Doss bags $2,000 Fall Spectacular Win

By Matthew J. Sullivan

For the first time since 2013, Redwood Acres Raceway played host to the Fall Spectacular this past weekend. It was the 24th annual running of the event which first started in 1990. Seven divisions partook in the two-day event which was capped off with a 100-lap late model race.

The California State and Federal Employees Credit Union roadrunners were one of the two divisions that raced a full schedule on both Saturday and Sunday. Dave Rogers from Ukiah, California paced qualifying on Saturday with a 20.385 lap. Rogers took the trophy dash win as well as a win in the fast heat while Bob Ratzlaff won the slower heat. Dominic Vogelsang led the opening five laps of the 20-lap main but Rogers had the better car as he took the lead on lap six. Rogers would go on to cruise to the win over James Nichols, Vogelsang, Jordon Paiment and Nick Ford.

Sunday’s roadrunner qualifying was again paced by Rogers with a 20.246. The trophy dash win went to Nichols while the heats were taken by Vogelsang and Rogers. The 20-lap main was similar to the previous night as led the opening portion of the event, this time for eight circuits. As with the night before, it was Rogers who had the stronger car as he maneuvered to the lead on lap nine and held on from there. At the finish it was Rogers sweeping both feature events. Vogelsang placed second while Nichols, Ford and Paiment rounded out the top five.

The Thunder Roadsters were the other division that raced both days. Ronnie O’Neil set fast time on day one with a 17.333 qualifying lap. Aaron Byers claimed the trophy dash win while O’Neil took the heat race. Byers led the opening 1/3 of the 30 lap main before giving way to O’Neil who was able to lead the rest of the way to take the feature win. Byers held off Tommy Payne for second followed by Chris Lawrence and Dax Kinsey.

O’Neil was again fast time on Sunday with a bit of a faster time, a 17.317. Chris Sarvinski took the trophy dash win while O’Neil won the heat. Sarvinski dominated the 30-lap main as he was able to get past Donnie Brown on lap three. Sarvinski pulled out to a substantial margin as Brown tried to fight off the faster competitors for second. At the finish it was Sarvinski taking the win followed by O’Neil, Byers, Lawrence and Payne.

2015 and 2016 North State Modified Series champion, Darrin Knight paced the modifieds with a 16.422. Veteran Willie Thompson won the trophy dash and heat races. Thompson led the opening nine of the 30 lap main but it was Knight who proved to be superior as he took the lead. Knight went on to win over Thompson, Sierra Furia and Orion Mosher.

Derek Copeland substituted for Brian Kamisky on Saturday and he set quick time for the Legends cars with a 17.975. Copeland went on to win the trophy dash and heat races. Kamisky hopped into his car on Sunday for the 50-lap main event. The feature was slowed at the halfway point when Tyler Peach and Anissa Curtice had a meeting in turn two with Curtice hitting the tire barrier. Fortunately she was okay. Nobody could keep pace with Kamisky who started from the back and took the lead on lap seven. At the finish it was Kamisky getting the $500 victory. Brad Curtice placed second followed by Buddy Cox, Brent Mack and Daniel Whitley.

Qualifying for the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stocks was paced by Rick Estes with an 18.956. Jarrett Mayo won the trophy dash as well as the heat which awarded him the pole for Sunday’s 40-lap main. The two strongest drivers in the feature were Mayo and Estes. The two traded the lead on lap 15 but contact on lap 16 sent both to the rear giving Brian Murrell, Sr. the lead. Mayo regained the lead from Murrell on lap 31 and was able to take the win over Murrell, Sam Brown, Estes and Nick Ford.

The Fortuna Wheel and Brake bomber division had a stellar field for the weekend with 20 cars showing up to race. Terry Pittman set the pace in qualifying with a 18.229. Kolby Jackson took the trophy dash win. Richard Knight won the first heat which awarded him the 11th starting position for Sunday’s first main event. Sacramento racer, Erick Ray took the second heat win which gave him the pole position.

The first main event was dominated by Ray. The best fight was for second place as Brian King, Ryan Walters and Pittman battled for the second position. Ray led all 50 laps taking the $1,000 win in what proved to be a rough first main event. Walters beat King for second while Pittman and Corey James rounded out the top five. Ray drew the six pill for the invert which gave Wyatt Roach the pole for the second feature.

Due to his win in the first main, Ray had the opportunity to take $4,000 home. Besides earning $1,000 for winning the first main, he could earn $1,000 for winning the second main, $1,000 for sweeping both mains and an additional $1,000 for having the highest finish between the two main events.

Roach led the opening lap of the second feature before Pittman was able to take the lead. Pittman held on until lap 14 when Ray was able to get to the lead. The first half of the main was much cleaner than the first race was until a rather scary incident involving Kimberly Sorrels, Matt Simon and David Jones in turn four brought out the red flag. Thankfully all three drivers were okay. Ray looked to have the race in hand until a broken axle on lap 24 dashed his hopes. Pittman took the lead back and never lost it again. At the finish it was Pittman taking the $1,000 win over Walters, Brian King, Kolby Jackson and Wyatt Roach. Walters was awarded $1,000 for having the best overall finish in the two races.

