Top 100+ NASCAR Southwest Tour Drivers Of All-Time (129-101)

For more information on this list, please refer to the preview that I posted several weeks ago. This will tell you how I made the rankings. To get a better sense of where each driver ranked, I weighted each category. It's too complicated to put down at this time but I think the final results help make the rankings more truthful to where each driver should be placed. Remember, these rankings are based solely on what these drivers accomplished in the NASCAR Southwest Tour Series.

With that, here are drivers 129 through 101.

#129: Scott Lee - 22 starts, 23.4 average finish, best finish 11th (1990 Coors 100 @ Cajon Speedway)

#128: Eddie Bryans - 39 starts, 20.8 average finish, best finish 12th (1987 Miller 100 @ Saugus Speedway [September])

#127: Richard Johnson - 30 starts, 1 top 10, 21.4 average finish, best finish 9th (2006 Southwest Series 150 @ Altamont Motorsports Park [July])

#126: Steve Teets - 26 starts, 18.1 average finish, best finish 14th (three times)

#125: Alan Brown - 22 starts, 1 top 10, 18.3 average finish, best finish 10th (1992 Coors 100 @ Orange Show Speedway)

#124: Dan O'Donnell - 24 starts, 2 top 10s, 19.6 average finish, best finish 10th (two times)

#123: Darrel Krentz - 51 starts, 4 top 10s, 21.1 average finish, best finish 8th (1994 Coors 100 @ Mesa Marin Raceway)

#122: Al Sadler - 48 starts, 1 top 10, 17.3 average finish, best finish 10th (1989 Coors 100 @ Orange Show Speedway)

#121: Steve Petty - 29 starts, 3 top 10s, 22.3 average finish, best finish 6th (1999 Snap-On 200 @ Sonoma Raceway)

#120: Ray Neveau - 48 starts, 4 top 10s, 20.0 average finish, best finish 7th (1989 Budwesier 100 @ Cajon Speedway)

#119: Jeff Hill - 22 starts, 3 top 10s, 22.3 average finish, best finish 7th (2000 Snap-On Tools/AAA 200 @ Sonoma Raceway)

#118: Don Campbell - 20 starts, 3 top 10s, 19.2 average finish, best finish 8th (2006 Southwest Series 150 @ Altamont Motorsports Park [July])

#117: Greg Fowler - 49 starts, 5 top 10s, 18.5 average finish, best finish 8th (two times)

#116: Harry Brady - 73 starts, 8 top 10s, 18.7 average finish, best finish 6th (1989 President's Cup 100 @ Orange Show Speedway)

#3 Harry Brady leads #17 Randy Olson in the heat race
for the Hamm's 100 at Redwood Acres Raceway in 1995

#115: Mark Wilson - 20 starts, 1 top 5, 1 top 10, best finish 5th (1996 Bakersfield Classic 300k @ Mesa Marin Raceway)

#114: Dan Bishop - 19 starts, 3 top 10s, 16.4 average finish, best finish 10th (twice)

#113: Mike Ledbetter - 53 starts, 8 top 10s, 18.9 average finish, best finish 6th (2003 John Baker 150 @ Tucson Raceway Park)

#112: Davy Lee Liniger - 20 starts, 1 top 5, 2 top 10s, 19.6 average finish, best finish 4th (1998 NAPA 125 @ Colorado National Speedway)

#111: Roy Pruett - 18 starts, 3 top 10s, 15.0 average finish, best finish 8th (1986 Motorcraft/Carquest 300 @ Riverside International Raceway)

#110: Ray Lawson, Jr. - 29 starts, 5 top 10s, 15.8 average finish, best finish 7th (three times)

#109: Doug Renno - 37 starts, 7 top 10s, 16.6 average finish, best finish 7th (1996 Colorado's Best Chevrolet/Geo Dealers 125 @ Colorado National Speedway)

#108: Bruce Bechtel - 22 starts, 1 top 5, 3 top 10s, 17.6 average finish, best finish 5th (1999 Phoenix 125 @ Phoenix International Raceway)

#107: Gary Tamborelli - 29 starts, 1 top 5, 5 top 10s, 17.7 average finish, best finish 5th (1990 Coors 100 @ Orange Show Speedway [September])

#106: Stephen Sadler - 22 starts, 1 top 5, 5 top 10s, 19.2 average finish, best finish 5th (2005 AutoZone 125 @ Stockton 99 Speedway)

#105: Dean Huss, Jr. - 13 starts, 4 top 10s, 14.6 average finish, best finish 6th (1986 Miller 100 @ Saugus Speedway)

#104: Mark Perry - 86 starts, 2 top 5s, 13 top 10s, 17.3 average finish, best finish 3rd (1988 Budwesier 100 @ Cajon Speedway)

