Tellstrom, Doss Come Up Big In North State And Upstate races

#5K Kyle Tellstrom won the North State Modified Series feature

Eureka, CA (May 14, 2019) – It was a tremendous afternoon for racing this past Saturday at Redwood Acres Raceway. O’Reilly Auto Parts presented all of the action which included local roadrunners, mini stocks and Legends. The late models had the week off while local bomber racers joined the brand-new Upstate Bomber Series which held its debut race on the night. In addition, the North State Modified Series visited the Acres for the first of three scheduled times this year.

The evening for the Compass Community Credit Union roadrunners belonged to Tim Ratzlaff. He was victorious in the heat race and dominated the feature. Ratzlaff’s closest competition came from Troy Lee and Dustin Peterson but neither driver was able to do anything to take away the lead. At the checkered flag it was Ratzlaff over Lee and Peterson.

There was a similar tone for Compass Community Credit Union mini stocks. Rick Estes took wins in both the trophy dash and heat races. Jarrett Mayo was able to knife his way to the race lead quickly followed by Brett Murrell who was driving his father Brian Murrell, Sr.’s car on the night. Murrell’s regular ride was severely damaged in the April 29 race thanks to a stuck throttle.

As in the previous main event in April, Mayo and Murrell waged a hard but clean duel for the lead. Estes took a bit longer to get to the front but once he entered third position, the two leaders knew they were going to have to work even harder for the win. With only a handful of laps remaining, Estes was able to get around Murrell for second. With three laps left, Estes got on the outside of Mayo and the two raced hard for the lead. Mayo did everything he could to hold off Estes but he didn’t have enough. Estes was able to secure the lead with two laps remaining. From there, Estes was able to pull away to take a long-awaited main event win, his first in quite a while. Mayo held off Brett Murrell for second while Brian Murrell, Jr. placed fourth and Gary Klinetobe finished fifth.

Chris Lawrence was the winner of the North Coast Lighting And Electric Legends trophy dash. Heat race one was won by Carlee Austin while Leonard Ward took the second. It didn’t take Lawrence long to get to the front and once he got there, he stayed there. A few minor incidents slowed the race and allowed the field to reform but Lawrence was able to pull away each time. Lawrence was able to reach the finish first. Katina Baker placed second followed by Tyler Peach, Brent Mack and Austin.

As noted, RAR’s Four-Star Realty bombers joined the Upstate Bomber Series for their first race ever. Many time late model touring series winner and champion Mike Doss was the trophy dash winner. The heat race results determined the starting positions for the 60-lap feature event. Mikey Lovell won the first heat with Brian King winning the second. A stellar field of 17 cars were led to the green flag by pole-sitter Wade Coleman and David Dillinger. Dillinger was able to take the lead on the first lap as the field spread out. Lovell looked as though he was going to be the driver to beat as he sliced through the field and was able to pass Dillinger for the lead on lap 14.

As Lovell pulled away from the pack, the action focused on the father/son duo of Mike Doss and Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series star Jeremy Doss. Jeremy made it to second on lap 18 while Mike got to third on the same lap. By that time though, Lovell looked to have a substantial and insurmountable lead. Things didn’t seem to change either when Lovell started to move through slower traffic. While second and third were able to gain some ground, neither was able to make enough up to mount a serious challenge on Lovell.

Everything changed on lap 40 when officials threw a caution flag due to fear of fluid being on the racing service after several laps of the air of rear end gear fluid filling the air. Originally officials believed that Jeremy Doss was the cause and he was sent to the pits. His car was found not to be the culprit so he was allowed to reposition in second.

The double-file restart was to the benefit of Mike Doss and the detriment of Lovell as Doss was able to take the lead. Jeremy Doss filed into second while Lovell fell to third. Jeremy Doss looked to have a car capable of competing with his father’s but as the laps ticked off, Mike Doss was able to pull away. On lap 50, Lovell moved to second but he just did not have enough to catch the leader. At the finish it was Mike Doss winning over Lovell and Jeremy Doss. King ran solidly in the top five all race and placed fourth while Donnie Hyman’s fifth place effort was the highest finish of all Redwood Acres Raceway bomber regulars.

North State Modified Series points leader Cameron Austin’s time of 16.408 broke Darrin Knight’s track record 16.482 which was set in the series’ previous visit to the Acres on September 8. Ian Elliott was the winner in the Lucas Oil Dash For Cash. The invert for the 60-lap feature was six which put Dustin DeRosier and Randy Houston on the front row of the 20 car starting field. Houston got the jump at the start but the race was slowed on lap four when veteran racer Richie Potts spun in the fourth turn. Houston returned to the lead on the restart and it looked as though his car was dialed in.

A caution resulted due to a spin by Larry Knight off turn two and it ended up playing right into Kyle Tellstrom’s favor. Knight was driving for his son Darrin for championship points. Houston retained the lead once again when the green flew while Tellstrom was able to take second from Sullivan. The front two of Houston and Tellstrom raced nose-to-tail for several laps until Houston’s car moved up slightly off the bottom groove allowing Tellstrom to take the lead.

Two more cautions flew due to Knight spins which resulted in him having to pull into the pits for the night. On lap 38, Donovon Cox spun and Austin was able to break into second. A yellow flag with three laps remaining brought a single file restart and gave Austin his best and only chance to pressure Tellstrom. Unfortunately for Austin, Tellstrom did exactly what he needed to do to maintain the lead all the way to the finish. Robbie Knittel had a great run in third with Houston placing fourth and Elliott finishing fifth.

Racing at Redwood Acres Raceway will go on a bit of a spring break. Action at the track returns Saturday June 8. All local divisions will be in action including the Mid-City Motor World late models. For more information on the upcoming races at RAR and other information, visit www.RacinTheAcres.com or on Facebook www.facebook.com/RedwoodAcresRaceway2019/. You can also follow Redwood Acres Raceway on Twitter @RacingTheAcres.

