Recreation
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- Written by: Nadine Strauss
WILLIAMS, Calif. — The eighth annual awards banquet and concert honoring the top 10 drivers in the 2021 North State Modified Series, or NSMS, presented by Protect the Harvest, was held last Saturday night at Granzella's Banquet Facility in Williams.
Business Manager Nadine Strauss acted as master of ceremonies. Speakers were Mark Baldwin from O’Reilly Auto Parts, Shasta Speedway promoter Dave Twyman, and series promoters Jeff Stephens and Bob Strauss.
NSMS official Johnna Hensen presented all the ladies present with special gifts, and talked about how important women are to racing.
Scott Winters and the Ferrari-Kramer racing team were crowned 2021 NSMS champions. Winters, a veteran driver who for many years was a top-runner with the Lucas Oil Modifieds, has set many track records and captured many main events while competing with North State. In 2020 he finished second overall to Kyle Tellstrom.
Winters’ worst finish in 2021was a third place. He had 4 main event wins — two at Redwood Acres Raceway in Eureka, and one each at Shasta Speedway and Madera Speedway. He finished second in all the other races.
The team took home $1,000 in Hoosier points fund money, a $1,000 Lucas Oil products certificate, product from Scribner Plastics, and championship Hoosier Tires racing jackets.
Second place honors went to Keith Bloom of Anderson. Bloom drove for Sacramento car owners Sal Lopez and Steve Thomas. In 2020 he finished sixth overall with North State.
This year he finished in the top six at every race. His best finishes were second places, both of them at Shasta Speedway. He placed in the top three in five Lucas Oil Dash for Cash events. Bloom collected $700 plus a $1000 certificate from Lucas Oil.
Finishing third this year was Ian Elliott of Lakeport. Elliott ran in second place almost all season, but bad luck at the end saw him slip to third. He began racing with North State in 2018 where he earned the Sunoco Rookie of the Year title. Last year he finished ninth and swore he’d do better in 2021.
He finished in the top-six seven out of eight races, had a second place finish at Eureka, and three third place finishes at Shasta and both the Madera races. Elliott was presented with $600 from the Hoosier Tire points fund and $1000 in product from Lucas Oil.
Fourth place overall went to Rich Cobb of Klamath Falls, Oregon. Cobb finished tenth in overall points last year. He has been with North State since 2014 and for the most part has been our long-tow driver. He was the winner of the Lucas Oil Dash for Cash at Shasta Speedway in June, and finished second in the dash at the other 2 Shasta events.
He posted the third quickest time at All American Speedway in July, and finished third in main event action both at Redwood Acres and Shasta Speedway in June. Cobb only finished out of the top 10 twice all year. Cobb’s certificate from Lucas Oil for good for $600.
Ending up in fifth place in 2021 was Dustin DeRosier of Cloverdale. DeRosier finished fifth in points two year in a row. He was the winner of one Lucas Oil Dash for Cash in 2021, and had six top 10 finishes. His best efforts were fourth place finishes at Madera, Shasta and All American Speedway in Roseville. He led many laps in 2021, but just could not hold back the other top dogs.
Finishing in sixth place was Sal Lopez of Sacramento. Lopez is the oldest driver in the series, competing in 2021 at 77 years of age. He produced two cars for the better part of this season: He drove one (most of the time) and had Cody Braund, Foryst Souza and Chris Scribner drive the other. He had the best luck with Braund where, as a team, they won the Lloyd Burton Challenge at Shasta Speedway on October 9th. Braund also posted four top 10 main event finishes, running for Sal’s points. The top six drivers all collected Lucas Oil Product certificates.
Seventh place went to Kyle Tellstrom of Ukiah. Tellstrom was the North State Modified Series champion in 2020. This year he had a fast time at four events, and set new track records on his first three outings. He won 3 races in 2021, including the season opener at Shasta, the following race at Madera, and the July race in Roseville. Then he had back luck and missed a race while leading in points. Tellstrom has relocated to the state of Idaho.
Darrin Sullivan of Kelseyville finished eighth. Sullivan started racing with North State in 2016 where he chalked up the 2016 Sunoco Rookie of the Year title. He missed one race this season, but his biggest claim to fame was setting a new track record at Shasta Speedway during the Lloyd Burton Challenge in October. He is also one of six drivers to win that prestigious event and have his name engraved on the perpetual trophy that is housed in the NSMS Lucerne office. In 2021 his best feature finish was a third at All American Speedway. That same night he clocked in second fastest. He finished in the top 10 five times
Ninth place overall went to our youngest driver Kylei Keown of Ukiah. For the first half of 2021 she was only 15 years old. She teamed up with one of the best, and improved at each race. Had her car not broken at the spring race in Madera, she would have finished way up the ladder. As it was, she had four top 10 finishes, and won the 2021 Sunoco Rookie of the Year title.