#103: Thomas Martin - 54 starts, 3 top 5s, 7 top 10s, 19.0 average finish, best finish 4th (2006 Stock Building Supply 100 @ Irwindale Speedway)

#102: John Baker - 42 starts, 2 top 5s, 8 top 10s, 18.2 average finish, best finish 4th (2001 StarNursery.com 250 @ The Las Vegas Bullring)

#101: Scott Busby - 73 starts, 2 top 5s, 13 top 10s, 18.5 average finish, best finish 5th (two times)

SRL stars return to the Acres

NTS Motorsports teammates, Parker Stephens (28) and Blaine Rocha (21)
test at Redwood Acres Raceway for the Spears SRL Southwest Tour event

By Matthew J. Sullivan

One of the most anticipated events of the 2015 season at Redwood Acres Raceway is on the horizon as the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series will race this Saturday August 1st. The top super late model drivers on the west coast will go head-to-head on the 3/8-mile paved oval for the second time in series history, the first since 2013. The SRL series will be joining the Acres’ local divisions of roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks and Thunder Roadsters while the local late models will have the evening off.

Dylan Ford is coming off his sixth main event win in a row in the Humboldt Hydroponics roadrunner division and will look to take his seventh feature this weekend. Ford has a stranglehold on the championship standings as he leads Daniel Buell by 78 points. R.C. Brown has been impressive in his rookie season in the division and sits third, only four points behind Buell. Steve Paiment is fourth, a point behind Brown. Paiment was the winner of the main event on April 25th. Another rookie, Shawn Malloy holds down fifth in the standings.

Dustin Walters has been the favorite throughout the season in the bomber division and the point standings reflect it. Walters has four main event wins, two of them in a row and leads James Moore by 14 points. Moore has won two main events this season. The rest of the top five consists of Michael Knight, the team of Lance Martins and Joseph Phares and Ryan Walters however those drivers are more than 80 points in arrears to the point leader.

The Maxwell’s Custom Automobiles mini stocks have put on some of the best racing at the Acres this year. Chris Champagne leads the standings with three main event wins, one of those coming in the first race when his car was driven by Leonard Ward. Second in points is division rookie, Eugene Palmer who won the June 20th race. Palmer is only 12 points behind Champagne. Rick Estes has a main event win and is third, 24 points behind Champagne. Defending mini stock track champion, Brian Murrell, Jr. has had rough luck in 2015 but still sits fourth, 38 behind the leader. Another division rookie, Tim Abeyta is fifth, 68 in arrears to Champagne.

It has been another season of dominance for Paul Peeples, Jr. in the Bear River Casino Hotel Thunder Roadster division. Peeples has won the past four main events in a row and five in total in 2015 and leads Robbie Nelson by 31 points. Nelson is the only other driver to win a main event in the division this year which came in the May 9th race. Thomas Payne is third, 50 points behind Peeples. Chris Lawrence sits fourth and is 61 markers behind Peeples while Belinda Ward is fifth and nine points behind Lawrence.

The fight for the Mid City Motor World late model track championship could very well come down to the last lap of the season. Ryun Leazer and Jedd Ambrosini sit atop the standings tied with 205 points apiece. Marty Walsh missed the first two races of the season but has won two features including the most recent race on July 18th. Walsh is only 29 points behind Leazer and Ambrosini, well within striking distance. Richard Knight is fourth, 32 behind the leaders and David Henderson is fifth, four points behind Knight. Henderson won the May 9th main event. Other main event winners in the division this season are David Miller who won on opening night, April 25th, Mic Moulton who won on May 24th and June 6th and Brandon White who won the Firecracker 100 race on July 4th.

As mentioned earlier, the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series will be returning to Redwood Acres Raceway this weekend for the first time since 2013. Jacob Gomes holds the SRL track record at the Acres with a 15.478. Veteran super late model racer, Jim Pettit, II won the inaugural SRL event which was held on June 1st of 2013. In the 2015 point standings, Greg Voig
t leads Ryan Cansdale by 30 points. Eureka native, Brandon White is third, 49 points behind Voight. Tracy Bolin is fourth, only three points behind White while Jeff Bishofberger is fifth a single point behind Bolin. White will certainly be one of the favorites for local fans. Another fan favorite, Jim Walker will also be in action.

The Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series will have a practice date on Friday July 30th from 4:30PM to 7:30PM. On Saturday, gates open at 4:30PM while racing will begin at 6:00PM. More information on this weekend’s big event can be found on Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website, www.racingtheacres.com .

Stephens, Rocha prepare for Bear River Casino Hotel 125

Blaine Rocha tests at Redwood Acres Raceway in preparation for next weekend's
Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series Bear River Casino Hotel 125

By Matthew J. Sullivan

NTS Motorsports drivers Blaine Rocha and Parker Stephens took to the track Wednesday Redwood Acres Raceway. The two drivers were testing in preparation for the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series Bear River Casino Hotel 125 on August 1st.