Qualifying for the Fall Spectacular 100 late model race was paced by hometown favorite, Brandon White with a 15.900 with 21 drivers in all timing in. Three drivers who did not qualify were Jeremy Doss, Randy Houston and Scott Baker. Doss missed qualifying but was able to race in the slower heat while Houston and Baker had issues in practice which knocked them out of the weekend’s action. Marty Walsh took the win in the first heat which awarded him the 11th starting spot for Sunday’s 100-lap affair while Brandon Ash took the second heat win and pole position for Sunday.

Ash led the first four circuits which were slowed twice by caution flags. On the lap five restart, David Miller took the lead. Junior Roddy got past Ash for second on lap 18 and began a serious bid for the top position. By lap 24, Doss had maneuvered to third after starting 14th. On lap 26, fan favorite Jim Walker fell out. Another caution bunched the field and on the restart Miller and Roddy fought hard for the lead. The two got together and slowed off turn two on lap 29 which allowed Doss to make a thrilling three-wide pass for the lead.

Doss appeared to have the race well in hand by the halfway point while second place Miller appeared to have his hands full with his car. Roddy was able to take second on lap 52 and Miller began to fall out of the top five as White, Eric Gannon, Derek Copeland, Ash and David Henderson were all able to get past. Ash fell out of the race on lap 65.

The race was slowed several times in the final 30 laps which allowed Roddy and the rest of the field to close on Doss. Each restart however, Doss was able to retain his lead. The yellow flags helped Miller regain the handling in his car as he was able to get back to fourth on lap 76. At one point in the final stages, Roddy was able to get right to Doss’ rear bumper but Doss was able to withstand Roddy’s challenge. At the finish it was Doss taking the $2,000 victory, his second Fall Spectacular win. Roddy took second followed by White, Miller and Henderson. Doss’ margin of victory over Roddy was 0.771 seconds.

For full race results and main event videos from the Fall Spectacular weekend at Redwood Acres Raceway, please visit the track’s official website www.RacingTheAcres.com

The Fall Spectacular returns to Redwood Acres Raceway this weekend

By Matthew J. Sullivan

After a two year hiatus, the Fall Spectacular is set to return this weekend October 7th, 8th, and 9th at Redwood Acres Raceway. It is sure to be a fun-filled weekend as seven divisions will partake in the racing action on the 3/8-mile paved oval. It will be the 24th running of the event which originated in 1990.

Two of the divisions will be racing full programs on both nights, the California State and Federal Employees Credit Union roadrunners and the Thunder Roadsters. Of the 11 roadrunner point races in 2016, there were nine different winners. The feature events for both Saturday and Sunday should be wide-open. The Thunder Roadster division featured some of the tightest racing at the Acres in 2016 and it should be no different as 2016 track champion, Tommy Payne will be among the favorites to win on both nights.

The Legends cars will also be in action after what’s been a successful first season of action for the division at RAR. The winner’s share for the Sunday race is $500 with a minimum of $100 just to start the feature. 2016 champ, Robert Miller and championship runner-up, Brad Curtice will be the local favorites for the event.

The Humboldt Hydroponics mini stocks will have a 40-lap feature on Sunday. $500 dollars is on the line for the race winner and it is anyone guess as to who will be the winner when the checkered flag falls. With 2016 mini stock champ, Gary Klinetobe announcing his retirement at the end of the final point race on September 24th, the door opens for his closest challengers in Eugene Palmer and Jarrett Mayo being the favorites for Sunday. Another driver who will be a contender is Rick Estes who won four main events during the season.

The Fortuna Wheel and Brake bombers will have two main 50-lap events on Sunday. $1,000 will be awarded to the winner of each race. In addition, another $1,000 will be awarded to the driver who has the best average finish between the two races and an additional $1,000 will be awarded if a driver sweeps both feature events. The top bomber drivers in the region are expected to show for the event while local drivers like Ryan Walters and John Lally among the locals hoping to defend their home turf.

Modifieds will take to the Acres for the third time in 2016. The prior two races were North State Challenge Series events which were swept by Darrin Knight. The 60-lap feature pays $1,500 to win with a minimum of $200 being paid for starting the feature. Fast time for the division will earn a driver $100 while winning in one of the qualifying heats will fetch a driver $75.

Over 20 drivers have pre-entered for the 100-lap feature event for the late model cars. Several past winners of the race are expected to show including 4-time winner, Mike Sackett, 2-time winner, David Miller and 2012 champion, Jeremy Doss. Others who have entered include Randy Houston, Eric Gannon, Allen Cress and racing legend, Jim Walker. One driver who will not be racing is 2016 Mid City Motor World late model champ, Mic Moulton who is still recovering from injuries. Driving his car will be Acres veteran, David Henderson. The feature pays $2,000 to win with a $500 minimum payout for starting. Like the modifieds, fast time will be awarded $100 while the qualifying heat winners will earn $100.

