Moulton Wins Third Race In A Row

#10 Mic Moulton made it three-for-three in the Super Six Challenge Series main event

Eureka, CA (June 10, 2018) – Racing returned to Redwood Acres Raceway on Saturday for the fourth race of the 2018 season. All six divisions were in action for Renner Petroleum Night at the Races including the Super Six Late Model Challenge Series cars which last raced on May 12th.

Fast time for the Compass Community Credit Union roadrunners was Daniel Buell with a 20.565. Main event one was dominated by Buell. Tim Ratzlaff got past Buell on lap eight but had to surrender the lead on lap 10 as he broke the 21-second barrier. Buell was able to pull out a substantial lead while Ratzlaff had to do all he could to close in on the leader. Ratzlaff finally caught up to Buell with three laps remaining and maneuvered by to take the lead. At the checkered flag it was Ratzlaff winning over Buell, Ronny Crump, Lindsey Zito and Allan Anderson.

Zito led the field to the green in the second main but Nick Ford quickly took over. Ford led up to lap 11 until he broke the 21-second rule and had to give up the lead to Ratzlaff. The three cars of Ratzlaff, Buell and Ford had a great battle for the lead. With four laps remaining, Buell was able to take over the lead. He was able to maintain that lead from that point on to take the victory. Ratzlaff took second while Crump, Ford and Jacob Wilkinson rounded out the top five.

Lane Anderson set fast time for the Bandolero cars. Anderson took the trophy dash win while Maleesa Miles was the heat race winner. Miles and Anderson had a spectacular race from the drop of the green flag. Anderson dogged Miles all race long. Miles got loose on a few occasions but was able to maintain the lead on Anderson. The two drivers were never more than less than a car-length apart. At the finish it was Miles winning flag-to-flag just narrowly over Anderson and Kimberling.

Qualifying for the NorthCoast Lighting & Electric was paced by Chris Lawrence at a 18.241. The trophy dash was won by Tyler Peach while the two head races went to Brandon White and Lawrence. Katina Baker took over the lead for the first four laps before giving way to Lawrence. His closest competition came from White. Lapped traffic played a role in the last half of the race. White was able to close in on Lawrence several times, including finding himself inside of Lawrence. In spite of White’s pressure, Lawrence kept his cool and was able to cross the line first at the finish. White placed second while Aiden Daniels, Wyatt Hobart and Baker finished the top five.

Ryan Walters was the fastest in qualifying for the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bombers at a 18.332. Sam Brown won the trophy dash after Walters and Jim Redd got together. Walters recovered to take the heat race win. Wyatt Roach took the lead and he and Walters had a race-long fight for the lead. Walters stayed on Roach’s bumper and with less than five laps remaining it appeared as thought he was going to make a serious challenge for the lead. With three laps to go, Walters got loose coming off turn four allowing Roach to pull away. At the finish it was Roach winning. Walters, Redd, Bethany Rapp and Brown rounded out the top five finishers.

In the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stocks, Brian Murrell, Sr. was quick time setting an 18.899 qualifying effort. The trophy dash was won by Gary Klientobe while the heat race victors were Trevor Eacret and Eugene Palmer. Several caution flags slowed the feature event. The most notable when it appeared Klinetobe hit the wall between turns one and two. Eacret led most of the race but had his hands full with Murrell, Sr. who was right in his mirror. Murrell, Sr. swept into the lead with five laps remaining. Murrell, Sr. was able to hang on to the lead and take the win over Palmer, Eacret, Brian Murrell, Jr. and Jordan Paiment.

Fast time for the Mid-City Motor World Super Six Challenge Series late model cars was David Henderson 15.874. The first heat was won by Kenny Demello while Marty Walsh’s win in the second heat granted him pole position for the main event. The 60-lap feature event presented by NorthCoast Lighting & Electric was slowed from the start when Scott Baker got loose crossing the start line and sliding into the mud created by rain earlier in the day. The restart was clean and Walsh immediately jumped to the lead. David Henderson slotted into the second position and did his best to try and chase down Walsh. As the laps clicked off, it appeared as though Walsh had the race-winning car. He had a substantial advantage over Henderson and the rest of the field. Mic Moulton passed Henderson on lap 30 and made his try to challenge Walsh.

