Oshkosh, WI — (September 13, 2013) — The stars were aligning for a return trip to victory lane for Bill Balog and the B2 Motorsports team. After a successful run in a midget and being shutout of victory lane in last weekend’s northern Wisconsin swing by Scott Neitzel and Mark Dobmeier, the five-time and defending champ was headed back to a track where he had visited victory lane on three straight appearances.
Oshkosh Speedzone Sprint Spooktacular held on Friday Night September 13th didn’t require any mystic intervention to record a victory. Rather Balog accomplished the fete with aggressive move in lapped traffic to surge past Neitzel for the top spot on lap 13 and then outrun a determined Jordan Goldesberry to earn his 15th victory of the 2013 season in the 25 lap main event. The win streak at Oshkosh now stands at four.
The win also pushed Balog’s main event victory total to 60 in the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint series, and he is now just a single checkered flag away from tying nine-time series champion Joe Roe atop the all-time win list. Roe stepped out of the cockpit with 61 career wins under his belt matching the number on the cars driven by the legendary racer. It would seem now that Balog’s climb to the top of the win list is more a question of a when, rather than if it will happen. There remain three opportunities for that victory this season.
The main event pushed off 22 cars strong and Neitzel who began the 25 lap contest from the outside of the front row shot into the opening lead with polesitter Goldesberry working the low line into second. Balog who had started sixth rim rode the track up to the third spot by the completion of the first circuit.
The well groomed racing surface allowed for multiple racing grooves though the leaders opted to run the cushion slinging around the track at speeds approaching 120 mph.
By lap six the leaders were already reaching lapped traffic. Neitzel was slowed slightly trying to find a route through the back markers as Balog and Goldesberry momentarily caught Neitzel with the top trio winding up nearly three wide. Neitzel was able to regain momentum and hold fast to the lead while Balog slipped by Goldesberry for second.
For the next several laps Neitzel was able to repel Balog’s challenges while negotiating lapped traffic. On lap 13 Neitzel executed a slide job in turn two. That move proved to be effective in removing Neitzel from the lead position. Neitzel attempted to regain the lead in the same fashion in the next set of turns but was unable to gain the momentum to do so settling into the second spot.
While Balog set sail Neitzel now found himself fending off the challenges of Goldesberry who was having a good deal of success running a lower line on the racing surface. After a side by side war that lasted several circuits Goldesberry moved into the runner-up spot with five laps to go.
In the closing laps the caution flag would fly when Jeremy Schultz lost grip in turn two going for a quick spin while running in the sixth spot. This placed the field back on Balog’s rear nerf bar. With the lapped cars out of the way Goldesberry and Neitzel would have a clear shot at Balog for the lead.
On the restart several cars began to accordion mid pack with several making contact. Disaster was averted by some heads up driving, but Schultz sustained damage in the incident forcing him from the contest.
When action resumed Balog timed his restart perfectly pulling away from Goldesberry and setting a pace which allowed him to reach the finish with a 12 car length advantage. Goldesberry nailed down the second spot, his best run of the 2013 season. Neitzel laid claim to the final podium spot.
Steve Meyer fresh off a third place run last week at Cedar Lake managed a fourth place finish tonight while Robbie Pribnow the 2012 Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series rookie of the year earned his second straight top five finish grabbing fifth from Phillip Mock in the closing laps. Mock held onto sixth.
Brian Kristan made a return to action tonight. The hard charging racer who has made limited appearances the past couple seasons wheeled the car normally driven by Nick Alden bringing home a respectable seventh place finish. Dave Uttech earned the seventh spot the final car on the lead lap in eighth. Wayne Modjeski and Russel Borland comprised the top ten finishers.
Earlier in the evening Bill Wirth captured the B-main event over Allen Hafford. Scott Uttech, Jereme Schroeder, Kurt Davis, Michael Decker and Chad Tessman were the transfer cars finishing third through seventh respectively.
The contest eliminated hard chargers Ben Schmidt and Ken Jay Fiedler. Schmidt had just cleared Fiedler when Fiedler began to spin resulting in Schmidt climbing over Fielder’s wheel. Schmidt somehow managed to get the car back on the ground after shooting high in the air and landing on a single wheel. Unfortunately his ride was too damaged to continue.
Fiedler would return to action getting back into a transfer spot when his ride suffered mechanical failure with two laps to go.
In heat race action victories were collected by Balog, Schultz and Pribnow. The first heat was especially frustrating for Bill Warren. Warren was successfully fending off the challenges of Balog when his engine expired with a couple laps to go ending his evening early.
The Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series now heads to the Plymouth Dirt Track located at the Sheboygan County Fairpark for the 17th running of the Frank Filskov Memorial race. The main event will be contested at 27 laps for the 410 sprints with the 27 trips around the quarter-mile oval representing the number Filskov carried on his cars.
The MSA 360 sprints will be joining in the activities and will hold a 28 lap main event as both series races combine with 55 laps of A-main action to honor Brian Portschy. Portschy who for years drove his #55 sprint car was a fan favorite and had been a competitor in both classes. Portschy recently lost his life in a non-racing related accident.
The Filskov Memorial race has had a wide variety of winners with no driver collecting more than two wins during the previous 16 contests. Balog, Kertscher, Kim Mock and Kurt Winker have each scored two victories.
More often than not the Filskov event has seen new faces reach victory lane with drivers like Brian Kristan, Scott Uttech and Tim Vandervere all tasting victory in the event. Of any of the upcoming races it seems the Filskov Memorial could set the stage for a breakthrough victory on the IRA tour.
