Sullivan's Report
NEW MESSAGE BOARD!
2009 Fair Night Winners
Photos by Gidget Maguire
Fair races live up to their expectations
By Matthew J. Sullivan 6/26-27/09
The grandstands were packed this past Friday and Saturday night at
Redwood Acres Raceway for the annual Redwood Acres Fair Classic. As
has been the case in previous years, the Fair Classic brought out a
number of drivers who have not raced at the Acres full-time or in some
cases at all this season. This made for some electrifying racing and
unluckily several incidents.
The limited street stock division had its highest car count in several
years thanks in part to several Oregon drivers who made the trek to
race at the Acres; Bob Barnes, Bob Brumbrack, Dan Fouts, Gary Perry,
Doug Risely and Bobby Wright. Their attendance for this weekend’s
racing was very much appreciated by everyone at Redwood Acres Raceway.
Wright won the Friday night trophy dash over Risely, Kenny Demello
and Bob Barnes. The heat race victory went to Barnes ahead of Fergy
Ferguson, Demello, Risely and Perry.
Stan Young held the lead early on in the main event but by lap five he
faced the challenge of both Fouts and Demello. On lap seven, Fouts
went to the high side on Young. Demello found a groove inside of
Young and the trio went three-wide into turn three. Demello came out
with the lead with Fouts second and Young third. The rest of the main
event was nip and tuck between Demello and Fouts. It appeared as
though Fouts had the faster machine, but he was unable to find the
speed necessary to get by Demello and at the checkered flag it was
Demello the victor over Fouts, Wright, Perry and Ferguson.
The starting lineup for all of the divisions on Saturday night were
determined by the results of the races on the previous night, only
inverted. Risely won the Saturday night dash followed by Barnes,
Wright and Demello. Risely followed the dash win with a victory in
the heat race beating out Fouts, Wright, Young and Ferguson.
Brumbrack took the lead early on in the feature event before the
caution fell on lap two when Risely nailed the turn four wall severely
damaging his right front and putting an end to his evening.
After the restart, on lap eight Brumbrack’s car lost power going down
the back stretch giving the lead to Young with Barnes following into
second. Two laps later, Barnes touched Young between turns three and
four sending Young spinning into the infield. Barnes was sent to the
rear of the field allowing Wright to take the helm. From that point
on it was all Wright as he was able to cruise away to victory over
Demello, Fouts, Ferguson and Barnes.
Craig Baker won the Friday night mini stock trophy dash over Brian
McIntosh, Brian Murrell, Jr. and Scott Baker. The Baker brothers
dueled in the heat race with Scott beating Craig while Murrell, Jr.,
McIntosh and Norm Carmichael. In the main event, it was Craig beating
out Scott this time. Murrell, Jr. took third, Steve Smith fourth and
McIntosh fifth. Scott Baker started off Saturday night with the dash
win over McIntosh, Craig Baker and Murrell, Jr. McIntosh held off
Craig Baker to win the heat race while Scott Baker, Murrell, Jr. and
Mike Weekley. The Bakers dueled once again in the future and this
time it was Scott beating Craig for the win. McIntosh, Len Bowman
took third and fourth while Smith and Murrell, Jr. crossed the line in
a virtual dead heat for fifth.
Real stock trophy dash honors on Friday evening went to Ryan Walters
over Casey Mitchell, Bill Middleton who was driving Jim Redd’s car for
the weekend and Dustin Walters. Nick Green held off Roger Linn, Pat
Conway, Middleton and Mitchell for the heat race victory. One of the
more scary incidents occurred early on in the main event when Ryan
Robinson lost his right front wheel in turn four. The wheel rolled
off the track then back on in front of Dustin Walters and Conway who
both made contact with the wheel sending it bouncing approximately 20
feet in the air. Thankfully the wheel rolled safely and harmlessly
into the infield and neither Walters or Conway suffered extensive
damage to their cars. Middleton held off Ryan Walters for the win in
the feature while Green, Linn and Conway rounded out the top five.
