It’s Musical Chairs at Redwood Rally, as Day One Leaders Fight to Keep The Top Spot in Class
After a successful first day at Medford Dragstrip in Medford, Oregon, the second annual Redwood Rally made its way west and a little south to Samoa, California and Samoa Dragstrip, for the second day of racing and street drive fun, after a little over 200 miles of street proving.
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The quickest class, Unlimited, continues to be led by Shayne Propst. And he got quicker on day two, guiding his ‘67 Chevy Nova to a 4.449 at 167 mph, lowering his average to 4.5055.
Lane Cavar, who stepped up to host his own drag-and-drive earlier this year, stayed in command of the American Graffiti Power-Adder class. Cavar’s ‘79 Chevy Malibu started the week with a 5.515 at 127.23 mph, and he backed that up with a 5.49 at 126.25 mph on day two, giving him a 5.5025 average.
The American Graffiti Magnum class had the ’69 Chevy Camaro of Tyler Koranda in front after a 5.377 at 135.99 mph pass on day one. Koranda slowed a little on day two, recording a 5.672 at 131 mph, but his 5.5245 average was enough to keep the class lead.
Another Camaro driver kept his Chevrolet in the number one spot in American Graffiti Naturally-Aspirated, as Micky Buerger combined a 6.397 at 108.67 mph run on day one with an improved 6.344 on day two for a 6.37 average.
The newest American Graffiti class, American Graffiti Hard Tire, found Jason Rellinger the quickest on regular radials through two days of work. The ’99 Chevy Silverado clocked in with a 6.814 at 102.13 mph day one blast, then added a 6.740 on day two, making for a 6.777 average.
Another new class, Glory Days Gasser, has seen the Ford Falcon of Walt Hooker lay down the quickest runs so far. After opening with an 11.01 at 121 mph on the opening day, Hooker improved to a 10.926 in California for day two, giving him a 21.936 total and the lead.
Junior Street is the third of five new classes to Redwood Rally, and Dylan Ellsworth jumped right to the front on day one, within one little thousandth of his 10.872 base number on day one. Day two he stayed in line, 26 thousandths of-a-second off the base to retain the lead.
There were several classes where the lead changed hands on day two.
The Slightly Unlimited class came into California with the ’67 Mustang of Devin Stephens at the helm thanks to a 5.494 pass. But he slowed on day two to a 6.067, allowing the 5.834 pass from AJ Jennen and his 1972 Vega wagon to get the top spot with a 5.664 average.
Redwood Radials also got a change of competitors at the top, after day one leader Donavan Linwood failed to make a run on day two. Jaden Shelton stepped up to take the spot with a 5.7855 two-day average.
The manual transmissions take center stage in the 3 Pedal class, and we witnessed Nate Curran’s 1980 Ford Fairmont clock a 9.337 at 152.59 mph for the day one lead.
Curran slowed to a 9.736 on day two, giving up the lead to fellow Ford owner Jared McMorrow. His 2001 Mustang combined a 9.404 at 138.55 mph on day one with an 8.916 at 159.97 mph on day two for an 18.320 total and the class top spot.
The large Mind Over Matter class requires consistency between passes and tracks, and three competitors strayed just 0.001 of-a-second from their base on day one.
Vinny Lombardi didn’t keep his lead long though, as he slowed to over a tenth of-a-second off his base number of 12.846, giving up the leader spot to Brian Jennen. Jennen only strayed a combined total seven thousandths of-a-second off his base with a 1985 Chevy El Camino, earning the lead on day two.
Two of the newest classes to Redwood Rally also had new changes. The Speed Queens class had Erika Young in front on day one, but she slowed from her base number too much on day two. This allowed the Ford Lightning of Kelli Eyra to move into the lead.
The Tailgate Racers class had past participant Danny Crownover’s ’92 Chevy in first thanks to a 5.76 at 131 mph blast on day one. But Crownover slowed to a 6.01 on day two, opening soace for fellow Chevrolet pick-up owner Brady Davis to come around with a 5.678 average.
The Redwood Rally tour rolls back to Oregon for day three, visiting Coos Bay Speedway in Coos Bay. We’ll have more results here at Sick the Magazine.
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine and Redwood Rally.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com