50TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON UNDERWAY FOR THE BUMPER TO BUMPER IRA OUTLAW SPRINTS!
April 16, 2016; LaSalle, IL – Under nearly perfect weather conditions the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints launched their 2016 racing season in dramatic fashion as nearly 40 sprint cars were on hand for the season opening contest at LaSalle Speedway.
Young charger Parker Price Miller of Kokomo, Indiana etched his name in the record books as the winner of the opening round of the 50th Anniversary season for the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint series.
To stand in victory lane Miller had to withstand a late race rally by seven-time IRA champion Bill Balog who close the gap dramatically over the final five circuits of the 30 lap A-main event.
Balog had erased a near straightaway in the closing laps reaching Miller’s tail tank as the two encountered lapped traffic on the final lap. But Miller was up to the task fending off a final turn charge by Balog to take the victory. Balog, who had started tenth found himself just one car length short at the wire on a track where he has dominated the win column.
Youth was also represented on the podium by third place finisher Spencer Bayston. The 17-year-old Indiana native who now resides in Concordia, Missouri reached the line in the third spot after earlier challenging teammate Miller for the lead. Bayston the 2014 POWRI Lucas Oil National Midget Rookie of the Year and the National Midget Driver Rookie of the Year remained in contention throughout the contest and had engaged in a torrid battle for several laps with Balog before settling for third.
The 24 car field rolled trackside for the main event with Crawfordsville, Indiana resident and two-time Little 500 winner Jacob Wilson controlling the race after starting on the pole. He had outgunned fellow front row starter Jake Blackhurst for the opening lead.
The evening for Blackhurst went awry when he suffered a flat, and slowed on the track drawing a caution on lap three. He was able to return to the track at the tail of the field after a quick tire change by his crew.
Four more laps went in the books with Wilson showing the way when a major incident occurred in turn three resulting in three cars flipping over including, MOWA regular A.J. Bruns, Scott Biertzer, and 2015 IRA Rookie of the year Kyle Marten. None of the drivers were injured in the incident but all were done for the evening.
After another quick caution action resumed with Wilson still showing the way. IRA regular Scotty Thiel was running an impressive race working past Miller for second while Balog joined the fray in the fourth spot.
Miller then went on a mission as the leaders reached lapped traffic slipping by Thiel for second, and moment’s later pressuring Wilson for the lead. Wilson momentarily slowed his pace working lapped cars Miller was able to power past for the top spot just past the halfway point of the contest.
Wilson’s early pace began to fade and he soon found himself falling back surrendering second to Balog and then moments later falling into the grasp of Thiel.
On lap 17, Robbie Pribnow, the 2013 Bumper to Bumper IRA Sprint Rookie of the Year tagged the front stretch wall, and did an end over end flip down the straightaway producing a red flag and halting the contest. He emerged unhurt form his battered machine but was done for the evening.
The green flag returned only briefly when Thiel had his shot at the victory evaporate when he spun in turn two dropping him to the tail of the field.
The remainder of the contest ran without any additional slowdowns. It was a great restart by Miller when the green flag waved that was the likely reason for his victory as he opened a good lead on Balog before Balog began to catch Miller in the final laps as the duo encountered lapped traffic.
Miller who runs on a regular basis on the All-Star Circuit of Champions now has two wins to his credit in Bumper to Bumper IRA Sprint competition having won last July at Angell Park Speedway. Balog now has a pair of back to back second place finishes in his last two IRA appearances having finished second to Dusty Zomer last September at the Dodge County Fairgrounds. Bayston’s third place effort was his first career IRA podium.
Kody Kinser, a second cousin to legendary sprint car driver Steve Kinser spent the majority of the race running in the top five. In spite of solid contact with the wall off turn two in the closing laps Kinser was able to hang on and finished in the fourth spot. Fast qualifier Bret Triplett rounded out the top five finishers.
Paul Neinheiser, Jerrod Hull, Ben Schmidt, Wilson and Scotty Neitzel comprised the top ten finishers.
