White wins Super 6 opener at the Acres

#19 Brandon White won round one of the Super Six Challenge Series

Eureka, California (April 30, 2017) – You couldn’t ask for a nicer afternoon this past Saturday night at Redwood Acres Raceway. A packed house enjoyed the first race of the season at the 3/8-mile paved oval in what proved to be a thrilling night of action across all six local divisions.

Rookie, Daniel Whitley set fast time for the Legends division presented by Nor-Cal Automotive with a 18.346. Unfortunately, Whitley’s night was cut short in the trophy dash when he spun in turn four and backed into the wall. Brent Mack took the trophy dash win then went on to take the heat race win. Tyler Peach took the lead at the start of the 25-lap feature and made a good account for himself in spite of his inexperience in a Legends car. Peach held off the more experienced Mack for the first 17 laps before a spin by Dominic Vogelsang bunched the field. The restart proved to be to Mack’s advantage and he was able to take over the lead. Mack was able to hold on the rest of the way to take the victory over Peach, Vogelsand, M’Kinzy Uselton and James McBride.

Qualifying was paced by Jim Redd in the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bomber division. Redd’s time was 18.664. John Lally took the trophy dash win and was able to follow it up with a win in the heat race. The 25-lap main event was paced by Kolby Jackson in the opening stages. Redd took the lead away and had his hands full the rest of the race with Lally and Jackson filling his rear-view mirror. Lally made a late race charge on Redd but spun in turns three and four. Redd was able to hang on to take the victory. Lally recovered to place second followed by Jackson, Bethany Rapp and Kim Sorrels.

Fast time for the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock division was set by Brian Murrell, Sr. with a 19.136. Troy Lee took the trophy dash victory while heat race wins went to Rick Estes and Murrell. Estes led the first lap of the 25-lap main until he spun in turns one and two. Rookie driver, Scott Taylor inherited the lead and showed surprising speed in his first race as he led the majority of the way. On lap 15, Ed Robinson took the lead and appeared to be on his way to his first-ever main event victory before spinning out of the lead off turn four. Murrell took the lead from that point and was able to take the victory after holding off a late charge by Eugene Palmer. Tayler placed third followed by Troy Lee and Trevor Eacret.

Ronnie O’Neil set fast time in the Thunder Roadster division presented by Lone Star Junction with a 17.179. Tommy Payne was the winner of the four-lap trophy dash while Paul Peeples, Jr. took the heat race victory. Payne shot into the lead from the start of the 30-lap main. All race long the 2016 champion had his mirror full with either Peeples or O’Neil right on his bumper. O’Neil’s spin in turns one and two on lap 25 took him out of having a chance at the victory. Payne was able to withstand Peeples’ final charge to take the win. Chris Sarvinski was third while Aaron Byers and Chris Lawrence rounded out the top five finishers.

Daniel Buell was quick time in the California State And Federal Employees Credit Union roadrunner division. Buell’s time was 20.456. Tim Ratzlaff was the winner of the trophy dash while heat race honors went to Nick Ford. The first 10 laps of the 20-lap roadrunner main were ran in the familiar counter-clockwise format. Ford briefly held the lead before giving way to Ratzlaff. When the field was turned backwards in the clockwise format, Ratzlaff appeared to have the upper-hand. Ratzlaff was able to lead the final stages and take the victory over Ford, Buell, Jake Keeling and Natya Hanson.

The first leg Super 6 Late Model Challenge Series took place on the night. The Super 6 Series will feature four more races at Redwood Acres Raceway in 2017 and one at Ukiah Speedway on July 15th and is presented by Danielson Construction, Mid-City Motor World and North Coast Lighting & Electric.

Mic Moulton set quick time with a 15.854. In all, 16 cars qualified for the event. Leonard Ward III was not one of them however as he had an incident prior to qualifying which took him out for the night. The heat races determined the starting positions for the 75-lap main event. Riley Watson won the first heat which gave him the ninth starting spot. Eddie Kline took the second heat and pole position for the feature.

Home-town favorite, Brandon White took the lead from the start. It was a position he would never relinquish. The big story of the race was the trouble that drivers in second place encountered in the final stages of the main event. Marty Walsh was a strong second the majority of the night before he seemed to encounter issues which knocked him out of the spot. Tim Crenshaw moved to second before his car broke. Watson was having a strong run and took second after Crenshaw’s problems but he too succumbed to issues and was forced to the pits. Up front, White encountered no issues and was able to take the victory. Kenny Demello had a stellar run with a second place finish. Moulton placed third over Eric Gannon and Walsh.

The second race of the season on the pavement at the Acres takes place May 13th. On May 12th, the Acres will host the season-opening event for the outlaw karts. For more information regarding all the racing action at Redwood Acres Raceway, please visit the track’s official website www.RacingTheAcres.com

The Fall Spectacular returns to Redwood Acres Raceway this weekend

By Matthew J. Sullivan

After a two year hiatus, the Fall Spectacular is set to return this weekend October 7th, 8th, and 9th at Redwood Acres Raceway. It is sure to be a fun-filled weekend as seven divisions will partake in the racing action on the 3/8-mile paved oval. It will be the 24th running of the event which originated in 1990.

Two of the divisions will be racing full programs on both nights, the California State and Federal Employees Credit Union roadrunners and the Thunder Roadsters. Of the 11 roadrunner point races in 2016, there were nine different winners. The feature events for both Saturday and Sunday should be wide-open. The Thunder Roadster division featured some of the tightest racing at the Acres in 2016 and it should be no different as 2016 track champion, Tommy Payne will be among the favorites to win on both nights.

The Legends cars will also be in action after what’s been a successful first season of action for the division at RAR. The winner’s share for the Sunday race is $500 with a minimum of $100 just to start the feature. 2016 champ, Robert Miller and championship runner-up, Brad Curtice will be the local favorites for the event.

The Humboldt Hydroponics mini stocks will have a 40-lap feature on Sunday. $500 dollars is on the line for the race winner and it is anyone guess as to who will be the winner when the checkered flag falls. With 2016 mini stock champ, Gary Klinetobe announcing his retirement at the end of the final point race on September 24th, the door opens for his closest challengers in Eugene Palmer and Jarrett Mayo being the favorites for Sunday. Another driver who will be a contender is Rick Estes who won four main events during the season.

The Fortuna Wheel and Brake bombers will have two main 50-lap events on Sunday. $1,000 will be awarded to the winner of each race. In addition, another $1,000 will be awarded to the driver who has the best average finish between the two races and an additional $1,000 will be awarded if a driver sweeps both feature events. The top bomber drivers in the region are expected to show for the event while local drivers like Ryan Walters and John Lally among the locals hoping to defend their home turf.

