Local fan favorite and NorCal racing legend Jim Walker gave the near capacity Redwood Acres Raceway crowd something to cheer about, winning the 60 lap Tri-State Challenge feature on Saturday night. Friday night's winner David Miller, of Coquille Ore. wasn't able to complete the threepeat as he tangled with, former Tri-State champion and 2nd place Friday finisher, Randy Hvall in the dash. Both cars suffered damage but were able to make it back for the fast heat where they tangled again, compounding their problems. Neither was able to show the muscle they'd displayed in Friday night's race and Hvall couldn't make repairs in time for the main.
Hvall who holds the track record at 14.648, set fast time with a 15.388 besting Preston O'Dell's 15.424. Friday night winner Miller clocked in at 15.448 and Mike Sackett rounded out the dash field at 15.583. Saturday was a cooler day and most times were a tenth or more slower than Friday's.
The 8 car inversion put Walker on the pole at a track he knows very well. At the drop of the green flag, front row starter Junior Roddy was able to get in the low line behind Walker and ahead of Rick Spencer, dash winner Sackett, Ron Peters and Miller. Miller and Peters got together on lap 19 and in the chain reaction that ensued, Brad Wasmund, Peters, and slow heat winner Jim Parnell all spun and sustained damage. Miller left on the hook and his long night was finally over. Coquille's Alan Cress pitted with apparent ignition problems that would plague him the rest of the night. The restart order was Walker, Roddy, Spencer, Sackett and O'Dell. On lap 25, Spencer tapped Roddy who spun to the infield. As he came back on the track Wasmund and O'Dellgot pinched into the frontstretch wall. Both were done for the night. Spencer, Sackett, Randy Houston, quick heat winner Luke Hall and Frank Howard chased Walker to the green flag. Howard's good run ended two laps later when he pitted. On lap 40 Sackett got under Spencer in a bid for 2nd, they rubbed and Spencer spun. Sackett pitted to tear off sheet metal. Nobody had anything for Walker over the final 20 laps and he cruised to the win. Eureka's Randy Houston was a strong 2nd ahead of a good run by Fortuna's Hall. Sackett and Spencer rounded out the top five. Miller and Roddy are tied for the points lead with Walker 5 points behind. The next Tri-State Challenge race will be at Redwood Acres on July 26th.
Dash-Sackett, O'Dell, Miller, Hvall.
1st Heat-Parnell, Spencer, Peters, Walker, Wasmund, O'Dell, McDonald, Hilton.
2nd Heat-Hall, Houston, Sackett, Cress, Roddy, Miller, Howard, Hvall
Main-Walker, Houston, Hall, Spencer, Sackett, Parnell, McDonald, Roddy, Hilton, Howard,
O'Dell, Wasmund, Miller, Peters, Cress, Hvall
