By Tony Veneziano
SPENCER, Iowa — September 5, 2018 — Sprint car racing has been a part of the Clay County Fair for a number of years and that tradition continues on Friday, September 14. The Clay County Fair Sprint Car Triple Header will feature the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association (IRA) Outlaw Sprint Series, along with 360-winged Sprint Cars and Non-Wing Sprint Cars. This year marks the 101st edition of the Clay County Fair.
Last year, Dusty Zomer was victorious with IRA at Clay County Fair Speedway over Kerry Madsen and teenager Giovanni Scelzi, who finished third. A strong 32-car field was in attendance for what was the inaugural IRA event at the historic three-eighths-mile.
Zomer battled Madsen early in the race for the top spot and was able to hold off the Australian in the late going. Fellow Aussie, Lynton Jeffrey crossed the line fourth, with Ian Madsen, another driver from Down Under, in fifth. Scotty Thiel was the Hard Charger powering his way from the 22nd starting spot to finish sixth.
Thiel is locked in a great battle for the IRA championship this season with Jake Blackhurst. The pair is separated by just three points, with Thiel currently in the lead. Blackhurst has won four times thus far in 2018, while Thiel has three victories. The pair also is neck-in-neck in top-five and top-10 finishes.
Former IRA champion Jeremy Schultz is currently third in points, followed by Brandon McMullen in fourth and Scotty Neitzel rounding out the top-five.
Steve Meyer, who has one win this season, rides sixth in points, with Bill Balog, the eight-time IRA champion, who has a pair of wins, seventh in points. Russ Borland currently is eighth in the standings, with Kris Spitz is ninth and Scott Uttech rounding out the top-10.
A number of drivers who compete weekly at the famed Knoxville Raceway in Iowa and Jackson Motorplex in Minnesota are expected to be in attendance at the Clay County Fair Sprint Car Triple-Header.
The 360-winged sprint car portion of the 2017 Sprint Car Triple-Header saw Balog pick up the win. Balog took the lead from Danny Lasoski on lap-18 and paced the remainder of the 25-lap contest to score his first win at the track. Ryan Bowers was second, followed by Brooke Tatnell, Lasoski and Scott Bogucki.
Scott Brandt scored the win in the 20-lap non-wing sprint car main event last year at Clay County Fair Speedway. The Minnesota native won over Alex Schriever and Jimmy Kouba, with Mike Mueller fourth.
A full race program awaits each of the three divisions of sprint cars, beginning with hot laps, followed by time trials, heat races, a B-main (if needed) and an A-Feature event.
Tickets for the Clay County Fair Sprint Car Triple-Header on Friday, September 14 at Clay County Fair Speedway can purchased online at http://www.midwestix.com/organizations/clay-county-fair and at the track on race day. For ticket information, visit www.ClayCountyFair.com.
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