Modifieds will take to the Acres for the third time in 2016. The prior two races were North State Challenge Series events which were swept by Darrin Knight. The 60-lap feature pays $1,500 to win with a minimum of $200 being paid for starting the feature. Fast time for the division will earn a driver $100 while winning in one of the qualifying heats will fetch a driver $75.

Over 20 drivers have pre-entered for the 100-lap feature event for the late model cars. Several past winners of the race are expected to show including 4-time winner, Mike Sackett, 2-time winner, David Miller and 2012 champion, Jeremy Doss. Others who have entered include Randy Houston, Eric Gannon, Allen Cress and racing legend, Jim Walker. One driver who will not be racing is 2016 Mid City Motor World late model champ, Mic Moulton who is still recovering from injuries. Driving his car will be Acres veteran, David Henderson. The feature pays $2,000 to win with a $500 minimum payout for starting. Like the modifieds, fast time will be awarded $100 while the qualifying heat winners will earn $100.

Redwood Acres Raceway will be hosting an open practice on Friday October 7th starting at 2:00 PM. Saturday, grandstands open at 4:00 PM with racing starting at 6:00 PM. Sunday grandstands open at 11:00 AM with racing beginning at noon. For more information on this weekend’s Fall Spectacular please visit Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website, www.racingtheacres.com

Late Model Pre-Entry List
3 – Allen Cress
8 – Kenny Demello
9 – Randy Houston
10 – David Henderson
12 – Marty Walsh
15 – Richard Knight
19 – Brandon White
22 – David Miller
24 – Derek Copeland
24 – Ryun Leazer
26 – Robbie Nelson
27 – Sheyne Demello
28 – Tim Crenshaw
28 – Wade Kohns
34 – Corey James
36 – Luke Hall
41 – Junior Roddy
44 – James Jones
48 – Jim Walker
57 – Ryan Walters
75 – Jeremy Doss
75E – Eric Gannon
83 – Douglas Atkins
91 – Brandon Williams
99 – Mike Sackett

Champions to be determined this weekend at the Acres

By Matthew J. Sullivan

The 2016 track championships at Redwood Acres Raceway in five of the six divisions are set to be decided this Saturday September 24th. While the late model championship was determined on September 10th, champions in the roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks, Legends, Thunder Roadsters will be decided on what is Maxwell’s Custom Automobiles Night at the Races.

The most points that can be earned in all five divisions on the night is 43. Any driver within a 43 point margin of the leader is mathematically still alive in the title hunt though of course the odds of making that much ground up are very low and would require the leader to miss an entire night’s worth of action on Saturday.

Tyler Peach currently leads the standings in the California State and Federal Employees Credit Union roadrunner division. Steve Paiment is second and was the early season leader in the standings but late season misfortune has cost him dearly as he is 25 points behind Peach. Dominic Vogelsang and Bethany Rapp are 40 and 42 points behind. Rookie, Patrick Sproul is fifth in standings and 45 markers behind Peach.

The title in the Fortuna Wheel and Brake bomber class was decided in the most recent event on September 10th. James Moore left that race with a 112 point lead, more than enough to clinch the 2016 championship in the class. The battle for second is a tight one as a single point separates Ryan Ahrens and John Lally. Kimberly Sorrels is secured in fourth while Tyler Avelar is fifth in the standings.

The Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock division is a three-man race with only six points separating the top three drivers. Gary Klinetobe currently holds a five point edge over Jarrett Mayo while Eugene Palmer is a point behind Mayo. Rick Estes is fourth in the standings and has been on a tear as of late in spite of missing a couple early season races. Daniel Buell is fifth and has had a strong rookie campaign in 2016.

In the Legends division, Robert Miller has a strong 29 point lead over Brad Curtice in second place. As long as Miller starts the main event, the inaugural RAR Legends championship will be his. Anissa Curtice is third in points with Brent Mack and M’Kinzy Uselton rounding out the top five in the division standings.

Tommy Payne’s lead in the Thunder Roadster division is seven points over Ronnie O’Neil. The two have raced hard all season long and often have finished near each other which will make O’Neil’s path to the title very difficult. Aaron Byers and Donnie Brown are tied for third but are 38 points in arrears to Payne. LeRoy Marsh, Jr. is fifth but well out of championship contention.

Mic Moulton wrapped up the 2016 Mid City Motor World late model track championship on September 10th thanks in part to David Henderson who subbed for Moulton in the final point race. Moulton was forced to miss the event due to an injury. Henderson was able to finish second in the main event to secure Moulton’s second late model championship at the Acres. The final point margin in the late models was 15 markers.

Second place in the standings was Marty Walsh who had a strong 2016 season. Perhaps the biggest factor as to what cost Walsh this year’s championship was a blown engine on the July 2nd Firecracker 100 event. Walsh was unable to start the feature event which resulted in no points on the night. Had Walsh been able to just start and park that race, he would have earned 16 points, 1 point more than Moulton in the final standings. Richard Knight placed third in the late model points just beating out Kenny Demello for the position. Rookie driver, Eddie Klein had several impressive runs in his rookie campaign and was fifth in the standings.

As mentioned, racing at Redwood Acres Raceway returns this Saturday September 24th for the final points race of the season presented by Maxwell’s Custom Automobiles. In addition to the championships being decided in the local divisions, the second boat race of the season will take place at the end of the night. Grandstands open at 5:00 PM while racing begins at 6:30 PM.

2016 at the Acres concludes October 7th, 8th, and 9th with the return of the Fall Spectacular. Late models and modifieds highlight the event while roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks, Legends and Thunder Roadsters will also be in action. For more information about the Fall Spectacular including entry forms and purse payout please visit Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website, www.racingtheacres.com

Late model title to be decided this Saturday night

By Matthew J. Sullivan

The final points event for Redwood Acres Raceway’s late model division is set to take place this Saturday September 10th for Mid City Motor World Night at the Races. It will be the next to last event for the Acres’ five other local divisions.

The battle for the California State and Federal Employees Credit Union roadrunner division is a two-man race at this point. Tyler Peach currently holds a 12 point lead over Steve Paiment. The battle for third in the standings is even closer as third through fifth are separated by only three points. Bethany Rapp currently holds down the third position while Dominic Vogelsang and Patrick Sproul round out the top five in the standings.

