8/17/2025
Redwood Acres Raceway
Peterson’s Win Halts Barnwell’s Dominance
Mother Nature brought wet weather for the first part of this past Saturday. Thankfully with the help of lifted skies and hard work from Redwood Acres Raceway officials, racing was able to take place. Leon’s Car Care Center presented the evening’s wall-to-wall action as the Mid-City Motor World Late Models headlined the event. Legends, bombers, limited modifieds, Jr. Legends, mini stocks and the Eel River Transportation & Salvage Dirt 4 Bangers also took to the track on Saturday.
Luke Hall lowered his own track record in the Mid-City Motor World Late Models with a time of 15.541 breaking the 15.595 time he set in May of this season. Qualifying also saw a hard hit for Ryun Leazer as a right-front issue coming off turn four on his second lap sent him hard into the wall. Thankfully Leazer was unharmed. Brandon Barnwell took the first heat race win while Dennis DelBiaggio took the second.
The 65-lap feature started off with a spirited side-by-side battle between Jerry Peterson and Barnwell the first handful of laps before Barnwell took the lead. Hall quickly carved his way to the front first getting by Dane Nissen for third, then by Peterson for second. Hall made quick work of Barnwell as he was able to take the lead on lap seven.
Hall pulled out to a large lead and looked to be in a class of his own as racing progressed. On lap 21, DelBiaggio spun in turn three while Romeo Venza stopped his car to avoid contact. While trying to get going, DelBiaggio pulled down just as Hall was trying to maneuver past the two stopped cars resulting in Hall hitting DelBiaggio in the driver’s side. While the incident was not as severe as it could have been, the damage to both cars was enough to put both drivers out of the race.
Hall’s misfortune allowed Barnwell to inherit the lead but it was Nissen who took over the top spot on the restart. Nissen took over for Hall as the race dominator as he pulled out to a substantial lead over the field. Sadly, Nissen would also suffer from misfortune. On lap 38, Nissen attempted to lap Melanie Schmitt going into turn one and the two cars made contact. Nissen received substantial damage to the right front of his car but drivers were able to continue in the race.
Once again Barnwell returned to the race lead but he was thwarted once again on the restart as Peterson took the lead. Peterson stretched his lead to nearly a straightaway over the field. Nissen was able to briefly move back to second but it became clear as the laps ticked off that the right front damage to his car was severely affecting his handling.
Barnwell was able to retake the second position and made a big charge to Peterson’s bumper in the final 10 laps. Barnwell’s pressure was not enough for Peterson to make a mistake though and at the finish it was Peterson taking the win and breaking Barnwell’s perfect four-for-four winning streak in 2025. Joe Bonomini placed third while Nissen took fourth and Venza finished fifth.
Michael Moses made the long tow from Sparks, Nevada and made good in qualifying for the Legends by setting quick time with a 17.595. Landen Green was the heat race winner while Kassidy Fraser had issues just after the checkered flag that ended her night prematurely.
Chris Lawrence held the lead on lap one of the 25-lap main but Green took the spot going into turn one on lap two. Green pulled out to what proved to be an insurmountable lead as Moses fought hard first to get by Scott Taylor for third, then Lawrence for second. It appeared that Moses was going to close on Green but both drivers' lap times equaled out as the race progressed. Green’s advantage at the finish was over two seconds as he took the win over Moses, Lawrence, Taylor and Agna Zayne.
Luke Hall was quickest in the limited modifieds with a 16.805. David Furia won the heat while Hall took the win over Furia, Gene O’Dell and Christian Sanchez.
The Eel River Transportation & Salvage Dirt 4 Bangers returned for the second time in 2025. David Furia and Gene O’Dell were the heat race winners. The 15-lap main proved to feature the same two drivers at the front with Furia taking the victory over O’Dell, Brian Murrell, Jr. Brett Murrell and Colton Kinsey.
T.J. Sorrels dominated the night for the bombers setting fast time with an 18.760 and winning the heat race and main event. It was the same for Phoenix Venza in the Jr. Legends. Fast time was 21.173 while Venza followed up with wins in the heat and main. Garrett Wheeler also swept the night in the mini stocks. Wheeler paced qualifying with a 20.149 and was the winner of the race and main event.
Only two races remain on the schedule for Redwood Acres Raceway for 2025. The NorCal Legend Series will join the Mid-City Motor World Late Models, bombers, Jr. Legends, mini stocks and the Eel River Transportation & Salvage Dirt 4 Bangers on Saturday August 30. The Nor-Cal Legend Series race will be a national qualifying event for the INEX Nationals which will be held at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in October and a large car count is expected.
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Submitted By: Matthew Sullivan