Packed House For Driver Appreciation Night At The Acres

Eureka, CA (August 19, 2018) – After a near month-long summer break, racing returned to Redwood Acres Raceway. The grandstands were filled with excited fans of all ages for Anderson Logging Driver Appreciation Night at the Races. Before the action took place on the track, fans were able to meet their favorite drivers in all of the divisions at the 3/8-mile paved oval. Track officials also hosted a donation drive for victims of the Carr and Mendocino Complex fires. Nearly $1,500 was donated with those donating $10 receiving a complimentary ticket to the season ending Fall Spectacular on September 8th. The night proved to be a memorable one for many reasons as the racing on the track was extended past the 11:00 PM curfew.

For the first time this season, the Thunder Roadsters were in action for a full-slate of races. The race was a late addition to the event and was held in honor of Paul Peeples, Sr. who recently passed away. Peeples was a long-time participant at the raceway and served as crew chief for his son Paul Peeples, Jr.’s Thunder Roadster. A memorial lap in his honor was held before the trophy dash race. Alan Olson was the winner of the trophy dash and heat races. Jett Taylor was the leader of the first lap of the 25-lap main. Lap tow saw Olson gain the advantage before David Henderson was able to get under and past for the lead. Henderson’s time up front only lasted another circuit as Paul Peeples, Jr. was able to take the lead. The front trio of Peeples, Henderson and Olson ran nose-to-tail all race long with nobody seeming to have any advantage over the other. A late caution flag seemed to give Peeples the extra he needed to go on and take the victory over Henderson, Olson, Tommy Payne and Taylor.

The first main event for the Compass Community Credit Union roadrunners was initially run backwards. An early incident in turn three involving Allison McCarty brought out the red flag when she hit the water barrels. When racing resumed, Nick Ford and Tim Ratzlaff continued their season-long duel, battling for the race lead. Ford was able to prevail to take the checkered flag over Ratzlaff, Lindsey Zito, Jennifer Murrell and Steve Paiment. The second feature was a replay of the first with Ford and Ratzlaff fighting all race long for the lead. On the last lap, the two were neck-and-neck going into turns three and four while coming upon Murrell. Ratzlaff got into Murrell sending her into a spin. Although he crossed the line first, officials awarded Ford the win. Ratzlaff was scored second followed by Amanda Lohr, Steve Paiment and Murrell.

Malessa Miles was the winner of the Bandolero trophy dash while Ethan Imperatrice was the heat race winner. Lane Anderson held the lead the first two circuits. Going into turn one on lap three, Imperatrice made a move under Kimberling for position. The two appeared to get hooked together and both went into the turn two tire-barrier hard. Thankfully both drivers were unharmed. The rest of the race was a runaway for Anderson as he was able to win by well over 10 seconds. Miles finished second ahead of Trey Daniels and Kadence Mace while Kimberling was credited with fifth.

Bethany Rapp held on for the victory in the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bomber trophy dash. Brandon White was subbing for Jim Redd for the evening and he took the heat race win. Rapp and Sam Brown traded the lead in the first two laps of the main event before White took over. On lap nine, Roach moved into the top spot. Roach and White fought tooth-and-nail for the lead for the remainder of the race. Roach was able to hold off White’s furious challenges to take the checkered flag. Brown placed third followed by Rapp and Doug Way.

The NorthCoast Lighting and Electric Legends division trophy dash was taken by Chris Lawrence. Former bomber division champion Leonard Ward made his debut in the Legends this season and took the win in the first heat race which featured a last lap wreck that took Tyler Krupa and Katina Baker out of action for the main event. Tyler Peach took the second heat win. Ward quickly moved to the lead of the main event and looked like a division veteran, leading in dominant fashion. Brent Mack and Tyler Peach battled hard for the second position all race long. Mack held the position until lap 10 when Peach moved to second. Ward had his hands full with both drivers in his mirror in the closing laps. Coming to the white flag, Ward got loose off turn four and spun into the infield. Peach took the lead and was able to hold off Mack’s late charge to win. Aiden Daniels finished third with Colby Furia and Kylie Daniels taking fourth and fifth.