Redwood Acres Raceway will be hosting an open practice on Friday October 7th starting at 2:00 PM. Saturday, grandstands open at 4:00 PM with racing starting at 6:00 PM. Sunday grandstands open at 11:00 AM with racing beginning at noon. For more information on this weekend’s Fall Spectacular please visit Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website, www.racingtheacres.com

Late Model Pre-Entry List
3 – Allen Cress
8 – Kenny Demello
9 – Randy Houston
10 – David Henderson
12 – Marty Walsh
15 – Richard Knight
19 – Brandon White
22 – David Miller
24 – Derek Copeland
24 – Ryun Leazer
26 – Robbie Nelson
27 – Sheyne Demello
28 – Tim Crenshaw
28 – Wade Kohns
34 – Corey James
36 – Luke Hall
41 – Junior Roddy
44 – James Jones
48 – Jim Walker
57 – Ryan Walters
75 – Jeremy Doss
75E – Eric Gannon
83 – Douglas Atkins
91 – Brandon Williams
99 – Mike Sackett

Redwood Acres Raceway Fall Spectacular Winners

Late Models:
1990: Randy Olson
1991: Bob Strauss
1992: Randy Olson
1993: Jeff Rogers
1994: Roger Gannon
1995: Darrell Midgley
1996: Randy Olson
1997: Randy Olson
1998: Darrell Midgley
1999: Mike Sackett
2000: Mike Sackett
2001: Mike Sackett
2003: Mike Sackett
2004: David Miller
2005: Josh Bews
2006: Ryan Foster
2007: Howard Ford
2009: Noel McCormack, Jr.
2010: David Miller
2011: Howard Ford
2012: Jeremy Doss
2013: Eric Schmidt
2016: Jeremy Doss
2017: Brandon White

Modifieds:
1991: Robert Carrel
1992: Rick Rose
1993: Darrell Midgley
1994: Richie Potts
1995: Blair Aiken
1996: Bob Strauss
1997: Bob Strauss
1998: Bob Strauss
1999: Denny Cashada
2000: Kelly Peacock
2001: Clarence Reddick
2002: Bill Binns
2003: Derek Thorn
2004: Gary Lowblad
2005: Jay Linstroth
2006: Willie Thompson
2007: Thomas Wright
2012: Darrin Knight
2013: Darrin Knight
2014: Darrin Knight

Knight rises, Walsh wins at the Acres

By Matthew J. Sullivan

Both sides of Redwood Acres Raceway were filled this past Saturday for Lithia Dodge Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram of Eureka Night at the Races. In addition to the six local divisions of cars, the North State Modified Series returned to RAR for the second and final time in 2016.

Bethany Rapp was quick time in the California State & Federal Employee Credit Union roadrunner division with a 20.813. James Nickles won the four-lap trophy dash which saw an incident between Rapp and Jennifer Murrell that effectively ended Rapp’s night. Heat race on was taken by Bob Ratzloff while Dylan Ford won heat two. Ratzloff led the opening four of the scheduled 25 lap feature until Ford took the lead away.

On lap six, Nickles’ engine let go down the back stretch into turn three. Behind him, several drivers hit the oil and wrecked. Involved were Steve Paiment, Tyler Peach and Brandon Katri who were all knocked out of the event. The race was cut to 12 laps due to the lengthy cleanup. Ford led after the restart and was able to hold off Murrell to take the win. Dominic Vogelsang, Jake Keeling and Patrick Sproul rounded out the top five.

The Fortuna Wheel and Brake bomber class had an excellent turnout of 14 cars thanks to Lally Motorsports and Four Star Realty upping the purse for the evening. Erick Ray set fast time with a 18.166 and was the winner of the trophy dash. Ryan Ahrens was the winner of heat one while Brian King won heat race two.

The 25-lap main featured a spectacular duel for the lead between King and Ray. King was able to take the lead away from Lally on lap eight and did all he could to fend off Ray for the lead. After a neck and neck duel for the lead, Ray was able to finally secure the lead on lap 16. Ray led the rest of the way to take the main event win, the first at RAR for the Sacramento driver. King placed second followed by Matt Manlos, James Moore and Ahrens.

14 cars took time in qualifying in the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock division but unfortunately Todd Simpson and Shawn Molloy both had issues which prevented them from racing. Dylan Hagmann was the fastest qualifier with a 18.910 time. Gary Klinetobe won the trophy dash while heat race winners were Cole Peterson and Hagmann.

Troy Lee led the opening lap of the 25-lap feature before giving way to Peterson. Gary Klinetobe took over on lap five and looked to be the guy to beat. However, as the race progressed, it was Rick Estes who had the strongest car and on lap 19 he wrestled the lead away from Klinetobe. Estes was able pull away and take the victory over Klinetobe. Daniel Buell placed third followed by Brett Murrell and Eugene Palmer.