At lap 40, it was heartbreak for Walsh as his car lost power down the straightaway. Moulton moved to the lead while Walsh had to limp his car to the pits. Henderson made one last run on Moulton in the final five laps but time ran out for him. Moulton was able to take the victory, his third straight of 2018. Henderson was second. Dennis DelBiaggio was third in his first race of the season. Kenny Demello was fourth while Ken Hallis had a solid run with a fifth.

Racing returns to Redwood Acres Raceway in two weeks. The event will be a special one as it will be on Friday June 22nd. The late models and bombers will have the night off while the rest of RAR’s divisions will be in action. The first boat race of the year will conclude the event. More horsepower will be displayed the following night Saturday June 23rd as tractor pulls are the featured event. VIP tickets are available on Redwood Acres Raceway’s website, www.RedwoodAcresRacing.com/tickets More information about the tractor pulls can be found at www.mlm-motorsports.com You can also visit Redwood Acres Raceway on Facebook 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.

Houston Wins A North State Modified Series Thriller

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Darrin Sullivan Survives To Win NSMS Feature

#21 Darrin Sullivan took the NSMS win

Eureka, CA (May 29, 2017) – For the first time in the 2017 season, the North State Modified Series visited Redwood Acres Raceway. It was O’Reilly Auto Parts Night at the Races as the popular touring series joined the Acres’ local divisions of roadrunners, Legends, bombers, mini stocks and Thunder Roadsters.

Track officials decided to make an adjustment to the California State and Federal Employees Credit Union roadrunner division. The class ran two 20-lap feature events, one clockwise and the other counter-clockwise. Nick Ford set fast time for the class with a 20.442. Natya Dawn dominated the first half of the first feature as she led the opening 12 laps. On lap 13, Tim Ratzlaff entered the lead but not for long. Two laps later, Daniel Buell took the lead. Buell held on the rest of the way to take the victory over Ratzlaff, Dawn, Ford and Jake Keeling.

Ford quickly raced to the lead of the second feature event. Buell showed strength and looked like a contender for another win but fell out on lap 15. Ford was able to lead flag-to-flag to take the victory. Keeling placed second over Ratzlaff, Jordon Paiment and Jennifer Murrell.

Cody Winchel set fast time for the Nor-Cal Automotive Legends division with a 17.801. Brian Kamisky was the winner of the first heat race while Derek Copeland won the second. MKinzy Uselton led lap one in the 25-lap main but Brent Mack was able to take over on lap two. Rookie driver, Daniel Whitley showed strength and passed Mack for the race lead on lap six. Copeland moved to the lead on lap 15 and had a fantastic duel for the lead with Winchel. On lap 17, Winchel gained the advantage and the race lead. Things remained tight between the top two until the last lap. In turns three and four, Copeland bumped Winchel. The two raced back to the finish line side-by-side with Copeland taking first by 0.031 over Winchel. Whitley placed third followed by Brad Curtice and Robert Miller.

Fast time for the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bomber division was set by R.J. Randall with an 18.190. Randall took the trophy dash victory while Mike Sullivan was the heat race winner. Kolby Jackson used his pole position to his advantage as he shot out to the lead in the 25-lap main event. Jackson led the first 11 laps until Sullivan briefly took the lead. Jackson regained the lead on lap 16 but spun in turns one and two. Sullivan regained the lead and withstood Randall’s late charge. At the finish it was Sullivan taking the victory over Randall, Dave Jones, John Lally and Jim Redd.