In earlier action A.J. Bruns captured the B-main fending off Matt Vandervere. Hull and Kyle Marten finished third and fourth respectively becoming the final transfer cars to the main event. Scott Uttech who battled mechanical gremlins all evening nearly made the show finishing fifth with a very ill sounding machine.
Bayston, Neinheiser, Triplett and Kinser captured heat race wins.
37 drivers had checked into the pits in the joint sanctioned Bumper to Bumper IRA/Midwest Open Wheel Association contest.
Triplett was the fastest of the cars clocking in with a lap of 11.828 seconds. Thiel was second quick with an 11.929 second effort. The duo were the only cars to break the 12 second barrier. Blackhurst was third fast with a 12.037 second trip around the banked quarter-mile oval.
The Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints now head to Beaver Dam Raceway next Saturday evening for the 2016 season opener in the series home state of Wisconsin.
For more information on the IRA Outlaw Sprints check out the tour website at www.irasprints.com or by logging onto the series Facebook page at www.facebook.com/irasprints the series is also on twitter at #IRA_sprints.
The IRA Sprints are presented by its long time supporting series partners. The series support is led by title sponsor Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts & Service Centers, and associate series partners Hoosier Tire, Osborn & Son Trucking, TW Metals, Cummins Onan, and Twin Lakes Marine.
Upcoming 2016 Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series Events:
4/23/2016 - Beaver Dam Raceway - Beaver Dam, WI
5/6/2016 - Manitowoc Co. Expo Speedway - Manitowoc, WI
5/7/2016 - Wilmot Raceway - Wilmot, WI
5/14/2016 - Beaver Dam Raceway - Beaver Dam, WI
410 Sprints | IRA Interstate Racing Association
Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts A Feature 1 (30 Laps): 1. 2-Parker Price-Miller[4]; 2. 17B-Bill Balog[10]; 3. 9P-Spencer Bayston[9]; 4. 4M-Kody Kinser[6]; 5. 22-Bret Tripplett[7]; 6. 9-Paul Nienhiser[5]; 7. 12H-Jerrod Hull[23]; 8. 35-Ben Schmidt[13]; 9. 07-Jacob Wilson[1]; 10. 2W-Scott Neitzel[12]; 11. 25-Jake Blackhurst[2]; 12. 5J-Jeremy Schultz[15]; 13. 10V-Matt Vandevere[11]; 14. 79-Blake Nimee[21]; 15. 64-Scotty Thiel[3]; 16. 85M-Steve Meyer[20]; 17. (DNF) 23D-Trey Datweiler[22]; 18. (DNF) 77U-Chris Urish[8]; 19. (DNF) 94R-Rob Pribnow[14]; 20. (DNF) 10S-Jeremy Standridge[19]; 21. (DNF) 14AJ-Wayne Modjeski[17]; 22. (DNF) 44-A.J. Bruns[16]; 23. (DNF) 4B-Scott Biertzer[18]; 24. (DNF) 99-Kyle Marten[24]
