Champions to be decided this weekend at the Acres

Ryun Leazer will look to clinch the track championship in the late model division

By Matthew J. Sullivan

The final point race of the 2015 season at Redwood Acres Raceway is less than a week away as it will be Mid City Motor World Championship Night at the Acres. Champions in all five divisions will be officially crowned in what should be a thrilling conclusion to what has been a thoroughly exciting season on the 3/8-mile paved oval.

The track championship in the Humboldt Hydroponics roadrunner division has already been decided as Dylan Ford has enough of a margin on second place, Daniel Buell that he wouldn’t need to race this Saturday to claim his crown. Ford leads Buell by 46 points. Buell is a lock for the second position as his lead over third place, R.C. Brown is 69 points. Tied for fourth in the standings are rookie driver, Shawn Molloy and roadrunner veteran, Steve Paiment. Both are 19 points behind Brown.

Only two points separate the two contenders for the bomber division championship. Dustin Walters was able to recover over the Labor Day weekend races to reclaim the championship lead over James Moore by only two points. Walters has been stellar this season as he’s taken seven main event victories. Moore has avoided the big disasters that have plagued Walters during the season but only has 3 mains to his credit.

The mini stock track championship battle is just as intense as the bomber division. Chris Champagne holds a narrow nine point lead over Eugene Palmer in second place. Both drivers have been at or near the front of every race which makes it very likely that the championship in the division won’t be decided until the final lap of the main event Saturday night. Brian Murrell, Jr. has third locked down in the standings but is out of the running to repeat as mini stock champ. Rick Estes and Gary Klinetobe hold down fourth and fifth in the rundown and will hold those positions as well in the final standings.

Engine woes in the Labor Day race on Sunday cut Paul Peeples, Jr.’s point lead in the Bear River Hotel And Casino Thunder Roadster division. Peeples leads Robbie Nelson by 20 points. It will be difficult for Nelson to close the gap as Peeples’ has dominated the division in 2015, winning eight main events to Nelson’s one. Thomas Payne is third in the standings, 33 points behind Peeples with a very slim chance of winning the title. Chris Lawrence and Belinda Ward are fourth and fifth in the standings.

The Mid City Motor World late model track championship should be another title that will be decided on the final lap of the main event. Ryun Leazer has a nine point lead over Jedd Ambrosini in second place. Marty Walsh is third in the points, 24 behind Leazer but would require major issues by the two drivers ahead of him to win the championship. Richard Knight is technically still in the running for the championship but his 41 point gap to Leazer is more or less insurmountable. Kenny Demello rounds out the top five in the division’s standings.

Gates open at 5:00PM while racing begins at 6:30PM for Mid City Motor World Championship Night at the Acres this Saturday September 19th. In addition, it will also be Fan Appreciation Night. General admission for the event is $5 and $2 for children. The 2015 season concluded on October 3rd with the First Annual Roadrunner Big T Jackpot race and Bomber Bash. Concluding the 2015 season at the Acres will be the second boat race of the year. For more information on the final two events, please visit Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website, www.racingtheacres.com .

North State Modifieds return to the Acres

Tripp Gaylord leads the North State Challenge Series standings going into the next race at the Acres

By Matthew J. Sullivan

The 2015 racing season at Redwood Acres Raceway is quickly coming to a close. Only four dates remain on the schedule two of which are set for the upcoming Labor Day weekend Saturday September 5th and Sunday September 6th. The local divisions of roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks and Thunder Roadsters will race both nights. Saturday night’s feature attraction will be the late model division which will hold the final Tri-Holiday Classic race of 2015. Highlighting Sunday’s event will be the return of the popular North State Modified Series for the second and final time this season.

This weekend will likely see the crowning of the 2015 roadrunner track champion for Redwood Acres Raceway. Dylan Ford has a 68 point lead over Daniel Buell in the standings Ford will have to have monumental bad fortune for Buell to even have a chance coming out of the weekend. Roadrunner veteran, Steve Paiment is third in the standings, 95 markers behind Ford. Rookie drivers R.C. Brown and Shawn Molloy round out the top five in the standings, both 100+ points in arrears to Ford.

Things got much more interesting in the bomber division title fight as a result of a heat race incident for former point leader, Dustin Walters in the August 22nd event. Not only did that wreck prevent him from starting the feature race and earning points, it also cost him the championship lead he once had. As a result, James Moore moved to the lead but only holds a nine point advantage over Walters.

Chris Champagne expanded his point lead slightly in the mini stock class on August 22nd but not enough to be comfortable in his effort for the track championship. Champagne leads Eugene Palmer by 17 points. Rick Estes still has an outside chance as he’s 29 points behind Champagne but both drivers ahead of him will need major issues in the final three events. 2014 mini stock champ, Brian Murrell, Jr. is mathematically alive in fourth but the odds of him going back-to-back are next to zero. Mini stock rookie, Tim Abeyta holds down the fifth position.

Paul Peeples, Jr. holds a 43 point lead over Robbie Nelson in the Thunder Roadster class. Given Peeples’ speed all season long and his penchant for winning races, Nelson’s opportunity to win this year’s title is virtually nil. Thomas Payne holds down third in the standings, Chris Lawrence fourth and Belinda Ward fifth.