In the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock division, Brian Murrell was the fastest in qualifying with a 18.963. Brett Murrell took the victory in the trophy dash while the heat race was won by Troy Lee. Rick Estes briefly held the lead at the start of the 30-lap main event but gave way to Eugene Palmer. Back in his familiar ride, Palmer was dominant as he pulled away from the field and prevailed unchallenged. At the finish it was Palmer winning by two seconds over Brett Murrell. Gary Klinetobe placed third followed by Trevor Eacret and Troy Lee.

Qualifying for the Lone Star Junction Thunder Roadsters was paced by Paul Peeples, Jr. with a 17.290. Tommy Payne took the trophy dash win while the heat race went to Peeples. Chris Lawrence grabbed the race lead at the start of the 30-lap main event. Payne got to the lead on lap 10 but on lap 11, Peeples maneuvered by to take the race lead. Peeples pulled out to a lead as Payne had his hands full racing with Ronnie O’Neil. At the finish it was Peeples taking his first main event win in 2017. Payne held off O’Neil for second while Chris Sarvinski and Lawrence rounded out the top five finishers.

Darrin Knight set fast time in the North State Modified Series with a 16.130. Dustin DeRosier was the winner of the six-lap Lucas Oil Dash for Cash. Bryan Denton took the lead from pole position in the 60-lap feature event. On lap 10, Herman Pulyear got high in turns one and two and hit the water barrels at the pit road entrance. Pulyear was alright but the race was halted due to the water on the track. Denton led another four laps before Charlie Collins took over followed by Knight. The top two raced nose-to-tail. On lap 29, the leaders entered slower traffic. A lap later, Knight moved to the inside to try to take the lead. Things got tight in turn three as the two tried to pass Simi Tour. Contact was made between Collins and Knight with Knight's right-rear spring being knocked out of his car. Collins regained the lead but had to pit under caution because Knight’s spring had lodged itself in Collins’ chassis.

Denton regained the lead and had his hands full as Cody Braund challenged for the lead. On lap 46, Braund suffered damage to his right front suspension knocking him out of the race. Sullivan used the restart to his advantage as he moved to the lead. Denton ended up falling back to fifth as Richie Potts, Sierra Furia and Collins moved past. Furia briefly got to second in the final 10 laps but Collins powered by to take the second spot. Sullivan was able to hold off a furious late charge by Collins to take the victory. Furia took third while Potts and Denton rounded out the top five.

Racing at the Acres takes a break for a week before returning Saturday June 10th for Harper Motors Night at the Races. Late models will join the other local divisions for the third race of the Super 6 Late Model Challenge series. On Friday June 9th, the outlaw karts will be in action. For more information on everything going on at Redwood Acres Raceway, visit the track’s official website 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

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 .

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.

Leazer goes wire-to-wire in first main event victory

Ryun Leazer claimed his first late model division win at Redwood Acres Raceway Saturday night

By Matthew J. Sullivan

After a long three week break, racing returned to Redwood Acres Raceway this past Saturday night. All five classes of roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks, Thunder Roadsters and late models put on another exciting night on the pavement for what was Driver Appreciation Night. Prior to the main events, drivers pulled their cars to the front stretch for a meet-and-greet with the numerous fans in attendance.

Steve Paiment was the winner of the Humboldt Hydroponics trophy dash. The first heat race victory went to Tyler Peach while Dillon Hagman won the second. The start of the 20-lap roadrunner feature got off to a slow start as several incidents brought out the caution flag. The most serious involved Shawn Molloy and Paiment in the fourth turn. When the green flag came back out, the intensity in the race picked up. Rookie drivers Hagman and R.C. Brown battled for the lead while division dominator Dylan Ford maneuvered his way to the front.

The race was slowed on lap eight when Troy Lee and Bethany Rapp came together in the first turn. Ford got the jump on the restart to take the lead while Hagman fell into second. Meanwhile, Daniel Buell began to make his presence known as he maneuvered into the top five. The final few laps were a battle between Hagman, Ford, Brown and Buell. With two laps remaining, Brown got sideways and fell off the top three of Buell, Hagman and Ford. Things got strung out on the final lap and at the checkered flag it was Buell taking his second main event in a row over Hagman, Ford, Jett Taylor and Brown.