The Fifth Annual Murrell 500 trophy for the Humboldt Hydroponics was on the line for the evening. Brett Murrell won the dash with heat race winners being Gary Kleintobe and Brett Murrell again. Trevor Eacret led lap one but Brian Murrell, Jr. took over on lap two. Murrell, Jr. had his mirror full with Eugene Palmer and Brett Murrell following right in his tracks. A caution flag flew when Rick Estes’ front bumper fell off on the front straight. Racing resumed and Brett Murrell was able to get second from Palmer. The two brothers staged a fantastic duel for the lead until lap 15 when Scott Taylor got high in turns one and two and ended up in the tire barrier. The incident, coupled with the other incidents in other divisions forced track officials to declare the race official giving Murrell, Jr. the win and the crown as Murrell 500 champion for the next year. Brett Murrell was second over Palmer, Eacret with Taylor taking fifth due to scoring reverting to the previous lap.

Dane Nissen was fast time for the Mid-City Motor World Super Six Challenge Series late models with a 16.009. Luke Hall took the win in the first heat. Heat two was dominated by Mic Moulton but on the last lap his car began smoking heavily and leaking fluid on the track. His issue allowed David Henderson to slip past to take the win and earn pole position for the 60-lap feature. Henderson used pole position to his advantage as he jumped to the lead at the start of the NorthCoast Lighting and Electric main event. Thankfully only one caution slowed the race as the feature started right at the 11:00 PM curfew. The first 20 laps saw Henderson fight off Nissen for the lead while Shawn Andrews and Moulton raced for third. Moulton moved to third on lap 24 and slowly reeled in the two leaders.

As the race neared its conclusion, it appeared as though Henderson began to struggle more and more with his car, particularly off the fourth turn. With 10 laps remaining things really began to heat up. After a several lap back and fourth fight, Moulton maneuvered his way past Nissen to second. Moulton was all over Henderson in the final handful of laps with Henderson doing everything within his power to hold off Moulton’s charge. With two laps remaining, Moulton dove inside Henderson going into the first turn. The two drivers touched with Moulton racing to the lead. Henderson tried his best to catch up and return the favor in turns three and four but couldn’t pull it off. At the finish it was Moulton taking the win over Henderson, Nissen, Andrews and Kenny Demello.

Only one race remains on the 2018 schedule for Redwood Acres Raceway and that’s the Fall Spectacular Saturday September 8th. Championships will of course be decided on the night in all divisions. The Thunder Roadsters will return while the North State Modified Series will also be joining the action. The season will conclude with the annual Dennis Wendt Memorial Fall Spectacular 100 for the late models. More information on the event and everything going on at Redwood Acres Raceway can be found on the track’s website www.RedwoodAcresRacing.com or by visiting RAR on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RedwoodAcresRaceway/

Murrell Survives Last-Lap Tangle To Win

#65 Tim Ratzlaff took the in in the second roadrunner main event

Eureka, CA (June 24, 2018) – A special Friday night event took place this past week at Redwood Acres Raceway. It was day two of the Redwood Acres Fair and the excitement could be felt throughout the entire fairgrounds including the 3/8-mile paved oval.

While the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bombers and the Mid-City Motor World late models were not in action, all four other divisions took to the track on Fair Night at the Races presented by Pepsi, Del Reka Distributing and Humboldt Lighting. In addition, the night finished with a boat race which has become a big hit with fans in the past several years.

Nick Ford was fast time in the Compass Community Credit Union roadrunner division with a 20.525. The first main was run in normal fashion and was a thriller from start to finish. Ford and Tim Ratzlaff traded the lead 10 times in the 20-lap main event. Ford was able to take the lead from Ratzlaff on the final lap to take the victory. Ronnie Crump was third with Jennifer Murrell fourth and Austin Peterson fifth.

The second main event was run backwards and proved to be a completely different race. Ratzlaff dominated only losing the lead to Steve Kimberling with three laps left to go. Ratzlaff was able to retake the lead and crossed the line first. Kimberling was second followed by Crump, Andy Savage and Shawna Estes.

Lane Anderson has displayed terrific pace in the first season for the Bandoleros. Anderson was fast time with a 21.706. Anderson took the trophy dash while Maleesa Miles hung on to win the heat. Kadence Mace led the first lap of the 15-lap main event. Lap two saw Anderson take over. From that point on, Anderson was able to run away from the rest of the field to victory lane. Miles placed second followed by Mace, Trey Daniels and Aiden Kimberling.

The NorthCoast Lighting & Electric Legends division had a great turnout for the evening. Chris Lawrence has become the main to beat in the division this season. His qualifying time of 18.133 was fastest of all. Tyler Peach was the heat race winner while the two heat races were won by Katina Baker and Lawrence.