Behling Racing Equipment B Feature 1 (15 Laps): 1. 44-A.J. Bruns[4]; 2. 10V-Matt Vandevere[2]; 3. 12H-Jerrod Hull[1]; 4. 99-Kyle Marten[12]; 5. 7-Scott Uttech[7]; 6. 43-Jereme Schroeder[11]; 7. 1MM-Jim Moughan Jr[9]; 8. 5H-Patrick Haynes[13]; 9. 41-Dennis Spitz[14]; 10. 12-Michael Decker[15]; 11. (DNF) 42-Cory Bruns[6]; 12. (DNF) 4K-Kris Spitz[5]; 13. (DNF) 52F-Logan Faucon[8]; 14. (DNF) 12W-Josh Walter[3]; 15. (DNF) 23-Russell Borland[10]; DNS 65-Jordan Goldesberry; DNS 1M-Phillip Mock
Weld Racing Products Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 9P-Spencer Bayston[4]; 2. 2-Parker Price-Miller[6]; 3. 79-Blake Nimee[8]; 4. 35-Ben Schmidt[3]; 5. 14AJ-Wayne Modjeski[1]; 6. 99-Kyle Marten[9]; 7. 12W-Josh Walter[2]; 8. 12H-Jerrod Hull[5]; 9. 7-Scott Uttech[7]; DNS 65-Jordan Goldesberry
DMI Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 9-Paul Nienhiser[2]; 2. 4B-Scott Biertzer[1]; 3. 94R-Rob Pribnow[3]; 4. 64-Scotty Thiel[6]; 5. 77U-Chris Urish[4]; 6. 10V-Matt Vandevere[5]; 7. 52F-Logan Faucon[7]; 8. 23-Russell Borland[8]; 9. 5H-Patrick Haynes[9]
All Star Performance Products Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 22-Bret Tripplett[4]; 2. 10S-Jeremy Standridge[1]; 3. 5J-Jeremy Schultz[3]; 4. 25-Jake Blackhurst[6]; 5. 17B-Bill Balog[5]; 6. 44-A.J. Bruns[2]; 7. 1MM-Jim Moughan Jr[7]; 8. 43-Jereme Schroeder; 9. 41-Dennis Spitz[9]
R & H Enterprise Heat 4 (10 Laps): 1. 4M-Kody Kinser[3]; 2. 2W-Scott Neitzel[4]; 3. 07-Jacob Wilson[6]; 4. 23D-Trey Datweiler[8]; 5. 85M-Steve Meyer[7]; 6. 12-Michael Decker[9]; 7. (DNF) 1M-Phillip Mock[5]; 8. (DNF) 42-Cory Bruns[1]; 9. (DNF) 4K-Kris Spitz[2]
Osborn & Sons Qualifying 1: 1. 2-Parker Price-Miller, 11.828[26]; 2. 64-Scotty Thiel, 11.949[5]; 3. 25-Jake Blackhurst, 12.037[13]; 4. 07-Jacob Wilson, 12.120[23]; 5. 12H-Jerrod Hull, 12.168[2]; 6. 10V-Matt Vandevere, 12.184[4]; 7. 17B-Bill Balog, 12.185[37]; 8. 1M-Phillip Mock, 12.213[15]; 9. 9P-Spencer Bayston, 12.258[17]; 10. 77U-Chris Urish, 12.265[12]; 11. 22-Bret Tripplett, 12.305[14]; 12. 2W-Scott Neitzel, 12.347[22]; 13. 35-Ben Schmidt, 12.365[3]; 14. 94R-Rob Pribnow, 12.388[28]; 15. 5J-Jeremy Schultz, 12.435[24]; 16. 4M-Kody Kinser, 12.437[20]; 17. 12W-Josh Walter, 12.474[9]; 18. 9-Paul Nienhiser, 12.500[29]; 19. 44-A.J. Bruns, 12.500[31]; 20. 4K-Kris Spitz, 12.535[7]; 21. 14AJ-Wayne Modjeski, 12.644[8]; 22. 4B-Scott Biertzer, 12.663[10]; 23. 10S-Jeremy Standridge, 12.773[19]; 24. 42-Cory Bruns, 12.814[33]; 25. 7-Scott Uttech, 12.839[6]; 26. 52F-Logan Faucon, 12.862[21]; 27. 1MM-Jim Moughan Jr, 12.925[34]; 28. 85M-Steve Meyer, 12.936[11]; 29. 79-Blake Nimee, 12.950[27]; 30. 23-Russell Borland, 13.037[32]; 31. 43-Jereme Schroeder, 13.083[25]; 32. 23D-Trey Datweiler, 13.152[30]; 33. 99-Kyle Marten, 13.170[36]; 34. 5H-Patrick Haynes, 13.351[35]; 35. 41-Dennis Spitz, 13.552[1]; 36. 12-Michael Decker, 14.723[16]; DNS 65-Jordan Goldesberry
- Jeffrey Sachse on Apr 18, 2016
- Article Date: 4/18/2016 by Jeffrey Sachse