It appears as though James Moore has a lock on the Fortuna Wheel and Brake bomber division track championship. If Moore finishes the evening with a 43 point margin, he will be the 2016 division champ. Moore leads second place John Lally by 77 markers. Ryan Ahrens sits third in points followed by rookie driver, Kimberly Sorrels and Tyler Avelar in fifth.

Only five points separate the top three drivers in the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock division. Gary Klinetobe leads Eugene Palmer by four points while Jarrett Mayo in third is a point behind Palmer. Rick Estes is fourth in the standings and has been a regular front runner all season long. Daniel Buell has been impressive in his rookie campaign in the division and is fifth in the championship standings.

The fight for the Thunder Roadster division crown is a tight, two man race. Tommy Payne and Ronnie O’Neil have traded the points lead several times in 2016 and the current gap between the two is a mere four points. Donnie Brown is third in the standings, while his brother Aaron Byers is fourth and only two points behind him. LeRoy Marsh, Jr. is fifth in the standings having returned to racing at the Acres for the first time in several years.

Robert Miller has a comfortable lead in the Legend point standings. Like James Moore in the bombers, if Miller leaves the night with a 43-point margin over whoever is in second place in the standings, he will lock up the 2016 track championship in the Legend division. Miller’s lead over second place Anissa Curtice is 30 points. Annissa’s father, Brad is third in the standings, 3 points behind his daughter. Brent Mack is fourth in points while M’Kinzy Usselton rounds out the top five in the standings.

As mentioned, the 2016 champion in the Mid City Motor World late model division will be decided this weekend. Mic Moulton has the lead by 12 points. The margin is anything but comfortable given that second place in the standings is Marty Walsh who has been as strong as Moulton all season long. Third in fourth in the standings are Jedd Ambrosini and Richard Knight. While both have an outside chance of claiming the division title, it will take major odds to swing in their favor as they are 18 and 21 points behind Moulton. Kenny Demello is fifth and though he’s mathematically alive, it will take a miracle for him to win this year’s title.

The final point race for the rest of the five local divisions will take place Saturday September 24th presented by Maxwell’s Custom Automobiles. In addition will be the special Big T Jackpot race for the roadrunners along with the second \boat race of the 2016 season. The Fall Spectacular will return on October 8th and 9th featuring all six local divisions in what promises to be a memorable ending to the 2016 season. For more information on everything going on at Redwood Acres Raceway including video of all the main events from this past Saturday night, please visit the track’s official website www.racingtheacres.com

Leazer, Mayo big winners on Fan Appreciation Night

By Matthew J. Sullivan

The grandstands at Redwood Acres Raceway were filled to capacity once again this past weekend. In addition to it being Fastenal Night at the Races Presented by Lenox and Irwin Tools, it was also Driver Appreciation Night. Fans were treated to another spectacular night of racing on the 3/8-mile paved oval.

During the event, raceway officials set up a donation box for the victims of the Clayton Fire which recently devastated Lake County. RAR fans donated $1,642.74 which was matched by the track for a grand total of $3,285.48. Fans were also able to meet all the drivers in all of the divisions in the intermission between the heat races and the main events.

Brian Kamisky paced the field in qualifying for the Legends division with a 18.136. Kamisky followed up with trophy dash honors while Brad Curtice claimed the heat race victory. The story of the 25-lap main event was how Robert Miller managed to hold off Curtice and Kamisky. Curtice was Miller’s main challenger and looked to have the speed advantage. However, Miller was able to use slower traffic to his advantage. Several times it appeared as though Curtice was about to take the lead from Miller but each time, traffic prevented Curtice from pulling off the pass. At the finish it was Miller taking the win followed by Brad Curtice, Kamisky, Jason Fisher and Anissa Curtice.

Visiting driver, Dave Rogers led qualifying for the California State and Federal Employees Credit Union roadrunners with a time of 20.281. Rogers went on to win the dash while the heat races were won by Dominic Vogelsang and Rogers. Vogelsang led the majority of the first half of the 20 lap race. Once the field was turned around at halfway to run the track backward, Dylan Ford showed his strength by taking the lead. Ford had his hands full with the faster car of Rogers filling his mirror. On the final lap in the final turn, Rogers was able to get by Ford to take the lead and the victory. Ford placed second followed by Dominic Vogelsang, Tyler Peach and Gage Ethridge who did a great job in his first ever night of racing.

Fast time for the Fortuna Wheel and Brake bombers was Ukiah’s R.J. Randall with a 18.003. Randall was the trophy dash winner while James Moore and Randall won the heat races. Lally Motorsports and Four Star Realty once again upped the purse for the 25-lap bomber feature giving added incentive for the top three finishers. The biggest incident in the main event occurred on lap eight when Randall spun and was collected by Jim Redd. Up at the front, Moore was dominant while John Lally had his hands full trying to hold off Brian King and Erick Ray. At the finish it was Moore taking the win over Lally, King, Ray and Matt Simon.

The Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock class had an added feature attraction for the night as the Second Annual Murrell 500 trophy was on the line for the winner of the main event. Rick Estes set fast time with an 18.955. Jarrett Mayo won the trophy dash while the heat races were won by Brian Murrell, Jr. and Estes. Murrell, Jr. led the opening two circuits of the feature before Eugene Palmer took the lead. On lap 10, Mayo snatched the lead away from Palmer while Estes followed into the second spot. The top two looked to be even as Mayo was not able to pull away from Estes more than a car-length. At the finish it was Mayo winning by only three-tenths of a second over Estes. Palmer held off Gary Klinetobe for third while Daniel Buell rounded out the top five.

Thunder Roadster qualifying was led by Ronnie O’Neil with a 17.361. Tommy Payne won the trophy dash while O’Neil took the heat race. As expected, the 20-lap main event featured a battle for the win between Payne and O’Neil. Unlike recent races where both drivers seemed to be equal, Payne appeared to have a bit of a handling advantage for the night. After getting by Aaron Byers for the lead on lap 12, Payne was able to maintain a comfortable lead over O’Neil to take the win. Byers placed third followed by Donnie Brown and LeRoy Marsh, Jr.

20-cars showed up for the Mid City Motor World late model division. Unfortunately two were unable to make it to the actual races as Al Acuna and Scott Baker both had issues. Mic Moulton was fast time for the late models with a 16.106. Oregon veteran, Mike Sackett won the trophy dash. Due to the packed schedule for the night, track officials nixed heat races in favor of a Happy Ten practice session. The 50-lap feature got off to a scary start. Just after the completion of the first lap, chaos ensued going into the first turn with several cars getting together including Todd Lands, Jedd Ambrosini, Mic Moulton and Richard Knight. Moulton was banged up in the incident and went to the local hospital but was released without any serious injuries.