The main event was a race to see how fast the quicker qualifiers would be able to maneuver through the field. Kylie Daniels showed great speed and led the majority of the race. Lawrence quickly sliced through the field to get second on lap five. Daniels and Lawrence had a fantastic battle for the lead with both drivers displaying great patience. On lap 19, Lawrence took the lead and was able to pull away. At the finish it was Lawrence beating Daniels, Peach, Tyler Krupa and Katina Baker.

The Humboldt Hydroponics mini stocks had a special 40-lap main event on the night. Brian Murrell, Sr. was quickest in qualifying with a time of 18.846. Gary Klientobe took the trophy dash win. Heat race victories were claimed by Jordan Paiment and Klientobe. Paiment took the lead at the start of the main event. Things got jumbled five laps into the race when Brett Murrell’s hood got loose and blocked his windshield. While he was able to get to the pits, Paiment was able to put a major gap on the field while faster qualifiers like Murrell, Sr. and Eugene Palmer lost significant track position.

It appeared as nobody had a chance of catching Paiment but a caution flag on lap 20 completely changed the complexion of the race. Klientobe cut a tire and spun out. Then a battle for second between Trevor Eacret and Scott Taylor resulted in Eacret’s truck being disabled, bringing out the caution. Paiment still held the lead on the restart but had Taylor and Palmer right on his heels. As the race drew closer to the checkered flag, things tightened up at the front. On the last lap, Paiment and Taylor were nose-to-tail going into the first turn. Coming off turn two, Taylor got into the back of Paiment who spun. Third place Palmer also got collected. Murrell, Sr. was able to get through the mess and was able to cross the finish line first after being in the fourth position on the white flag lap. Klientobe was able to recover from his flat tire to get second. The next three positions were determined by scoring on the previous lap as none of the drivers were able to make it back to the line. Paiment was credited with third over Palmer and Taylor.

Following the mini stock main event was the crowd-pleasing boat race. At the end of the carnage, the top three finishers were winner Armand Deny, second place Matt Taylor and third place Mark Murray.

The next race in the 2018 season for Redwood Acres Raceway is Saturday July 7th. The big event for the evening will be the Don Graham Memorial Firecracker 100 for the Mid-City Motor World late models. There will be a test and tune on Friday July 6th. Another big event will happen after the races with a spectacular fireworks display.

For more information for Redwood Acres Raceway’s 2018 season can be found at www.RedwoodAcresRacing.com or by visiting the track’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/RedwoodAcresRaceway

Moulton Wins Season Opening Thriller At The Acres

#10 Mic Moulton in the heat race for the Super Six late models

Eureka, CA (May 6, 2018) – Mother Nature decided to be more cooperative this past Saturday night as Redwood Acres Raceway held the first race of the 2018 season. The year was set to begin the previous week on April 28th but rain prevented that from happening. All six divisions were in action on opening night presented by Root 101 Nursery.

Prior to the start of the races, Redwood Acres Raceway paid tribute to Kevin Williford with a moment of silence and Eugene Palmer taking a lap around the track in his honor. Williford had been an announcer at the Acres for the past several years.

The Compass Community Credit Union roadrunners started off the action with their first main event. Nick Ford set fast time with a 20.423. Bob Ratzlaff jumped to the lead on lap one. A three-wide battle ensued as Tim Ratzlaff and Nick Ford and Bob Ratzlaff. Tim Ratzlaff took over the lead. Ford was able to get by on lap two but two laps later Ray Taylor, Jr. jumped to the lead and never looked back. Tim Ratzlaff scrubbed the wall and was able to continue for a few more laps before dropping out with a flat tire. The best battle on the track was for second as Ford and Ray Taylor, Sr. fought for the spot. Nobody at anything for Taylor, Jr. as he was able to take the win by a sizeable margin. Taylor, Sr. was able to beat Nick Ford to the line for second. Patrick Sproul placed fourth with Dylan Ford finishing fifth.

For the second main, the roadrunners were turned backwards around the track. Dylan Ford jumped to the lead and looked like he was going to be a major player. Issues on lap three gave Nick Ford the lead and allowed Sproul into second. The rest of the race was a nip-and-tuck battle between Nick Ford and Sproul. In the final laps, Sproul tried his best to pressure Nick Ford into making a mistake but Ford never did. At the finish it was Nick Ford winning with Sproul taking second, Ray Taylor, Jr. third, Ray Taylor, Sr. fourth and Dylan Ford fifth.

