From IRA
Plymouth, WI — (June 30, 2012) — In the closing laps of The Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series A-main event at Sheboygan County Fairpark it appeared that Mike Kertscher was headed for his third victory of the 2012 season. Kertscher the evenings fastest qualifier of the 28 drivers on hand found himself in the lead of the event with just three laps to go in the 30 lap contest.
Kertscher, being chased by four-time and defending Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series champion Bill Balog had been aggressively slicing through lapped traffic in effort to keep lapped cars between himself and Balog who had been slowly closing in on the leader.
Coming off turn four Kertscher attempted to pull off a slide job on the lapped machine of Ty Bartz who was making his first series appearance of 2012. The maneuver did not go as planned with the two cars making contact. The resulting impact sent Bartz flipping into the catch fence off turn four while Kertscher managed to keep his machine upright. The fencing did its job catching the errant machine of Bartz who emerged from his machine unhurt but emotionally charged from the accident. Bartz’s intended on track discussion with Kertscher was negated when track officials quickly pushed Kertscher’s machine off into the pit area. As a result of the accident time was needed during the red flag period to fix the fencing.
Due to the accident which eliminated Kertscher, Balog suddenly found himself in the lead a position which he would hold to the checkered flag earning his seventh win of the 2012 season. Bill Warren and Scott Uttech both continued their streak of podium finishes with Warren edging Uttech for the runner-up spot for his best showing of the year.
The 30 lap A-main contest had started with 22 participants taking the green flag on the well groomed third-mile clay oval. Polesitter Dave Uttech took the opening lead of the contest, while his cousin Scott Uttech vaulted from his fifth starting spot into the runner-up position by the completion of the second lap.
Todd King residing from nearby Sheboygan Falls climbed into the third position by lap three as the trio sought to pull away from the field. The first of the evening’s two red flags flew on lap seven when Raymond Hensley tipped onto his side in turn three. The incident also involved the machines of Bill Wirth and Ken Jay Feidler who was one of four drivers doing double duty tonight as he was also participating in the accompanying 360 sprint portion of the program. While Hensley and Wirth were done for the evening, Feidler was able to continue.
Action resumed with Dave and Scott Uttech doing battle for the lead and family bragging right, while Kertscher, the evenings fastest qualifier had reached the third spot from his tenth starting spot. Scott Uttech managed to work by Dave Uttech on the restart pacing the event until lap 10 when Dave rallied reclaiming the lead position.
Kertscher had the optimum vantage point to witness the Uttech family battle from his third position as Balog who earlier won the B-main event began to close in on the lead trio.
On lap 13 Scott Uttech again worked past Dave for the lead. The Uttech show at the front of the pack came to an end on the next lap when Kertscher found room to dive between both Uttech’s and power his way to the front. The maneuver caused Scott Uttech to break his momentum losing several spots and allowing Dave Uttech and Balog to charge into second and third respectively.
Kertscher began to extend his lead on the field as Balog waited for the optimum time to surpass Dave Uttech who would surrender the second spot to Balog on lap 21.
The lead duo of Kertscher and Balog would battle through lapped traffic with Balog closing the gap to a couple car lengths.
Lap 27 would prove Kertscher’s downfall with the resulting accident between himself and Bartz thereby giving the lead to Balog.
After the final restart Balog benefitted from a torrid battle between Warren and Scott Uttech for the second spot allowing Balog to pull away. Warren would come away with the runner-up position as the white flag flew but he would spend the final lap of the race unable to get closer than four car lengths behind Balog as the checkered flag waved. Warren earned a well deserved second place performance while Scott Uttech would settle for third.
King would come home in fourth ahead of Scott Neitzel who climbed to the fifth spot during the final laps of the contest. Neitzel, competing in both the IRA and 360 sprint portions of the evenings program was the highest finishing of the double-duty drivers. Dave Uttech would fade to the sixth spot at the finish.