The late model class will hold their third and final Tri-Holiday Classic race this weekend and the outcome of Saturday’s 100-lap race will likely be the deciding factor as to who will be this year’s champion in the division. Veteran, Mic Mouton was the winner of the first event on Memorial Day weekend while Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series star, Brandon White dominated the Independence Day weekend event. Ryun Leazer leads the late model standings by a mere four points over Jedd Ambrosini. Leazer will have to avoid the bad luck he faced on the July 4th event which saw him finish 16th to Ambrosini’s 9th place effort. Marty Walsh, Richard Knight and Kenny Demello finish out the top five in standings and a bad race for both Leazer and Ambrosini could bring those three drivers right back into the title fight.

The North State Modified Series returns to Redwood Acres Raceway for the second time in 2015. The first event on Memorial Day weekend was won by Rich Lindgren. Tripp Gaylord finished second in that race and leads Cody Braund by four points with only two races remaining including this weekend’s. Darrin Knight is third in the standings, only 6 behind Gaylord and on a hot streak. Knight won the most recent North State race at Shasta Speedway on August 22nd and was the big winner of the West Coast Modified Shootout at Douglas County Speedway this past weekend. Michael Mitchell is fourth in the standings, 40 points behind Gaylord while Jason Philpot is 70 points behind.

The grandstands open at 4:30PM while races will begin at 6:00PM both nights for this weekend’s Labor Day races. Only two more races are on the schedule following this weekend’s events. Saturday September 19th’s race will be Fan Appreciation Night as well as championship night for all five local classes. The final event of the season is on October 3rd will be the First Annual Big T Jackpot race for the roadrunners and the Bomber Bash. For more information regarding the rest of the 2015 schedule, please visit Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website www.racingtheacres.com .

Championship Rundown For Redwood Acres Raceway Divisions

For clarity's sake, the most points that can be earned on one night in any of the divisions at Redwood Acres Raceway is 43 (3 points for winning the trophy dash, 10 points for winning a heat race, 30 points for winning the main event.)

Three point paying races remain for the roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks and Thunder Roadsters which means the maximum points that can be earned in the final three events is 129. Two point paying races remain for the late models which means the maximum points that can be earned in the final two events is 86.

The following is a run down of those who are still mathematically able to win the track championships in the five local divisions at Redwood Acres Raceway after the August 22nd race. Full point standings can be found on the track's official website RacingTheAcres.com which I urge you to visit.

Roadrunner Division

Dylan Ford

1. Dylan Ford - 348 points, 6 main event wins, 6 heat race wins, 1 trophy dash win, 9 top 5s, 1.7 average finish, 66 laps led (out of 172)

The roadrunner championship is virtually locked up in Dylan Ford's favor. His dominance in the division is highlighted by his streak of six main event wins in a row. Also worth noting is that Ford has been the only driver to start all nine main events in 2015. His speed has earned him a lot of points but he's also been keen to avoid accidents and his car has been reliable all year long.

Daniel Buell

2. Daniel Buell - 280 points (-68), 2 main event wins, 1 heat race win, 2 trophy dash wins, 7 top 5s, 3.0 average finish, 24 laps led

Daniel Buell has been a consistent front-runner all year long and his work has finally come to fruition in the latter part of the season as he broke Ford's win-streak and now has a two-race streak of his own. Buell wasn't able to start the June 20th main event which cost him some points.

Steve Paiment

3. Steve Paiment - 253 points (-95), 1 main event win, 4 heat race wins, 3 trophy dash wins, 5 top 5s, 5.6 average finish, 12 laps led

Steve Paiment is a veteran in the roadrunner division and his experience has shown through in 2015. Outside of Ford and Buell, Paiment is the only other driver to have a main event win this season, the victory coming in the first race of the season on April 25th. Paiment's victories in the trophy dasn and heat races have helped pull him to third in points in spite of not starting the May 9th feature.

R.C. Brown

4. R.C. Brown - 230 points (-118), 5 top 5s, 5.4 average finish, 12 laps led

R.C. Brown has been a pleasant surprise in the roadrunner division in 2015. He's been steady all throughout his rookie campaign and has shown some speed in recent events. Though he has gone winless so far this season, it would not be a surprise to see him gain multiple trophies in the final few events.

Shawn Molloy

5. Shawn Molloy - 222 points (-126), 1 heat race win, 2 top 5s, 7.4 average finish, 17 laps led

Shawn Molloy is another rookie in the roadrunners and it didn't take him long to make his presence known on the track. Molloy notched his first win of any kind at Redwood Acres Raceway on June 6th in a heat race and could very well take home more than that by the end of 2015.

Bomber Division

James Moore

1. James Moore - 310 ponts, 3 main event wins, 1 heat race win, 3 trophy dash wins, 8 top 5s, 2.0 average finish, 70 laps led (out of 210)

James Moore is a sophomore driver in the bomber division and has maintained a steady pace throughout 2015. Moore won the most recent main event on August 22nd while also regaining the points lead in the battle for the division's track championship.