The bandoleros made their debut at the 3/8-mile paved oval. Lane Anderson set the fastest time in qualifying with a 22.147. Maleesa Miles was the heat race winner. Kadence Mace led the field to the green flag. Aiden Kimberling took the lead on lap one but on lap two Miles took over at the front. Miles and Anderson had a fantastic duel for the race lead. On lap nine, both drivers spun in turns three and four allowing Mace to take over the lead. Anderson got a good restart and was able to quickly take the lead. Anderson led from that point on and at the drop of the checkered flag it was Anderson winning over Miles. Mace took third, Aiden Kimberling fourth and Donnie Murrell placing fifth after issues at the start prevented him from racing.

Fast time in the Fortuna Wheel & Brake/Four Star Realty bomber division was Nick Green. Ryan Walters was victorious in the heat race. Walters took the lead at the start of the race and looked to have a firm hold on the top position. Green chipped away at Walters’ lead and midway through the race, the two were racing hard for the lead. On lap 15, Green prevailed. Green was able to pull away from the field and at the finish it was Green winning. Walters took second over Jim Redd and Sam Brown.

In the NorthCoast Lighting & Electric Legends division, Brad Curtice set fast time with an 18.039. Curtice followed up his success in qualifying in the heat race with a victory. MKinzy Uselton and Katina Baker led the field to the green flag. The faster qualifiers quickly tried to maneuver their way to the front. Christ Lawrence took the lead on lap three and was able to hold it until lap 6 when Curtice took over. It appeared as though Curtice’s experience in the Legends cars was going to prevent Lawrence, a former Thunder Roadster driver from keeping up. However, Lawrence’s experience transferred smoothly from one car to another and the top two ran closely all race long. Late in the race, the two leaders caught slower traffic. It appeared as though Lawrence would be able to use both cars as a pick. Curtice was able to maneuver his car better though the traffic and held on to his lead. Curtice was able to take the checkered flag over Lawrence. Brent Mack took third while defending division champion, Tyler Peach placed fourth. Baker rounded out the top five.

In the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock division, Brian Murrell, Sr. was the quickest in qualifying with an 18.286. Jordan Paiment won the first heat while the second heat was won by Eugene Palmer. The first six laps of the main event were caution plagued. Trevor Eacret’s spin in turn two brought out the yellow flag. Troy Lee and C.J. Dalton spun in turn two for another caution. After a jumped restart, Murrell and Dylan Hagmann has issues. A subsequent saw Scott Taylor take over the lead but spin bringing out the yellow and giving Palmer the lead. The last caution occurred when Murrell spun in turns three and four with Paiment hitting the wall. The rest of the race was clean as the field spread out and Palmer ran away. At the finish it was Palmer winning over Eacret, Taylor, Murrell and Gary Klinetobe.

The Super Six Challenge Series late models presented by Mid-City Motor World and NorthCoast Lighting and Electric held their first race of the season. Northern California racing legend, Jim Walker showed everyone how it’s done in qualifying with a fast time of 15.685. Scott Baker won the first heat which saw contact between Kenny Demello and Tim Crenshaw in turn four with Crenshaw hitting the wall. David Miller won heat two. Demello was unable to start the 50-lap feature which saw Miller jump out to the lead over Brandon Ash. On the fifth lap, Brandon White began to make his presence felt as he moved past Dane Nissen for third. White then began challenging for the second spot on the high side of Ash.

The first caution of the night came out at lap 10 when the two Oregon drivers of Ash and Miller appeared to come into contact. The result was White inheriting the lead over Mic Moulton and Marty Walsh. White appeared to have the car to beat early in the run but as the laps went by, Moulton was able to close the gap. Meanwhile, Walker was making his presence known as he maneuvered past Walsh for third on lap 20. The next 20 laps featured an amazing and clean three-way battle for the lead. White had his mirror full of Moulton while Walker closed in on Moulton’s bumper. Moulton tried to make a move under White several times but was unsuccessful. Moulton was able to get under and past White for the lead just as a caution flew for Scott Baker’s spun car in turns one and two.