North State Modifieds And Upstate Bombers Highlight Saturday Night Races At The Acres

Eureka, CA (May 9, 2019) – Race two of the 2019 season at Redwood Acres Raceway is set for this Saturday May 11. All of the familiar local classes will be in action for the Mother’s Day weekend event presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts with the exception of the late models. In their stead will be the debut of the UpState Bomber Series which will be holding its first race ever on Saturday. In addition, the North State Modified Series will be making the first of three visits to RAR in 2019.

The UpState Bomber Series was conceived between officials at Redwood Acres Raceway, Shasta Speedway and Ukiah Speedway. All three tracks have had their own local bomber divisions but the rules between each track’s division have had dissimilarities. Over the off-season, the three tracks were able to line up a more united set of rules which helped initiate the touring series.

Saturday’s race will be the first race ever for the UpState Bombers and the first of a seven-race schedule between the three speedways. RAR has two dates scheduled for the series, the other being on July 20th. It is the first time that there has been a touring bomber series in Northern California and the inaugural race is likely to draw the very best bomber drivers in the region.

The North State Modified Series began in 2014 and has become Northern California’s senior touring series with the unfortunate demise of other late model sanctions. The NSMS has established a reputation of having some of the best racing and some of the best racers in the western region. The modifieds made it to the Acres three times in 2018 with Jason Philpot and Kris Price winning the first two races. Race three from last season featured a memorable duel between Price and Darrin Knight with contact occurring on the last lap. Darrin Sullivan was able to sneak through the carnage for the win. In the two races thus far in 2019, Randy Houston was victorious at Madera Speedway while Knight won the most recent race at Stockton 99 Speedway.

There is an open practice Friday afternoon between 4-8 PM. Saturday grandstands open at 4PM with racing beginning at 5PM. For more information on this weekend’s races at Redwood Acres Raceway, visit the track’s website www.RacinTheAcres.com or Facebook www.facebook.com/RedwoodAcresRaceway2019/ or follow on Twitter @RacingTheAcres.

New Season Begins This Saturday At Redwood Acres Raceway

Eureka, CA (April 22, 2019) – The long off-season of racing is set to be over this Saturday as the opening event at Redwood Acres Raceway. All six divisions are returning to RAR in what will likely to be a very interesting season. Mid-City Motor World will be presenting the debut event of the 2019 season.

The Anderson Logging Bandoleros are going to be returning for the division’s second season at the Acres. The division is aimed at getting youngsters a chance to learn how to race and eventually advance to the faster cars. It’s highly likely that the competition will improve from last year’s rookie season.

2019 is going to see an interesting twist for the mini stock and roadrunner divisions. Both divisions, sponsored by Compass Community Credit Union, will be competing on the track at the same time unless car count for the roadrunners necessitates a separate race. A multi-class event has never taken place in the history of Redwood Acres Raceway since the track was paved in 1988. With both classes of cars on the track at the simultaneously, it is certain that the combination events will produce races all year long.

Things will also be interesting for the Four-Star Realty bomber division this year. The brand new Up-State Bomber Series will be visiting RAR twice in 2019 on May 11 and July 20. It is likely that out-of-town racers will join the locals to prepare their cars for both events.

The North Coast Lighting And Electric Legends saw the division grow at the end of the 2018 season. If that’s any sign for 2019, the Legends could potentially be the most competitive division at Redwood Acres Raceway.

The ever-popular Mid-City Motor World late models will be in action Saturday night for the first of seven races for the year. Redwood Acres Raceway’s premiere division always delivers its own brand of excitement. It should be no different this upcoming Saturday night.

Because the original scheduled open practice was rained out, there will be one this Friday. Practice will be held from 2:00PM to 7:00PM. Pit gates will open at 1:30PM. On Saturday, grandstands open at 4:00PM with racing beginning at 5:00PM. General admission tickets are $12, $8 for seniors and military, $6 for children 6-12 with 5 and younger children have free admission.

To keep up on everything going on at Redwood Acres Raceway, visit the brand-new website www.RacinTheAcres.com. RAR can also be found on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RedwoodAcresRaceway2019/ as well as on Twitter @racintheacres.

Moulton Returns To Form While Price Cashes In

Eureka, CA (July 22, 2018) – The 2018 season at Redwood Acres Raceway is rapidly coming to a close with this Saturday night’s Harper Motors Night at the Races marking four races left on the schedule. While the Compass Community Credit Union roadrunners had the night off, the late models returned to action. In addition, the North State Modified Series made their second visit to the Acres this season.

Lane Anderson has been fast all season in the Bandolero division and continued that by setting the fastest time in qualifying at a 21.354. Ethan Imperatrice made his first start of the season and was able to win the trophy dash and the heat race. Trey Daniels took the lead at the start of the main event and had control of it for the first six circuits. Imperatrice moved to the lead on lap seven before Daniels retook the position. Two laps later, Daniels fell out of the race giving Imperatrice the lead but in another two laps, Imperatrice also fell out. Anderson took over the top spot and was able to lead the rest of the way and score the victory. Maleesa Miles finished second followed by Aiden Kimberling and Kadence Mace. Imperatrice was scored fifth.

Qualifying for the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bombers was led by Wyatt Roach with a 18.424. Roach took the dash win while Sam Brown was the heat race winner. Brown used the pole position to his advantage in the feature event as he was able to take over and lead until lap eight. That’s when Roach took over. He was able to hold on and take his first main event win of the season. Brown and Jim Redd finished second and third.

In the NorthCoast Lighting And Electric Legends division, Brad Curtice set fast time with an 18.121. Chris Lawrence was the trophy dash victor while Aiden Daniels and Curtice were the heat race winners. The opening lap of the feature was led by David Dunlap. Lap two saw Aiden Daniels move to the front. Curtice quickly sliced his way through the field and moved to the lead on lap eight. The field spread out and Curtice was able to gap Aiden Daniels. At the finish it was Curtice taking the victory by nearly two seconds. Aiden Daniels narrowly beat Lawrence to the line for third. Kylie Daniels finished a strong fourth with Zach Frazer rounding out the top five finishers.