Mike Neilson of Lakeport rounded out the top 10 NSMS drivers. Neilson only ran ½ the season with North State. After that he tried his luck at the local race track. In 2021 he finished seventh in his first race at Shasta, and was the winner of the Lucas Oil Dash for Cash at the very next race at Madera Speedway. His best finish was a sixth place at Shasta in June, and he had four top ten finishes.
Recognition also went to all the NSMS officials as well as the series sponsors Protect the Harvest, Lucas Oil, Hoosier Tire West, Terry Deal and Economy Heating & Air, Sullivan Masonry & Construction, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Mark and Sharon Baldwin, Ray Elliott, McMurray & Sons Roofing, Mort Houston, Naake Suspension, Sunoco Race Fuels, Five Star Bodies, Racer Bling, Scribner Plastics and Frank's Radios.
The North State Modified Series begins its 2022 season at Stockton 99 Speedway on April 23. The entire schedule can be found on the North State Modified Series Facebook page.
- Details
- Written by: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Why are clams becoming unburied at Pismo Beach?
Q: I read reports of events on Pismo Beach where hundreds or thousands of clams are becoming unburied. How often is this happening and what is the cause?
A: In the past, it was relatively uncommon for clams to become unburied at Central Coast beaches and in the Monterey area. However,this year we’ve seen more events where hundreds, if not thousands, of clams have unburied. Some of these clams perish from drying out in the sun or being eaten by birds, but many rebury and survive, according to reports from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly). The smaller clams seem to unbury more easily, but they also rebury easier than the bigger ones. The local population of Pismo clams is the highest it’s been in decades, so it is possible that clams are being observed unburied simply because there are more of them.
We don’t yet have a clear understanding of why this is happening. This summer, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the California Department of Public Health tested the Pismo clam population for diseases, parasites, paralytic shellfish poisoning and domoic acid levels. The results did not show that any of these factors likely contributed to clams unburying. Cal Poly is keeping an eye on the unburied clams and may do further testing. CDFW will continue working to conserve Pismo clams and provide support to Cal Poly and partner agencies.
Regulations for Pismo clams can be found in California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 14, section 29.40. Pismo clams can be harvested with a valid fishing license. Anglers may retain 10 Pismo clams per day if the clams meet the minimum size of five inches in greatest diameter north of the San Luis Obispo/Monterey county line, and four-and-a-half inches south of the county line. Note that almost no legal sized clams can currently be found in the Pismo Beach area. All undersized clams must be immediately reburied in the area where they were found. In Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, the season for Pismo clams starts Sept. 1 and ends after April 30. In all other counties, the season is open year-round.
As Pismo clams recover from a decades-long population decline, only a small percentage have reached legal harvest size, with almost all clams found being too small to harvest. Wildlife officers have issued hundreds of citations for possession of undersized clams and seized thousands of undersized clams in the past few years. Pismo clam poaching can be reported via CalTIP.
More information is available on CDFW’s Invertebrates of Interest page. Additionally, the San Luis Obispo Coast District offers an overview video(opens in new tab) on the Pismo Clam population, including instructions for reburying clams.
Big game
Q: Is it illegal to intentionally feed big game?
A: Yes. CCR, Title 14, section 251.3 prohibits knowingly feeding big game mammals. Big game is defined in CCR, Title 14, section 350 as the following: deer, elk, pronghorn antelope, wild pig (feral pigs, European wild pigs and their hybrids), black bear and Nelson bighorn sheep in certain areas as defined in California Fish and Game Code, section 4902(b).
Gray wolves
Q: How can I tell the difference between a coyote and a gray wolf, and what should I do if I see a gray wolf?
A: Gray wolves are native to California and up until very recently, had not been present in the state since the 1920s. With the recent expansion of this large carnivore in the western United States, gray wolves are recolonizing California. This species is wide ranging and as a habitat generalist can be found in many different habitats. Currently, gray wolves are known in the northernmost parts of the state (southern Cascades and Modoc Plateau areas).
Here are the differences in physical characteristics between coyotes and gray wolves:
Coyotes are shorter, sleeker and lighter on their feet. They typically weigh 15 to 45 pounds and stand at a shoulder height of about one-and-a-half feet. They typically have a long and pointed snout, as well as long and pointed ears.