Point runner-up Mike Reinke reached the line in seventh while Jeremy Schultz finished eighth in his 410 sprint effort. Schultz is the current point leader in weekly 360 sprint action at the raceway. Jereme Schroeder and Kris Spitz completed the top 10 finishers. 17 of the 22 starters were still running at the finish.
Earlier in the evening Balog captured the B-main event with Schultz taking runner-up honors. Both drivers had transferred from their heat race, but did not stop at the scales negating their finish and forcing them to run the B-main. Neitzel, Wirth and Wayne Modjeski comprised the top five.
Heat wins on the evening saw a number of new faces capture the checkered flag with victories going to Schroeder, Bartz and Dave Uttech.
Kertscher was the evening quick qualifier with a lap of 11.549 seconds. Mike Reinke was the second to last qualifier and he narrowly missed the fast time mark with a lap of 11.663 seconds resulting in second quick time.
Brian Kristan who won the A-main in the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints last appearance at Sheboygan County Fairpark last September had his evening go awry. Kristan was in a transfer position in his heat race when he suffered mechanical difficulties which dropped him from the contest. He was unable to resolve the problems and was unable to attempt a start in the B-main ending his evening.
The Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series has off next weekend but returns to action with the first of three consecutive double-header weekends on Friday Night July 13th.
The Friday night program will make the lone appearance of the season at Mississippi Thunder Raceway near Fountain, City located in western Wisconsin. The following night on Saturday evening July 14th the series heads up the road to Rice Lake Speedway located about one hour north of the Mississippi Thunder track. The stop at Rice Lake is also the lone visit by the 410 sprints this season.
For more information on the IRA Outlaw Sprints check out the tour website at www.irasprints.com
The Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints can also be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/irasprints and the series is also on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ira_sprints
The IRA Outlaw Sprint Series is proudly supported by Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts & Service Centers, Osborn & Son Trucking, Goodyear, TW Metals, Cummins Onan, DNA Energy Drink& Snacks, MPT Industries, UltraLube, Big Game Treestands, Carriage Auto Body, Otis Gun, Mother’s Polishes and Waxes and Polaris DEFENSE. The office of the IRA Sprints can be reached at 815-759-9269 or by e-mail at steve@irasprints.com
BOX SCORE:
Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints:
A-Main: 1.) Bill Balog; 2.) Bill Warren 3.) Scott Uttech; 4.) Todd King; 5.) Scott Neitzel; 6.) Dave Uttech; 7.) Mike Reinke; 8.) Jeremy Schultz; 9.) Jereme Schroeder; 10.) Kris Spitz; 11.) Phillip Mock; 12.) Wayne Modjeski; 13.) Michael Decker; 14.) Ken Jay Feidler; 15.) Robbie Pribnow; 16.) Brandon Thone; 17.) Darrell Dodd; 18.) Russel Borland; 19.) Mike Kertscher; 20.) Ty Bartz; 21.) Raymond Hensley; 22.) Bill Wirth
B-Main (Top 10): 1.) Balog; 2.) Schultz; 3.) Neitzel; 4.) Wirth; 5.) Modjeski; 6.) Decker; 7.) Warren; 8.) Thone; 9.) Pribnow; 10.) Brian Portschy
Heat 1: 1.) Schroeder; 2.) Kertscher; 3.) Hensley; 4.) Modjeski
Heat 2: 1.) Bartz; 2.) Warren; 3.) Reinke; 4.) S. Uttech
Heat 3: 1.) D. Uttech; 2.) Dodd; 3.) Spitz; 4.) Borland
Qualifying: (Top 10) 1.) Kertscher, 11.549 Seconds; 2.) Reinke, 11.663 secs; 3.) Neitzel, 11.711 secs; 4.) Balog, 11.755; 5.) Mock, 11.834; 6.) King, 11.890; 7.) Schultz, 11.934; 8.) Warren, 11.975; 9.) Kristan 12.042; 10.) Modjeski 12.116.