The ever-competitive Humboldt Hydroponics mini stocks were paced by Brian Murrell, Sr. as he set a qualifying lap of 18.980. Eugene Palmer crossed the line first in the trophy dash and Brian Murrell, Jr. winning the heat race. Nick Ford held the lead for the first five laps but contact between he and Trevor Eacret allowed Brett Murrell to move to the position. The rest of the event came down to a battle between Brett Murrell, Palmer and Murrell, Sr. As the laps clicked off, Brett Murrell was able to stretch his lead. At the finish line it was Brett Murrell winning. Palmer held off Murrell, Sr. for second while Brian Murrell, Jr. and Scott Taylor finished out the top five drivers.

Darrin Sullivan narrowly took fast time for the North State Modified Series setting a 16.548. Herman Pulyer prevailed in the Lucas Oil Dash For Cash. The invert for the 60-lap main event was 10 which put Stuart Campbell on the pole. After falling back to the third position, Eric Johnson was able to move to the lead on lap 10. Kris Price moved his way to second after 15-laps and on lap 19 he took over the race lead. Price was able to slowly pull away from the rest of the pack.

Eric Price, Jr. was a favorite going into the event but fell out just before the halfway point. Terry Deal took second from Eric Johnson with 15-laps remaining but was well behind the leader. With three laps remaining, smoke poured from Sullivan’s car taking him out of action and necessitating a caution flag. The field bunched up for a sprint to the finish however Deal was not able to get by Eric Price. At the finish it was Price holding off Deal for the win. Johnson was second ahead of Randy Houston and Dustin DeRosier.

Less than 0.056 seconds separated the top three in qualifying for the Mid-City Motor World Super Six Late Model Challenge Series with Mic Moulton setting the fastest lap. George Young was the winner of heat race number one while Luke Hall won heat number two and pole position for the NorthCoast Lighting & Electric main event.

Hall jumped to the lead at the start of the feature with Dane Nissen following him into second. David Henderson slotted into third while Moulton held fourth. With nary the sign of a caution flag, handling and tire wear proved to be more important than usual. The halfway point saw Hall still leading Nissen but third place was switched between Moulton and Henderson. The front three closed up on each other. On lap 40, Moulton maneuvered past Nissen and chased Hall for the lead. With 15 to go, Moulton took the lead from Hall. Moulton was able to slowly pull away as the rest proved to be caution-free. Moulton crossed the finish line first over Hall, Nissen and Henderson. Kenny Demello put in a solid fifth place effort.

Racing on the 3/8-mile paved oval at Redwood Acres Raceway will take a month-long break as August 18th is the next race on the schedule. Prior to that event, RAR will host the Malicious Monster Truck Insanity Tour on August 3rd and 4th. Tuff trucks will also be in action as well as monster truck rides. Saturday night will be the second boat race at the Acres in 2018.

V.I.P. pre-sale tickets for the monster truck event are available to purchase at Redwood Acres Raceway’s website www.RedwoodAcresRacing.com as well as the Redwood Acres Fair office and Fortuna Wheel & Brake. More information on everything going on at the Acres can also be found on Redwood Acres Raceway’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/RedwoodAcresRaceway/

Late Models, Modifieds Headline RAR Doubleheader

Eureka, CA (July 16, 2018) – The 2018 season of racing at Redwood Acres Raceway’s 3/8-mile paved oval is hitting its homestretch. Only four races remain on the schedule including this weekend’s Harper Motors Night at the Races. With the championship in sight, drivers in all the divisions will be racing hard to keep every position and earn every point.

The Compass Community Credit Union roadrunners will have the night off this Saturday. That’s likely good news for Nick Ford who leads Lindsey Zito by 68 points but suffered severe damage on his car on the most recent race on July 7th. Tim Ratzlaff has been the only driver who’s been able to contend with Ford every race but is 73 points behind due to missing the main event on May 5 and the entire race on May 12th. Amanda Lohr has had a solid year and is fourth in the standings with Ronny Crump holding down the fifth position.

The first season for the Bandolero division has thrilled and delighted fans. Aiden Kimberling only has a nine-point edge on Lane Anderson for the division title. Kadence Mace is third but will need Kimberling and Anderson to have major issues as she is 45 points behind. Maleesa Miles holds down fourth but is 22 points behind Mace. Trey Daniels is in the fifth spot.

The Fortuna Wheel & Brake/Four Star Realty bomber division standings are being led by Jim Redd. He has a huge advantage of 51 points over second place Wyatt Roach. Ryan Walters is third, six in arrears to Roach. Sam Brown is 80 points behind Redd in fourth with Chris Naughton 110 points behind in fifth.

Chris Lawrence’s point lead over second in the NorthCoast Lighting & Electric Legends division is 37. Tyler Peach is second, 37 points behind but will have a difficult time making that ground up to Lawrence. Aiden Daniels is third and has a very good rookie season. Fourth place Katina Baker is also a rookie and she too has been impressive. Brent Mack rounds out the top five in the standings.

Brian Murrell, Sr. leads Eugene Palmer by 25 points in the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock division. Palmer’s bad luck in the two most recent races and Murrell, Sr.’s main event wins have allowed the veteran to expand his advantage in the standings. Scott Taylor will find it difficult to gain ground on the two leaders as he is 44 points behind. Trevor Eacret and Gary Klinetobe are fourth and fifth but well out of the running for the division championship.

The Mid-City Motor World Super Six Challenge Series late model division has been dominated by Mic Moulton. Of the four races that have taken place so far, Moulton has won three. Brandon White broke Moulton’s streak with a win in the Don Graham Memorial Firecracker 100 on July 7th. In spite of his three wins, Moulton’s lead over second place David Henderson is only 10 points. It’s likely it will be a two-driver race for the championship as Marty Walsh is third, 56 points behind Moulton. Walsh’s season has been plagued with bad luck. Dane Nissen is four points behind Walsh in fourth with Kenny Demello holding down fifth in the standings.

The North State Modified Series Driving Out Cancer Tour will be making their second of three visits to Redwood Acres Raceway this season. Their first race at the Acres occurred on May 27th with Jason Philpot taking the victory over Eric Johnson and Kris Price. The series’ most recent race at All-American Speedway in Roseville was won by Price. The fight for the NSMS title is a close one with Price leading Philpot by only three points. Dustin DeRosier, Terry Deal and Eric Johnson are third through fifth.