Gray wolves are larger, bulkier and stout. They typically weigh 70 to 130 pounds and stand at a shoulder height of two-and-a-half feet. They typically have a large and blocky snout, and short and rounded ears.
To report wolf activity or sightings please contact CDFW at 530-225-2300 or fill out a sighting report on our website. You can also email
More information on distinguishing between wolves and coyotes is available on CDFW’s gray wolf webpage.
- Details
- Written by: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Q: I have a few questions about the new trap regulations for recreational crabbing that took effect on Nov. 1. Why the new regulations? Where can I find information about the new requirements for marker buoys, main buoys and validations?
A: We appreciate your interest in keeping up to date on recreational crabbing regulations. The new regulations are spelled out in California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 14, sections 29.80 and 29.85.
They were adopted to address entanglement risk in the recreational fishery and to minimize interaction potential with protected whales and sea turtles.
The regulations establish a validation stamp requirement, trap limit, trap service interval, new trap marking requirements, and new authority for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to temporarily limit the use of crab traps in times of increased entanglement risk.
A full background report and rationale is available on the California Fish and Game Commission’s website. You can find answers to the most commonly asked questions about the new regulations on our crab fishery webpage.
Hunter education
Q: I was looking for information about hunting wild pigs in California and came across a YouTube video with wildlife officers providing just the information I needed! Are there other videos like this and if so, where can I find them?
A: It sounds like you watched a recording of CDFW’s Advanced Hunter Education (AHE) webinar titled “Wild Pig Hunting on Public Lands.”
This webinar is one in a series of CDFW Advanced Hunter Education webinars which launched about a year ago. Each webinar is about an hour long and focuses on a particular hunting related topic.
Some of the topics covered so far include turkey hunting 101, virtual scouting and Zone D11, D13 and D15 deer hunting opportunities.
You can sign up to participate in upcoming webinars at www.wildlife.ca.gov/Hunter-Education/Advanced. Additionally, you can view recordings of prior webinars by searching for “AHE” titled videos on CDFW’s YouTube channel.
CDFW’s R3 (which stands for recruit, retain and reactivate) program also offers a virtual seminar series called the R3 Harvest Huddle Hour (R3H3). R3H3 seminars are focused on people new to hunting, fishing, foraging and shooting sports.
You can register for these events by clicking on the calendar events listed on the R3 webpage. Past recordings can be found here. You may also find resources listed under the “hunting” tab useful too, like this older guide on hunting pigs in California.
Rattlesnakes
Q: I followed the news story about the Santa Rosa resident who found dozens of rattlesnakes under his home. Should I be worried about rattlesnakes under my house? Are rattlesnakes aggressive?
A: It’s perfectly natural, and perhaps even an innate human reaction, to feel worried when hearing a story about a California resident finding so many potentially dangerous snakes so close.
In general, rattlesnakes are not aggressive. They avoid conflict to the best of their ability because they don’t want to risk injury or death in a battle or to waste venom by biting something that isn’t prey.
The most familiar way rattlesnakes avoid conflict is signaling their presence by rattling and taking a defensive coiled posture when a potential threat gets too close for comfort. If left alone, they will move away from the threat, not toward it. A lot of bites occur when people are trying to kill or move rattlesnakes.
However, not all bites involve envenomation. They will sometimes “dry bite” as a warning.
Rattlesnakes are distributed broadly across the state but are typically found in open habitats like grasslands, savanna and desert, often in and around rock outcrops when available. When they are found in homes and yards, it’s usually along a wildland-urban interface. However, coming across a den under a house like the one in Santa Rosa is incredibly rare.
It’s important to recognize that rattlesnakes don’t seek out or prefer to live near people, but they will den under a home if there is an abundance of prey and if it’s the best available habitat in an area.
The Santa Rosa story is a good reminder that we should be mindful of our surroundings when we spend time outdoors and around our homes, especially during warmer weather.
Residents can make their yards rattlesnake safe by removing objects that attract them and their prey. This can include keeping vegetation away from fences, removing piles of boards or rocks around the home and preparing any holes in vents or other potential access points.
For more information on rattlesnakes in California, please visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/Keep-Me-Wild/Rattlesnakes.
- Details
- Written by: Clear Lake State Park
The free event will take place at the park’s visitor center.
Enjoy a book on the StoryWalk trail and stay for some crafts. The trail is less than a mile in length.
Clear Lake State Park is located at 5300 Soda Bay Road, Kelseyville.
For more information call 707-279-4293.
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