Stephens hails from Olympia, Washington and is the son of former NASCAR Northwest Tour Series champion, Dirk Stephens. Parker turned 18 in June and won the most recent Tri-Track Super Late Model Series race at Evergreen Speedway on July 11th. Stephens also finished fifth in the Coors Light Summer Showdown at Evergreen which attracted some of the top late model drivers in the country. He is a rookie in the SRL series this year and currently sits 10th in the point standings.

Blaine Rocha is only 17 years old and is an Oakdale, California resident. Rocha put in an impressive performance in the Winter Showdown event at Kern County Raceway with a fourth place effort. Rocha also raced in the Coors Light Summer Showdown but was the victim of a multi-car pileup that ruined his race after only two laps. Rocha is in his second season in the SRL Series and is 11th in the standings.

Greg Voight is teammate to both drivers and currently sits atop the Spears SRL Southwest Tour point standings by 30 markers over rookie, Ryan Cansdale. Eureka driver, Brandon White is third and was the winner of the big Firecracker 100 event at the Acres on July 4th. Tracy Bolin and Jeff Bishofberger round out the top five in SRL standings.

The Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series joins the roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks and Thunder Roadsters for the event on August 1st. Joining Rocha and Stephens will be some of the top super late model drivers on the west coast will in what will be the SRL’s second visit to the track, the first since 2013. A limited amount of pre-sale tickets for the Bear River Casino Hotel 125 can be purchased at Humboldt Motorsports. More information for the race can be found on the track’s official website, www.racingtheacres.com .

Champagne wins in a thriller

Chris Champagne took the mini stock feature win on Saturday night

By Matthew J. Sullivan

The 2015 season at Redwood Acres Raceway resumed this past weekend for another exciting night of racing presented by Maxwell’s Custom Automobiles. As always, the five local classes of roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks, Thunder Roadsters and late models were in action. The night was capped off with boat races which delighted the packed house at the 3/8-mile paved oval.

Steve Paiment was the winner of the Humboldt Hydroponics roadrunner trophy dash. Paiment followed his dash win with a win in the first heat for the division while Dylan Ford took first in the second heat race. The roadrunners have provided exciting racing throughout 2015 and this night was no different as the racing at the front of the field in the 20-lap main event was exceptional. Paiment moved by Bethany Rapp to the lead on lap one but he was quickly overtaken by Daniel Buell the next lap. Dylan Hagman moved past Buell on lap three just as Ford, R.C. Brown and Michael Lawrence moved into third, fourth and fifth.

Every lap seemed to have a different leader between Hagman, Ford, Lawrence, Shawn Malloy and Jett Taylor. Hagman looked to be the strongest competitor to Ford’s five-race win streak as he was able to stay near the front better than the rest of the competition. The two raced side-by-side in the final laps of the race with Ford gaining the advantage on the last lap. Going into the third turn, Hagman drove as hard as he could to try to get by Ford. The two touched slightly coming off four but it was good, clean racing to the line with Ford winning his sixth feature in a row just ahead of Hagman. Lawrence placed third in his first race of the year driving Ken Barrett’s car. Malloy crossed the line fourth and Taylor took fifth.

The bomber division trophy dash win was taken by James Moore. Division point leader, Dustin Walters took the heat race and proved dominant in the 25-lap feature. Moore wrestled the lead away from Eddie Klein on the second lap but on lap six, Walters moved to the inside of Moore coming off turn two to take the lead. Walters pulled away to an insurmountable lead in what proved to be a clean and green race. At the finish it was Walters winning followed by Moore, Klein, Rick Jelton and Matt Simon.

The Maxwell’s Custom Automobiles mini stock division has arguably had the most exciting racing the past few races and tonight proved to be another example. Rick Estes narrowly took the win and trophy in the dash. Ted Henry won his first race ever in the first heat race while Gary Klinetobe showed muscle in the second heat, taking the victory. Henry got the lead at the start but quickly had to deal with the faster qualifiers of Brian Murrell, Jr., Chris Champagne, Estes, Klinetobe and Eugene Palmer. Estes got to the lead on lap three and led until a caution brought out by a spin by Tim Abeyta.

Racing resumed for a few laps before another caution. After the restart Champagne, Murrell, Jr. and Palmer really began to apply pressure to Estes for the lead. The top four cars raced side-by-side for first & second and third & fourth. Palmer was able to get by Murrell, Jr. while Estes and Champagne continued their fight for the lead. Estes eventually got loose under Champagne between the first and second turns which broke his momentum and cost him first and second positions. Palmer and Champagne began a fight for the lead that ended when the two made slight contact in the third and fourth turns. Champagne got loose and was able to save his car while Palmer slid into the infield. Champagne was far enough ahead of the rest of the field that he was able to withstand the brief scare and take the race win. Estes finished second followed by Murrell, Jr., Klinetobe and Henry.