Prior to racing, Redwood Acres Raceway and Harper Motors will host the Second Annual Mustang Show and Shine. The event will begin at 3:00 PM with the grandstands opening at 5:00 PM. The Mustangs will be staged between 5-5:25 PM when judging of the cars will end. The Mustangs will have a parade lap and trophy presentation at 5:30 PM. The races will begin at 5:45 PM.

Racing at Redwood Acres Raceway will take a month-long break as August 18th is the next race on the 2018 schedule. In between both races, RAR will host the Malicious Monster Truck Insanity Tour on August 3rd and 4th. Tuff trucks will also be in action as well as monster truck rides. Saturday night will be the second boat race at the Acres in 2018. It’s certain to be a crowd-pleasing event on both nights.

V.I.P. pre-sale tickets will be available to purchase on July 22nd at Redwood Acres Raceway’s website www.RedwoodAcresRacing.com as well as the Redwood Acres Fair office and Fortuna Wheel & Brake. More information on the event can be found at Redwood Acres Raceway’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/RedwoodAcresRaceway/ You can also find the Malicious Monster Truck Insanity Tour at www.MaliciousMonsterTruckTour.com or their Facebook page www.facebook.com/MaliciousMonsterTruckTour/

Philpot wins in the North State Modified Series first visit to the Acres

#57 Eric Johnson finished second to Jason Philpot in the North State Modified Series' feature race

Eureka, CA (May 28, 2018) – It was O’Reilly Night at the Races this past weekend at Redwood Acres Raceway. It was a special Sunday show for Memorial Day weekend which featured five of RAR’s local divisions as well as the North State Modified Series who were making their first of three visits to the track.

Kadence Mace was fast time for the Bandoleros with a 22.375. Aiden Kimberling was the trophy dash winner while Trey Daniels took the heat race. The 15-lap main event was dominated by Daniels. He jumped to the lead on lap one and never looked back. Daniels took the victory ahead of Kimberling and Mace.

The Compass Community Credit Union roadrunners were paced by Nick Ford in qualifying as his time was 20.449. Tim Ratzlaff got the lead right from the drop of the green flag of the first main event. Ratzlaff dominated, so much so that he broke the 21-second barrier on lap 12. This moved Patrick Sproul to the point and it looked as though the race fell into his hands. Ratzlaff had other plans as he charged hard to regain the lead. With two laps remaining, Ratzlaff retook the lead and was able to pull away. At the finish it was Ratzlaff, Sproul, Ford, Landon Newell and Ronny Crump.

Ratzlaff took the lead at the start of the second feature event. Sproul took over on lap two and had a race-long battle with Nick Ford for the win. As the finish came closer, Sproul led with three laps remaining. The next lap, Ratzlaff who had stayed closely behind the two leaders made a move for the lead. The maneuver paid off as he was able to take the lead. Ratzlaff crossed the line first sweeping both feature events. Ford, Sproul, Newell and Crump rounded out the top five.

Derek Copeland was quick time in the NorthCoast Lighting and Electric Legends division with a 17.873. Copeland followed up with wins in the trophy dash. Heat race wins went to Kylie Daniels and Copeland. The lap one leader was Tyler Peach and he held on to the lead for five laps before Copeland took over. The most serious challenger to Copeland’s lead was Chris Lawrence. Just as Lawrence made an inside move for the lead, the yellow flag dropped. Copeland led the field to the restart and was able to go on unchallenged. At the finish it was Copeland winning over Lawrence, Peach, Katina Baker and Daniels.

In the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bombers, Wyatt Roach was fast time with an 18.331. Roach was the winner of the trophy dash and Jim Redd won the heat race. Redd moved to the lead on lap one. Roach proved to be Redd’s closest competition but fell out early. Redd was able to pull away from the field and lead the race flag-to-flag to win. Chris Naughton placed second, Doug Way third, Kolby Jackson fourth while Roach was scored fifth.

Brett Murrell set the fastest time in qualifying for the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stocks with a 18.769. Eugene Palmer was the dash winner while the heats went to Trevor Eacret and Murrell. Jordan Paiment led the first five laps of the feature event before Murrell took over the lead. Palmer moved to second the same lap and tried his best to stick to Murrell’s bumper. Murrell was able to gap Palmer enough that it appeared as though he was going to cruise to the victory. With one lap remaining, Murrell’s car failed moving Palmer to the lead. The last lap proved to be the only lap Palmer needed to lead as he won his first main event of 2018. Scott Taylor took second over Eacret, Gary Klientobe and Brian Murrell, Sr.

Randy Houston’s 16.514 in qualifying was the standard set in qualifying for the North State Modifieds. Ian Elliott took the victory in the six-lap Lucas Oil Dash For Cash. Eric Johnson led from the drop of the green flag of the 60-lap event. Jason Philpot followed into second and the first two ran-nose-to tail for several laps. Just past the halfway point, Philpot was able to maneuver past Johnson for the lead. The best battle on the track proved to be for second as Johnson did all he could to hold off Kris Price and Houston. Even after a couple of caution flags, Philpot was able to pull away while Johnson had his hands full with Houston and Price filling his mirror. Philpot was able to cruise to the checkered flag by over two seconds. Johnson held on for second over Price, Houston and Dustin DeRosier.

Racing at Redwood Acres Raceway returns Saturday June 9th. The Super Six Challenge Series late models will be returning to action along with the five other local divisions. Visit www.RedwoodAcresRacing.com for more information on the upcoming event as well as race and points result. You can also find RAR on Facebook by visiting www.facebook.com/RedwoodAcresRaceway

Race three at Redwood Acres Raceway on the docket

Eureka, CA (May 21, 2018) – After a two-week break, racing returns to Redwood Acres Raceway for a special Sunday afternoon Memorial Day weekend event. While the Super Six Late Model Challenge series cars are not part of this weekend’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Tribute to the Troops program, the ever-popular North State Modified Series will join the Acres’ regular divisions of roadrunners, Legends, Bandoleros, bombers and mini stocks.

