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 .

Last lap contact gives Hall the win

Last lap contact gives Hall the win

By Matthew J. Sullivan

Racing action returned to Redwood Acres Raceway this past Saturday for what proved to be an intense night of thrills and spills. In addition to the exciting racing at Eureka, California’s 3/8-mile paved oval, it was Driver Appreciation Night. After all the heat races in the five local divisions, fans met drivers on the front stretch for a meet-and greet session. Every driver in every division greeted fans young and old, signed autographs and handed out goodies of all sort.

Ken Barrett was victorious in the trophy dash for the Humboldt Hydroponics roadrunners. Andrew Pementel won the first heat race while Gary Klinetobe won the second heat. Barrett led the first few laps of the 25-lap feature before giving way to Grey Ethridge. After a lap three restart, Dylan Ford and Chad Grammer moved into the first and second positions. Those two would be the dominant forces in the feature as they were able to pull away from the rest of the field. Grammer did all he could to stick with Ford but Ford proved to have the upper hand as he was able to take the victory. Grammer finished second followed by Ryan Ahrens who was driving Steve Kimberling’s car. Eugene Palmer took fourth while Klinetobe crossed the line fifth.

The John’s Used Cars and Auto Wreckers bomber trophy dash win was taken by James Moore. The heat race was won by Leonard Ward. The 25 lap feature began with Ward leading but Tyler Avelar looked to have the car to beat as he was able to take the lead from Ward and moved to a somewhat comfortable lead. Unfortunately, Avelar’s car began to suffer issues in the final few laps which allowed Ward to move back to the lead and take the win. Matt Simon placed second ahead of Rick Jelton, Moore and Avelar.

Rick Estes won the trophy dash in the mini stock division while Brian Murrell, Jr. won the heat race over Estes in a thrilling last lap duel. Murrell, Jr. was the dominant car in the feature event which was slowed several times. On what proved to be the final restart, Estes was able to get by Murrell from the outside starting position to take the lead and the eventual race victory. Murrell finished a hard fought second followed by Chelsea Champagne, Gary Klinetobe who was making his first start in the mini stock division and Cole Peterson.

The Bear River Hotel and Casino Thunder Roadster trophy dash victory went to Paul Peeples, Jr. The heat race proved to be the biggest incident of the night. Going into the third turn on lap one, Scott Baker looked to have trouble as he locked up his front brakes. Several cars were collected in the melee including Mike Ward, Thomas Payne, Peeples, Jr. and Reno, Nevada visitor, Jack Randall. Both Payne and Baker’s cars looked to be complete write offs while Randall suffered major damage to his car. Ward and Peeples were able to start the main. None of the drivers were injured in the scary incident.

The 30-lap main featured another unfortunate incident between Chris Sarvinski and Peeples. The two drivers made contact in turn three with Peeples hitting the wall in turn four and ending his night prematurely. David Henderson led from start to finish taking the main event victory. Sarvinski finished second followed by Robbie Nelson, Belinda Ward and Chris Lawrence.

Luke Hall won the trophy dash for the Mid City Motor World late model cars. Kenny Demello took the victory in the first heat race. The second heat saw an incident between Kevin Estep and Dennis DelBiaggio. The two made contact while racing into turn three and both cars went in the wall. Neither driver was able to make it out for the feature. Late model touring series veteran, Junior Roddy made a surprise visit to the Acres for the weekend and won the second heat.

As has been the case for the entire 2014 season at Redwood Acres Raceway, the 35-lap late model main event featured some of the most intense action on the night. Hall drove to the lead early and pulled out a sizeable gap over the field. A spin by Ken Hallis on lap six bunched the field and forced a restart. Hall again pulled out to a substantial lead while Mic Moulton and Roddy slid into the first and second positions. Moulton slowly but surely began to reel in the gap on Hall as the race progressed.

On lap 19, Moulton got sideways off turn four and went through the infield to save his car. Roddy moved into second while Moulton was able to safely get back on track into third. Hall looked to have a clear path to victory until Donnie Brown and Demello spun in turns one and two forcing a restart on lap 27. The top three of Hall, Roddy and Moulton raced closely nose-to-tail until the final two laps.