Tim Crenshaw led the opening four laps until Ryun Leazer took the lead. The fastest car on the track appeared to be that of Redding’s Derek Copeland who was making his first late model start at the Acres. Leazer pulled out to a huge lead while Copeland was able to make his way past Crenshaw into second on lap 23. A caution with 18 to go erased Leazer’s advantage and put Copeland right on his bumper. Leazer showed the poise and resolve which won him the 2015 late model track championship at the Acres and was able to withstand Copeland’s challenge. At the finish it was Leazer getting a much needed victory over Copeland. Sackett placed third followed by Rob Vining and Crenshaw.

Racing on the pavement takes a break before returning Saturday September 10th with racing presented by Mid City Motor World. It will be the final point-paying event for the late model division. The final point race for the rest of the five local divisions will take place Saturday September 24th with the special Big T Jackpot race for the roadrunners and the second boat race of the 2016 season. That race is sponsored by Maxwell’s Custom Automobiles. Also, the final outlaw kart race of 2016 will take place this Saturday August 27th and is presented by Williamson Financial. RAR officials have also added to the schedule the return of the Fall Spectacular on October 8th and 9th featuring all six local divisions. More details will be provided on the season-ending event soon.

For more information on everything going on at Redwood Acres Raceway including video of all the main events from this past Saturday night, please visit the track’s official website www.racingtheacres.com

2016 season at Redwood Acres Raceway nearing its conclusion

By Matthew J. Sullivan

Less than a handful of races are left on the 2016 schedule for Redwood Acres Raceway. In fact, only three point paying events remain on the schedule, two for the late model division. As the season winds down, the battle for the track championship in all six local divisions promises to heat up.

The California State and Federal Employees Credit Union roadrunner division has a tie atop the division’s standings. Steve Paiment and Tyler Peach are the two drivers racing neck-and-neck for the division crown. Third place, Bethany Rapp will need both drivers to suffer serious issues to find her way back into the fight as she’s 38 points in arrears to the two leaders. Patrick Sproul is only a point behind Rapp in fourth while Dominic Vogelsang is fifth, two points behind Sproul.

James Moore has a huge advantage in the Fortuna Wheel and Brake bomber division. Moore has a 74 point lead over John Lally and appears to be a lock for the division track championship barring major unforeseen circumstances. Tyler Avelar is third in points, 93 behind Moore while Ryan Ahrens is a point behind Avelar in fourth. Rookie driver, Kimberly Sorrels is fifth in the standings, 109 behind Moore.

It’s a three man race for the title in the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock class. Gary Klinetobe leads Eugene Palmer by only five points. Jarrett Mayo led the standings for the majority of the season but has suffered two straight races of bad luck which have dropped him to third and 12 points behind Klinetobe. Daniel Buell has been impressive in his rookie season in the division and is fourth in points, 54 behind Klinetobe. Division veteran, Rick Estes is fifth in points, 60 behind the leader.

Only four points separate first and second in the Thunder Roadster division. Veteran Tommy Payne leads rookie Ronnie O’Neil. It’s likely that the championship in the division will go down to the wire between the two drivers as they have finished near each other in nearly every race this season. Donnie Brown and Aaron Byers are 25 and 28 points behind Payne and though they are still in the point fight, it will take issues by both leaders for them to regain ground. LeRoy Marsh, Jr. rounds out the top five, 75 points behind Payne.

Robert Miller has a firm hold on the Legends division points lead. His gap over second place Anissa Curtice is 30 markers. Anissa’s father, Brad Curtice is third in points, 12 behind his daughter. Brent Mack is fourth, 60 behind Miller and rookie racer, M’Kinzy Usselton lies fifth in the point standings.

With only two races left in the Mid City Motor World late model division, the fight for position in each race is going to matter even more. Mic Moulton has a 16 point lead over Jedd Ambrosini. Marty Walsh and Richard Knight are tied for third, 21 markers behind Moulton. Kenny Demello is fifth, 35 out of the point lead.

Racing at the Acres returns this weekend August 20th for Driver Appreciation/Fastenal Night at the Races Presented by Lenox and Irwin Tools. Fans can get complimentary tickets from their favorite driver. In addition to the six local classes, the second annual Murrell 500 race will be held. Track officials also announced the return of the Fall Spectacular on October 8th and 9th. More details will be provided on the season-ending event soon. Also, the final outlaw kart race of 2016 will take place August 27th. It’s certain to be an exciting event as youngsters will take to the .110-dirt oval for the final time this season. 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

Championships still up in the air at the Acres

By Matthew J. Sullivan

The battle for the track championships in Redwood Acres Raceway’s six divisions is still up in the air. With the season nearly a quarter of the way done there are a lot of things that can change between this weekend’s upcoming race on June 11th and the final point races in September.

Redwood Acres Raceway’s newest division, the Legends are picking up cars as the season progresses. Current point leader, Brent Mack has managed to be the only driver to be able to start each of the four feature events this season and holds a commanding 28 point lead. Former Thunder Roadster racer, Robert Miller has used his experience to move into second. Brad Curtice is a point behind Miller in third while his daughter, Anissa Curtice is fourth only three markers behind. Denny Hadler, Jr. finished second in the most recent main event on May 29th and rounds out the top five in the standings.

Experience is paying off for Steve Paiment who leads the standings for the California State & Federal Employees Credit Union roadrunner division. Tyler Peach holds down second in the point standings and is 14 points behind Paiment. Bethany Rapp lies third and is an additional 13 points behind second place, Peach. Fourth position features a tie between Jennifer Murrell and Patrick Sproul.

Only two points separate first and second in the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bomber division. Tyler Avelar has been a force in the division in 2016 and leads the standings but James Moore is right on his heels in second. Ryan Ahrens is third but 39 points behind Avelar. John Lally is fourth in the standings, seven points behind Ahrens while Kim Sorrels is fifth.

With two main event victories in 2016, Jarrett Mayo leads the chase for the championship in the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock class. Mayo’s advantage is 10 points over second place, Gary Klinetobe. Eugene Palmer is third and 11 points behind Mayo while Daniel Buell is farther back in fourth, 22 points behind Mayo. Brian Murrell, Sr. is fifth in points and 35 markers behind the leaders.

Another Acres veteran who has put his experience to good use in 2016 is Tommy Payne. The former Thunder Roadster champion is looking to add another to his resume and leads second place Ronnie O’Neil by nine points. Aaron Byers is third in the standings and still within sight of Payne as he’s 12 points behind. Fourth is Donnie Brown who is a single point behind third. LeRoy Marsh, Jr. rounds out the top five, 28 points behind Payne.