Nick and Dylan Ford lead the current standings in the Compass Community Credit Union roadrunners. It will be interesting to see if both will be racing this weekend as the two severely damaged their cars in the second main event on May 12th. Lindsey Zito was the benefactor of that incident and claimed her first win. She sits third in the standings. Patrick Sproul and Amanda Lohr complete the top five.

The new Bandolero division has brought new excitement to the 3/8-mile paved oval. Lane Anderson has been a dominate force in the class as he has won all but one race thus far. He holds a 15-point lead over Aiden Kimberling. Kadence Mace is third followed by Maleesa Miles and Donnie Murrell.

Former Thunder Roadster racer, Chris Lawrence has made a smooth transition over to the NorthCoast Lighting and Electric Legends division. His lead over his step-son Tyler Peach is 12 points going into this weekend. Brent Mack is five points behind Peach in third with Tyler Krupa and Brad Curtice finish out the top five.

Nick Green is the point leader for the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bombers. His advantage in the championship battle is only three points. Ryan Walters holds down second while third place Jim Redd is one point behind Walters in third. Sam Brown sits in fourth with Kolby Jackson fifth.

The battle in the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock class is also a tight one. Eugene Palmer leads Brian Murrell, Jr. by five markers. Both drivers had issues in the May 12th race which not only allowed third place Trevor Eacret to close in points but also obtain his first main event win. Veteran Gary Klientobe is a steady fourth in the standings with Jordan Paiment two points behind Kleintobe in fifth.

The weekend off for the Mid-City Motor World Super Six Late Model Challenge Series will be a good thing for several drivers. Mic Moulton has won both races in the. He has an 11-point advantage over Dane Nissen. David Henderson lies in third, 13 points in arrears to Moulton. Marty Walsh and Tim Crenshaw both have catching up to do as they are 21 and 31 points behind Moulton.

This Sunday will be the first of three times that the North State Modifieds will be racing at Redwood Acres Raceway. Throughout the 2018 season, the series will be featuring the “Driving Out Cancer Tour”, which is bringing awareness to cancer research. The tour was inspired by series’ competitor Rick Avila. The NSMS opened their season at Shasta Speedway on May 12th with Kris Price winning over Randy Houston, Cameron Austin, Jason Philpot and Dustin Derosier. Houston currently leads the series’ standings by one point over Price. The modifieds raced at Redwood Acres Raceway three times in 2017 with three different drivers taking main event wins; Darrin Sullivan, Randy Houston and Darrin Knight.

For more information for this weekend’s events as well as race and points results, visit Redwood Acres Raceway’s website, www.RedwoodAcresRacing.com You can find RAR on Facebook as well by visiting www.facebook.com/RedwoodAcresRaceway

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

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

Moulton, Peeples Among Early Season Points Leaders

Eureka, CA (May 22, 2017) - Race number three of the 2017 season at Redwood Acres Raceway is set to take place this Sunday June 28th for what is expected to be another thrilling night of action. Joining the roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks, Legends and Thunder Roadsters will be the North State Modified Series for the first of two visits to the Acres.

Daniel Buell leads the California State and Federal Employees Credit Union roadrunner division point standings. Buell’s lead over second place Nick Ford is only five points. Tim Ratzlaff is third in the standings, 14 points behind Buell. Jake Keeling is fourth, two points behind Ratzlaff while Bob Ratzlaff in fifth is two markers behind Keeling.

In the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bomber division, Jim Redd currently holds down the top spot in points. Second place in the standings is John Lally who won the most recent main event on May 13th. Bethany Rapp is third, 12 points in arrears to Redd while fourth and fifth are Kolby Jackson and Raymond Taylor.
Brian Murrell, Sr.’s lead in the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock class is large in comparison to other divisions. Murrell leads second place Eugene Palmer by 13 points. Rookie driver, Scott Taylor has been impressive thus far in 2017 and is third in points, 17 behind Murrell, Sr. Troy Lee is 21 points behind the leader in fourth while rookie Trevor Eacert is fifth, three points behind Lee.

The Nor-Cal Automotive Legends division is currently being led by Brett Mack. His lead over second place driver, rookie MKinzy Uselton is 12 points. Another rookie driver is third in points, Dominic Vogelsang. He is 11 points behind Uselton. The most recent main event winner, Cody Winchel is fourth in points while Brad Curtice lies in fifth.

Veteran Paul Peeples, Jr. holds down the lead in the Lone Star Junction Thunder Roadster class thanks to two second place finishes. Ronnie O’Neil is second in points, five behind Peeples and was the winner of the May 13th feature. Tommy Payne is third, eight points behind Peeples and was the winner of the April 29th main event. Chris Sarvinski’s 70 points put him fourth in the standings, 11 behind Peeples. Fifth is Corey Toole, a rookie driver who is 23 points behind the leader.

The Mid-City Motor World late model class had held two of its five points races at the Acres and will have the night off this Memorial Day weekend. The five events at RAR and another at Ukiah Speedway on July 15th comprise the Super Six Late Model Challenge series. Mic Moulton is the leader of the standings by six points over Brandon White. The two Eureka drivers each have one win. Redding’s Eric Gannon is third and only only nine points behind Moulton. Kenny Demello has been steady in the two races and is fourth in the standings while Marty Walsh is fifth in spite of a major accident in the previous race.

The North State Modified Series will be stopping by the Acres for the first of two times this Sunday. Darrin Knight of Kelseyville is the current leader in the standings and is the odds-on favorite for this weekend’s event. Knight has won four of the series’ six races at RAR and was the winner of the first two races for the NSMS in 2017 at All-American Speedway and Lakeport Speedway.

Darin Snider of Lakeport is 18 points behind Knight in second. Third place features a tie between Charlie Collins from Upper Lake and Eric Johnson of Kelseyville. Both drivers are 20 points behind Knight. Santa Rosa’s Cameron Austin sits fifth in points, 32 behind Knight. Other top contenders who are likely to show up are Bryan Denton from Kelseyville, Jason Philpot from Sacramento, Petaluma’s Richie Potts and Sierra Furia from Lakeport.