Dustin Walters

2. Dustin Walters - 301 points (-9), 5 main event wins, 7 heat race wins, 2 trophy dash wins, 7 top 5s, 1.9 average finish, 88 laps led

Dustin Walters has been the man to beat every week in the bomber class but things took a big hit in his quest for a title in the division when he hit the wall in the heat race in August 22nd. He was unable to start the main event which ended up costing him the points lead to James Moore. In order to get back in the fight, Walters is going to have to return and show the same speed he's had all season long.

Mini Stock Division

Chris Champagne

1. Chris Champagne - 335 points, 4 main event wins, 3 heat race wins, 2 trophy dash wins, 7 top 5s, 3.6 average finish, 63 laps led (out of 225)

Chris Champagne is a rookie in the Redwood Acres Raceway mini stock division but is an experienced racer who has taken to the track nicely. Leonard Ward III won in the 17 car on opening night but Champagne has showed that he has the speed and savvy necessary to win the mini stock crown notching three main event wins on his own behalf.

Eugene Palmer

2. Eugene Palmer - 318 points (-17), 1 main event win, 1 trophy dash win, 7 top 5s, 3.6 average finish, 28 laps led

Eugene Palmer moved up from the roadrunner division to the mini stocks and has made a seamless transition to the faster, more agile cars (or truck in his case.) Palmer has proven to be just as fast as Champagne every week but unfortunately hasn't managed to get the wins in the heat races and trophy dashes. He's still within striking distance however and it's certain that the mini stock track championship will come down to the last lap of the last race.

Rick Estes

3. Rick Estes - 306 points (-29), 1 main event win, 3 trophy dash wins, 6 top 5s, 3.4 average finish, 16 laps led

Rick Estes was right in the thick of the points battle until a big wreck on the June 20th. In spite of that incident, Estes is still within reach of the championship but will require both Champagne and Palmer to face woes in the final three races.

Brian Murrell, Jr.

4. Brian Murrell, Jr. - 292 points (-43), 1 main event win, 3 heat race wins, 2 trophy dash wins, 5 top 5s, 5.4 average finish

Brian Murrell, Jr. is the defending track champion in the mini stock class and a veteran in the division. 2015 got off to a horrible start for him and though he's been able to regain the speed he showed in 2014, his hopes of repeating as champion are virtually over. Even so, don't expect him to go out quietly.

Thunder Roadster Division

Paul Peeples, Jr.

1. Paul Peeples, Jr. - 338 points, 7 main event wins, 7 heat race wins, 6 trophy dash wins, 8 top 5s, 1.5 average finish, 174 laps led (out of 245)

Paul Peeples, Jr. has dominated the Thunder Roadster division in 2015 to say the least. To put it in context, Peeples has won all but three races the division has had this year (1 main event, 1 heat race, 2 trophy dashes.)

Robbie Nelson

2. Robbie Nelson - 295 points (-43), 1 main event win, 1 heat race win, 7 top 5s, 2.8 average finish, 24 laps led

Robbie Nelson is the only other driver to win a main event victory this season and the only driver within reasonable striking distance to Peeples. Unfortunately, the "reasonable" margin is 43 markers which would require catastrophic issues for Peeples in the final three events.

Thomas Payne

3. Thomas Payne - 272 points (-66), 2 trophy dash wins, 7 top 5s, 3.9 average finish, 11 laps led

Thomas Payne is a former champion in the Thunder Roadster class but unfortunately for him, his chance at a title in 2015 is more or less extinguished. As he as done throughout his days as a driver, Payne has maintained a consistent pace while also being smart behind the wheel.

Chris Lawrence

4. Chris Lawrence - 251 points (-87), 4 top 5s, 5.3 average finish, 15 laps led

Chris Lawrence has been a competitor in the Thunder Roadster class since the division first started at Redwood Acres Raceway. However, 2015 is the first time that Lawrence has attempted to go for the track championship. Though he won't be able to accomplish that goal, Lawrence has been a pleasant surprise all year long.

Belinda Ward

5. Belinda Ward - 234 points (-104), 4 top 5s, 5.9 average finish, 2 laps led

Belinda Ward is a veteran in the Thunder Roadster division and a fan favorite at Redwood Acres Raceway. Her steadiness behind the wheel and aptitude to keep herself out of danger has allowed her to have a successful 2015 and a chance at her highest point finish in the division.

Late Model Division

Ryun Leazer

1. Ryun Leazer - 244 points, 1 main event win, 4 heat race wins, 2 trophy dash wins, 4 top 5s, 6.0 average finish, 31 laps led (out of 315)

Ryun Leazer made a huge statement in the most recent race on August 22nd by taking his first main event win in his second season in the late model division. Unfortunately for Leazer, his point lead is slim and he will have to avoid on September 5th what happened on the July 4th event when he finished 16th.

Jedd Ambrosini

2. Jedd Ambrosini - 240 points (-4), 1 trophy dash win, 6 top 5s, 5.3 average finish, 7 laps led

Jedd Ambrosini is also a sophomore driver in the late model division. Even though he's had better success statistically than the point leader, Ryun Leazer, Ambrosini hasn't had the trophy dash and heat race victories which have vaulted Leazer to the top of the standings. Thankfully, the four point margin isn't difficult to overcome and Ambrosini can do it if he continues to run as he has all year long.