Paul Peeples, Jr. did what he’s done throughout most of the 2015 season in the Bear River Hotel and Casino Thunder Roadster division by dominating and winning races left and right. Peeples took the trophy dash win and passed Thomas Payne on the last lap to win the heat race. Belinda Ward held the lead at the start of the 30-lap feature but by the end of lap one, Peeples was in the lead. While Peeples pulled away, Payne and Robbie Nelson did what they could to maneuver their way into the second position. Nelson eventually got to second and was able to close in on Peeples as the laps wound down. It wasn’t enough however as Peeples took his fifth win in a row over Nelson, Payne, Chris Lawrence and Ward.

The Mid City Motor World late model division trophy dash went to Marty Walsh. The heat race featured an incident that knocked out the cars of George Young and Kenny Demello but thankfully both drivers were unharmed. Walsh had the clear-cut fastest car on the night and he proved it by dominating the 35-lap feature and winning handily over Ryun Leazer, Jedd Ambrosini and Ken Hallis.

There were 13 boat racers in all for the featured attraction for the evening. Brian Murrell, Jr.’s “Griswold” car won the $100 best appearing boat racer prior to the start of the event. As expected, the boat race proved to be a real crowd pleaser. Troy Lee’s “School Bus” van was the winner over Murrell, Jr. and Roger Kirkpatrick.

The summer of fun at Redwood Acres Raceway resumes on August 1st with the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series joining the roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks and Thunder Roadsters. The top super late model drivers on the west coast will square off on the Acres pavement in the SRL’s second visit to the track, the first since 2013. A limited amount of pre-sale tickets for the Spears SRL Southwest Tour 125 presented by Bear River Hotel and Casino can be purchased at Humboldt Motorsports.

Championship standings jumble after Independence Day event

Late model rookie, Richard Knight co-leads the championship standings

By Matthew J. Sullivan

The 2015 season at Redwood Acres Raceway has reached its halfway point and the battle for the track championship in each of the five local divisions still hangs in the air. The most recent event on July 4th might prove to be the turning point of the season for many due to several out-of-town drivers participating in the night’s racing action.

Dylan Ford appears to have a clear path to the track championship in the Humboldt Hydroponics roadrunner division. Ford has won the past five main events in a row and is an astounding 75 points ahead of the two drivers tied for second place, Steve Paiment and Daniel Buell. R.C. Brown is fourth in the standings, 77 markers behind Ford while rookie, Shawn Malloy is fifth 101 points behind Ford.

The bomber division point lead returned to Dustin Walters after he won the main event on Independence Day. Walters leads James Moore by 10 points. Moore had held a nearly 30-point gap on Walters going into the previous race but was unable to race. Michael Knight is third in points, Lance Martins & Joseph Phares fourth and Ryan Walters fifth.

It’s a very close battle at the front of the mini stock division. Chris Champagne holds a three point lead over Eugene Palmer. Rick Estes lies third in points, 22 behind Champagne with an outside shot at the title. Brian Murrell, Jr. has a much harder road to go than Estes as he’s 42 points behind Champagne while 58 points behind in fifth is Dylan Ford.

Paul Peeples, Jr. extended his point lead in the Bear River Hotel and Casino Thunder Roadsters by sweeping the trophy dash, heat race and main event on July 4th. Peeples leads Robbie Nelson by 26 points. Thomas Payne is 43 points behind Peeples in the third position, Chris Lawrence is fourth and Belinda Ward is fifth.

Coming off the second Tri-Holiday Classic race of 2015, the championship for the Mid City Motor World late models tightened up even more than it was before. Richard Knight and Jedd Ambrosini are tied atop the standings. Ryun Leazer is third in points, a single marker behind the leaders. Fourth is David Henderson who is only four points behind first while Tyler Avelar is fifth and 11 points behind.

The next race at the Acres on July 18th will feature boat races to go along with the roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks, Thunder Roadsters and late models. Grandstands open at 5:00PM while racing begins at 6:30PM. On August 1st, the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series will return to RAR for the first time since 2013. More information on the upcoming events at Redwood Acres Raceway can be found on the track’s official website, www.racingtheacres.com .

White survives to win Firecracker 100

Brandon White avoided the carnage to win the Firecracker 100

By Matthew J. Sullivan

It was a wild and exciting night at Redwood Acres Raceway for Patriotic Night at the Races this past Saturday evening. There were numerous incidents in all five of the Acres’ divisions including the late models which were holding the second Tri-Holiday Classic race on the night, the Firecracker 100 sponsored by Danielson Construction and North Coast Lighting And Electric. At the end of the night, the fireworks on track gave way to fireworks in the night sky as fans were treated to a spectacular display.