O’Reilly Auto Parts sponsors this Sunday’s Memorial Day weekend races in honor of the men and women who serve in our country’s military. Grandstands open at 5:00 while racing begins at 6:00. General admission is $16, senior $13 and children 12 and under $3. Kids five and under get in free and any military member will also get in free with ID. There is an open practice on Saturday, May 27th from 1:00 to 6:00. For more information on everything going on at Redwood Acres Raceway, please visit the track’s official website www.RacingTheAcres.com

Knight rises, Walsh wins at the Acres

By Matthew J. Sullivan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

North State Modifieds return to the Acres

By Matthew J. Sullivan

After a long three-week break, racing returns to the 3/8-mile paved oval known as Redwood Acres Raceway this Saturday July 23rd. In addition to the six local divisions, the North State Modified Series will also be in action for Lithia Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram of Eureka Night at the Races.

The championship battle in the California State and Federal Employee’s Credit Union roadrunner class is a two-driver race at this point in the season. Steve Paiment holds the lead by 15 points over Tyler Peach. Patrick Sproul is the highest rookie in the standings in third but is 41 points behind Paiment. Bethany Rapp is fourth in the standings followed by Dominic Vogelsang in fifth.

In the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bombers, it’s a one man show for the division’s track championship. James Moore holds a huge 57 point advantage over second place, Ryan Ahrens. Rookie, John Lally holds down third in points while division dominator, Tyler Avelar is fourth. Another rookie, Kimberly Sorrels rounds out the top five in the division standings.

The Humboldt Hydroponic mini stock division features a tight, three-man race for the track championship. Only 11 points separate the top three drivers of Jarrett Mayo, Gary Klinetobe and Eugene Palmer. Daniel Buell is a mini stock rookie but has done well so far in 2016 and is fourth in the points. Brothers hold down fifth as Brett Murrell and Brian Murrell, Jr. are tied for the position.

The point battle in the Thunder Roadster class is even tighter as division rookie, Ronnie O’Neil leads veteran Tommy Payne by one point. Donnie Brown is third in the standings with Aaron Byers in fourth. Both drivers are still in the fight as they are 19 and 22 points behind the leader but they will need misfortune to strike O’Neil and Payne. Fifth is LeRoy Marsh, Jr. who has returned to the Acres after several years away from the track.

Brent Mack’s once substantial lead in the Legends division is slowly being chipped away by Robert Miller who is only 15 points behind. The daughter and father combination of Anissa Curtice and Brad Curtice are third and fourth in the standings. Young M’Kinzy Uselton holds down fifth in the points.

Despite suffering issues in the most recent event, the Don Graham Memorial Firecracker 100, Mic Moulton still holds the lead in the Mid City Motor World late model standings. Moulton leads Jedd Ambrosini by 14 points. Richard Knight is third in the points and is only four behind Ambrosini. Marty Walsh was unable to even start the last race but is still in the fight and fourth in the standings. Kenny Demello has been steady all season long and is fifth in the points.

The North State Modified Series will return to Redwood Acres Raceway for the second time in 2016. Darrin Knight dominated the first event and is the series points leader by 65 points. Knight has been a dominant force in the NSMS as he has won 3 of the last six series races at the Acres. Even though Knight is running away with the series championship, only six points separate second through fifth in the standings. Bryan Denton and Codi Barba are tied for the second position with 262 points. Darrin Sullivan is fourth while Mike Collins is fifth.

Grandstands open at 5:00 PM this Saturday while racing begins at 6:30 PM. One of the most anticipated events of the year follows on August 6th when the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series returns to the 3/8-mile paved oval for the third time ever. The Bear River Casino & Hotel and Renner Petroleum 125 promises to be intense and action-packed with the top super late model racers on the west coast taking to the Acres pavement. This upcoming weekend’s race will be the last that fans can purchase pre-sale tickets at a discount.

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

Knight returns to Acres winner’s circle

By Matthew J. Sullivan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Redwood Acres Raceway Announces 2016 Schedule

By Matthew J. Sullivan

The highly anticipated 2016 season at Redwood Acres Raceway is quickly approaching. The excitement of racing returning to the 3/8-mile paved oval is high. So too is the intrigue of the new racing season with new cars and drivers in each division as well as a new division to the Acres.

Acres fans are familiar with the local classes of roadrunners, mini stocks, bombers, Thunder Roadsters and late models. In addition to those five divisions, Redwood Acres Raceway will be featuring the Legends cars. 2016 will mark the first time ever that a Legend car has competed at the Acres and the division is likely to put on exciting events throughout the entire season.

There are 11 scheduled races for the 2016 season. Redwood Acres Raceway will have its annual Play Day on Saturday April 23rd from noon to 5:00PM. The 2016 campaign will officially start the next weekend, Saturday April 30th.

Some of the highlights of the 2016 schedule include the return of the North State Modified Series to the Acres twice, on Sunday May 29th and Saturday July 23rd. The late models will hold the Second Annual Firecracker 100 race on Saturday July 2nd which will be followed by a spectacular fireworks display.
The top super late model drivers on the west coast will be racing at the Acres on Saturday August 6th when the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series takes to the track. Saturday August 20th is Driver Appreciation Night and will feature the Second Annual Murrell 500. The year concludes on Saturday September 24th with Championship Night featuring the Roadrunner Big T Jackpot race and the popular boat race.

Besides the racing on the asphalt, Redwood Acres Raceway will host racing on its dirt infield in 2016 featuring the Outlaw Karts. There are six scheduled non-point events for the karts including an event scheduled during the Redwood Acres Best of Humboldt Fair on Friday June 24th. The new class is certain to draw new racers and experienced veterans from Northern California.

For more information regarding the 2016 schedule and/or rules packages, please visit Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website, www.racingtheacres.com. You can also find the Acres on Facebook at www.facebook.com/redwoodacresraceway/ and on Twitter @RacingTheAcres.