Roddy got under Hall coming off turn four with two laps remaining. The two raced door-handle to door-handle down the back stretch until Roddy was able to get the advantage going into turn three. Hall got inside of Roddy coming to the white flag and going into turn one the two came together sending Roddy spinning out of the lead. Hall was able to hold off Moulton’s fight to the line to take what proved to be a controversial victory. Todd Lands from Cloverdale took third ahead of Demello and Brown.

The next action on the oval will be Mid City Motor World championship night, Saturday September 13^th. Before that, Redwood Acres Raceway will host monster truck action Friday August 29^th, Saturday August 30^th and Sunday August 31^st. Also don’t forget that the annual Fall Spectacular has been moved to its traditional weekend on Friday September 26^th, Saturday September 27^th and Sunday September 28^th. Along with super late models, modifieds, Thunder Roadsters, bombers, mini stocks and roadrunners, there will be another boat race after the races on Sunday afternoon. Information for all upcoming events can be found at Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website, www.racingtheacres.com.

Henderson, Mayo back in victory lane

By Matthew J. Sullivan

After a week off, racing returned to Redwood Acres Raceway Saturday night for the annual Mother’s Day races. As always, the four local classes of real stocks, roadrunners, Thunder Roadsters and sportsman cars put on a great show for the fans in attendance.

Division rookie, Michael Lawrence took the trophy dash victory in the real stock division while the victor in the heat race was Nick Green. The feature event for the division was dominated by Matt Simon who led from the drop of the green flag. On the final lap, Simon got loose in turn two which allowed Green to take the lead and the victory. Lawrence took third followed by Harvey Holm and Leonard Ward.

Thanks in part to being the only driver who has started all three events in the real stock division, Lawrence holds a sizeable gap in the battle for the track championship. Lawrence’s margin over Green and Tyler Avelar who are tied for second is 44 points. The brother duo of Dustin and Ryan Walters is fourth in points with Simon fifth.

The roadrunner trophy dash winner was Jordon Paiment while the heat race winners were Gary Klinetobe and Paiment again. The main event featured a great battle between Jarrett Mayo and Paiment.  Unfortunately, Paiment was collected in an incident with Ken Lawrence with both drivers unable to continue.  Jarrett Mayo took his second main event win of the year ahead of Klinetobe, Kolby Jackson, Ken Barrett and Ryun Leazer.

Mayo’s victory allowed him to pull slightly farther ahead of Jackson in points with an 18 point gap. Tim Abeyta, Barrett and Klinetobe round out the top five with Paiment, Leazer, Gray Ethridge, Brett Murrell and Eugene Palmer sixth through tenth.

The Thunder Roadster trophy dash went to Thomas Payne while Lonnie Tamboury took the heat race win. David Henderson made his way through the field quickly in the main event and was absolutely dominant, creating a sizeable gap over the rest of the pack. Henderson easily took the main event victory over Payne, Mike Ward, Chris Sarvinski and Tamboury.

Saturday night’s victory helped boost Henderson in points after engine problems in the previous race.  Henderson holds a slim six point lead over Sarvinski while Payne, Belinda Ward and Robbie Nelson complete the top five in Thunder Roadster points.

Brandon Barnwell looked to be the man to beat on the night in the sportsman division taking wins in the dash and the heat race.  Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse at the start of the main event. Going down the backstretch on the first lap, Barnwell and Kevin Estep got together forcing both cars hard into the wall and ending the race for both drivers. Dennis DelBiaggio made his first start of 2013 and was the class of the field winning handily over Angelo Marcelli, Kenny Demello and Ken Hallis.

Thanks to Barnwell’s misfortune, Marcelli took over the division point lead. Marcelli leads Barnwell by eight points.  Demello lies third ahead of Jerry Peterson and Al Acuna.

Racing returns to the Acres this Saturday night with all four division returning to the track for what should be another exciting night of action.