Fast time for the Thunder Roadster division was Tommy Payne with a 17.214. Aaron Byers was the trophy dash victor while Donnie Brown claimed the heat race win. The focus of the 30-lap feature was on Payne and Ronnie O’Neil who seemed to have equal cars. O’Neil tried everything he could to find enough momentum to challenge Payne for the lead but never could. At the finish it was Payne winning followed by O’Neil, Byers, LeRoy Marsh, Jr. and Brown.

Qualifying for the Legends cars was paced by Brad Curtice’s 18.243. Denny Hadler, Jr. was the trophy dash winner while the heat race winner was Brian Kamisky. The 25-lap feature was dominated by Kamisky who was never seriously challenged for the lead. One incident slowed the race, a turn four accident involving Hadler, Jr. and Robert Miller. At the finish it was Brian Kamisky winning handily over Miller, Brad Curtice, Troy Kamisky and Anissa Curtice.

14 Mid City Motor World late models qualified for the night with Oregon veteran, Mike Sackett setting fast time 15.919. Sadly for Sackett, he suffered problems which prevented him from participating further on the night. Tim Crenshaw was the winner of the trophy dash. Due to the tight schedule for the night, heat races were abandoned. Al Acune led the opening seven laps of the 50-lap main but contact between he and Ryun Leazer sent both drivers to the rear of the field.

Eddie Klien was moved to the lead and had the best race of his rookie season as he led over half the race. A late race restart proved to be Klein’s downfall as Marty Walsh was able to get the jump and take over the lead. Klien’s good run went bad when he and Kenny Demello made contact on the front stretch sending both cars spinning. The final handful of laps featured a duel for the lead between Walsh and Moulton. Walsh prevailed to take the win followed by Moulton. Dustin Walters had his best run of the year in third followed by Jedd Ambrosini and Richard Knight.

17 North State Modifieds showed up for the Swartz Diesel Super 60 event for the evening. Unfortunately, one of the top contenders, Bryan Denton suffered issues before qualifying which forced him out of action for the night. Series point leader, Darrin Knight was quick time with a 16.192. Richie Potts was the winner of the Lucas Oil Dash for Cash earning $100 for his efforts.

The Swartz Diesel Super 60 was slowed only once due to a spin by Rick Anderson on lap one. Darin Snider led from the drop of the green but it wasn’t long before Knight moved to second and set his sights on the leader. It was the Darin and Darrin show as fans were thrilled by the fantastic nip and tuck duel for the lead between the two drivers. Knight was finally able to get under Snider on lap 33 to take the race lead.

Snider pulled his car into the pits after his strong run on lap 42. At the front it was Knight taking the win, sweeping both NSCS races at the Acres in 2016. Charlie Collins had a strong run in second over Mikey Collins. Darrin Sullivan was fourth, the final car on the lead lap while Eric Johnson placed fifth.

One of the most anticipated events of the year follows on August 6th when the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series returns to the 3/8-mile paved oval for the third time. The Bear River Casino & Hotel and Renner Petroleum 125 promises to be intense and action-packed with the top super late model racers on the west coast taking to the Acres pavement. Grandstands open at 5:00 PM while racing begins at 6:00 PM.

There are only two more chances to see the outlaw karts in action. This weekend, Saturday July 30th is the second to last event for the karts and is sponsored by Scott Hammond State Farm while Saturday August 27th is the final event of the year and is sponsored by Williamson Financial Group. For more information on everything going on at Redwood Acres Raceway, please visit the track’s official website www.racingtheacres.com

Knight returns to Acres winner’s circle

By Matthew J. Sullivan

It was O’Reilly Auto Parts Night at the Races this past Sunday afternoon at Redwood Acres Raceway. Sunshine graced the 3/8-mile paved oval for what proved to be another intense night of action. While the local late model division had the night off, the five other regular classes of cars were joined by the North State Modified Series cars.

The Legends were joined by a few out-of-town drivers this week. Brian Kamisky set fast time with a 18.098 qualifying lap. Kamisky followed his quick time with a win in the trophy dash while Robert Miller took the heat race victory. Brent Mack led the opening three laps before Miller took the lead. Kamisky moved by Hadler to second on lap 20 and looked as though he was ready to give Miller a serious challenge for the race lead. Unfortunately, Kamisky got loose and spun in turns three and four. Miller was able to hold off Hadler’s final charge to claim his first Legend feature win. Kamisky took third over Mack and Brad Curtice.

Quick time in the California State & Federal Employee Credit Union roadrunner class was a 20.839 by Steve Paiment. Tyler Peach took the victory in the trophy dash. The heat race winners were Shawn Molloy and Paiment. The 20-lap feature proved to be a rough race from the drop of the green flag. Several cars got together right at the flag with Molloy getting the worst of it. He was out of action for the rest of the race. Because of the numerous caution flags, the event was cut down to 16 laps. The finish came down to a battle between Richard Stancliff, Bob Ratzlaff, Dominic Vogelsang and Paiment. Vogelsang led the white flag lap but Paiment was able to get by and win the race to the checkered flag. Ratzlaff beat Vogelsang for second followed by Standcliff and Bethany Rapp.