The bomber trophy dash win was taken by Matt Simon. The heat race saw an incident in which Dustin Walters got sideways off turn four while racing Simon for the lead. Walters hit the front stretch wall hard. Fortunately he was okay but his car was out for the night. Simon took the heat race victory. The 25-lap bomber main event was slowed at the start by a spin from Rick Jelton but the race was clean and green from that point on. James Moore took the lead on the restart and dominated the race. Simon closed in on Moore in the final few laps but wasn’t close enough at the finish as Moore took the victory over Simon, Ryan Ahrens and Jelton.

Rick Estes narrowly won the mini stock trophy dash. The heat race victory went to Brian Murrell, Jr. Brett Murrell took the lead on the first lap of the 25-lap main but his older brother Brian moved to the top spot on lap two. Murrell, Jr. pulled out to a sizable lead over the field while faster qualifiers Estes, Eugene Palmer and Chris Champagne battled through the field. It appeared as though Murrell, Jr. was going to cruise to an easy victory as his lead was nearly a full straightaway ahead of the battle between second place between Estes, Palmer and Champagne but that changed when the caution flew due to Michael Lawrence hitting the water barrels and tires at the pit entrance in turn two. Lawrence was unharmed.

Palmer pulled into the pits under caution and did not return to the track when racing resumed. The yellow was exactly what Estes needed as he was now a serious challenger to Murrell’s victory hopes. Champagne and Cole Peterson also got into the fight and it was a four-way battle for the win. On the final lap, Champagne appeared to get loose and spun off turn two but fortunately he didn’t hit anything. Estes did all he could but Murrell, Jr. held on at the line to take his first main event win of 2015. Peterson took third, Brett Murrell fourth and Champagne fifth.

Thomas Payne was the victor of the Bear River Hotel And Casino Thunder Roadster trophy dash. Paul Peeples, Jr. took the win in the heat race. Belinda Ward took the lead at the start of the 30-lap main event. Donnie Brown and Chris Sarvinski took Ward three wide coming to lap two with Sarvinski pulling out to the front bringing Peeples with him. The caution flag dropped on lap five and the ensuing restart allowed Peeples to get by Sarvinski for the race lead. Peeples pulled away while Sarvinski had his hands full with Robbie Nelson who eventually got the second position. As has been the case throughout the entire 2015 season, Peeples dominated and claimed his sixth main event win in a row. Nelson took second followed by Sarvinski, Payne and Brown.

The Mid City Motor World late model trophy dash win was taken by Leonard Ward who also went on to win the heat race. With the 11:00 curfew closing in, the feature event was cut to 30 laps. Fortunately the race went start to finish with nary a caution flag. Ryun Leazer used pole position to his advantage as he took the lead from the start. Marty Walsh likely had the fastest car in the field but flagman, Bill Middleton gave Walsh the consultation flag when smoke began coming from the back of Walsh’s car.

With Walsh out of the running, it was Ward who would be Leazer’s main competition. At the halfway point, Ward had closed in to within a car length on Leazer. However as the race progressed, Leazer appeared to have superior drive from the center of the corner off. The only chance Ward had in the final few laps was if Leazer made a mistake but the sophomore late model driver never did. At the finish it was Leazer winning his first ever late model feature. Ward took second while Kenny Demello, Jedd Ambrosini and Mark Williams rounded out the top five.

Racing returns to the Acres for a special two-day Labor Day weekend spectacular 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. Front gates open at 4:30PM and racing starts at 6:00PM both nights. An open practice is scheduled on Friday September 4th from 2:00PM to 7:00PM.

Only two more events remain after the Labor Day weekend races. 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. 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 .

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 .

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 .