With scoring reverted to the previous lap, White moved back to the lead. On the restart, Moulton was able to take advantage of what looked to be an ailing #19 car for White. Walker was able to move past White with five laps remaining just as White nearly hit the wall in turn three. The final handful of laps saw Walker making a hard charge on Moulton. With two laps remaining Walker had closed in on Moulton. Walker appeared to have the stronger car but unfortunately for him, time ran out. Moulton was able to hang on to the finish in what might already be the best race of the entire 2018 season. David Henderson had a solid night and placed third over Ash and Miller.

The April 28th rainout tightened up the 2018 racing schedule as racing will return to the Acres this upcoming weekend May 12th. It will be Pepsi Night At The Races, an annual tradition at Redwood Acres Raceway for many years. All six divisions will be back in action in what should be a very interesting second race of the season. For more information including race results, points and division rules please visit Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website, www.redwoodacresracing.com You can also find the track on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/RedwoodAcresRaceway

Remaining 2018 Redwood Acres Raceway Schedule
Saturday May 12th – Pepsi Night At The Races (Featuring Super 6 Late Models)
Sunday May 27th – O’Reilly Auto Parts Night At The Races (Featuring North State Modifieds, Late Models off)
Saturday June 9th – Renner Petroleum Night At The Races (Featuring Super 6 Late Models)
Friday June 22nd – Fair Race (Featuring Demolition Derby and Boat Race, Late Models and Bombers off)
Saturday June 23rd – Tractor Pulls (VIP tickets available, no oval racing)
Saturday July 7th – Don Graham Memorial Firecracker 100 (Featuring fireworks, Bandoleros and Legends off)
Saturday July 21st – Harper Ford Night at the Races (Featuring Super 6 Late Models, North State Modifieds, Mustang car show, roadrunners off)
Friday/Saturday August 3rd and 4th – Monster Trucks
Saturday August 18th – Anderson Logging Driver Appreciation Night (Featuring Super 6 Late Models, Murrell 500)
Friday/Saturday September 7/8 – Mid-City Motor World Fall Spectacular (Featuring North State Modifieds on Friday, Super 6 Late Models on Friday and Saturday)

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

White Wins Third Firecracker 100 In A Row

#19 won his third straight Firecracker 100

Eureka, CA (July 2, 2017) – After a two week break in action, racing at Redwood Acres Raceway returned this past Saturday night for a very special Independence Day weekend event presented by North Coast Lighting And Electric. Roadrunners, bombers and mini stocks were in action along with the fourth race in the Super 6 Late Model Challenge Series, the third annual Don Graham Memorial Firecracker 100. Following the 100-lap feature event, RAR treated fans to a dazzling fireworks display.

Qualifying for the California State And Federal Employees’ Credit Union roadrunner division was paced by Daniel Buell with a 20.530. The first 20-lap main was run backwards and proved to be a Ratzlaff family affair. Bob Ratzlaff dominated from the pole, leading the opening 10 laps. On lap 11, Tim Ratzlaff took over and never looked back. Tim Ratzlaff took the win over Buell, Nick Ford, Jake Keeling and Lindsey Zito.

Natya Dawn led the first three laps in the second main which was run in normal fashion. Things got busy after that as Buell and Ford traded the lead several times. Buell finally got a firm hold on the lead on lap 12 and looked as though he had the win in the bag. Unfortunately for Buell, he broke out of the 21-second rule on lap 17 and was forced out of the lead. Ford took over and was able to hold off Tim Ratzlaff from there to take the win. Dawn narrowly beat Buell to the line for third while Jake Keeling finished fifth.

R.J. Randall was fast time in the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bombers with a time of 18.364. Jim Redd took the trophy dash win. Heat races in the bomber and mini stock divisions were not run on the night due to the 100-lap late model event and the post-race fireworks display. Kolby Jackson got the jump at the start of the 25-lap main event and dominated leading 17 laps. On lap 18, Randall was finally able to muscle by Jackson to take the lead. While coming to take the white flag, Randall’s car shut off. This allowed late arrival, Jeff French to take the lead. At the finish it was French winning by .810 over Kolby Jackson. Redd placed third while John Lally recovered from issues to finish fourth. Randall was credited with fifth.