The Humboldt Hydroponics roadrunner trophy dash was won by Jordan Paiment. The first heat race was won by Chris Appleton while Dylan Ford took the second heat win. The feature which was scheduled for 20 laps got off to a slow start. Several drivers swapped the lead including Shawn Malloy, Ford, Jett Taylor and Daniel Buell. Ford entered the lead just past the halfway mark before the race was marred by cautions. Due to the race going over the 20-minute time limit, Ford was awarded the win, his fifth in a row.

Former Acres racer, Dan Maxwell was kind enough to put $500 on the line for the winner of the Maxwell’s Custom Automobiles bomber division main event and as a result, several out-of-town drivers were in attendance on the evening. Brian King was the winner of the four lap trophy dash while Dustin Walters took the heat race win. The bomber feature got off to a slow start due to a couple incidents, one of which included Lance Martins and Ryan Walters that resulted in Martins getting the black flag. When racing got going, it was clear Dustin Walters had the superior car. Walters was able to muscle by David Dillinger for the lead and he was able to cruise to the checkered flag and the $500 victory. Dillinger took second followed by Erick Ray, King and Rick Jelton.

Chris Champagne was victorious in the Danielson Construction mini stock division trophy dash. The first heat race was won by Paul Baker while the Champagne claimed the second heat. Brett Murrell took the lead at the start of the 25-lap main but got loose in turn four on lap two collecting his older brother Brian. Eugene Palmer took the lead after the restart but it was Billy Shaul who looked to have the superior handling vehicle. With only a few laps remaining, Shaul took the lead from Palmer and was able to hold on the rest of the way for the win followed by Palmer, Champagne, Rick Estes and Cole Peterson.

Mike Ward’s night in the Bear River Hotel and Casino Thunder Roadster division was cut short in the trophy dash when he got loose and hit the turn two wall nose first. Fortunately Ward was okay. Paul Peeples took the dash win then went on to claim the heat race victory. The main event proved to be no different. Although Chris Sarvinski took the lead early on, he was forced to give way to Peeples. It was another dominant performance as Peeples was able to take his fourth straight win over Sarvinski, Thomas Payne, Robbie Nelson and Belinda Ward.

Brandon White set fast time for the field of 16 Mid City Motor World Firecracker 100 late models with a 15.924. The winner of the trophy dash was veteran driver, Mike Sackett which awarded him pole position in the 100-lap feature. White used his outside front row starting position to his advantage as he took the lead at the drop of the green. Jim Walker looked to have the only car capable of contending with White as he moved into second on lap 12. The race was slowed twice early due to spins by George Young, Ryun Leazer and Kenny Demello. On lap 28, Leazer appeared to cut a right front tire going into the third turn. Leazer collected Mic Moulton and the two drivers slammed into the turn three wall. The race went green for a long 30-lap stretch with White pulling out to a large lead that Walker was able to chip away at thanks to slower traffic. On lap 56, the caution dropped for oil on the track from Alan Cress’ car. After a long cleanup, racing resumed and White went back to dominating over Walker and Sackett.

The race resumed green for another semi-long run before a caution from an incident between David Henderson and Tyler Avelar. Under the caution, Henderson stopped to speak to officials on the backstretch. Behind him, Richard Knight and Avelar ran into Henderson’s stopped car. Knight’s car climbed over the side of Henderson’s and flipped onto its top. Nobody was injured but the incident was enough for officials to call the race official before its scheduled end. This gave White the win over Walker, Sackett, Marty Walsh and Leonard Ward.

The next race on the docket will feature the return of the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series to the Acres. The SRL Series is the top late model touring series in the west and features the top talent in the region. Firecracker 100 winner, Brandon White will certainly be one of the favorites to take the win. In addition, the roadrunners, bombers, mini stocks and Thunder Roadsters will be in action. For more on the upcoming SRL event, please visit the Acres’ official website www.racingtheacres.com .

Redwood Acres Raceway set for spectacular Firecracker 100

Dylan Ford has been a dominant force in the roadrunner division

By Matthew J. Sullivan

Five races are down in Redwood Acres Raceway’s 2015 schedule and as the season has progressed, the action on the track has heated up. While the battle for the track championships are mixed in terms of competitiveness in each of the five divisions, every driver still has a lot to race for and the next few races are sure to be among the highlights of the entire year.

The Humboldt Hydroponics roadrunner track championship is basically in the hands of Dylan Ford. The gap between him and second place, Steve Paiment is an astounding 66 markers. Ford has won the past four races in a row while finishing second in the season opener while Paiment is the only other driver who has won a main event this season. Daniel Buell, R.C. Brown and Shawn Malloy round out the top five in the standings.