The Mid City Motor World late models have been off for nearly a month and it should be interesting this Saturday to see how the break has affected the drivers and teams in the division. Only fifteen points separate first to fifth in the standings with Mic Moulton leading second place, Marty Walsh by two points. Racing legend, Jim Walker is third and four points behind Moulton. Jedd Ambrosini is fourth while Kenny Demello rounds out the top five.

Racing at Redwood Acres Raceway returns this Saturday June 11th for Humboldt Motorsports Night at the Races. As noted, the Mid-City Motor World late models will return to the track to join the other five local classes of cars. 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

Moulton, Payne early season point leaders

By Matthew J. Sullivan

Two races have been completed in Redwood Acres Raceway’s 2016 season and already fans have seen some memorable moments in all six of the raceway’s local divisions. The excitement promises to ramp up this Sunday May 29th for O’Reilly Auto Parts Night at the Races. While the late model division will have the night off, the rest of the five local divisions will play host to the exciting North State Modified Series.

The points in Redwood Acres Raceway’s newest division, the Legends is currently being led by Brent Mack. He currently holds a substantial 37 point lead over the two drivers tied for second place, Brad Curtice and Anissa Curtice who also happen to be father and daughter. Mack’s large lead is due to avoiding catastrophe in the season opening race on April 30th. Keith Van Dyne is fourth and Robert Miller rounds out the top five. The class is expected to grow as 2016 progresses.

Steve Paiment has a three point advantage over Tyler Peach in the California State & Federal Employee Credit Union roadrunner division. Two female drivers sit third in fourth in the standings with Jennifer Murrell 14 points in arrears to Paiment and Bethany Rapp 17 points behind the leader. Rookie driver, Patrick Sproul is fifth in points and 20 behind Paiment.

The battle for the track championship in the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bomber division is very tight as a single point separates James Moore in first and Tyler Avelar in second. Ryan Ahrens holds on to third in the standings and is eight points behind Moore. Rookie driver, Kim Sorrels is fourth and 17 points behind Moore while another rookie, John Lally holds down the fifth position.

The Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock division has arguably produced some of the best racing at the Acres thus far in 2016. Only eight points separate first through third in the standings. Jarrett Mayo currently leads Gary Klinetobe by three markers while Eugene Palmer is right on both of their heels in third. Daniel Buell is a rookie in the mini stock class and has used smart driving and consistent finishes to get to fourth in the standings, 19 points behind Mayo. Fifth place is a tie between mini stock veteran, Brian Murrell, Sr. and mini stock rookie, Michael Lawrence. Both drivers are 28 points behind Mayo.

The Thunder Roadster division has put on some exciting races as well in 2016. Tommy Payne is a former champion in the division and is the owner of an eight point lead over Thunder Roadster rookie, Aaron Byers. Donnie Brown is third and only four points behind Byers. Four points behind Brown is another rookie, Ronnie O’Neil. Fifth in the standings is a tie between LeRoy Marsh, Jr. who’s returned to the Acres after several seasons away and rookie, Jett Taylor.

The Mid City Motor World late models will not be partaking in the upcoming Memorial Day weekend events which likely is a blessing for several drivers in the division. Mic Moulton leads the standings in spite of suffering issues in the previous race on May 14th. Second place, Marty Walsh has been able to avoid any severe incidents and is only two points behind Moulton for the lead. Jim Walker is third in the standings, only four points behind Moulton. The West Coast racing legend’s car suffered heavy damage in the most recent race and it will be interesting to see how soon Walker will return to action. Jedd Ambrosini holds down fourth in the standings, only eight points behind Moulton while Kenny Demello is fifth, 15 points behind the leader.

The North State Modified Series visits Redwood Acres Raceway this weekend for their second race of the 2016 season, the Swartz Diesel Nor-Cal 60. Sacramento’s Jason Philpot won the season opening Gene Welch Classic at All American Speedway on April 23rd. The scheduled May 7th race at Shasta Speedway was rained out. Last season’s two NSMS races at the Acres were won by Rich Lindgren and Darren Knight.

Redwood Acres Raceway will hold an open practice Saturday May 28th from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM followed by a barbecue. Sunday grandstands open at 5:00 PM, while racing will begin at 6:00 PM. General admission is $15, seniors $13 and children 12 & under are $2.00. Kids under five years old are free while military members who present their military IDs will also enter free. For more information on this weekend’s upcoming races, please visit Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website, www.racingtheacres.com

Point races muddled after season opening event

By Matthew J. Sullivan

Opening night at Redwood Acres Raceway on April 30th proved to be a very interesting evening of racing on the 3/8-mile paved oval. The battle for the track championship in all six divisions still has a long way to go. Those at the top are looking to add to their early advantage while others hope to recover from woes suffered in the first race of 2016.

Steve Paiment currently leads the California State & Federal Employee Credit Union roadrunner standings. The division veteran holds a five point advantage over second place, Tyler Peach. Bethany Rapp and Jennifer Murrell are tied for third while Richard Standcliff is fifth. Standcliff is division rookie and won opening night’s main event in the roadrunners.

The Fortuna Wheel & Brake bomber division standings are currently being led by Tyler Avelar. His advantage is four points over James Moore thanks to his main event victory. Ryan Ahrens is seven points behind Avelar in third while Matt Simon and Kim Sorrels round out the top five, ten and twelve points in arrears to Avelar.

Jarrett Mayo was dominant in the Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock division on April 30th. His advantage over Gary Klinetobe is four points. Eugene Palmer sits third in the standings and is only eight points behind Mayo. Division rookie, Daniel Buell is fourth 11 points behind Mayo while Brett Murrell is fifth and 12 points off Mayo’s lead.

After winning the first Thunder Roadster feature, division point leader, Tommy Payne will look to add another victory while padding his lead for the track championship. Payne has a six point lead over Donnie Brown in the standings. Aaron Byers and Ronnie O’Neill are tied for third and are seven points behind Payne. Chris Sarvinski had a tough first night but is still in the fight as he is fifth in the standings and only 10 points behind Payne.

Due to the rest of the field having issues on opening night, Brent Mack has a substantial lead in the new Legend division standings. Mack leads Anissa Curtice by 33 markers. Brad Curtice is 41 points behind while M’Kinzy Uselton is 43 points off Mack’s lead.