Brian Murrell narrowly set the fastest time in the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock division with a 19.025. Brett Murrell was the trophy dash victor. Trevor Eacret briefly held the lead in the 25-lap feature but by lap four, Brett Murrell had moved from the back to the front and past Eacret for the top spot. Murrell’s closest competition came in the form of Gary Klinetobe who was able to close in Murrell’s lead. Unfortunately for Klinetobe, he did not have the strength to provide a serious challenge to Murrell. At the finish it was Brett Murrell taking home the win by over a second over Klinetobe. Scott Taylor finished third followed by Eacret and Rick Estes.

19 cars showed up for the Super 6 Late Model Challenge Series Don Graham Memorial Firecracker 100 presented by Danielson Construction, Mid-City Motor World and North Coast Lighting And Electric. Unfortunately two of the drivers were unable to take time as Dane Nissen and George Young both had issues that prevented them from racing. Brandon White set a new standard in the late model division with fast time and the track record, a 15.685. Marty Walsh won the first qualifying heat which netted him the ninth starting position. West coast racing legend, Jim Walker earned pole for the 100-lap feature with a win in the second heat race.

Brandon White used the outside pole to his advantage as he shot out to the lead at the start of the Firecracker 100. Right from the start, it was apparent that the handling on Walker’s car was not right as he dropped back dramatically in the field. Walker made seven laps before taking his car to the pits for the night. The first 22 laps were run incident-free until a three-car pileup in turn two involving Dennis DelBiaggio, Richard Knight and Dustin Walters brought out the caution. The leaders were able to narrowly avoid the incident.

Caution fever began with the yellow flying four times between lap 23 and lap 32. First, Kenny Demello spun. Then debris from Walsh’s car brought out two more yellows. Then contact between Ryun Leazer and Steven Gannon sent Gannon into the front stretch wall and out of the race.

The event only had one caution thereafter as there was a long and exciting green-flag run. White pulled out to the lead with his closest competitors coming in the form of Brandon Ash, Luke Hall and David Miller. As the race wound down, it appeared as though Hall began to close on White. On lap 70, series point leader Mic Moulton pulled off the track and out of the event. Four laps later, Hall succumbed to problems and was forced into the pits.

On lap 83, Ash had closed right in on White’s bumper. On lap 84, Ash got under White going down the back stretch for the lead. Just as Ash got to the lead, the caution flew as Kenny Demello spun on the front straightaway. This proved to be the big decider in the race as the caution cost Ash the lead due to the field not racing back to the caution flag and scoring reverting to the previous lap. The caution allowed White to cool his tires and he was able to pull away on the restart as Ash fell back to third following a pass by Miller. At the finish it was White winning the Firecracker 100 for the third straight year over Miller and Ash. Walsh placed fourth, the last car on the lead lap while Leazer was fifth.

Racing at Redwood Acres Raceway goes on a two-week summer vacation. The season resumes Saturday July 22nd with the North State Modified Series returning to the 3/8-mile oval for the second time in 2017. Between then and now, the Super 6 Late Model Challenge Series will be making its one and only stop to the 1/3-mile oval at Ukiah Speedway on July 15th. For more information on everything going on at Redwood Acres Raceway, please visit the track’s official website www.RacingTheAcres.com

Henderson Survives Full Moon Fever, Wins Biggest Race of Career

Late model winner, David Henderson

Eureka, CA (June 11, 2017) – It was Harper Motors Night this past Saturday at Redwood Acres Raceway. Joining the roadrunners, Legends, bombers, mini stock and Thunder Roadsters for the night were the late models for their third race of the Super 6 Late Model Challenge series.

Fast time for the California State and Federal Employee’s Credit Union roadrunner division was set by Daniel Buell with a 20.499. The first of the two main events for the division was ran backwards as Tim Ratzlaff took the lead on lap two and dominated the 20-lap event, leading 14 laps. Lap 16 proved to be Ratzlaff’s downfall as he hit the wall in turn three and fell out of the race. This handed the lead to Natya Dawn who had her hands full with Nick Ford. Dawn held the advantage on the white flag lap but going down the back stretch, Ford got the lead. At the finish it was Ford taking the win over Dawn, Daniel Buell, Bob Ratzlaff and Lindsey Zito.

Daniel Buell quickly raced to the lead of the second feature which was run under normal circumstances. The 21-second breakout rule came into effect in the latter stages of the race as both Buell and Tim Ratzlaff were forced to slow and allow the position behind to pass them. This played into Dawn’s favor as she was able to wrangle the lead with three laps to go. Unfortunately for her, just as in the previous race, Dawn was unable to hold off second place. Buell was able to get by on the final lap to take the win. Dawn held on for another second over Tim Ratzlaff, Ford and Jennifer Murrell.