With Dustin Walters unable to race in the most recent event on June 20th, James Moore took advantage winning all three races on the night and taking the point lead. Moore’s advantage over Walters is 33 points. Barring any unforeseen issues for Moore or Walters, it looks as if one or the other will be this year’s track champion. The team of Lance Martins and Joseph Phares is third in points, 57 behind Moore while Michael Knight and Ryan Walters complete the top five.

The battle for the mini stock title is a tight one between Chris Champagne and Eugene Palmer. Champagne leads Palmer by three points while Rick Estes is third, 14 behind Champagne. Estes was unable to start the June 20th main event due to a wreck in the heat race which destroyed his mini truck. It will be interesting to see if he will be able to return for this weekend’s event. Brian Murrell, Jr. is fourth in line, 30 behind Champagne while Dylan Ford is fifth another 17 points behind Murrell, Jr.

Paul Peeples, Jr. has taken control of the Bear River Hotel and Casino Thunder Roadster division. Peeples has won three of the four races this year and leads second place Robbie Nelson by 18 points. Nelson is the only other main event winner in the division. Thomas Payne sits third and 36 points behind Peeples while fourth is a tie between Mike Ward and Chris Lawrence.

This weekend’s Firecracker 100 is the second leg of the First Annual Tri-Holiday Classic for the Mid City Motor World late models. The standings for the track championship changed dramatically after the caution-filled June 20th race. Thanks to a second place finish in the most recent race, Ryun Leazer holds the lead in the standings. Richard Knight is second but only four points behind Leazer. Jedd Ambrosini is third and only two more points behind Knight. David Henderson is fourth, 11 behind Leazer and Tyler Avelar is fifth, two points behind Henderson.

This weekend’s event promises to be a fantastic night at the Acres. In addition to the 100-lap late model race, roadrunners, bombers and mini stocks will be in action as well as the Thunder Roadsters which have been added to the show. Following the 100-lap race will be a fantastic fireworks show in the track’s infield. Last year’s display was a big hit with fans and this year’s promises to be bigger and better.

The upcoming races at the Acres should be just as exciting. The July 18th race will feature the boat races which was a very popular event with fans. The following race on August 1st will mark the return of the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series to Redwood Acres Raceway for the second time ever, the first since 2013. The Spears SRL Southwest Tour is the premiere super late model touring series in the west and features some of the top talent from the region. More information about this weekend’s Independence Day event as well as future events can be found at Redwood Acres Raceway’s official website, www.racingtheacres.com .

The history of late model racing at Redwood Acres Raceway (1988 - today)

#16 Rusty Olson, #1 Billy Clarkson and #48 Jim Walker at Redwood Acres Raceway, 1995

I am very anxious and excited for a couple races that are coming up at Redwood Acres Raceway. July 4th will feature the Firecracker 100, the second Tri-Holiday Classic late model event which is in its first year at RAR. On the first of August, the premiere super late model touring series on the west coast, the Spears SRL Southwest Tour will be racing for the second time at RAR and the first since 2013.

Late model racing has been a staple of Redwood Acres Raceway ever since the track was repaved before the 1988 season. RAR's late model division at the time was the super stock class. The super stocks were basically like the NASCAR Southwest and Northwest Tour cars at the time. The idea was to have the cars be able to race on the local level while also being able to race the touring series without having to make a number of adjustments to the car or even having a completely different car. The super stocks lasted at RAR only three seasons from 1988 to 1990 and the track was dominated between Jim Walker and Randy Olson. RAR also hosted the NASCAR Southwest Tour Series which several local drivers raced in but never won. The closest any RAR driver came was in the 1990 Olympia 100 when Randy Olson finished second (unfortunately I don't have video of that race.)

1990 also marked the first year that RAR hosted a large open competition race. From the 70s and on through the 80s, open competition events were the biggest races held at tracks all over the west coast. Northern California's top two open comp races through those years were at Shasta Speedway every spring and fall. The spring race was the Laura Robinson Nor-Cal 150 while the fall race was the Western 150. Both races were shortened in the late 80s to 100 laps while the fall event was renamed in honor of Toby Elder. Officials at Shasta, RAR and Silver State Raceway in Carson City, Nevada partnered together to create a three-race open competition championship series at the end of the year, the Tri-Western 300 with each track hosting a 100-lap race. The series proved to be a huge success with Randy Olson winning the races Silver State and RAR races and taking the championship. Robert Sprague was the winner of the Shasta event.


In 1991, the super stock class merged with the street stock cars and turned into the sportsman division. It benefited both divisions as more cars were able to race but the rules for the division were different enough that several super stock drivers, namely Walker didn't race weekly. It was also during that year that Frank Roman's Nor-Cal Late Model touring series made its first visit to RAR. The Nor-Cal Series had rules that were more aligned closer to the rules of the Tri-Western 300 open competition races. Nor-Cal wasn't a competitor to NASCAR's Southwest Tour but served as an option for late model touring racing for Northern California drivers who couldn't afford the budget it took to be competitive in in the SWT.