James Moore was the quick qualifier for the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bombers with a lap of 18.333. Visiting driver, Erick Ray took the wins in both the trophy dash and heat races. The 25-lap main event featured a fantastic duel between Ray and Tyler Avelar. The two traded the lead back and forth through the first 14 laps before Avelar was able to take the lead for good. Nobody had anything for Avelar on the night and at the finish it was Avelar taking the win followed by Ray, Moore and John Lally.

Qualifying for the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stocks was led by Gary Klinetobe who set the fast lap of 18.843. Rick Estes won the four-lap trophy dash. Heat race one was taken by Brian Murrell, Jr. while Estes took the win in heat two. Brett Murrell led the opening four laps of the 25-lap main before giving way to Jarrett Mayo who. Estes looked to be the man to beat as he got to the lead on lap seven. Estes and Palmer staged a thrilling duel for the race. On the final lap, both drivers tangled with Estes spinning into the infield dirt. Although Palmer crossed the line first, he was penalized for his involvement in the incident. This gave Mayo the win, his second of the year. Rookie, Daniel Buell took second over Brian Murrell, Sr. in third. Estes was scored fourth while Palmer placed fifth.

Robbie Nelson set the place in qualifying for the Thunder Roadsters with a 17.221 lap. Aaron Byers took the trophy dash victory while Ronnie O’Neil won the heat race. After winning the main event in the previous race, Byers suffered issues in the first lap as he hit the turn one wall hard. Fortunately he was okay. Donnie Brown led lap one by it proved to be O’Neil’s night as he took the lead on lap two and never looked back. Tommy Payne was O’Neil’s closest challenger but the veteran driver lost ground as he battled Nelson the majority of the race. At the finish it was O’Neil winning his first ever Thunder Roadster main event. Payne took second over LeRoy Marsh, Jr., Nelson and Brown.

The North State Modified Series visited Redwood Acres Raceway for the first of two times in 2016. 15 modifieds showed up but 13 qualified as Charlie Collins and Michael Mitchell both suffered issues that ended their day prematurely. Darrin Knight set fast time with a 16.184 lap. The $100 Lucas Oil Dash For Cash prize was won by Jay Lindstroth while Richie Potts took the $50 that came for second place.

Guy Young took the lead from the start of the Swartz Diesel Nor-Cal 60. Young pulled out to a tremendous lead while the faster qualifiers of Knight and Lindstroth maneuvered their way to the front. By lap 24, Knight was in the lead. On lap 28, Lindstroth moved to second. There were only two caution flags in the race, one of which involved David Lyndall in turn three on lap 43. Lindstroth was able to hang on to Knight’s bumper on the restarts but Knight’s car prevailed as the laps went on. At the finish, it was Knight winning by a little over a second over Lindstroth. Bryan Denton started dead last and was able to finish third while Young and Mike Collins rounded out the top five finishers.

Racing at Redwood Acres Raceway returns on Saturday June 25th for a special fair night event. It’s will be a Night of Destruction at the Acres featuring the first ever pole race for the roadrunners. Also featured will be the popular boat races. The Mid-City Motor World late models will have the night off but the other four local divisions will be in action. As always, the grandstands will open at 5:00 PM while racing begins at 6:30 PM. For more information on everything going on at Redwood Acres Raceway, please visit the track’s official website www.racingtheacres.com

A look back at the 2015 season at the Acres

Brandon White's frightening wreck in the Spears SRL Southwest Tour
race was one of the memorable events at Redwood Acres Raceway in 2015

By Matthew J. Sullivan

It was a thrilling season of racing at Redwood Acres Raceway in 2015. Eureka, California’s 3/8-mile paved oval provided many exciting and memorable nights of action between the five local divisions of roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks, Thunder Roadsters and late mdoels. The season was highlighted by visits from the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series, the North State Modified Series and the running of the inaugural Tri-Holiday Classic featuring the late models.

Redwood Acres Raceway’s roadrunner division was presented by Humboldt Hydroponics throughout 2015. Dylan Ford took the track championship in the division thanks to winning seven of the 12 main events during the season. It was a dominant effort by Ford who placed outside of the top five only once in the entire year.

Dustin Walters was a force in the bomber division taking eight main event wins. The race for the track championship was very tight however with Walters taking it by a scant six point margin over James Moore who placed second.

The mini stock track championship was also a neck-and-neck race between Chris Champagne and Eugene Palmer. Just like the bombers, the gap between first and second was only six points with Champagne having the edge. Both drivers won four main events in what was also their first season of racing in the division.

Paul Peeples, Jr. was nearly unstoppable in the Bear River Hotel and Casino Thunder Roadster class. Peeples won nine of the 11 main events in the division and finished fifth and third in the two races he didn’t win.

