9/1/2024
Redwood Acres Raceway
Gomes Dominates, Earns $15,000 SRL Prize
Redwood Acres Raceway had a packed house this past Saturday night with the highly anticipated return of the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series taking place. The Spears Modified Series made their debut at the Acres while the Nor Cal Legends Series made their second visit to the 3/8-mile paved oval this season. The weekend’s races are presented by Harper Motors, Mid-City Motor World, Big Valley Sanitation and JM Environmental.
Fast time for the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series went to Dylan Zampa with a time of 15.890. Buddy Shepherd drew the pole for the JM Environmental Inc Wild West Shootout Money Talks 127 presented by Big Valley Sanitation but it was Blaine Rocha who secured the lead on lap one. Shepherd fell to second while Jacob Gomes moved to third. The top three remained in touch up to the lap 40 competition caution.
Gomes used the restart to his advantage and moved under and past Shepherd on lap 41. The gap between first and second closed little-by-little in the next several laps. On lap 50. Gomes found the inside line under Rocha. The two raced side-by-side for a lap until Gomes was able to secure the lead. Gomes slowly pulled away until the lap 75 break with Gomes leading over Rocha, Shepherd, Zampa and Austin Herzog.
Gomes regained the lead on the restart and resumed leading. The lone natural caution of the race came with 29 laps remaining when Rocha made contact while lapping Romeo Venza off the second turn. Gomes once again moved to the lead on the restart while Zampa began to show strength. He was able to take third from Shepherd using the high line on lap 100 and began to close in on Rocha for second.
With 20 laps to go, it appeared as though the handling on Rocha’s car began to go away. Three laps later, Zampa moved under him to challenge for second. It took five laps but eventually Zampa was able to get the job done.
Zampa did all he could to close the gap on Gomes in the remaining laps but unfortunately was unable to get close enough to mount a serious challenge for the lead. At the finish it was Gomes taking the $15,000 victory. Zampa was second while Rocha held off Shepherd for third. Herzog rounded out the top five finishers.
Cameron Austin paced qualifying for the Spears Modified Series with a 16.727. Scott Winters drew pole position and used it to full advantage as he took the lead over Austin and Kylei Keown. The top three pulled away from the rest of the field as fourth place Rich Cobb had his hands full holding off the faster cars of series points leader Holly Clark and Sierra Furia. On lap 10, Clark moved under Cobb for the position while Furia followed into fifth.
Clark moved by Keown to third on lap 23 but with the race being clean and green, her disadvantage to leader Winters was nearly half a lap. Lap 33 saw fantastic side-by-side action between Keown and Furia for fourth with Furia eventually taking the position on lap 37.
Lap 40 saw the competition caution bunch the field and allowed Austin, Clark and the pack to close in on Winters. Austin held strong on the outside of the restart but eventually fell to third as Clark moved under for the second position. Meanwhile, Furia fell back to fifth and had to work hard to get back by Keown. She was eventually able to retain the fourth spot on lap 59.
Winters was able to pull away from Clark by half a straightaway as the laps ticked off. At the finish, it was Winters taking the $2,000 win. Clark finished second followed by Austin in third, Furia in fourth and Keown in fifth.
Qualifying for the Nor Cal Legends Series was paced by Jeremy Doss with a 17.365. Heat race winners were T.J. Buzzard, Dan Maxwell, Landen Green and Doss. Carlee Austin was the winner of the B-main event while Buzzard placed second with both drivers starting at the rear of the 30-lap feature.
Robby Czub moved to the lead from pole position and was the dominant factor up front. Doss methodically maneuvered to second and was Czub’s primary challenger as the race progressed. A spin by Deeahmee Malone in turn four brought about a restart with three laps remaining.
Czub moved to the lead on the restart while Doss fell into second. On the last lap, Doss nudged Czub between turns one and two. Doss moved under and by Czub. At the finish it was Doss winning over Czub, Brandon White, Cole Brown and Kai Lovell.
The 2024 season at Redwood Acres Raceway will conclude Saturday September 21 with the Steve Taylor Memorial Fall Spectacular. A full schedule of late models, Upstate Modifieds, Upstate Bombers, Legends and mini stocks will be in action. In addition, the season will conclude with the second boat race at the Acres for the year.
Stay up to date with everything at Redwood Acres Raceway by visiting RacinTheAcres.com or by following RAR on Facebook.
Submitted By: Matthew Sullivan