RAR continued to host the NASCAR SWT, Nor-Cal Series and Tri-Western 100 events through the early 90s. In 1995, RAR hosted its final NASCAR SWT event, the Hamm's 100. At this point, the cost of being associated with NASCAR and hosting a SWT event was not worth the benefit. It was a sad but necessary loss.

The Nor-Cal Series became more prominent at RAR and continued to host races at the track until the end of 1998 when Frank Roman stopped promoting the series. RAR promoters Rich and Linda Olson took over the helm and formed the Tri-State Challenge Series which picked up where Nor-Cal left off and lasted until the end of 2000. (Sadly I have no video of any of the Nor-Cal or Tri-State races from RAR through the late 90s.) In 2001 the series was renamed to the North State Challenge Series.

#80 Derek Thorn and #20 Howard Ford at RAR during a 2006 NSCS race

The NSCS struggled in 2002 and 2003 but by 2004 it was the top late model touring series on the west coast (in my opinion.) The series came to a demise in 2008 but at that same time the Airport Auto Brokers Late Models series gained steam and raced at the Acres several times between 2009-2012. In 2013 the AABLM became the Pacific Challenge Series and RAR hosted two races that year. 2013 also featured the first race at RAR for the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series.

Rich and Linda Olson stepped away from promoting RAR following the 2013 season while Blair Aiken and his daughter stepped in to fill the void. The sportsman division was renamed to the late models and the rules for the division changed to reflect those of other tracks in the region.

You can find results of many of the events I mentioned by visiting the following page: http://www.thethirdturn.com/wiki/Redwood_Acres_Raceway#tab=Event_History

Walsh survives, wins first race of 2015

Marty Walsh took his first win of 2015 on Saturday night

By Matthew J. Sullivan

It was a night of hard times for many this past Saturday night at Redwood Acres Raceway. On what coincidentally was O’Reilly Night at the Acres, numerous drivers throughout each of the Acres’ five local divisions fell victim to issues either due to accidents or mechanical failures.

With Kid's Month at Redwood Acres Raceway continuing through the month of June at the Acres, children had the opportunity to be junior trophy presenters to the winners of the trophy dash and main events. In addition, prior to the start of the main events children were given rides around the track by drivers in the roadrunner and bomber divisions.

Ken Barrett returned to the Humboldt Hydroponics roadrunner division with a new car and the victory in the trophy dash. Barrett was able to put together his new ride in less than two weeks. Steve Paiment took the win in the first heat race which saw rookie Troy Lee crash in turn four on the final lap. Dylan Ford was victorious in the second heat which also had an incident that took Shawn Malloy and Daniel Buell out of commission.

As he has done for virtually the entire 2015 season in the roadrunners, Ford dominated the 20-lap feature event. Rookies Chris Appleton and Dylan Hagman exchanged the lead the first two laps before Ford took over. Hagman did a fantastic job of hanging with Ford through most of the event but Ford’s experience proved through when it came to maneuvering through slower traffic. Ford was able to pull his lead out in the final few laps and took his fourth straight main event victory. Hagman took second followed by R.C. Brown, Chris Appleton and Paiment.

It was a rough night for the bomber division. James Moore won the trophy dash which saw Chris Naughton hit the wall and knock his car out of action. The heat race saw Moore win but featured another unfortunate incident in turn three when Michael Knight hit the wall hard. Fortunately he was okay but out for the night. The main event featured a rough incident between Lance Martins and Ryan Walters that resulted in a cut tire on Walters’ car, forcing him to the pits and out of the race. Martins ended up falling out in the final few laps which left Moore the only car on the track and the race winner.

Brian Murrell, Jr. was the winner of the mini stock trophy dash. Tim Abeyta won the first heat race while the second heat race featured a violent hit in turns three and four for Rick Estes. It appeared as though the throttle hung on Estes’ mini truck going into the third turn. Thankfully Estes was unharmed though his truck was severely damaged. Murrell, Jr. ended up with the second heat victory.

Gary Klinetobe took the lead at the start of the 25-lap mini stock feature but by lap three, Murrell, Jr. moved under and past into the lead. Chris Champagne and Eugene Palmer moved into second and third just before a spin by Abeyta brought the caution flag out. Champagne and Palmer battled for the second spot for several laps after the restart with Palmer prevailing. This set up a race for the lead between Murrell, Jr. and Palmer which saw some “friendly” contact between the two. On lap 13, Palmer was able to get around Murrell, Jr. for the lead.

