handily over Lawrence, Jarrett Mayo and Tim Abeyta.

The Northern California Pro-4 Modified cars returned to the Acres for the second time in 2012. Kevin Barba won the trophy dash with the heat race victories going to Marty Lewis and Greg Van Cleave. The 25-lap feature was cut to 20 laps due to several wrecks and lengthy cleanup time. The scariest incident of the race came in the final handful of laps when Chris Straka made an error going into the third turn racing with Van Cleave for the lead, taking both cars out. Straka’s car hit the wall head on but was able to walk away from the incident unharmed. The incident handed the lead to Curt Lewis and he held off Van Cleave to take the victory while Neo Nuno and Fredy Champagne finishing third and fourth.

David Henderson was the man to beat in the thunder roadster division as he took the wins in the trophy dash and the heat race. Fergy Ferguson led the early few laps in the feature before getting passed by Alan Olson. Olson did all he could to hold off Henderson but was only able to do it for so long before Henderson found the inside line to take the lead. Olson fell back to third when Paul Peeples, Jr. took second from him. Henderson took the flag first in what had to be an emotional night for him as he and Banfill had been good friends. Peeples finished second over Olson and Bruce Ziemer.

Brandon Barnwell was victorious in the sportsman trophy dash while Dennis DelBiaggio took the checkers first in the heat race. Al Acuna led early in the main event before Barnwell was able to take the lead. DelBiaggio looked to have the best car in the field but saw misfortune when he and Acuna made contact sending Acuna spinning and DelBiaggio to the rear of the field. Kenny Demello did all he could to pressure Barnwell but the former track champion never faltered as he took the victory with Demello, DelBiaggio and Angelo Marcelli finishing in his wake.

Racing returns to Redwood Acres Raceway Saturday September 8th for Five Dollar Fan Appreciation Night. Fans who have ticket stubs from five previous races this season get in free while those that don’t will be able to attend for only five dollars.