Tyler Peach was the quickest in qualifying for the Nor-Cal Automotive Legends division with a time of 18.699. The night proved to belong to Peach as he was able to sweep the event with wins in the trophy dash, heat race and main event. Dominic Vogelsang placed second in the main followed by MKinzy Uselton.

In the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bomber division, R.J. Randall set fast time with an 18.207. Donnie Brown won the trophy dash and the heat race victories. A big incident ensued on the first lap of the 25-lap main event with Kolby Jackson and John Lally getting the worse end of it as both cars suffered damage. Lally was forced out of the race. On the restart, Randall took over and pulled out to a comfortable lead. Mike Sullivan slowly reeled in Randall in the closing stages but could only manage to get a little over a second to Randall. At the checkered it was Randall winning over Sullivan, James Moore, Brown and Bethany Rapp.

Brett Murrell set fast time in the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock division with an 18.987. Murrell followed his top qualifying time with a win in the trophy dash. Rick Estes was the winner of the first heat race while Scott Taylor narrowly won the second heat. It didn’t take Brett Murrell long to move to the lead as he was able to move from the back of the pack to first in only two laps. Jarrett Mayo looked to be Murrell’s stiffest competitor in the early going but heavy smoke began to pour from his car and he was forced into the pits. Murrell pulled out to what proved to be an insurmountable lead. At the finish it was Murrell taking the win over his father, Brian Murrell, Sr. Eugene Palmer was third followed by Estes and Taylor.

Paul Peeples, Jr. was the top driver in qualifying for the Lone Star Junction Thunder Roadster division. Peeples timed in with a 17.194. Tommy Payne won the trophy dash while Peeples took heat race honors. The main event proved to be Peeples’ playground as he was in the lead by lap two. As Peeples pulled away, the battle for second was as good as it gets with Payne and O’Neil trading the spot numerous times. With five laps remaining in the 30-lap feature, Payne was able to secure second from O’Neil. Peeples advantage at the finish was nearly four seconds over Payne and O’Neil. Chris Lawrence took third while Tyler Peach placed fourth in his first time in a Thunder Roadster.

15 late models took time in the Super Six Late Model Challenge series presented by Danielson Construction, Mid-City Motor World and North Coast Lighting and Electric. Mic Moulton set the standard in qualifying with a time of 15.922. The finish of the heat races determined the starting lineup for the 75-lap feature. Richard Knight won the first heat which garnered him the ninth starting position for the main. Eric Gannon won the second heat race and secured the pole position for the feature. Gannon took the lead at the start of the main but had his hands full as David Henderson was tight in his mirror. The two ran nose-to-tail for the first 28 laps. On lap 29, Henderson maneuvered under Gannon to take the lead.

A spin by Richard Knight on lap 34 brought out a rash of cautions. Tyler Avelar and George Young had a meeting with the water barrels at the turn two pit entrance forcing a caution flag and a lengthy cleanup. Two more lengthy cleanups ensued as oil was dropped on the track. When things got going again, Henderson got to moving. By lap 40, Henderson was out to a comfortable lead as Marty Walsh took second from Gannon.

As the race went on, Henderson’s strength did not wane. Moulton took second from Walsh in the final few laps but had no chance of catching Henderson without the aid of a caution flag. Henderson took the victory by over half the length of the 3/8-mile paved oval. Moulton placed second with Walsh, Gannon and Tim Crenshaw rounding out the top five.

Racing at Redwood Acres Raceway takes a two week break before returning Saturday July 1st for the Don Graham Memorial Firecracker 100 for the late models. While Legends and Thunder Roadsters will have the night off, roadrunners, mini stocks and bombers will also be in action. Following the races will be the annual fireworks spectacular which has become a huge attraction for fans. For those looking for their oval-racing fix in the next few weeks, outlaw kart action will take place Saturday June 17th.

The Best Of Humboldt Fair at Redwood Acres is set to take place in two weeks and Redwood Acres Raceway plays host to the MLM Motorsports tractor pulls Saturday June 24th. VIP tickets can be purchased for $20.00 on the track’s official website, www.RacingTheAcres.com as well as Fortuna Wheel & Brake and the Redwood Acres Fair office. For more information on the upcoming events at the Acres, please visit 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