Marty Walsh

3. Marty Walsh - 204 points (-40), 2 main event wins, 1 heat race win, 5 top 5s, 3.2 average finish, 33 laps led

Marty Walsh is a former sportsman division track champion at Redwood Acres Raceway. Walsh missed the first two races of the season but made up a lot of ground over the year points-wise until the August 22nd event when he finished 8th. It will be nearly impossible to make up 40 points to both Leazer and Ambrosini.

Richard Knight

4. Richard Knight - 201 points (-43), 1 heat race win, 3 top 5s, 9.0 average finish, 1 lap led

Richard Knight started off his rookie season strong with back-to-back second place finishes in the first two races. Unfortunately, his season began to tail off at the half-way mark. In spite of that, Knight looks to be a lock for the top five in the division point standings.

Kenny Demello

5. Kenny Demello - 187 points (-57), 1 heat race win, 2 top 5s, 7.3 average finish, 11 laps led

Kenny Demello has had an up and down 2015. His best finish of the year is third twice, including the last race on August 22nd. His chance at a championship is virtually zero but Demello still has an outside shot of getting as high as third in the standings.

David Henderson

6. David Henderson - 169 points (-75), 1 main event win, 1 heat race win, 3 top 5s, 4.8 average finish, 71 laps led

David Henderson looked to be the favorite for the late model track championship at the start of 2015. In spite of misfortune in the season opening race, Henderson showed amazing speed and ended up taking the win on May 9th. Unfortunately, Henderson proved to be a victim of dumb luck and incidents out of his control took him out of the running for this year's championship.

Tyler Avelar

Tied-7. Tyler Avelar - 162 points (-82), 1 top 5, 7.0 average finish, 6 laps led

Tyler Avelar took the step up from the bomber division to the late model division in 2015. Avelar started off 2015 well with a fourth place effort on April 25th but became a victim of bad luck as the season progressed.

George Young

Tied-7. George Young - 162 points (-82), 2 top 5s, 7.7 average finish, 0 laps led

George Young returned to the track after being away for several seasons.Young's rookie campaign in the late models started off with a fine third place run but it's been a season of struggles for the former real stock and limited street stock driver so Young will be looking forward to closing out the final two events with good finishes.

2015 winding down at the Acres

Ryun Leazer leads the standings for Redwood Acres Raceway's late model division

By Matthew J. Sullivan

Only five point races are left on the 2015 season for Redwood Acres Raceway and with the championship battles coming to a close, the battle for positions in each of the five local divisions should be interesting in all of the remaining races.

Dylan Ford is a virtual lock for the track championship in the Humboldt Hydroponics roadrunner division. Ford leads second place Daniel Buell by an insurmountable 72 points. Buell was the most recent winner on August 1st which broke Ford’s string of main event wins at six. Steve Paiment is the only other main event winner in the division and is third in the standings, 12 points behind Buell. Rookie drivers Shawn Molloy and R.C. Brown round out the top five.

With five main event victories in the bomber division, Dustin Walters holds a 19 point cushion over James Moore who has two wins. The bomber track title will be decided between those two drivers as third place Michael Knight is 96 points behind Walters. Lance Martins and Joseph Phares are fourth in the running while Ryan Walters is fifth.

Chris Champagne has opened up the gap in the mini stock championship standings thanks to two straight main event wins. Champagne leads mini stock rookie Eugene Palmer by 18 points. Palmer was the winner of the June 20th event. Brian Murrell, Jr. is the defending champ in the division but has gone winless thus far in 2015 and had to overcome early season misfortune. His championship hopes are virtually gone as he is 49 points behind Champagne but he does sit third in the standings. Rick Estes is fourth in the standings with the May 9th main event to his credit while Tim Abeyta is fifth in his rookie season in the class.

Things are still up in the air in regards to the Bear River Hotel and Casino Thunder Roadster division title but it’s going to be hard for Robbie Nelson to overtake Paul Peeples, Jr. in the remaining races. Peeples has won every race in the division this season with the exception of the May 9th heat race and main event and the June 20th trophy dash and is the leader in the standings by 38 points over Nelson. Nelson was the winner of the May 9th feature event. Thomas Payne, Chris Lawrence and Belinda Ward are the other drivers who fill out the top five in division standings.

After more than a month off, the Mid City Motor World late model drivers will likely be eager to take to the track this weekend. The late models feature the tightest point battle at the Acres as the top two drivers in the division are deadlocked and only four point races are remaining in the division. Those drivers are both sophomore late model racers as Ryun Leazer and Jedd Ambrosini hold the top position. Marty Walsh is third with two main event wins to his credit and even though he is 29 points behind, that deficit could easily be erased in the final handful of events. Richard Knight is fourth in the standings while David Henderson is fifth with the May 9th main event victory to his credit.

