PLENTY OF CONTACT AT REDWOOD ACRES RACES

Source: Jamie Maynard/Times-Standard
Date: 07/03/2002

EUREKA, Calif. -- The action on the asphalt was intense at Redwood Acres on the opening night of the Fair races Friday, and left fans on their feet, as four divisions of cars took to the track for an exciting night of auto racing.

David Henderson took the win in Sportsman division trophy dash followed by Roger Sanderson, Shawn Andrews, and Angelo Marcelli. But it was Scotty Turner who was on the point as the checkered flag fell in the heat race. Veteran racers Pat Walsh and Al Acuna followed closely behind.

The Sportsman cars traded a lot of paint in their 30-lap main event. Sanderson and Andrews were battling it out for third place when contact between the two sent Sanderson into a spin. In an attempt to avoid hard contact with Sanderson, who was blocking the track, Turner slid his car sideways and made door to door contact. Both cars went on to complete the race, although Sanderson was penalized one lap for actions on the track. Walsh went on to win the event, followed by Al Acuna and Angelo Marcelli.

Rick Fox won the Real Stock division trophy dash, followed by Shawn Craig, Travis Maytanes, and Marty Walsh.

Despite a spin on his qualifying lap, which resulted in a lap time of 29.321 seconds, rookie Jimmy Thornbury took the win in the first of three Real Stock division heat races. Dana Porter won heat race No. 2, and Donnie Hyman took the win in the final heat race.

Mike Peeples was the first to the checkered flag in the Real Stock B-main, followed by Jimmy Thornbury. Both cars advanced to the A-main, but due to time stipulations the results of this race were unavailable at deadline and will be published in Sunday's Times-Standard.

Howard Ford of Crescent City won the Late Model trophy dash from the pole position, as David Miller of Coquille, Ore., Preston O'Dell of Fortuna, and Randy Hvall of Grants Pass, Ore., fell in single file behind.

There were such a large number of cars in the Late Model division that the heat races were split into two. Chuck LaHorgue of Redding held off the hard charging car of Preston O'Dell to take the win in the first heat race.

Heat race No. 2 for the Late Model cars was full of action on the asphalt. Hard contact in turn one between Ford and Dennis DelBiaggio left both cars parked for the night.

"The 19 car (DelBiaggio) got loose and turned into our right rear and turned us into the wall," said Ford. "I think we're done. It looks like its bent up pretty good. I don't even think we'll be able to fix it for tomorrow night. It's pretty bad."

DelBiaggio didn't quite see it that way.

"We started on the outside and when you get out there, you just gotta play with what the cars are doing," he said. "When I turned, he just didn't leave me any more room. He kept coming up higher. He just got by me so he knew I was there. It's just part of racing."

Sean Hays went on to win heat race No. 2, followed by Paul Peeples of McKinleyville.

A total of 20 cars qualified for the Late Model division race, but several of those cars did not see it to the end of the 60-lap main event. Contact on the track forced several cars to retire for the night, but all were optimistic about their chances of returning for the racing action tonight.

Jay Rhodes took home two of three trophies in the Mini Stock division as he won both the trophy dash and the heat race. Although he lead in the main event, he was unable to hold off Phil Wood who went on to win.

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