Redwood Acres Raceway 2016 Schedule
April 23rd – Play Day – Pits open at 11AM, practice from noon-5PM
April 30th – Opening Night Points Race
May 14th – Points Race
May 28th – Open Practice
May 29th – Points Race featuring North State Modified Series (Late Models Off)
June 11th – Points Race
July 25th – Fair Race – TBD
July 1st – Open Practice
July 2nd – Points Race featuring late model Firecracker 100 and Fireworks Show
July 22nd – Open Practice
July 23rd – Points Race featuring North State Modified Series
August 5th – Spears SRL Practice
August 6th – Points Race featuring the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series (Late Models off)
August 20th – Points Race – Driver Appreciation Night featuring the Murrell 500
September 10th – Points Race – Final points event for late models
September 24th – Championship Night featuring Roadrunner Big T Jackpot and Boat Race (Late Models off)

Redwood Acres Raceway 2016 Outlaw Kart Schedule
May 7th – Open Practice
May 21st
June 18th
June 24th – Fair Race
July 16th
July 30th
August 27th

A look back at the 2015 season at the Acres

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

By Matthew J. Sullivan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Knight, Walsh big Labor Day weekend winners

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

By Matthew J. Sullivan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The track championships for all five divisions will be decided at Redwood Acres Raceway in the next race on the schedule on September 19th. In addition to the event being championship night at the Acres, it will also be Fan Appreciation Night. General admission for the event is $5 for general admission and $2 for children. The 2015 season concluded on October 3rd with the First Annual Roadrunner Big T Jackpot race and Bomber Bash. Concluding the 2015 season at the Acres will be the second boat race of the year. For more information on the final two events, please visit Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website, www.racingtheacres.com .

North State Modifieds return to the Acres

Tripp Gaylord leads the North State Challenge Series standings going into the next race at the Acres

By Matthew J. Sullivan

The 2015 racing season at Redwood Acres Raceway is quickly coming to a close. Only four dates remain on the schedule two of which are set for the upcoming Labor Day weekend Saturday September 5th and Sunday September 6th. The local divisions of roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks and Thunder Roadsters will race both nights. Saturday night’s feature attraction will be the late model division which will hold the final Tri-Holiday Classic race of 2015. Highlighting Sunday’s event will be the return of the popular North State Modified Series for the second and final time this season.

This weekend will likely see the crowning of the 2015 roadrunner track champion for Redwood Acres Raceway. Dylan Ford has a 68 point lead over Daniel Buell in the standings Ford will have to have monumental bad fortune for Buell to even have a chance coming out of the weekend. Roadrunner veteran, Steve Paiment is third in the standings, 95 markers behind Ford. Rookie drivers R.C. Brown and Shawn Molloy round out the top five in the standings, both 100+ points in arrears to Ford.

Things got much more interesting in the bomber division title fight as a result of a heat race incident for former point leader, Dustin Walters in the August 22nd event. Not only did that wreck prevent him from starting the feature race and earning points, it also cost him the championship lead he once had. As a result, James Moore moved to the lead but only holds a nine point advantage over Walters.

Chris Champagne expanded his point lead slightly in the mini stock class on August 22nd but not enough to be comfortable in his effort for the track championship. Champagne leads Eugene Palmer by 17 points. Rick Estes still has an outside chance as he’s 29 points behind Champagne but both drivers ahead of him will need major issues in the final three events. 2014 mini stock champ, Brian Murrell, Jr. is mathematically alive in fourth but the odds of him going back-to-back are next to zero. Mini stock rookie, Tim Abeyta holds down the fifth position.

Paul Peeples, Jr. holds a 43 point lead over Robbie Nelson in the Thunder Roadster class. Given Peeples’ speed all season long and his penchant for winning races, Nelson’s opportunity to win this year’s title is virtually nil. Thomas Payne holds down third in the standings, Chris Lawrence fourth and Belinda Ward fifth.

The late model class will hold their third and final Tri-Holiday Classic race this weekend and the outcome of Saturday’s 100-lap race will likely be the deciding factor as to who will be this year’s champion in the division. Veteran, Mic Mouton was the winner of the first event on Memorial Day weekend while Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series star, Brandon White dominated the Independence Day weekend event. Ryun Leazer leads the late model standings by a mere four points over Jedd Ambrosini. Leazer will have to avoid the bad luck he faced on the July 4th event which saw him finish 16th to Ambrosini’s 9th place effort. Marty Walsh, Richard Knight and Kenny Demello finish out the top five in standings and a bad race for both Leazer and Ambrosini could bring those three drivers right back into the title fight.

The North State Modified Series returns to Redwood Acres Raceway for the second time in 2015. The first event on Memorial Day weekend was won by Rich Lindgren. Tripp Gaylord finished second in that race and leads Cody Braund by four points with only two races remaining including this weekend’s. Darrin Knight is third in the standings, only 6 behind Gaylord and on a hot streak. Knight won the most recent North State race at Shasta Speedway on August 22nd and was the big winner of the West Coast Modified Shootout at Douglas County Speedway this past weekend. Michael Mitchell is fourth in the standings, 40 points behind Gaylord while Jason Philpot is 70 points behind.

The grandstands open at 4:30PM while races will begin at 6:00PM both nights for this weekend’s Labor Day races. Only two more races are on the schedule following this weekend’s events. Saturday September 19th’s race will be Fan Appreciation Night as well as championship night for all five local classes. The final event of the season is on October 3rd will be the First Annual Big T Jackpot race for the roadrunners and the Bomber Bash. For more information regarding the rest of the 2015 schedule, please visit Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website www.racingtheacres.com .

Redwood Acres Raceway announces schedule adjustment

By Matthew J. Sullivan

The 2015 season at Redwood Acres Raceway is winding down but there is still plenty of racing left on the pavement on the 3/8-mile oval. It’s been an exciting year of racing at the Acres and there will be even more thrills than expected as RAR officials have announced alterations to the remaining 2015 schedule.

The next race on August 22nd remains unchanged as it will be Driver Appreciation Night at the raceway with all five local classes in action. The major change is on Labor Day weekend on Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 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 to 7PM.

Saturday September 19th’s race will be Fan Appreciation Night as well as the final points event for all five local classes. The final event of the season 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 .