The race was halted briefly for a spin by Brett Murrell off turn four. The restart gave Champagne the advantage he needed to get by Murrell, Jr. for second. Nobody had anything for Palmer on the night as his mini trick was dialed in. At the finish it was Palmer winning his first career mini stock win. Champagne came home second, Murrell, Jr. third, Klinetobe fourth and Abeyta fifth.

The Bear River Hotel and Casino Thunder Roadster trophy dash victory was claimed by Thomas Payne while Paul Peeples, Jr. was the winner of the heat race. The 30-lap feature was a clean race from start to finish. Belinda Ward led the first lap before succumbing to the faster car of Chris Sarvinski on lap two. Sarvinski tried to put a gap on the rest of the pack while the always fast car of Peeples worked his way through the field. Peeples got to second on lap eight and by lap sixteen he had passed Sarvinski for the lead. Peeples was able to pull out to a comfortable margin over Sarvinski and claim the victory. Robbie Nelson was third over Payne and Ward.

It didn’t take Marty Walsh long to get acclimated to his new car as he took the trophy dash win for the Mid City Motor World late models. Ryun Leazer claimed the win in the first heat race while J.D. Frey took the second. Frey was driving Mic Moulton’s car for the night and is the car chief for Michael Waltrip Racing driver, Clint Bowyer.

The 35-lap main event proved to be a caution-filled event. Ryun Leazer took the lead from pole position but spun out of turn two bringing out the first caution. Tyler Avelar and Richard Knight duked it out for the lead on the restart with Avelar gaining the advantage. David Henderson looked to be the strongest car in the field and by lap seven he took over the top spot from Avelar. The race was halted on lap 12 when Jedd Ambrosini spun in turn three. Henderson pulled out to a large gap over the field after the restart. Meanwhile Knight, Walsh and Frey were able to get around Avelar and tried to regain ground on the leader.

Frey was able to get into third and was working on Knight for second when the two came into contact in turn three. Knight hit the wall rear-end first while Frey pulled into the pits and didn’t return. The race became a start/stop affair from that point on as several incidents halted the racing. Henderson appeared to have trouble on a lap 31 restart which allowed Marty Walsh to get to the lead. Another caution slowed the field with two laps remaining giving Henderson the chance to potentially regain the lead from Walsh.

On the restart, Henderson’s troubles came to fruition in the form of a flat tire. Henderson tried to maneuver out of the way of the rest of the pack but unfortunately Avelar and Kenny Demello got together while trying to get by. All three cars wrecked down the front stretch bringing out the red flag but everyone was okay. With the 11:00 curfew closing in and the race nearly being complete, officials felt ending the race before the scheduled distance was the prudent option. Marty Walsh took his first main event win of the season over Ryun Leazer, Jedd Ambrosini and George Young while Henderson was credited with fifth in spite of the race-ending accident.

The next event at Redwood Acres Raceway on July 4th is one of the can’t miss events of the 2015 schedule. It’s the second leg of the Tri-Holiday series featuring the Firecracker 100 for the late models. In addition, roadrunners, bombers and mini stocks will be racing. Following the races, there will be a fireworks show in the infield. Last year’s fireworks event proved popular with fans and this year’s promises to be bigger and better. To accommodate the full Independence Day schedule, the grandstands will open at 4:30 PM while racing will begin at 6:00 PM. For more information on the upcoming races at the Acres, please visit the track’s official website www.racingtheacres.com .

Top 100+ NASCAR Southwest Tour Drivers Of All-Time (Coming Soon)

Several years ago, I put together a list on this blog of the top 25 drivers in the history of NASCAR's now long gone Southwest Tour series. Here are the rankings for 21-16, 15-6 and 5-1. I based my opinion purely on statistical information, at least what was available at the time. Since then, more information for the series has become available to the point where with the exception of two races (I believe) full stats of every single NASCAR Southwest Tour race between 1986 and 2006 are now on the Internet.

Because of that, I thought it would be a good idea to go back and sort though the more complete stats and see if the conclusion I came to before is different or similar. I also decided to expand the list this time to include more drivers. It would be a long task to go through and rank every single driver who started a race in the Southwest Tour and frankly that wouldn't be any fun for me. I limited the drivers I would rank to anyone who ran or attempted to run the series full-time for at least one season (minimum 10 races) and/or drivers who raced in at least 20 races.

The criteria I set regarding the rankings will be similar to what I used in the original rankings. Drivers will be ranked based on series championships, wins and winning percentage, top 5 and top 5 percentage, top 10 and top 10 percentage and average race finish. As with last time, there won't be any bias on my part and I will determine the rankings based on what the numbers say.

I have compiled the list of drivers who will be ranked which you can view in the Excel file below. It will take me a while to sort through the rankings and determine where everyone places in each category so this is something that will take weeks and possibly months. But I'm looking forward to going through and remembering the drivers and the races in NASCAR Southwest Tour history. I hope you will enjoy it too.

Click here to view the Excel file.