From IRA
Oshkosh, WI — (June 21, 2013) — Bill Balog likes Oshkosh Speedzone Raceway and he’s especially fond of one particular place at the facility. Victory lane. .
After diving under Lance Fassbender for the top spot on lap seven of the 25 lap A-main Balog managed to keep his nearest rival Mike Reinke at bay for the duration of the contest to take the checkered flag with a 10 car length advantage. The victory was his 51st career A-main event win in the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series.
Whatever the combination Balog has found at the third-mile clay oval is proven to be potent as the five-time and defending series champ has now captured the last three events at the track having swept both appearances for the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints at the speedplant in 2012. Tonight’s performance in the main event completed a sweep of the program as earlier in the show Balog captured his heat race and turned in the fastest qualifying effort of the night.
For Reinke the second place performance surely soothed the sting of the 2013 season so far. His potent #02 machine has been besieged with mechanical ills since making a late start this year while working on his engine program. Reinke’s showing this evening is surely an indication he’ll be contending for victories as the season moves on. Though never able to get within striking distance, Reinke was able to match Balog’s pace during the closing laps of the event.
Steve Meyer was the final driver to reach the podium taking home a third place finish. Meyer who has been a competing on a part time basis in 2013 continues to impress with his on track performances. This finish at Oshkosh marked his second consecutive top five run and his best effort since taking runner-up honors at 141 Speedway back on Memorial Day weekend.
The 25 lap A-main contest pushed off on the tacky clay surface which was in prime condition for hooking up the 900 horsepower of the winged 410 sprints to the ground. 22 starters would accept the green flag with outside front row starter Fassbender getting the jump on pole sitter Reinke.
Balog who had started in the third position would sweep past Reinke for second on the outside before the completion of the first lap. Before the second lap could get in the books Bill Wirth tagged the front stretch wall coming to a rest in turn one forcing the first caution of the contest. Wirth was able to get his machine fixed in the work area and returned to action as green flag racing resumed but he would retire to the infield shortly thereafter with handling issues.
Fassbender looked solid out front keeping a small gap on both Balog and Reinke until he slipped up the track in turn two. That slight miscue allowed Balog the opportunity to snare the lead. Darting under Fassbender Balog would annex the top spot with Reinke in tow. Before Fassbender was able to fully recover Meyer was also able to drop Fassbender a notch to reach third.
Phillip Mock who had been running just outside the top five pulled off the track on lap 12 making his was off the racing surface without incident as the race continued.
By the halfway point Balog found himself in heavy lapped traffic but stayed in the high line to sweep past lapped machines. Reinke meanwhile had also adopted the high line around the raceway and found himself matching Balog’s speed 10 car lengths behind.
On lap 18 Scott Thiel had the front suspension on his car break and as he tried to slow his car in turn one he climbed the wall standing his car up on its rear nerf bar. The incident ended a strong showing for Thiel who had cracked the top ten after starting in the 18th spot on the starting grid.
Under the red flag to attend to Thiel’s precariously balanced ride Tommy Sexton had flames erupt near the tail of his car. Safety crews quickly extinguished the blaze but not before the fire has deflated his left rear time. While Thiel was done for the evening Sexton’s crew worked to get his machine ready to resume the race now having to start at the rear after climbing has high as fifth place.
Action resumed with Balog showing the way while Reinke quickly disposed of lapped cars between himself and the leader. On lap 21 Sexton’s car would shed a tire as he was heading off the racing surface into the pit area. Since the tire posed no hazard to the racing taking place the event stayed green. Balog would again reach lapped traffic before the checkered flag but it would pose no issue with Balog taking the win. Reinke would close slightly over the final laps but would have to settle for second. Meyer was able to keep Fassbender at bay over the final laps to earn third.
Fassbender a contender for the 2013 Rookie of the Year honors had a solid showing matching his best run of the year with a fourth place showing. Earlier in the night he turned in the third quickest qualifying lap of the program. Scott Neitzel would complete the top five finishers.
Nick Alden saw his best run of the season with a well-earned sixth place run and Russel Borland was the final driver on the lead lap with Balog at the finish recording a seventh place finish.
Dave Uttech, Todd King and Mike Kertscher completed the top ten. Kertscher a former winner at Oshkosh Speedzone had an evening that proved especially challenging having encountered mechanical ills in hot laps. After not being able to turn in a qualifying time Kertscher would then race his way into the main event from the tail of his heat race.
Jeremy Schultz the point leader heading into the program would finish in the 12th spot marking the first time he had finished outside the top ten in an A-main this season.