Racing returns to the Acres this Saturday night August 22nd for Driver Appreciation Night. Front gates open at 5:00PM and racing starts at 6:30PM. Also, please note that the Labor Day weekend event has been expanded to run on Saturday September 5th and Sunday September 6th. The Saturday event will feature the third and final Tri-Holiday Classic event for the late models. On Sunday, the North State Modified Series returns to the Acres for the second time in 2015. The local classes of roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks and Thunder Roadsters will race both nights while the late models will not partake in Sunday’s events. An open practice is scheduled on Friday September 4th from 2 to 7PM.

Saturday September 19th’s race will be Fan Appreciation Night as well as the final point event for all five local classes. The final event of the season on October 3rd will be the First Annual Big T Jackpot race for the roadrunners and the Bomber Bash. The second boat race of 2015 will follow the races and conclude the racing season at the Acres. For more information regarding the rest of the 2015 schedule, please visit Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website www.racingtheacres.com .

Champagne wins in a thriller

Chris Champagne took the mini stock feature win on Saturday night

By Matthew J. Sullivan

The 2015 season at Redwood Acres Raceway resumed this past weekend for another exciting night of racing presented by Maxwell’s Custom Automobiles. As always, the five local classes of roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks, Thunder Roadsters and late models were in action. The night was capped off with boat races which delighted the packed house at the 3/8-mile paved oval.

Steve Paiment was the winner of the Humboldt Hydroponics roadrunner trophy dash. Paiment followed his dash win with a win in the first heat for the division while Dylan Ford took first in the second heat race. The roadrunners have provided exciting racing throughout 2015 and this night was no different as the racing at the front of the field in the 20-lap main event was exceptional. Paiment moved by Bethany Rapp to the lead on lap one but he was quickly overtaken by Daniel Buell the next lap. Dylan Hagman moved past Buell on lap three just as Ford, R.C. Brown and Michael Lawrence moved into third, fourth and fifth.

Every lap seemed to have a different leader between Hagman, Ford, Lawrence, Shawn Malloy and Jett Taylor. Hagman looked to be the strongest competitor to Ford’s five-race win streak as he was able to stay near the front better than the rest of the competition. The two raced side-by-side in the final laps of the race with Ford gaining the advantage on the last lap. Going into the third turn, Hagman drove as hard as he could to try to get by Ford. The two touched slightly coming off four but it was good, clean racing to the line with Ford winning his sixth feature in a row just ahead of Hagman. Lawrence placed third in his first race of the year driving Ken Barrett’s car. Malloy crossed the line fourth and Taylor took fifth.

The bomber division trophy dash win was taken by James Moore. Division point leader, Dustin Walters took the heat race and proved dominant in the 25-lap feature. Moore wrestled the lead away from Eddie Klein on the second lap but on lap six, Walters moved to the inside of Moore coming off turn two to take the lead. Walters pulled away to an insurmountable lead in what proved to be a clean and green race. At the finish it was Walters winning followed by Moore, Klein, Rick Jelton and Matt Simon.

The Maxwell’s Custom Automobiles mini stock division has arguably had the most exciting racing the past few races and tonight proved to be another example. Rick Estes narrowly took the win and trophy in the dash. Ted Henry won his first race ever in the first heat race while Gary Klinetobe showed muscle in the second heat, taking the victory. Henry got the lead at the start but quickly had to deal with the faster qualifiers of Brian Murrell, Jr., Chris Champagne, Estes, Klinetobe and Eugene Palmer. Estes got to the lead on lap three and led until a caution brought out by a spin by Tim Abeyta.

Racing resumed for a few laps before another caution. After the restart Champagne, Murrell, Jr. and Palmer really began to apply pressure to Estes for the lead. The top four cars raced side-by-side for first & second and third & fourth. Palmer was able to get by Murrell, Jr. while Estes and Champagne continued their fight for the lead. Estes eventually got loose under Champagne between the first and second turns which broke his momentum and cost him first and second positions. Palmer and Champagne began a fight for the lead that ended when the two made slight contact in the third and fourth turns. Champagne got loose and was able to save his car while Palmer slid into the infield. Champagne was far enough ahead of the rest of the field that he was able to withstand the brief scare and take the race win. Estes finished second followed by Murrell, Jr., Klinetobe and Henry.

Paul Peeples, Jr. did what he’s done throughout most of the 2015 season in the Bear River Hotel and Casino Thunder Roadster division by dominating and winning races left and right. Peeples took the trophy dash win and passed Thomas Payne on the last lap to win the heat race. Belinda Ward held the lead at the start of the 30-lap feature but by the end of lap one, Peeples was in the lead. While Peeples pulled away, Payne and Robbie Nelson did what they could to maneuver their way into the second position. Nelson eventually got to second and was able to close in on Peeples as the laps wound down. It wasn’t enough however as Peeples took his fifth win in a row over Nelson, Payne, Chris Lawrence and Ward.

The Mid City Motor World late model division trophy dash went to Marty Walsh. The heat race featured an incident that knocked out the cars of George Young and Kenny Demello but thankfully both drivers were unharmed. Walsh had the clear-cut fastest car on the night and he proved it by dominating the 35-lap feature and winning handily over Ryun Leazer, Jedd Ambrosini and Ken Hallis.