The Mid City Motor World late model division’s track title came down to a battle between two second year drivers in Ryun Leazer and Jedd Ambrosini. Leazer pulled through to take the crown by sixteen markers. The 2015 season for the late models featured the Tri-Holiday Classic; three special events on the weekends of Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day. Mic Moulton won the Memorial Day race while Brandon White took the Firecracker 100 and Marty Walsh won the Labor Day 100.

2015 also featured the likes of two touring series to the Acres. The North State Modified Series visited during the Memorial and Labor Day races. Rich Lindgren won the 60-lap race in the series’ first visit while Darrin Knight had a memorable drive to win the second race for the series at RAR.

Perhaps the biggest highlight of the year was the return of the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series. Jim Pettit, II dominated the event and took his second SRL victory at the Acres. The 125-lap race will probably be best remembered for a scary incident that involved SRL star and local driver, Brandon White. Thankfully, White was uninjured in what was a frightening crash.

The 2015 season officially concludes November 1st with the awards banquet. Information regarding the event can be found on Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website, www.racingtheacres.com .

Knight, Walsh big Labor Day weekend winners

Darrin Knight took the North State Modified Series win at Redwood Acres Raceway

By Matthew J. Sullivan

It was a big Labor Day weekend at Redwood Acres Raceway as the 3/8-mile paved oval hosted races on both Saturday and Sunday. The third and final leg of the Tri-Holiday Classic for the late model cars highlighted the action on Saturday. Sunday’s races featured the North State Modified Series. The local roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks and Thunder Roadsters helped fill out what proved to be two spectacular nights of racing.

Saturday’s Humboldt Hydroponics roadrunner division trophy dash was won by Daniel Buell. Ken Barrett won the first heat race for the division while Dylan Ford took the second heat. The 20-lap feature saw numerous lead changes between the likes of Chris Appleton, Ford, R.C. Brown, Buell and Dylan Hagman. Hagman moved past Ford to the lead on lap 17 and was able to claim his first main event victory in the division over Buell and Ford.

James Moore took the trophy dash victory for the bomber cars. Dustin Walters was the winner of the heat race. The 25-lap main event was dominated by Walters from start to finish as he led every lap en route to the win. Matt Simon and Rick Jelton rounded out the top three finishers.

Richard Klinetobe was behind the wheel of his brother, Gary’s car for the night and he took his first ever win in the mini stock trophy dash. Eugene Palmer took the heat race win. Chris Champagne led the first half of the 25-lap main event but his championship point rival, Palmer had the faster machine for the evening. Palmer took the lead from Champagne on lap 18 and went on to win his second main event of the season over Champagne and Klinetobe.

The Bear River Hotel And Casino Thunder Roadster division saw the familiar face of Paul Peeples, Jr. return to victory lane in the trophy dash and heat races. The 30-lap main event was no different for the veteran. Chris Sarvinski led the first 16 laps before giving way to Peeples. The veteran racer held on from there and at the finish it was Peeples winning over Sarvinski and Robbie Nelson.

Allen Cress set quick time for the late models with a 15.835 qualifying time. The 8-lap trophy dash was won by Marty Walsh which awarded him pole position for the 100-lap event. Walsh took the lead at the start of the feature and would never lose the top spot. Walsh’s closest competition came in the form of Cress who moved past Mic Moulton on lap nine for second. Cress moved in on Walsh’s rear bumper and seriously challenged Walsh before the first caution on lap 50.

After the caution period, the handling on Cress’ car appeared to go away as Walsh moved out to a several car length gap. Several cautions slowed the event which allowed Cress the opportunity to challenge Walsh for the lead but each time, Walsh was able to pull away. On lap 85, Cress’ engine blew up in turns three and four, ending his night. Walsh once again pulled away from the field and crossed the line first, taking the biggest win of his career. Moulton crossed the line second while Stateline Speedway racer, Rob Vining made his long tow count with an excellent third place effort.

Daniel Buell returned to victory lane on Sunday in the Humboldt Hydroponics roadrunner trophy dash. Ken Barrett was the winner of the first heat race while Dylan Ford was the winner of the second heat. The 20-lap main was dominated by Jordon Paiment but Daniel Buell showed his strength in the final few laps. With two laps remaining, Buell moved by Paiment for the lead and held on for the win. Paiment took second followed by Bethany Rapp in third with her best finish in her first season of racing.

Sunday’s bomber races were dominated by Dustin Walters. Walters took the wins in both the trophy dash and heat races. James Moore led the first four laps in the 25-lap main event but could not hold off Walters who moved to the lead and ended up taking the win. Moore placed second with Matt Simon third.

Eugene Palmer’s night in the mini stock division was no different than that of Dustin Walters. Palmer won the dash and heat and was strong in the 25-lap feature. As they had done the night before, Chris Champagne and Palmer dueled for the race lead and just like the night before, Palmer ended up with the upper hand. At the checkered flag it was Palmer winning his second straight main event over Champagne and Brian Murrell, Jr.

