SRL stars return to the Acres

NTS Motorsports teammates, Parker Stephens (28) and Blaine Rocha (21)
test at Redwood Acres Raceway for the Spears SRL Southwest Tour event

By Matthew J. Sullivan

One of the most anticipated events of the 2015 season at Redwood Acres Raceway is on the horizon as the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series will race this Saturday August 1st. The top super late model drivers on the west coast will go head-to-head on the 3/8-mile paved oval for the second time in series history, the first since 2013. The SRL series will be joining the Acres’ local divisions of roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks and Thunder Roadsters while the local late models will have the evening off.

Dylan Ford is coming off his sixth main event win in a row in the Humboldt Hydroponics roadrunner division and will look to take his seventh feature this weekend. Ford has a stranglehold on the championship standings as he leads Daniel Buell by 78 points. R.C. Brown has been impressive in his rookie season in the division and sits third, only four points behind Buell. Steve Paiment is fourth, a point behind Brown. Paiment was the winner of the main event on April 25th. Another rookie, Shawn Malloy holds down fifth in the standings.

Dustin Walters has been the favorite throughout the season in the bomber division and the point standings reflect it. Walters has four main event wins, two of them in a row and leads James Moore by 14 points. Moore has won two main events this season. The rest of the top five consists of Michael Knight, the team of Lance Martins and Joseph Phares and Ryan Walters however those drivers are more than 80 points in arrears to the point leader.

The Maxwell’s Custom Automobiles mini stocks have put on some of the best racing at the Acres this year. Chris Champagne leads the standings with three main event wins, one of those coming in the first race when his car was driven by Leonard Ward. Second in points is division rookie, Eugene Palmer who won the June 20th race. Palmer is only 12 points behind Champagne. Rick Estes has a main event win and is third, 24 points behind Champagne. Defending mini stock track champion, Brian Murrell, Jr. has had rough luck in 2015 but still sits fourth, 38 behind the leader. Another division rookie, Tim Abeyta is fifth, 68 in arrears to Champagne.

It has been another season of dominance for Paul Peeples, Jr. in the Bear River Casino Hotel Thunder Roadster division. Peeples has won the past four main events in a row and five in total in 2015 and leads Robbie Nelson by 31 points. Nelson is the only other driver to win a main event in the division this year which came in the May 9th race. Thomas Payne is third, 50 points behind Peeples. Chris Lawrence sits fourth and is 61 markers behind Peeples while Belinda Ward is fifth and nine points behind Lawrence.

The fight for the Mid City Motor World late model track championship could very well come down to the last lap of the season. Ryun Leazer and Jedd Ambrosini sit atop the standings tied with 205 points apiece. Marty Walsh missed the first two races of the season but has won two features including the most recent race on July 18th. Walsh is only 29 points behind Leazer and Ambrosini, well within striking distance. Richard Knight is fourth, 32 behind the leaders and David Henderson is fifth, four points behind Knight. Henderson won the May 9th main event. Other main event winners in the division this season are David Miller who won on opening night, April 25th, Mic Moulton who won on May 24th and June 6th and Brandon White who won the Firecracker 100 race on July 4th.

As mentioned earlier, the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series will be returning to Redwood Acres Raceway this weekend for the first time since 2013. Jacob Gomes holds the SRL track record at the Acres with a 15.478. Veteran super late model racer, Jim Pettit, II won the inaugural SRL event which was held on June 1st of 2013. In the 2015 point standings, Greg Voig
t leads Ryan Cansdale by 30 points. Eureka native, Brandon White is third, 49 points behind Voight. Tracy Bolin is fourth, only three points behind White while Jeff Bishofberger is fifth a single point behind Bolin. White will certainly be one of the favorites for local fans. Another fan favorite, Jim Walker will also be in action.

The Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series will have a practice date on Friday July 30th from 4:30PM to 7:30PM. On Saturday, gates open at 4:30PM while racing will begin at 6:00PM. More information on this weekend’s big event can be found on Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website, www.racingtheacres.com .

Pettit dominates SRL debut at the Acres

By Matthew J. Sullivan

The grandstands were packed this past Saturday night at Redwood Acres Raceway as the 3/8-mile paved oval welcomed the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series for their first ever visit to the Eureka, California track. The fans did not go home disappointed as the SRL drivers joined the local classes of real stocks, Thunder Roadsters and sportsman cars in providing a superb night of racing.

Matt Simon took the trophy dash victory for the real stocks ahead of Nick Green while the heat race victory was taken by Nick Green over Ryan Walters. The real stock feature was dominated by Walters who ended up taking home the win followed by Green, Harvey Holm, Doug Way and Michael Lawrence.

The trophy dash in the Thunder Roadster division was won by David Henderson.  Paul Peeples, Jr. won the heat race and was dominant in the feature event. Unfortunately his chief rival, Henderson suffered a cut tire in the main and fell out of action.  Peeples cruised to the feature win beating Thomas Payne, Mike Ward, Chris Sarvinski and Robbie Nelson.
Brandon Barnwell was victorious in the trophy dash while the heat race trophy went to Dennis DelBiaggio. Driving the car formerly owned by local racing icon, Larry Pries, Marty Walsh made his return to the Acres after several years away from the track.  Walsh moved to the front quickly and looked as though he was going to win without worry.

The biggest incident of the night occurred in the latter stages of the sportsman main when Barnwell appeared to cut a tire and hit the wall at the pit entrance.  Barnwell was okay but his car was heavily damaged.  The caution allowed DelBiaggio to get on Walsh’s bumper and the two waged a serious duel for the lead in the final handful of laps.  DelBiaggio appeared to have the better car but Walsh held him off for the win. Angelo Marcelli, Kenny Demello and Al Acuna completed the top five finishers.

20 cars qualified and started the 125-lap SRL feature.  Unfortunately, Zane Lovelace was a scratch after he suffered issues in practice.  Jacob Gomes set the fast time mark with a 15.478 lap. With the field invert at six, Donny St. Ours started on the pole while Ross Strmiska started to his outside.  St. Ours took the lead off the start but it was apparent early that Jim Pettit II was the man to beat.  It only took 17 laps for Pettit to work his way from sixth to the lead, a position he would never relinquish.

The star of the night was hometown favorite, Jim Walker. The west coast racing legend started from the 10th position fell back a few spots early in the going but began to maneuver his way through the field passing one car after another.  By the time the first caution flag flew on lap 87 Walker had maneuvered himself into the sixth spot.  Walker briefly moved into the top five and go to fourth until a cut tire forced him to the pits and ruined his chance at a good finish.

Strmiska did all he could on the restarts to get by Pettit but just didn’t have enough.  Pettit took the victory followed by Strmiska, Gomes and series rookie, Bobby Hodges.  Another Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series rookie, Brandon White delighted the hometown crowd with a solid top five run all night and a fifth place effort.

Racing returns to Redwood Acres Raceway this Saturday night with the roadrunners back on the track.