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

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