The Mid City Motor World late model point standings are currently being led by veteran driver, Mic Moulton. Second place is locked between opening night feature winner, Jedd Ambrosini and west coast racing legend, Jim Walker both of whom are three points behind Moulton. Another tie rounds out the top five drivers in the division standings as Marty Walsh and Kenny Demello are eight points behind Moulton.

Racing returns to Redwood Acres Raceway in this Saturday May 14th for Pepsi Night at the Acres. All six local divisions will be in action for what should be another thrilling night of action on the pavement. Grandstands open at 5:00PM with racing beginning at 6:30PM. For more information, visit Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website, www.racingtheacres.com.

Ambrosini survives, wins first feature event

By Matthew J. Sullivan

The 2016 season at Redwood Acres Raceway began with a bang this past Saturday night. A fantastic crowd graced the 3/8-mile paved oval for the first race of the year and the on-track action did not disappoint. It was a thrilling night of racing that ended with a first-time winner and some raw feelings.

Prior to the racing, the track hosted its annual Best Appearing Car contest. Fans cast their vote on a ballot for cars in all six divisions. Winners of the contest were Bethany Rapp in the roadrunners, Ryan Ahrens in the bombers, Brian Murrell, Jr. in the mini stocks, Ronnie O’Neill in the Thunder Roadsters, M’Kinzy Uselton in the Legends and Ryun Leazer in the late models.

The California State & Federal Employee Credit Union roadrunner trophy dash was won by Bethany Rapp. Steve Paiment took heat race honors. Jennifer Murrell jumped to the lead at the start of the 20-lap feature but was overtaken by rookie driver, Richard Standcliff. Murrell regained the lead a lap later until Paiment was able to maneuver to the front.

A caution briefly slowed the field and allowed Standcliff and Rapp to close in on Paiment. The three fought tooth-and-nail for the lead with Tyler Peach eventually joining in during the final handful of laps but brought out the caution flag for hitting the passing cone in turn three. Rapp got shook out of the race for the win and the battle was between Standcliff and Paiment. The two traded paint coming off turn four to the finish line with Standcliff holding off Paiment for his first win in his first night of racing. Rapp took third followed by Peach and Murrell.

James Moore was victorious in the Fortuna Wheel & Brake bomber division while Tyler Avelar took top honors in the heat race. The 25-lap feature was dominated by Moore. At one point, Moore had nearly a full straightaway lead over second place, Avelar. Like a light switch, Moore’s car suddenly seemed to fall off and Avelar quickly closed the gap and took the lead. Moore did all he could to get back into the fight but just did not have the strength to recover the lead. At the finish it was Avelar taking the win over Moore, Ryan Ahrens, Matt Simon and Kim Sorrels.

The Humboldt Hydroponics mini stock division trophy dash went to Gary Klinetobe. Brian Murrell, Sr. took the first heat race victory while Jarrett Mayo took the second heat. Murrell, Sr. led the early stages of the 25-lap main while the field behind him sorted things out. The man to beat on the night was Mayo and it didn’t take long for him to maneuver from the rear of the field to the race lead. Mayo would never relinquish the top spot.

The race was slowed several times including once when Jordon Paiment’s car leaked fluid on the track which resulted in a red flag. Each time Mayo was able to pull away from the field on the restart. The best action was for second place as Brett Murrell, Klinetobe and Eugene Palmer fought hard for the position. At the finish it was Mayo taking the win in dominant fashion. Klinetobe took second while Murrell edged Palmer for third in a dead heat. Division rookie, Daniel Buell rounded out the top five.

The Thunder Roadster trophy dash was won by Donnie Brown. Tommy Payne took the win in the heat race. The 30-lap feature was a caution-free affair that saw Aaron Byers utilize a three-wide pass for the lead on lap one. Payne moved into second and the front two staged a nip-and-tuck battle for the race lead throughout the event.

The front three of Byers, Payne and Chris Sarvinski separated themselves from the rest of the pack and it was clear one of the three would likely be victorious until Sarvinski spun out of turn four with two laps remaining. Just moments after, coming off the second turn, Payne found the run he needed to get inside and past Byers for the lead. Byers tried to fight back on the last lap but couldn’t muster the strength necessary. At the finish it was Payne winning over Byers, Brown Ronnie O’Neill and Sarvinski.

The Legends cars made their debut at the Acres on the night. While only four cars showed, the division promises to grow as the season progresses. Brent Mack took the win in both the trophy dash and the heat race.

The Mid City Motor World late models had an excellent turnout of 16 cars but unfortunately issues prevented Robbie Nelson and Ken Hallis from racing on the night. Mic Moulton won the trophy dash while the two heat races were claimed by Marty Walsh and Moulton. The 50-lap feature saw two additional cars have issues with Ron Duke, Jr. unable to make the start and rookie driver, Dustin Walters pulling his car into the pits before the green flag.

Richard Knight took the lead after a brief battle with Luke Hall. Knight’s car appeared to have issues and it allowed Hall to get back into the lead over Ryun Leazer, Walsh and Jimmy Walker. Two laps later, Leazer moved past Hall into the lead but lost it quickly to Walsh who found the low line under both drivers. Moments later, Hall and Leazer got together in turn one with Leazer spinning and collecting Knight. Hall was sent to the rear and the race resumed for a brief period until it was slowed again, this time due to a wreck in turn four between Hall and Leazer forcing both drivers out of the race.

The race resumed with Walsh and Walker battling for the lead. Two more cautions slowed the field including an incident between Jedd Ambrosini and Mic Moulton which both drivers were able to continue from. Walker was in Walsh’s hip pocket all race long and applied more and more pressure as the race came to a close. With a handful of laps left, Walker got into the rear of Walsh in turns three and four sending Walsh spinning.

Walker was forced to the rear for his involvement which gave Ambrosini the race lead. Moulton did all he could to force Ambrosini to make a mistake but it wasn’t to be as Ambrosini held on to take his first-ever late model feature win. Moulton held on for second over Walsh, Walker and Al Acuna.

Racing returns to Redwood Acres Raceway in two weeks for Pepsi Night on Saturday May 14th. All six local divisions will be in action once again and it promises to be another exciting night of action that fans won’t want to miss out on. Grandstands open at 5:00PM with racing beginning at 6:30PM. For more information, visit Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website, www.racingtheacres.com.

Championship Rundown For Redwood Acres Raceway Divisions

For clarity's sake, the most points that can be earned on one night in any of the divisions at Redwood Acres Raceway is 43 (3 points for winning the trophy dash, 10 points for winning a heat race, 30 points for winning the main event.)