Dustin Walters started off Saturday night with a trophy dash victory
over Middleton, Mitchell and Ryan Walters. The win in the heat race
was taken by Ryan Walters followed by Robinson, Middlton, Mitchell and
Dustin Walters. Ryan Walters chalked up another main event victory in
2009 beating Mitchell, Linn, Green and Middleton.
Carrie Cook beat Oscar Koskinen to the line in the roadrunner dash on
Friday with Jimmy Murray and Bill Snow rounded out the finish. Nick
Bundy claimed the heat race win over Cook, Koskinen, Charlie Anderson
and Murray. Koskinen took the main event victory over Bundy,
Anderson, Murray and Cook. On Saturday night, Bundy found himself the
trophy dash winner over Murray, Cook and Koskinen. Anderson proved
victorious in the heat race over Murray, Bundy, Koskinen and Erik
Mendes. Bundy was able to withstand and fend off a furious charge my
Mendes to win the main event. Murray took third while Anderson was
able to beat Koskinen back to the finish line for fourth.
The familiar battle in the thunder roadster division between Paul
Peeples, Jr. and David Henderson resumed in the Friday night dash as
Peeples beat Henderson, Robert Miller and Tommy Payne to win. Bill
Bradbury won the first heat race Chris Sarvinski, Dave McMurray, Jim
Rich and Dan Browne. Peeples took the second heat over Henderson,
Brandon Barnwell driving Donn Cole’s car, Mike Ward and Payne.
Peeples grabbed the lead early on in the main event and held off a
late race charge by Henderson to take the narrow victory while Miller
finished third, Payne fourth and Mark Arroyo fifth. Saturday night’s
dash win was claimed by Henderson over Payne, Peeples and Miller.
Arroyo won heat one over Rob Nelson, Browne, McMurray and Belinda Ward
while heat two was taken by Chris Sarvinski ahead of Henderson,
Peeples, Mike Ward and Barnwell. Peeples was able to take the main
event on the night over Miller, Arroyo, Barnwell and Payne.
The sportsman division saw the surprise return of a West Coast stock
car racing legend. Two time super stock track champion, Jim Walker
made his first start in a local division at the Acres since 1990.
Unfortunately prior to the events on Friday night, one of Walker’s
long-time on-track rivals, Larry Pries severely injured his thumb
after getting involved in a wreck in practice that was started by a
flat left-rear tire on Brandon Barnwell’s machine. Pries was unable
to race both Friday and Saturday night.
In the Friday trophy dash, Jerry Peterson narrowly beat Dennis
DelBiaggio to the line for the victory while Brandon Barnwell and Joe
McDonald followed behind. The first heat race went to Lissa Uselton
over Al Acuna, Preston O’Dell, Ken Hallis and Ryan Peeples. Walker
won the second heat to the delight of the crowed over Aaron Byers,
McDonald, Peterson and Barnwell. The main event saw several incidents
in the early stages. In fact, it wasn’t until a third restart on that
the cars were able to accrue more than a single lap. McDonald was
able to stave off a last corner charge by Walker to take his first
main event of the season, making him the seventh different main event
winner in as many races. Delbiaggio placed third, Marcelli fourth and
Peterson fifth.
McDonald returned on Saturday to take the trophy dash victory over
Delbiaggio, Peterson and Marcelli. Peeples took the win in heat one
over Shawn Craig, Acuna, Uselton and Kavin Conn. The second heat race
went to McDonald ahead of DelBiaggio, Marcelli, Peterson and Walker.
McDonald and DelBiaggio carried on their fight in the main event with
DelBiaggio able to withstand several late race restarts and beat
McDonald for his second main event of the season, breaking the string
of different winners. Byers narrowly edged out Walker for third while
Marcelli took fifth.
Racing at Redwood Acres Raceway goes on hiatus for two weeks before
returning Saturday July 11th. RacinTheAcres.com would like to thank
its sponsors John's Used Cars and Wreckers, Left Coast Vinyl Graphics
and Color Impressions in Fortuna for their support throughout 2009.