There were 13 boat racers in all for the featured attraction for the evening. Brian Murrell, Jr.’s “Griswold” car won the $100 best appearing boat racer prior to the start of the event. As expected, the boat race proved to be a real crowd pleaser. Troy Lee’s “School Bus” van was the winner over Murrell, Jr. and Roger Kirkpatrick.

The summer of fun at Redwood Acres Raceway resumes on August 1st with the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series joining the roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks and Thunder Roadsters. The top super late model drivers on the west coast will square off on the Acres pavement in the SRL’s second visit to the track, the first since 2013. A limited amount of pre-sale tickets for the Spears SRL Southwest Tour 125 presented by Bear River Hotel and Casino can be purchased at Humboldt Motorsports.

Championship standings jumble after Independence Day event

Late model rookie, Richard Knight co-leads the championship standings

By Matthew J. Sullivan

The 2015 season at Redwood Acres Raceway has reached its halfway point and the battle for the track championship in each of the five local divisions still hangs in the air. The most recent event on July 4th might prove to be the turning point of the season for many due to several out-of-town drivers participating in the night’s racing action.

Dylan Ford appears to have a clear path to the track championship in the Humboldt Hydroponics roadrunner division. Ford has won the past five main events in a row and is an astounding 75 points ahead of the two drivers tied for second place, Steve Paiment and Daniel Buell. R.C. Brown is fourth in the standings, 77 markers behind Ford while rookie, Shawn Malloy is fifth 101 points behind Ford.

The bomber division point lead returned to Dustin Walters after he won the main event on Independence Day. Walters leads James Moore by 10 points. Moore had held a nearly 30-point gap on Walters going into the previous race but was unable to race. Michael Knight is third in points, Lance Martins & Joseph Phares fourth and Ryan Walters fifth.

It’s a very close battle at the front of the mini stock division. Chris Champagne holds a three point lead over Eugene Palmer. Rick Estes lies third in points, 22 behind Champagne with an outside shot at the title. Brian Murrell, Jr. has a much harder road to go than Estes as he’s 42 points behind Champagne while 58 points behind in fifth is Dylan Ford.

Paul Peeples, Jr. extended his point lead in the Bear River Hotel and Casino Thunder Roadsters by sweeping the trophy dash, heat race and main event on July 4th. Peeples leads Robbie Nelson by 26 points. Thomas Payne is 43 points behind Peeples in the third position, Chris Lawrence is fourth and Belinda Ward is fifth.

Coming off the second Tri-Holiday Classic race of 2015, the championship for the Mid City Motor World late models tightened up even more than it was before. Richard Knight and Jedd Ambrosini are tied atop the standings. Ryun Leazer is third in points, a single marker behind the leaders. Fourth is David Henderson who is only four points behind first while Tyler Avelar is fifth and 11 points behind.

The next race at the Acres on July 18th will feature boat races to go along with the roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks, Thunder Roadsters and late models. Grandstands open at 5:00PM while racing begins at 6:30PM. On August 1st, the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series will return to RAR for the first time since 2013. More information on the upcoming events at Redwood Acres Raceway can be found on the track’s official website, www.racingtheacres.com .

Redwood Acres Raceway set for spectacular Firecracker 100

Dylan Ford has been a dominant force in the roadrunner division

By Matthew J. Sullivan

Five races are down in Redwood Acres Raceway’s 2015 schedule and as the season has progressed, the action on the track has heated up. While the battle for the track championships are mixed in terms of competitiveness in each of the five divisions, every driver still has a lot to race for and the next few races are sure to be among the highlights of the entire year.

The Humboldt Hydroponics roadrunner track championship is basically in the hands of Dylan Ford. The gap between him and second place, Steve Paiment is an astounding 66 markers. Ford has won the past four races in a row while finishing second in the season opener while Paiment is the only other driver who has won a main event this season. Daniel Buell, R.C. Brown and Shawn Malloy round out the top five in the standings.

With Dustin Walters unable to race in the most recent event on June 20th, James Moore took advantage winning all three races on the night and taking the point lead. Moore’s advantage over Walters is 33 points. Barring any unforeseen issues for Moore or Walters, it looks as if one or the other will be this year’s track champion. The team of Lance Martins and Joseph Phares is third in points, 57 behind Moore while Michael Knight and Ryan Walters complete the top five.

The battle for the mini stock title is a tight one between Chris Champagne and Eugene Palmer. Champagne leads Palmer by three points while Rick Estes is third, 14 behind Champagne. Estes was unable to start the June 20th main event due to a wreck in the heat race which destroyed his mini truck. It will be interesting to see if he will be able to return for this weekend’s event. Brian Murrell, Jr. is fourth in line, 30 behind Champagne while Dylan Ford is fifth another 17 points behind Murrell, Jr.

Paul Peeples, Jr. has taken control of the Bear River Hotel and Casino Thunder Roadster division. Peeples has won three of the four races this year and leads second place Robbie Nelson by 18 points. Nelson is the only other main event winner in the division. Thomas Payne sits third and 36 points behind Peeples while fourth is a tie between Mike Ward and Chris Lawrence.