Lindgren, Moulton Memorial race winners

Rich Lindgren took home the win in the North State Modified Series

By Matthew J. Sullivan

The 2015 season at Redwood Acres Raceway resumed for a special Sunday night affair. Though the weather was rather dreary for Del Reka Distributing Night at the Races, a great crowd showed up for the first race of the Tri-Holday series for the late model division. Along with the other local divisions of roadrunners, bombers and mini stocks, the quickly growing North State Modified Series made their first stop of the season at the 3/8-mile paved oval. In addition to all of that, it was also Salute to the Troops night at the Acres and all members of the military were able to get into the races for free with a military ID.

The Humboldt Hydroponics roadrunner trophy dash win was taken by Dylan Ford. Steve Paiment narrowly took the victory in the heat race. Nick Vellis was making his first start of the year and was quick to take the lead at the start of the 20-lap feature. Unfortunately his time up front was short as contact from Andrew Pimentel resulted in a flat tire, taking him out of action. Rookie driver, Shawn Malloy showed surprising strength leading numerous laps until the 15th circuit when he was put in a three-wide situation between R.C. Brown and Ford. Malloy spun and the caution flag was displayed.

The last six laps featured a duel for the win between rookie Brown and Ford. Ford was able to get the benefit of the inside line under Brown on the last lap and it proved to be the advantage he needed as he was able to beat Brown to the line to take the victory. Daniel Buell placed third.

Dustin Walters was the winner of the trophy dash for the bomber division. Walters has been the dominant factor in the bombers this year and things were no different on this night as he also took the heat race win. James Moore moved to the lead in the first handful of laps in the 20-lap feature but it didn’t take Walters long to get to the front. Walters moved under and past Moore on lap seven and never looked back. At the finish it was Walters winning handily over Moore, Ryan Walters, Lance Martins and Michael Knight.

The mini stock division continues to grow as the season progresses. Brian Murrell, Sr. was the victor in the trophy dash while the heat race wins were claimed by Cole Peterson and Murrell, Sr. The 25-lap feature got off to a slow start due to fuel leaking from Rick Estes truck. When the green flag came back out, the racing at the front was thrilling as the faster cars tried their best to get to the front while the slower cars did all they could to maintain their track position.

The father/son duo of Brian Murrell Sr. and Jr. were the two drivers who were able to break from the pack and set sail while the rest of the field duked it out from third on back. After a spin by Cole Peterson, the green dropped again and again the Murrells fought hard for the race lead. The caution allowed two other drivers to get into the action, Estes and Chris Champagne. Sadly, things would sour for three of those drivers. Champagne suffered engine woes which put him in the pits and Murrell, Jr. and Estes got tangled off turn four taking their chances of victory away. Mini stock rookie, Eugene Palmer was in Murrell, Sr.’s hip pocket in the closing stages but did not have the horsepower to take the lead away. At the checkered flag it was Murrell, Sr. winning over Palmer, Estes, Dylan Ford and Gary Klinetobe.

The first of the three Tri-Holiday races for the Mid City Motor World late model division took place on the night. In addition to earning points to the season long track championship, the Tri-Holiday races for Memorial Day weekend, Independence Day weekend and Labor Day weekend all count to a separate points title. Mic Moulton took the trophy dash win which saw Marty Walsh and Jim Walker get together. Fortunately both drivers were able to continue for the rest of the night. Richard Knight won the first heat race while Ryun Leazer held on to win the second heat race.

The 35-lap feature saw a field of 10 starters reduced to only four cars being able to get to the finish. The first incident of the race occurred due to apparent contact between Walker and George Young which collected Leazer. The race was slowed again after a few laps due to Tyler Avelar spinning off turn two. The yellow dropped again when Avelar spun in turn one, collecting Mark Williams. By this point, only one lap had been completed.

Things settled down long enough for Mic Moulton to take the lead away from Jedd Ambrosini while Marty Walsh followed him into second. Trouble occurred once again on lap eight when Ambrosini spun off turn four. In the smoke, Kenny Demello and Williams got together ending the race for both of their cars. The race was slowed only once from then on out. Walsh briefly challenged Moulton but didn’t have the strength to stay with him to the end. At the line it was Moulton winning over Walsh. Ambrosini placed third, Richard Knight fourth and Walker was credited with a fifth place result.

16 cars timed in for the North State Modified Series for the evening. Lucas Oil Modified Series regular, Tripp Gaylord made the 1,373-mile trip from his home in Golden, Colorado to Redwood Acres Raceway count as he set quick time with a 16.191. Charlie Collins took the trophy and the $100 cash prize in the Lucas Oil Dash for Cash. The 60-lap feature presented by Protect The Harvest got off to a quick start as Darrin Knight took the lead from pole thanks in part to Gaylord drawing a four-car invert. Knight’s experience at the Acres came to fruition in the early laps and he looked to be the class of the field on the night.

The most serious incident of the race took place on lap 20 when contact from another car sent Sal Lopez spinning right in front of the leaders. Knight was able to get by while second place, Michael Mitchell could not avoid Lopez’s stopped car and made contact with his left front suspension. It was a serious blow for the NSMS point leader as he was forced into the pits and though he returned to the track, he finished the event many laps down. Under the caution, Knight’s car came to a stop on the back stretch with apparent ignition trouble, ending his race.

With the two leaders falling out, Rich Lindgren inherited the race lead and after the restart he and Gaylord pulled away from the rest of the field. The driver who was doing the most passing was Bryan Denton. Meanwhile up front, Lindgren was able to maintain a somewhat comfortable gap over second place, Gaylord. The field was tightened up with five laps remaining when Mike Gorham spun in turns three and four. Lindgren was able to withstand Gaylord challenge for the lead after the restart and he was the first to the checkered flag for his second win of the season in the NSMS. Gaylord placed second followed by Collins, Denton and Jason Philpot.

Racing returns to Redwood Acres Raceway June 6th with all five local classes back in action, including the Thunder Roadsters who had this weekend off. The North State Modified Series returns to the Acres later in the year on September 6th. For more information on the North State Modified Series, visit their official website www.northstatemodifieds.com . For more information on any and all of the goings on at Redwood Acres Raceway, please visit the track’s official website www.racingtheacres.com .Tri