Robbie Nelson took the trophy dash victory for the Bear River Hotel And Casino Thunder Roadster division. Thomas Payne won the heat race and was dominant in the 30-lap main event. Craig Baker held the lead early in the feature before giving way to Nelson on lap three. Payne got by Nelson on lap six and led from that point on. At the finish it was Payne winning his first race of 2015, breaking Paul Peeples, Jr.’s seven-race winning streak. Chris Lawrence had his best finish of the year in second while Peeples placed third.

17 cars qualified for the North State Modified Series. Fast time was set by Darrin Knight with a 16.218 qualifying lap. The Lucas Oil Dash For Cash was won by Devin LaHorgue. For winning the dash, LaHorgue was awarded $100 while second place finisher, Guy Young took home $50. The 60-lap feature was a thrilling race from start to finish. Knight took the lead from his pole position starting spot and looked to have the car to beat as he ran away from the field. Charlie Collins moved by Michael Mitchell for second on lap on lap 15 just before the caution flag dropped.

On the restart, Collins and Knight touched wheels coming to the green. Collins hit the front stretch wall hard. Fortunately, Collins was okay but was finished for the night. Knight was sent to the rear of the field which put Mitchell to the lead. The race restarted and Knight began putting on a show as he tried to get back to the front. In addition, Tripp Gaylord had the attention of fans as he started at the rear of the field and was moving to the front as well. Gaylord’s car was unable to start the feature. Rick Anderson graciously allowed Gaylord to drive his car in the feature in order to keep Gaylord from falling out of the point race.

Knight was clearly the man to beat on the night. On lap 20, Knight was in sixth. On lap 28, Knight got by Gaylord for fifth. 10 laps later, Knight passed Guy Young for second and a lap later he returned to the race lead getting by Mitchell. The race was halted several times in the final 20 laps but every time Knight was able to return to the lead. At the finish it was Knight winning over Mitchell, Gaylord, Kyle Borden and Cody Braund.

The track championships for all five divisions will be decided at Redwood Acres Raceway in the next race on the schedule on September 19th. In addition to the event being championship night at the Acres, it will also be Fan Appreciation Night. General admission for the event is $5 for general admission 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 .

Lindstroth dominant in modified victory

Lindstroth dominant in modified victory

By Matthew J. Sullivan

Redwood Acres Raceway celebrated Independence Day weekend in style this past Saturday night. Not only did the Acres serve as host to the five local divisions of roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks, Thunder Roadsters and late models, the North State Modified Series made their second stop of the season at Eureka, California’s 3/8-mile paved oval. In addition to the fantastic racing, the night was capped off by a spectacular fireworks show that thrilled the large crowd in attendance.

Gary Klinetobe set fast time in the Humboldt Hydroponics roadrunner division with a 20.328 qualifying lap. Klinetobe followed that up with a victory in the four lap trophy dash. The first heat race went to Michael Lawrence who returned to the division due to his bomber being severely damaged several races ago. Dylan Ford took the second heat in thrilling fashion on the final lap.

The 15-lap feature for the roadrunners was slowed several times early on. One incident involved Kayla Foster who was sent head on into the back stretch wall. Foster’s car was finished for the night but she was unharmed. The story for the division this season has been the battle between Klinetobe and Eugene Palmer. Klinetobe moved to the front early while Palmer had to scrap through the field and wasn’t able to get to the front until the final two laps. At the checkered flag it was Klinetobe taking the win ahead of Palmer, Steve Kimberling, Tim Abeyta and Ford.

The John’s Used Cars and Wreckers bombers saw an influx of cars for the night as drivers from the Redding and Lake County areas made the trek to the Acres. David Dillinger set fast time with an 18.512 lap. Brian Smith took the trophy dash victory then was victorious in the heat race. Don Hyman led the feature early on but the out-of-town drivers made their strength known throughout the feature. Hyman did all he could to hold off Dillinger at the halfway point of the 20-lap main event but was unable to do so. Dillinger would go on to take the victory beating Smith, Leonard Ward, Eddie Klein and Kevin Coburn.

The O’Reilly Auto Parts/Del Reka Distributing mini stock class also saw several new cars join the field for the night. Visitor, David Felch set the standard in qualifying, beating all the local drivers with a 19.164 qualifying lap. Felch’s time in qualifying proved to be a prelude to how he would race in the evening as he won the trophy dash, the heat race and the main event. Brian Murrell, Jr. finished second while Rick Estes, Chelsea Champagne and Jordan Paiment rounded out the top five.

Robbie Nelson set fast time with a 17.187 qualifying lap for the Bear River Hotel and Casino Thunder Roadster division. The trophy dash win was taken by Paul Peeples, Jr. while Chris Sarvinski held off Peeples in the heat race. The 20-lap main event was highlighted by a nose-to-tail duel for the race lead between Sarvinski and Peeples. Coming off turn four on the final lap, Peeples found the inside line under Sarvinski and the two drag-raced to the line in a photo finish. Track officials determined that Sarvinski beat Peeples by a mere eight-thousandths of a second or about a foot. Thomas Payne finished third, Robbie Nelson fourth and Belinda Ward placed fifth.