This weekend’s Firecracker 100 is the second leg of the First Annual Tri-Holiday Classic for the Mid City Motor World late models. The standings for the track championship changed dramatically after the caution-filled June 20th race. Thanks to a second place finish in the most recent race, Ryun Leazer holds the lead in the standings. Richard Knight is second but only four points behind Leazer. Jedd Ambrosini is third and only two more points behind Knight. David Henderson is fourth, 11 behind Leazer and Tyler Avelar is fifth, two points behind Henderson.

This weekend’s event promises to be a fantastic night at the Acres. In addition to the 100-lap late model race, roadrunners, bombers and mini stocks will be in action as well as the Thunder Roadsters which have been added to the show. Following the 100-lap race will be a fantastic fireworks show in the track’s infield. Last year’s display was a big hit with fans and this year’s promises to be bigger and better.

The upcoming races at the Acres should be just as exciting. The July 18th race will feature the boat races which was a very popular event with fans. The following race on August 1st will mark the return of the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series to Redwood Acres Raceway for the second time ever, the first since 2013. The Spears SRL Southwest Tour is the premiere super late model touring series in the west and features some of the top talent from the region. More information about this weekend’s Independence Day event as well as future events can be found at Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website, www.racingtheacres.com .

Walsh survives, wins first race of 2015

Marty Walsh took his first win of 2015 on Saturday night

By Matthew J. Sullivan

It was a night of hard times for many this past Saturday night at Redwood Acres Raceway. On what coincidentally was O’Reilly Night at the Acres, numerous drivers throughout each of the Acres’ five local divisions fell victim to issues either due to accidents or mechanical failures.

With Kid's Month at Redwood Acres Raceway continuing through the month of June at the Acres, children had the opportunity to be junior trophy presenters to the winners of the trophy dash and main events. In addition, prior to the start of the main events children were given rides around the track by drivers in the roadrunner and bomber divisions.

Ken Barrett returned to the Humboldt Hydroponics roadrunner division with a new car and the victory in the trophy dash. Barrett was able to put together his new ride in less than two weeks. Steve Paiment took the win in the first heat race which saw rookie Troy Lee crash in turn four on the final lap. Dylan Ford was victorious in the second heat which also had an incident that took Shawn Malloy and Daniel Buell out of commission.

As he has done for virtually the entire 2015 season in the roadrunners, Ford dominated the 20-lap feature event. Rookies Chris Appleton and Dylan Hagman exchanged the lead the first two laps before Ford took over. Hagman did a fantastic job of hanging with Ford through most of the event but Ford’s experience proved through when it came to maneuvering through slower traffic. Ford was able to pull his lead out in the final few laps and took his fourth straight main event victory. Hagman took second followed by R.C. Brown, Chris Appleton and Paiment.

It was a rough night for the bomber division. James Moore won the trophy dash which saw Chris Naughton hit the wall and knock his car out of action. The heat race saw Moore win but featured another unfortunate incident in turn three when Michael Knight hit the wall hard. Fortunately he was okay but out for the night. The main event featured a rough incident between Lance Martins and Ryan Walters that resulted in a cut tire on Walters’ car, forcing him to the pits and out of the race. Martins ended up falling out in the final few laps which left Moore the only car on the track and the race winner.

Brian Murrell, Jr. was the winner of the mini stock trophy dash. Tim Abeyta won the first heat race while the second heat race featured a violent hit in turns three and four for Rick Estes. It appeared as though the throttle hung on Estes’ mini truck going into the third turn. Thankfully Estes was unharmed though his truck was severely damaged. Murrell, Jr. ended up with the second heat victory.

Gary Klinetobe took the lead at the start of the 25-lap mini stock feature but by lap three, Murrell, Jr. moved under and past into the lead. Chris Champagne and Eugene Palmer moved into second and third just before a spin by Abeyta brought the caution flag out. Champagne and Palmer battled for the second spot for several laps after the restart with Palmer prevailing. This set up a race for the lead between Murrell, Jr. and Palmer which saw some “friendly” contact between the two. On lap 13, Palmer was able to get around Murrell, Jr. for the lead.

The race was halted briefly for a spin by Brett Murrell off turn four. The restart gave Champagne the advantage he needed to get by Murrell, Jr. for second. Nobody had anything for Palmer on the night as his mini trick was dialed in. At the finish it was Palmer winning his first career mini stock win. Champagne came home second, Murrell, Jr. third, Klinetobe fourth and Abeyta fifth.

The Bear River Hotel and Casino Thunder Roadster trophy dash victory was claimed by Thomas Payne while Paul Peeples, Jr. was the winner of the heat race. The 30-lap feature was a clean race from start to finish. Belinda Ward led the first lap before succumbing to the faster car of Chris Sarvinski on lap two. Sarvinski tried to put a gap on the rest of the pack while the always fast car of Peeples worked his way through the field. Peeples got to second on lap eight and by lap sixteen he had passed Sarvinski for the lead. Peeples was able to pull out to a comfortable margin over Sarvinski and claim the victory. Robbie Nelson was third over Payne and Ward.