The B-main event would have fans holding their breath as Brandon Thone clipped the wall and would roll end over end down the front stretch past the flag stand. Thone would emerge from his battered ride unhurt after a devastating crash. The event was otherwise incident free dominated by Borland who handedly took the victory. Tommy Sexton, Thiel, Robbie Pribnow, Dennis Spitz, Paul Pokorski and Allen Hafford took the transfer positions to the main event finishing second through seventh respectively.
Balog, Scott Uttech and King earned heat race victories. 28 cars had signed into the pit area for qualifying with Balog setting the pace with a 12.221 second trip around the raceway. Neitzel was second quick with a lap of 12.339 and Fassbender was third fast with a 12.434 second effort.
The next event on the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series schedule will be held on Saturday Night, July 6th at the Wilmot Raceway. Modifieds and Street Stock will also be on the card for the show. Admission for the special event is $20 for adults with young fans ages 8 through 11 admitted for just $5. Children ages 7 and under are admitted FREE with a paid adult.
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: # 9 – Oshkosh Speedzone Raceway – Oshkosh, WI – June 22, 2013
Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Cars
A Feature (25 Laps): 1. Bill Balog [4]; 2. Mike Reinke [1]; 3. Steve Meyer [6]; 4. Lance Fassbender [2]; 5. Scotty Neitzel [3]; 6. Nick Alden [12]; 7. Russel Borland [11]; 8. Dave Uttech [9]; 9. Todd King [7]; 10. Mike Kertscher [17]; 11. Robbie Pribnow [20]; 12. Jeremy Schultz [15]; 13. Wayne Modjeski [14]; 14. Scott Uttech [5]; 15. Denis Spitz [19]; 16. Allen Hafford [22]; 17. Mike Decker [13]; 18. Paul Pokorski [21]; DNF-19. Tommy Sexton Jr. [16]; DNF-20. Scotty Thiel [18]; DNF-21. Phillip Mock [8]; DNF-22. Bill Wirth [12].
B Feature (15 Laps): 1. 23-Russell Borland[1]; 2. 83-Tommy Sexton[5]; 3. 64-Scotty Thiel[6]; 4. 20R-Rob Pribnow[11]; 5. 41-Dennis Spitz[2]; 6. 4-Paul Pokorski[9]; 7. 38-Allen Hafford[4]; 8. 43-Jereme Schroeder[8]; DNF 71-Chad Tessman[10]; DNF 94-Brandon Thone[7]; DNS 4K-Kris Spitz
Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 17B-Bill Balog[6]; 2. 14AJ-Wayne Modjeski[1]; 3. 85M-Steve Meyer[3]; 4. 80K-Mike Kertscher[9]; 5. 02-Mike Reinke[5]; 6. 41-Dennis Spitz[2]; 7. 83-Tommy Sexton[7]; 8. 23-Russell Borland[4]; 9. 43-Jereme Schroeder[8]
Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 7-Scott Uttech[3]; 2. 1M-Phillip Mock[4]; 3. 12-Michael Decker[2]; 4. 8A-Nick Alden[5]; 5. 2W-Scott Neitzel[6]; 6. 64-Scotty Thiel[7]; 7. 20R-Rob Pribnow[9]; 8. 4-Paul Pokorski[8]; 9. 38-Allen Hafford[1]
Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 97-Todd King[4]; 2. 5J-Jeremy Schultz[1]; 3. 53W-Bill Wirth[3]; 4. 7F-Lance Fassbender[6]; 5. 68-Dave Uttech[5]; 6. 94-Brandon Thone[7]; 7. 71-Chad Tessman[8]; DNF 4K-Kris Spitz[2]
Qualifying: 1. 17B-Bill Balog[15]; 2. 2W-Scott Neitzel[13]; 3. 7F-Lance Fassbender[1]; 4. 02-Mike Reinke[7]; 5. 8A-Nick Alden[26]; 6. 68-Dave Uttech[12]; 7. 23-Russell Borland[4]; 8. 1M-Phillip Mock[11]; 9. 97-Todd King[6]; 10. 85M-Steve Meyer[14]; 11. 7-Scott Uttech[22]; 12. 53W-Bill Wirth[18]; 13. 41-Dennis Spitz[25]; 14. 12-Michael Decker[17]; 15. 4K-Kris Spitz[20]; 16. 14AJ-Wayne Modjeski[24]; 17. 38-Allen Hafford[3]; 18. 5J-Jeremy Schultz[9]; 19. 83-Tommy Sexton[19]; 20. 64-Scotty Thiel[21]; 21. 4-Paul Pokorski[10]; 22. 94-Brandon Thone[23]; 23. 43-Jereme Schroeder[16]; 24. 71-Chad Tessman[5]; 25. 5-Bryon Walters[8]; DNS 80K-Mike Kertscher; DNS 20R-Rob Pribnow; DNS 95A-Ken Jay Fiedler