Luke Hall set fast time for the Mid City Motor World late model division with a 15.938 qualification lap. The trophy dash victory was taken by Jerry Peterson who followed that up with a win in the heat race. The 25-lap feature saw a heated battle for the race lead between Hall, Mic Moulton and Peterson. Hall and Moulton were battling side-by-side for the lead coming off turn two on lap 13 when Hall got sideways into Moulton sending him spinning into the infield. Peterson got by in the melee but Hall got into his bumper going into the third turn. All three drivers restarted at the back which gave Al Acuna the race lead.

Acuna held onto the lead until four laps to go when the handling appeared to severely fall off on his car. Hall took advantage and quickly took the lead while Moulton and Peterson had to work slightly harder to get by Acuna. Moulton made one last effort to try to challenge Hall but it wasn’t enough in the end as Hall took the victory followed by Moulton, Peterson, Acuna and Ryun Leazer.

Citrus Heights racer, Jay Lindstroth broke the existing track record for the North State Modified Series with a 16.100 qualifying time. The Scubba Bub’s Dash for Cash went to Petaluma’s Richie Potts while the Lucas Oil Dash for Cash was taken by Linstroth. Both winners were awarded a crisp 100 dollar bill for their efforts.

Kyle Tellstrom of Ukiah was the benefactor of the five-car invert for the 60-lap feature and used his pole position start to his advantage by taking the lead from the drop of the green flag. In second place was Cody Braund of Anderson who had his hands full with Lindstroth and Kelseyville’s Darrin Knight who won the North State Modified Series previous race at the Acres in May. The biggest accident of the race took place on lap 18 in the third turn.  Involved were Corey James of Cottonwood, Don Swartz of Grass Valley, Rich Cobb of Klamath Falls, Oregon and Orion Mosher of Eureka.

The restart proved to be the advantage that Linstroth needed as he powered by Tellstrom to the race lead. Knight moved into second in the closing stages and after a spin by Dustin DeRosier with 12 laps remaining, it looked to be a showdown between the front two cars. Linstroth got the advantage on the restart and was able to pull away from Knight. At the finish it was Linstroth winning over Knight, Tellstrom, Kyle Borden and Braund.

Racing at the Acres takes a break before returning Saturday July 19th. Grandstands open at 5:00 PM while racing begins at 6:30 PM. For more information involving Redwood Acres Raceway, please visit the track’s new and official website, www.racingtheacres.com . For more information concerning the North State Modified Series, visit www.northstatemodifieds.com.

Modifieds return to the Acres

Modifieds return to the Acres

By Matthew J. Sullivan

After an exciting season opening Pepsi night this past Saturday night at Redwood Acres Raceway, racing is set to return for a special Sunday evening Salute the Troops show at Eureka, California’s 3/8-mile paved oval. In addition to the local stars and cars in the late model, Thunder Roadster, mini stock, roadrunner and bomber divisions, RAR will also be hosting the North State Modified Series which is in its debut season.

The North State Modified Series was created to mirror the Lucas Oil Modified Series, a popular touring series which races in southern California. It features IMCA and NASCAR Grand American modifieds. The NSMS held its debut race at Anderson, California’s Shasta Speedway earlier this month on May 3^rd which was won by Jay Linstroth.

While Redwood Acres Raceway has never had the modifieds as a regular local division, the class does have a rich history at the track. The modifieds have been one of the staples of the annual Fall Spectacular event and RAR has long been popular with racers in the division due to the fact that the track is a great equalizer between the teams and drivers who race regularly at other facilities.

The Fall Spectaular modified event has seen some of the best racers in Northern California and Southern Oregon participate and win. Lucerne, California’s Bob Strauss was a popular racer who won the race numerous times. Oregon’s Willie Thompson is another driver who won at the Acres several times. 2013 NASCAR K&N West Series champion, Derek Thorn was victorious at Redwood Acres in the modified Fall Spectacular event. Current RAR promoter, Blair Aiken also won the race in 1995. The most recent modified race winner was, Darin Knight who won last September.

While the top three finishers of the first NSMS race, Linstroth, Kyle Borden and Jason Philpot all have prior experience racing at RAR they will be facing different track conditions than usual as the modifieds have not normally raced this early in the season. Sunday's event will feature three 6-lap Dashes for Cash sponsored by Lucas Oil, Scrubba Bub's, and Road Safety. The winner of each dash will be presented with a $100 bill. The 60 lap feature pays $1000 to the winner, $700 for second, $600 for third, $500 for fourth and $400 for fifth. All starters of the 24-car event are guaranteed to get $150.

Grandstand ticket booths open at 5:00 PM while racing begins at 6:30 PM. There is a special test and tune event Saturday the 24th for all divisions. For more information regarding the series visit NorthStateModifiedSeries.com or check out North State Modified Series on Facebook. For more information regarding Redwood Acres Raceway, please visit the track’s new and official website, www.racingtheacres.com.