8/31/2025
Redwood Acres Raceway
White Dominates, Wins NorCal Legends Feature
The 2025 season at Redwood Acres Raceway continued this past Saturday night for the track’s penultimate race of the year. O’Reilly Auto Parts presented the evening’s event which featured the NorCal Legend Series, the Mid-City Motor World Late Models, bombers, Jr. Legends, mini stocks and the Eel River Transportation & Salvage Dirt 4 Bangers.
Sebastopol’s Cody Winchel was quickest of the 20 cars that timed in for the NorCal Legend Series with a 17.506. The series implemented what is known as a “pole shuffle” for the fastest eight drivers to determine who would start where in the 30-lap main event. Cameron Austin who timed in eighth was able to best all comers to earn pole position for the main event. Dustin Meier won the first heat race while J.K. Kinney won the second heat. Meier and Scott Taylor placed one-two in the B main event to transfer to the main.
Austin utilized pole position to his advantage as he moved to the lead at the start of the feature and was able to hold the top spot for the first five laps. Brandon White powered by Austin for the lead and quickly added to his advantage as Austin had his hands full with the faster qualifiers of Winchel, Trey Daniels and Aiden Daniels.
The race proved to be a clean and green affair which meant handling was at a premium as well as making passes quickly. White was able to slowly add to his lead while Winchel fought off Trey Daniels for the second position. After working on timing his run on Winchel for a number of laps, Trey Daniels was finally able to get by to move into second.
As laps ticked down, White began to come upon the back of the field. Whether White would be held up in traffic came into question since he and Daniels were running similar lap times. Fortunately for White, a combination of drivers being aware and his own driving negated any advance Daniels hoped to make. At the finish it was White winning over Trey Daniels by a 1.3 second margin. Series points leader Winchel held on for third while Aiden Daniels placed fourth and Kai Lovell came in fifth.
Luke Hall was once again fast time for the Mid-City Motor World Late Models with a 15.624 time in qualifying. Contact in the heat race in turn one between Romeo Venza and Brandon Barnwell sent both drivers hard into the wall. Thankfully both drivers were unharmed. Hall was the heat race winner.
Peterson and Hall fought side-by-side early in the 45-lap main event. Peterson eventually took the lead but Hall regained his composure and was able to get to the outside going into the first turn. Peterson got tight into Hall and spun in turn two bringing out the yellow. Hall retained the lead on the restart while Peterson quickly moved into second. Hall was able to finish the race unchallenged and ended up taking the win over Peterson. Melanie Schmitt was third while Christian Sanchez was fourth and Brandon Barnwell placed fifth using a back-up car.
Ryan Walters made his first start of the season in the bomber division and was fastest in qualifying with an 18.292. The 15-lap feature saw contact between T.J. Sorrels and Walters off turn four while racing for second on lap two which sent Walters into the wall. Walters was able to drive his car to the pits but was out for the race while Sorrels returned on the restart but was forced into the pits a few laps later.
A spin by Kimberley Rojas caused a caution in the final few laps but it proved to be to her advantage as she moved to the lead over her father Jimmy Sorrels. It was a cat-and-mouse race until the white flag when Jimmy Sorrels powered to the lead en route to taking the main event win. Rojas placed second while T.J. Sorrels was credited with third, Walters with fourth and Chris Sarvinski scored fifth after suffering issues before the green flag.
Jr. Legends honors went to Phoenix Venza in both the heat race and main event with his qualifying time being 20.217. Jarrett Mayo’s 18.957 was fastest in mini stock qualifying and he was also victorious in the heat race. Cole Peterson looked strong in the early stages of the 15-lap main but mechanical issues forced him into the pits on lap five. Mayo inherited the lead and cruised to the win over Garrett Wheeler and Peterson.
Heat race winners in the Eel River Transportation & Salvage Dirt 4 Bangers were Gene O’Dell and Cody Caylor. The 20-lap main event saw the action get a bit too thrilling for one driver as Matt Merrill drove over the side of another car down the backstretch and rolled over. Fortunately, Merrill was okay. David Furia became the first driver to have multiple feature wins in the Dirt 4 Bangers as he started from the rear and was able to take first. O’Dell finished second followed by Colton Kinsey, Wayne Hunt and Robert Reddick.
The 2025 season at Redwood Acres Raceway will conclude Saturday September 20 for the Steve Taylor Memorial Fall Spectacular. For full race results and points visit RacinTheAcres.com. Be sure to follow Redwood Acres Raceway on Facebook and Instagram.
Submitted By: Matthew Sullivan