Three point paying races remain for the roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks and Thunder Roadsters which means the maximum points that can be earned in the final three events is 129. Two point paying races remain for the late models which means the maximum points that can be earned in the final two events is 86.

The following is a run down of those who are still mathematically able to win the track championships in the five local divisions at Redwood Acres Raceway after the August 22nd race. Full point standings can be found on the track's official website RacingTheAcres.com which I urge you to visit.

Roadrunner Division

Dylan Ford

1. Dylan Ford - 348 points, 6 main event wins, 6 heat race wins, 1 trophy dash win, 9 top 5s, 1.7 average finish, 66 laps led (out of 172)

The roadrunner championship is virtually locked up in Dylan Ford's favor. His dominance in the division is highlighted by his streak of six main event wins in a row. Also worth noting is that Ford has been the only driver to start all nine main events in 2015. His speed has earned him a lot of points but he's also been keen to avoid accidents and his car has been reliable all year long.

Daniel Buell

2. Daniel Buell - 280 points (-68), 2 main event wins, 1 heat race win, 2 trophy dash wins, 7 top 5s, 3.0 average finish, 24 laps led

Daniel Buell has been a consistent front-runner all year long and his work has finally come to fruition in the latter part of the season as he broke Ford's win-streak and now has a two-race streak of his own. Buell wasn't able to start the June 20th main event which cost him some points.

Steve Paiment

3. Steve Paiment - 253 points (-95), 1 main event win, 4 heat race wins, 3 trophy dash wins, 5 top 5s, 5.6 average finish, 12 laps led

Steve Paiment is a veteran in the roadrunner division and his experience has shown through in 2015. Outside of Ford and Buell, Paiment is the only other driver to have a main event win this season, the victory coming in the first race of the season on April 25th. Paiment's victories in the trophy dasn and heat races have helped pull him to third in points in spite of not starting the May 9th feature.

R.C. Brown

4. R.C. Brown - 230 points (-118), 5 top 5s, 5.4 average finish, 12 laps led

R.C. Brown has been a pleasant surprise in the roadrunner division in 2015. He's been steady all throughout his rookie campaign and has shown some speed in recent events. Though he has gone winless so far this season, it would not be a surprise to see him gain multiple trophies in the final few events.

Shawn Molloy

5. Shawn Molloy - 222 points (-126), 1 heat race win, 2 top 5s, 7.4 average finish, 17 laps led

Shawn Molloy is another rookie in the roadrunners and it didn't take him long to make his presence known on the track. Molloy notched his first win of any kind at Redwood Acres Raceway on June 6th in a heat race and could very well take home more than that by the end of 2015.

Bomber Division

James Moore

1. James Moore - 310 ponts, 3 main event wins, 1 heat race win, 3 trophy dash wins, 8 top 5s, 2.0 average finish, 70 laps led (out of 210)

James Moore is a sophomore driver in the bomber division and has maintained a steady pace throughout 2015. Moore won the most recent main event on August 22nd while also regaining the points lead in the battle for the division's track championship.

Dustin Walters

2. Dustin Walters - 301 points (-9), 5 main event wins, 7 heat race wins, 2 trophy dash wins, 7 top 5s, 1.9 average finish, 88 laps led

Dustin Walters has been the man to beat every week in the bomber class but things took a big hit in his quest for a title in the division when he hit the wall in the heat race in August 22nd. He was unable to start the main event which ended up costing him the points lead to James Moore. In order to get back in the fight, Walters is going to have to return and show the same speed he's had all season long.

Mini Stock Division

Chris Champagne

1. Chris Champagne - 335 points, 4 main event wins, 3 heat race wins, 2 trophy dash wins, 7 top 5s, 3.6 average finish, 63 laps led (out of 225)

Chris Champagne is a rookie in the Redwood Acres Raceway mini stock division but is an experienced racer who has taken to the track nicely. Leonard Ward III won in the 17 car on opening night but Champagne has showed that he has the speed and savvy necessary to win the mini stock crown notching three main event wins on his own behalf.

Eugene Palmer

2. Eugene Palmer - 318 points (-17), 1 main event win, 1 trophy dash win, 7 top 5s, 3.6 average finish, 28 laps led

Eugene Palmer moved up from the roadrunner division to the mini stocks and has made a seamless transition to the faster, more agile cars (or truck in his case.) Palmer has proven to be just as fast as Champagne every week but unfortunately hasn't managed to get the wins in the heat races and trophy dashes. He's still within striking distance however and it's certain that the mini stock track championship will come down to the last lap of the last race.

Rick Estes

3. Rick Estes - 306 points (-29), 1 main event win, 3 trophy dash wins, 6 top 5s, 3.4 average finish, 16 laps led

Rick Estes was right in the thick of the points battle until a big wreck on the June 20th. In spite of that incident, Estes is still within reach of the championship but will require both Champagne and Palmer to face woes in the final three races.

Brian Murrell, Jr.

4. Brian Murrell, Jr. - 292 points (-43), 1 main event win, 3 heat race wins, 2 trophy dash wins, 5 top 5s, 5.4 average finish

Brian Murrell, Jr. is the defending track champion in the mini stock class and a veteran in the division. 2015 got off to a horrible start for him and though he's been able to regain the speed he showed in 2014, his hopes of repeating as champion are virtually over. Even so, don't expect him to go out quietly.

Thunder Roadster Division

Paul Peeples, Jr.

1. Paul Peeples, Jr. - 338 points, 7 main event wins, 7 heat race wins, 6 trophy dash wins, 8 top 5s, 1.5 average finish, 174 laps led (out of 245)

Paul Peeples, Jr. has dominated the Thunder Roadster division in 2015 to say the least. To put it in context, Peeples has won all but three races the division has had this year (1 main event, 1 heat race, 2 trophy dashes.)

Robbie Nelson

2. Robbie Nelson - 295 points (-43), 1 main event win, 1 heat race win, 7 top 5s, 2.8 average finish, 24 laps led

Robbie Nelson is the only other driver to win a main event victory this season and the only driver within reasonable striking distance to Peeples. Unfortunately, the "reasonable" margin is 43 markers which would require catastrophic issues for Peeples in the final three events.

Thomas Payne

3. Thomas Payne - 272 points (-66), 2 trophy dash wins, 7 top 5s, 3.9 average finish, 11 laps led

Thomas Payne is a former champion in the Thunder Roadster class but unfortunately for him, his chance at a title in 2015 is more or less extinguished. As he as done throughout his days as a driver, Payne has maintained a consistent pace while also being smart behind the wheel.

