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The biggest local annual junior dragsters race of the year took place at the Samoa Drag Strip on Saturday, with a big payout for both winning drivers.

The Jr. Big Buck race attracted 30 young drivers from all around California, as well as Nevada, Arizona and Oregon.

There were two classes competing for the coveted and unique Redwood Wally trophies, one for drivers aged 6-12 and one for drivers aged 13-17.

Thanks to the sponsorship of several local business, both winning drivers took home a purse of $2000, with $1500 going to the runners-up, $750 to the third-place finishers and $250 for fourth.

And as usual the competition was strong.

Cody Vincent took the victory in the 13-17 division, with Nate Wasso placing first in the 6-12 division.

The season at the Samoa Drag Strip features just one division and runs from April to October, and the race for the season championship is heating up as we head towards the business end of the campaign.

Robert Boynton currently leads the field with 283.5 points from the opening nine races, with Grant Williamson (249 points), Isabella Fuentes-Zittel (236), Cameron Ellsworth (202) and Daniel Inman (178.5) rounding out the top five and still in contention to take the season title.

Six race days remain on the schedule, including the next scheduled event which will take place on Aug. 16.

And the young drivers all seem to be enjoying the season.

“I think what a lot of kids like about it is A, it’s a great family atmosphere, and B, the speed,” event volunteer Dax Williamson said. “It’s their second group of friends away from school and they like to compete going fast.”

The junior drag racing league normally attracts around 15 to 18 cars for each event, but the Big Buck drag race is the highlight day of the summer.

“It’s a real good family event,” Dax Williamson added. “And we got a lot of really good support from the community.”

The day’s festivities also included a golf-cart drag race between some of the young drivers, as well as a parents’ race, with several of the parents squeezing into the cars for their own competition.

“That was a lot of fun,” Dax Williamson said. “I think a lot of the parents really enjoyed that.”