Wilmot Raceway, Wisconsin's original home for sprint car racing, will host its 9th Annual Interstate Racing Association(IRA) Founders Night on Saturday, July 23.
The annual IRA recognition event will follow Wilmot's sixth cancellation of the 2022 season as the scheduled Family Night on July 16 was lost to weather. Track officials reluctantly called the program when heavy rains the day prior coupled with high humidity, a lack of sun and wind, prevented the drying of the saturated track and grounds despite the best efforts of the track crew.
Headlining the next program scheduled for the 1/3-mile clay oval located on the Kenosha County Fairgrounds will be the Bumper to Bumper IRA Winged 410 Outlaw Sprint Cars. On the card as well will be the Modifieds, Street Stocks and Bandit 4-Cylinder Stock Cars.
The special tribute recognizes the original founders of the IRA, the late RayToft, the late Junior Dodd and Whitey Harris. The trio headed up the formation of the IRA over 50 years ago. Wilmot Raceway, at the time known as the Kenosha County Speedway, served as the original home of the regional group and has remained as such for what has developed into a traveling regional series.
Dale Blaney of Ohio captured the first two Founders Night features in 2014 and 2015 when the event was co-sanctioned with the All Star Circuit of Champions.
Bill Balog of Hartford is the only three-time winner of the event having taken top honors in 2016, 2017 and 2020. Jake Blackhurst of Hanna City, IL won it in 2018. Jeremy Schultz of Beaver Dam in 2019,
Scott Nietzel of Beaver Dam is the defending winner having won in August, 2021.
The trophy sponsored by the Southeastern Wisconsin Racing Hall of Fame has the winner's name added and then is displayed at the Hall of Fame in Hartford.
Grandstands open at 5 p.m. with on track activity slated for about 5:45 including hot laps and qualifying with racing to follow. Grandstand admission is $25.00 for ages 12 and over, $5.00 ages 7-11, with ages 6 & under admitted free. Pit gates will open at 3:00 p.m. with pit passes being $30.00.
Advance tickets and further information is available at the official track website wilmotraceway.com. Updates are available at the trackside raceline 262-862-2090 or the official Wilmot Raceway Facebook Page. In case of an event cancellation, advance ticket purchases are automatically refunded to individual's bank accounts within four business days of the event.
- Dakoda Tennyson on Jul 19, 2022
- Article Date: 7/19/2022 by Mike Babicz