Chris Lawrence

4. Chris Lawrence - 251 points (-87), 4 top 5s, 5.3 average finish, 15 laps led

Chris Lawrence has been a competitor in the Thunder Roadster class since the division first started at Redwood Acres Raceway. However, 2015 is the first time that Lawrence has attempted to go for the track championship. Though he won't be able to accomplish that goal, Lawrence has been a pleasant surprise all year long.

Belinda Ward

5. Belinda Ward - 234 points (-104), 4 top 5s, 5.9 average finish, 2 laps led

Belinda Ward is a veteran in the Thunder Roadster division and a fan favorite at Redwood Acres Raceway. Her steadiness behind the wheel and aptitude to keep herself out of danger has allowed her to have a successful 2015 and a chance at her highest point finish in the division.

Late Model Division

Ryun Leazer

1. Ryun Leazer - 244 points, 1 main event win, 4 heat race wins, 2 trophy dash wins, 4 top 5s, 6.0 average finish, 31 laps led (out of 315)

Ryun Leazer made a huge statement in the most recent race on August 22nd by taking his first main event win in his second season in the late model division. Unfortunately for Leazer, his point lead is slim and he will have to avoid on September 5th what happened on the July 4th event when he finished 16th.

Jedd Ambrosini

2. Jedd Ambrosini - 240 points (-4), 1 trophy dash win, 6 top 5s, 5.3 average finish, 7 laps led

Jedd Ambrosini is also a sophomore driver in the late model division. Even though he's had better success statistically than the point leader, Ryun Leazer, Ambrosini hasn't had the trophy dash and heat race victories which have vaulted Leazer to the top of the standings. Thankfully, the four point margin isn't difficult to overcome and Ambrosini can do it if he continues to run as he has all year long.

Marty Walsh

3. Marty Walsh - 204 points (-40), 2 main event wins, 1 heat race win, 5 top 5s, 3.2 average finish, 33 laps led

Marty Walsh is a former sportsman division track champion at Redwood Acres Raceway. Walsh missed the first two races of the season but made up a lot of ground over the year points-wise until the August 22nd event when he finished 8th. It will be nearly impossible to make up 40 points to both Leazer and Ambrosini.

Richard Knight

4. Richard Knight - 201 points (-43), 1 heat race win, 3 top 5s, 9.0 average finish, 1 lap led

Richard Knight started off his rookie season strong with back-to-back second place finishes in the first two races. Unfortunately, his season began to tail off at the half-way mark. In spite of that, Knight looks to be a lock for the top five in the division point standings.

Kenny Demello

5. Kenny Demello - 187 points (-57), 1 heat race win, 2 top 5s, 7.3 average finish, 11 laps led

Kenny Demello has had an up and down 2015. His best finish of the year is third twice, including the last race on August 22nd. His chance at a championship is virtually zero but Demello still has an outside shot of getting as high as third in the standings.

David Henderson

6. David Henderson - 169 points (-75), 1 main event win, 1 heat race win, 3 top 5s, 4.8 average finish, 71 laps led

David Henderson looked to be the favorite for the late model track championship at the start of 2015. In spite of misfortune in the season opening race, Henderson showed amazing speed and ended up taking the win on May 9th. Unfortunately, Henderson proved to be a victim of dumb luck and incidents out of his control took him out of the running for this year's championship.

Tyler Avelar

Tied-7. Tyler Avelar - 162 points (-82), 1 top 5, 7.0 average finish, 6 laps led

Tyler Avelar took the step up from the bomber division to the late model division in 2015. Avelar started off 2015 well with a fourth place effort on April 25th but became a victim of bad luck as the season progressed.

George Young

Tied-7. George Young - 162 points (-82), 2 top 5s, 7.7 average finish, 0 laps led

George Young returned to the track after being away for several seasons.Young's rookie campaign in the late models started off with a fine third place run but it's been a season of struggles for the former real stock and limited street stock driver so Young will be looking forward to closing out the final two events with good finishes.

Henderson, Mayo back in victory lane

By Matthew J. Sullivan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Acres season just getting started

By Matthew J. Sullivan

After a week off, racing returns this Saturday evening for the annual Mother’s Day weekend races at Redwood Acres Raceway.  Two races have already been put in the books, the most recent occurring on April 27^th.

Ryan Walters won the most recent feature event for the real stock division over Nick Green, Michael Lawrence, Matt Simon and Harvey Holm.  Ryan and his brother Dustin hold the points lead for the class over Lawrence and William Sand.  They are the only three drivers who started both main events thus far this season.

Young Jordon Paiment held off Ken Barrett in the roadrunner main event on the 27^th, his first ever main event victory.  Things are tight in the battle for the track title in the division as Jarrett Mayo holds a slim three point advantage over Tim Abeyta while Kolby Jackson, Barrett and Paiment aren’t too far behind.

Chris Sarvinski was another first-time main event winner in the most previous race, taking home the checkered flag in the Thunder Roadster division.  The win gave Sarvinski the early season point edge by six markers over David Henderson.  Thomas Payne, Belinda Ward and Jim Rich round out the top five drivers in the roadsters.

Brandon Barnwell’s main event victory on the 27th closed the points gap between he and Angelo Marcelli.  Marcelli leads Barnwell by only three markers followed by Kenny Demello, Jerry Peterson and Al Acuna.

As previously noted, racing returns to Redwood Acres Raceway this Saturday May 11^th.

Redwood Acres Raceway Points Standings (As of 5/9/13)

Real Stocks

Dustin/Ryan Walters 130, Michael Lawrence 116, William Sand 112, Tyler Avelar 79, Leonard Ward 66, Nick Green 65, Matt Simon 60, Harvey Holm 54, Chris Naughton 54

Roadrunners

Jarrett Mayo 134, Tim Abeyta 131, Kolby Jackson 123, Ken Barrett 122, Jordon Paiment 120, Gary Klinetobe 114, Gray Etheridge 110, Ryun Leazer 104, Brett Murrell 101, Kayla Foster 74, Paul Leazer 59, Eugene Palmer 53, Tony Miles 46, Steve Paiment 44, Brian Murrell, Jr. 42, Barbara Paiment 38

Thunder Roadsters

Chris Sarvinski 139 David Henderson 133, Thomas Payne 129, Belinda Ward 117, Jim Rich 110, Les Barnwell 102, Robbie Nelson 101, Paul Peeples, Jr. 77, Allen Olson 73, Lonnie Tamboury 68

Sportsman

Angelo Marcelli 132, Brandon Barnwell 129, Kenny Demello 119, Jerry Peterson 118, Al Acuna 114.