It didn’t take Marty Walsh long to get acclimated to his new car as he took the trophy dash win for the Mid City Motor World late models. Ryun Leazer claimed the win in the first heat race while J.D. Frey took the second. Frey was driving Mic Moulton’s car for the night and is the car chief for Michael Waltrip Racing driver, Clint Bowyer.

The 35-lap main event proved to be a caution-filled event. Ryun Leazer took the lead from pole position but spun out of turn two bringing out the first caution. Tyler Avelar and Richard Knight duked it out for the lead on the restart with Avelar gaining the advantage. David Henderson looked to be the strongest car in the field and by lap seven he took over the top spot from Avelar. The race was halted on lap 12 when Jedd Ambrosini spun in turn three. Henderson pulled out to a large gap over the field after the restart. Meanwhile Knight, Walsh and Frey were able to get around Avelar and tried to regain ground on the leader.

Frey was able to get into third and was working on Knight for second when the two came into contact in turn three. Knight hit the wall rear-end first while Frey pulled into the pits and didn’t return. The race became a start/stop affair from that point on as several incidents halted the racing. Henderson appeared to have trouble on a lap 31 restart which allowed Marty Walsh to get to the lead. Another caution slowed the field with two laps remaining giving Henderson the chance to potentially regain the lead from Walsh.

On the restart, Henderson’s troubles came to fruition in the form of a flat tire. Henderson tried to maneuver out of the way of the rest of the pack but unfortunately Avelar and Kenny Demello got together while trying to get by. All three cars wrecked down the front stretch bringing out the red flag but everyone was okay. With the 11:00 curfew closing in and the race nearly being complete, officials felt ending the race before the scheduled distance was the prudent option. Marty Walsh took his first main event win of the season over Ryun Leazer, Jedd Ambrosini and George Young while Henderson was credited with fifth in spite of the race-ending accident.

The next event at Redwood Acres Raceway on July 4th is one of the can’t miss events of the 2015 schedule. It’s the second leg of the Tri-Holiday series featuring the Firecracker 100 for the late models. In addition, roadrunners, bombers and mini stocks will be racing. Following the races, there will be a fireworks show in the infield. Last year’s fireworks event proved popular with fans and this year’s promises to be bigger and better. To accommodate the full Independence Day schedule, the grandstands will open at 4:30 PM while racing will begin at 6:00 PM. For more information on the upcoming races at the Acres, please visit the track’s official website www.racingtheacres.com .

Big weekend of racing set for the Acres

David Henderson leads the late model point standings at Redwood Acres Raceway

By Matthew J. Sullivan

Race three of the 2015 season at Redwood Acres Raceway is set for a special Memorial Day Salute to the Troops weekend event. Besides the local divisions racing on May 24th, a Sunday afternoon, the Acres will play host to the popular North State Modified Series. In addition, Sunday’s races will feature race number one of the Tri-Holiday series of races for the late models.

With only two races completed, the point races are still tight in all five local divisions. In the Humboldt Hydroponics roadrunners, Dylan Ford holds the championship lead thanks to his main event win in the most recent race on May 9th. Jett Taylor and Daniel Buell are tied for second, 16 points in arrears to Ford. Andrew Pimentel is fourth while rookie driver Shawn Malloy is fifth. Dustin Walters was also a main event winner on May 9th and he is the current leader in the bomber division. James Moore is seven points behind in second while Lance Martins, Michael Knight and Tyler Avelar round out the top five in standings.

The mini stock class has had an influx of cars the first two races of the season. Only six points separate the top three in standings. The duo of Leonard Ward and Chris Champagne lead by three points over Rick Estes while Eugene Palmer is third. Former roadrunner champion, Jarrett Mayo is fourth in points while Dylan Ford is fifth. The Bear River Hotel and Casino Thunder Roadsters will have a week off this Sunday which allows Robbie Nelson the opportunity to enjoy his lead in the division a while longer. Nelson leads Paul Peeples, Jr. by only one point while Mike Ward, Chris Lawrence and Thomas Payne are third through fifth.

David Henderson has appeared to be the class of the field thus far in the Mid City Motor World late model division and sits in the lead by eight markers over Jedd Ambrosini. Ryun Leazer is third in the standings followed by Richard Knight and Tyler Avelar. The standings could shake up after Sunday night’s race with the addition of cars and drivers for the first Tri-Holday race.

The North State Modified Series is two races into their 2015 campaign. This weekend’s race will be the first of two scheduled for the series at the Acres. Michael Mitchell leads Cody Braund by four points in the year-long battle for the championship. Darrin Knight is third followed by Tripp Gaylord and veteran racer Guy Young. The NSMS has yielded strong car counts so far with 23 cars racing at All-American Speedway and 21 showing up at the intimidating bullring that is Lakeport Speedway. There should be another strong field on Sunday with Oregon drivers joining the California modified racers.

The weekend kicks off on Saturday the 23rd with a test and tune for all cars. On Sunday the 24th grandstands open at 4:30PM and racing begins at 6:00PM. As a special thank you to those who have served in the military, admission into this Sunday’s races is free with a military ID. More information regarding this weekend’s big event can be found at Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website, www.racingtheacres.com .