Larry Pries won the hotly contested Sportsman main, Gary Adams took the Real Stock 30 lapper, point leader Jaison Chand extended his point lead by claiming the Mini Stock main, and Craig Johnson won in Limited Streets in relief of, new Daddy, Lee Branstetter.
The evening began with a tribute to Judy Fox who recently passed away. Judy was a racing Mom and, along with her husband Bob, was a huge supporter of racing at Redwood Acres through their business, John's Used Cars and Wreckers. Drivers from all classes lined the track for a slow parade lap in Judy's honor as the American flag flew at half-staff.
Fittingly, the 30 lap Sportsman main was a race that Judy would have loved! Phil Wood and Joe McDonald went door to door for the lead, for most of the first eight laps until Rick Fox got under McDonald to claim 2nd on lap 8. Fox, who "drove his heart out", took the lead from Wood on lap 15 to the delight of the cheering crowd. Yellow flew on lap 18 as Wood spun after contact leaving McDonald and Angelo Marcelli with nowhere to go. Marcelli's night was done, while Wood and McDonald were able to continue. On the restart, it was Fox, Pries, Mark Williams, and heat winner Roger Sanderson. Ed Peters dropped fluid on the track on lap 19 bringing out the 2nd caution. Cautions breed cautions and the next yellow flew on lap 20 as McDonald got sideways, in the oil-dry, in front of Al Acuna leaving Acuna nowhere to go. Acuna was able to continue. Meanwhile, dash winner and fast timer Pat Walsh tangled with Mike Peeples and tagged the turn 4 wall. On the 4th restart, the running order remained the same. On lap 22, Acuna's bad luck continued as Pat Walsh contacted him, causing the final caution period. The order remained Fox, Pries, Williams and Wood. Veteran Pries was finally able to get by Fox on lap 24 and drove to the win ahead of Fox, Williams, and Wood. Sanderson's last lap spin allowed Walsh to close to within 7 points of him in the championship chase. Pries, is a distant 3rd. The final point race for the Sportsman will be the next race on Sept. 20th.
Rookie of the year contender David Menegan took the early lead in Real Stocks from his pole position. On lap 1Doug Way, Bill Middleton, point leader Aaron Byers and Cecil Arispe tangled and spun. All were able to continue, though Way pitted after the complete restart. It was Bob Lima's turn to drive the Rat Pack entry and he had a tough go of it, hitting the wall in practice, losing a right rear tire in his heat and pitting on lap 2 in the main. On lap 6 Donnie Brown clipped a spinning Stan Young and was forced to pit costing him 2nd place in the point standings. Fast qualifier and dash winner Trevor Miller got by Menegan for the lead on lap 8. After a lap 13 debris caution, the restart saw Miller lead slow heat winner Gary Adams, quick heat winner Adam Figas and Byers to the green flag. By lap 15 Adams had assumed the lead and held on for the win. Figas and Miller traded 2nd and 3rd a few times over the final laps with Miller finally claiming 2nd and Figas 3rd. Arispe and Byers overcame their early race troubles to finish 4th and 5th respectively.
Jerry Peterson led the 30 lap Mini Stock event until lap 4 when point leader Jaison Chand got by. On lap 9, fast timer and fast heat winner Joe Bonomini moved into 2nd ahead of David Henderson and set his sights on Chand. Chand's big lead evaporated when caution came out on lap 22 for Frank Billy's spin. On the restart it was Chand in front of Bonomini, Henderson and Murrell. Billy and Jay Rhodes had a lap 26 disagreement on proper passing procedures, which resulted in Billy holding his position. Bonomini was unable to pass Chand and settled for 2nd ahead of Henderson, Murrell, Billy and Rhodes. Glen Bernald won the first heat over Duane Mayo and Peterson. Chand stretched his point lead to 24 over Rhodes. Bonomini moved to within 10 points of Murrell in 3rd.
Limited Street action saw former track record holder, Craig Johnson, return to his old ride, subbing for point leader Lee Branstetter, in the Wendt Construction #8. Orion Moshier set fast time, the only thing that kept Johnson from a clean sweep, as he won the dash, the heat and the 15 lap main. Moshier offered Johnson his only serious challenge, going wheel to wheel with him, for much of the race, before Johnson finally shut the door. Ron Brown was 3rd followed by Ray Middleton, Craig Huffman and Thomas Borges. Branstetter holds a 16 point lead over Moshier with Huffman in 3rd.
Notes Real Stock drivers Trevor Miller, Donnie Brown, and Steve Kimberling were disqualified in post race inspection and stripped of all points earned Saturday night. Brown slid from 2nd to 4th in points. Adams' strong run moved him into 2nd while Lissa Uselton moved into 3rd. Miller and Kimberling fell from 13th and 14th to 14th and 15th respectively. Cecil Arispe moved up into 13th. Aaron Byers continues to march toward his 1st championship and currently enjoys a 95 point lead over Adams.
Fast Time-Walsh 16.109
Dash-Walsh, Acuna, Pries, Williams
Heat-Sanderson, Wood, McDonald Jr, Acuna, Fox, Walsh, Peeples, Pries, Marcelli, Peters, Williams. Main-Pries, Fox, Williams, Wood, Walsh, Peeples, Peters, Sanderson, Acuna, McDonald Jr, Marcelli
Fast Time-Miller 19.690
Dash-Arispe, Byers. Heat#1-Adams, Wood, Thornbury, Young, Overson, Uselton, Lima.
Heat#2-Figas, Byers, Arispe, Turner, Way, Middleton, Belt. Main-Adams, Figas, Arispe, Byers, Wood, Overson, Uselton, Young, Middleton, Way, Turner, Lima, Thornbury.
Fast Time-Bonomini 18.906
Dash-Billy, Bonomini, Winfrey, Rhodes
Heat #1-Bernald, Mayo, Peterson, McDonald Sr, S. Baker, Jewell, C. Baker, Morrison
Heat #2-Bonomini, Rhodes, Billy, Chand, Henderson, Murrell, Winfrey
Main-Chand, Bonomini, Henderson, Murrell, Rhodes, Peterson, Mayo, McDonald Sr, Billy, S. Baker, Bernald, Jewell, C. Baker, Winfrey, Morrison
Fast Time-Moshier 17.839
Dash-Johnson, Moshier, Brown, Huffman
Heat-Johnson, Moshier, Brown, Middleton, Huffman, Borges
Main-Johnson, Moshier, Brown, Middleton, Huffman, Borges