The full size sprint cars will be joined by the mini-sprints making for an action packed all open wheeled show.
Pits will open at the track at 3:00pm, with the grandstands opening at 4:30pm. The first cars are expected to go trackside for hot laps at 5:30pm
Tickets are $20 for adults with a student ticket for fans ages 6 through 12 available for $5. Children 5 and under are admitted FREE with a paid adult ticket.
Fans and teams should be advised of local road construction. Fairview Drive (CTY O ) exit off HWY 23 is now open. Cty E exit off HWY 23 is now closed. When leaving the Sheboygan County Fairpark, you may no longer head west on 23 off Fairview Dr. You will need to go through town and follow HWY 67 to 23.
For additional information check out the track website at www.plymouthdtr.com
For more information on the IRA Outlaw Sprints check out the tour website at www.irasprints.com or logging onto the series Facebook page at www.facebook.com/irasprints
The IRA Outlaw Sprint Series is proudly supported by Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts & Service Centers, Hoosier Tire, Osborn & Son Trucking, TW Metals, Onan, Carriage Auto Body, Polaris DEFENSE, and Mother’s Polishes and Waxes. The office of the IRA Sprints can be reached at 815-759-9269 or by e-mail at steve@irasprints.com
BOX SCORE:
Event: #23 – Oshkosh Speedzone Raceway – Oshkosh, WI – September 13, 2013
Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Cars
A Feature (25 Laps): 1. 17B-Bill Balog[6]; 2. 65-Jordan Goldesberry[1]; 3. 2W-Scott Neitzel[2]; 4. 85M-Steve Meyer[4]; 5. 20R-Rob Pribnow[7]; 6. 1M-Phillip Mock[5]; 7. 8A-Brian Kristan[12]; 8. 68-Dave Uttech[3]; 9. 14AJ-Wayne Modjeski[9]; 10. 23-Russell Borland[14]; 11. 53W-Bill Wirth[16]; 12. 7-Scott Uttech[18]; 13. 94-Brandon Thone[13]; 14. 43-Jereme Schroeder[19]; 15. 10V-Matt Vandevere[15]; 16. 4K-Kris Spitz[11]; 17. 5J-Jeremy Schultz[8]; 18. 12-Michael Decker[21]; 19. 38-Allen Hafford[17]; 20. 79-Blake Nimee[10]; DNF 71-Chad Tessman[22]; DNF 6K-Kurt Davis[20]
B Feature (12 Laps): 1. 53W-Bill Wirth[3]; 2. 38-Allen Hafford[4]; 3. 7-Scott Uttech[10]; 4. 43-Jereme Schroeder[5]; 5. 6K-Kurt Davis[8]; 6. 12-Michael Decker[6]; 7. 71-Chad Tessman[9]; DNF 95A-Ken Jay Fiedler[2]; DNF 35-Ben Schmidt[1]; DNF 73-Dennis Weisner[7]; DNS 95-Bill Warren; DNS 41-Dennis Spitz
Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 17B-Bill Balog[6]; 2. 79-Blake Nimee[4]; 3. 68-Dave Uttech[5]; 4. 94-Brandon Thone[1]; 5. 4K-Kris Spitz[3]; 6. 53W-Bill Wirth[7]; 7. 43-Jereme Schroeder[8]; DNF 95-Bill Warren[2]; DNF 6K-Kurt Davis[9]
Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 5J-Jeremy Schultz[2]; 2. 23-Russell Borland[1]; 3. 1M-Phillip Mock[6]; 4. 14AJ-Wayne Modjeski[4]; 5. 2W-Scott Neitzel[5]; 6. 95A-Ken Jay Fiedler[3]; 7. 12-Michael Decker[8]; 8. 71-Chad Tessman[9]; DNF 41-Dennis Spitz[7]
Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 20R-Rob Pribnow[2]; 2. 8A-Brian Kristan[3]; 3. 65-Jordan Goldesberry[5]; 4. 10V-Matt Vandevere[1]; 5. 85M-Steve Meyer[6]; 6. 73-Dennis Weisner[8]; 7. 38-Allen Hafford[7]; DNF 35-Ben Schmidt[4]; DNF 7-Scott Uttech[9]
Qualifying: 1. 17B-Bill Balog[18]; 2. 1M-Phillip Mock[17]; 3. 85M-Steve Meyer[8]; 4. 68-Dave Uttech[24]; 5. 2W-Scott Neitzel[20]; 6. 65-Jordan Goldesberry[9]; 7. 79-Blake Nimee[25]; 8. 14AJ-Wayne Modjeski[14]; 9. 35-Ben Schmidt[7]; 10. 4K-Kris Spitz[12]; 11. 95A-Ken Jay Fiedler[19]; 12. 8A-Brian Kristan[27]; 13. 95-Bill Warren[10]; 14. 5J-Jeremy Schultz[4]; 15. 20R-Rob Pribnow[1]; 16. 94-Brandon Thone[5]; 17. 23-Russell Borland[16]; 18. 10V-Matt Vandevere[6]; 19. 53W-Bill Wirth[21]; 20. 41-Dennis Spitz[26]; 21. 38-Allen Hafford[11]; 22. 43-Jereme Schroeder[23]; 23. 12-Michael Decker[2]; 24. 73-Dennis Weisner[13]; 25. 6K-Kurt Davis[3]; 26. 71-Chad Tessman[22]; 27. 7-Scott Uttech[15]