BALOG AND KERTSCHER DUEL WHILE THIEL LEADS WIRE TO WIRE IN TRIUMPH AT ANGELL PARK!
June 19, 2016; Sun Prairie, WI – Winning a race on any given weekend is an accomplishment, earning two wins to sweep a weekend in the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints series is extraordinary. To do so on Father’s Day, when you father is your main crew member, that makes the weekend special beyond words.
Third year IRA driver Scotty Thiel accomplished just such a fete leading wire to wire enroute to nailing down his fourth career series victory on Sunday evening at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie. The victory backed up Thiel’s win on Saturday night at the Plymouth Dirt Track where Thiel began his sprint car racing career.
The last driver to sweep a weekend in IRA competition was seven-time series champion Bill Balog. He accomplished the fete most recently winning events at Cedar Lake and Angell Park in late May of 2015. A third event scheduled for that weekend fell to rain.
This evening Thiel was credited with pacing all 30 laps in the contest, though he had briefly given up the position to Jim Moughan on a restart. He was able to snatch the lead back before the conclusion of the lap before the finish line thereby leading every circuit.
Thiel acknowledged his father as the victory lane interview with series announcer Ray Underwood began. “I didn’t buy him a father’s day card, I hope he’s happy with two victories this weekend”, shouted an exhilarated Thiel.
“I have to thank the fans hope you had a great father’s day. This is unbelievable I don’t know what to say”, as he embraced his crew in victory lane.
“We started on the front row and got it done, it’s something I never thought I’d do. We usually don’t have good luck like that”, stated Thiel.
“These guys worked their butts off (his crew) we didn’t know what to do with the setup, we just went with our gut feelings and it worked out”, Thiel concluded.
While Thiel clung tenaciously to the lead, Balog, and a hard charging Mike Kertscher waged a war over the final few circuits as they traded the runner-up spot back and forth. Balog surged ahead on the white flag lap and then repelled one last challenge by Kertscher to finish in the runner-up spot, some six car lengths behind Thiel. Kertscher earned the final podium position, his first since returning to action after a couple year absence. Tonight’s battles have proven Kertscher has shaken the rust off and will likely be doing battle for checkered when he appears for the duration of the season.
While Balog was happy to finish second you could tell he expected more.
“It ( the car) started working pretty good there at the end. I was getting pretty aggressive. The car was close I thought we’d be a little better there”, noted Balog on his late charge.
“I have to thank Hans (Lein, his car owner ) for putting the car together. I appreciate everyone that helps us, we’ll have to try again next week I guess”, said Balog as he served notice he would be ready for action when the Bumper to Bumper IRA Sprints resume their schedule in two weeks.
Kertscher was elated with his third place showing, his first podium since getting back behind the wheel after two years away. “This was the first time racing a sprint car here for me, I had a great time. I’m just happy to run with these guys”, Kertscher noted.
Kertscher’s busy work schedule limits his appearances behind the wheel. “We could run once this weekend and chose Sun Prairie”, he stated also acknowledging his day job at Road America stating “In case you have not heard Indy Cars are returning to Road America next weekend,” as he concluded his interview.
25 drivers answered the call to start the 30 lap A-main event. Scott Uttech sat on the pole for the contest but it was Thiel, who started to his outside surging ahead at the drop of the green flag. Jim Moughan was finished runner-up last night in the IRA event at the Plymouth Dirt Track placed himself into second by lap three as he swept past Uttech in the high groove.
The first of just two slowdowns in the event occurred on lap six when Lance Fassbender spun his car to the inside of turn one and stalled on the racing surface.
The field quickly regathered and the race resumed with Thiel and Moughan pulling away from the field. Kertscher also running a high line made his way by Uttech for third with Balog following suit to reach fourth moments later.
On lap 12 Scott Biertzer clipped an infield which caused him to roll onto his side in turn four. Biertzer was unhurt but the damage to his car too heavy to continue and he retired from the contest.
The final 18 circuits went off without interruption. Thiel got a good jump as the race resumed running in the high groove. Moughan continued in second until lap 17 when Kertscher made his way into the runner-up spot. Moughan would slowly fade during the duration of the event losing third to Jordan Goldesberry while Balog sat in the fourth spot.
Out front Kertscher had closed on Thiel in lapped traffic but as the final five laps began Thiel began to open up the lead. Balog, running in the fourth spot began to charge. With three laps to go he worked past Goldesberry for third and then ambushed Kertscher. The battle between Kertscher and Balog all but assure Thiel the victory as the duo ran wing to wing heading for the white flag. On the final lap Balog was able to repel one last challenge from Kertscher to finish second to the high flying Thiel.
Kertscher laid claim to third followed by Goldesberry and Jeremy Schultz in the top five.
Moughan faded to sixth at the finish followed by Steve Meyer and Scotty Neitzel who earned seventh and eighth respectively. Robbie Pribnow advanced the most positions from the originally scheduled starting spots moving from 17th to ninth by the checker. Uttech completed the top ten.
Mike Reinke, who had pitted before the green flag fell gave up his original starting spot and accepted the green flag in 25th. By the end of the race he was just outside the top ten earning 11th,
20 of the 25 starters were still on the track at the finish.
27 cars checked in for competition tonight but due to the cars of Raymond Hensley and Blake Nimee scratching for the evening the planned B-main was not needed and 25 cars started the main event.
Heat race victories went to Moughan, Uttech and Thiel.
Phillip Mock turned in the fast qualifying effort with a lap of 12.698 seconds, Biertzer was second quick with a 12.779 second effort while Meyer was third fast at 12.820 seconds. The top 29 cars were separated by just over one second.
The Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints series has a break in their schedule next weekend but will swing into action with two events to be held over the Independence Day weekend.
The series roars back into action with the Harbor Town Showdown at Manitowoc Speedway on Friday night July 1st. The event will mark the final ever appearance of the winged 410 sprints at the track which is set to close at the conclusion of the 2016 racing season. It gives fans one last opportunity to witness a historic event at the semi-banked third mile oval.
The racing weekend will conclude on Sunday, July 3rd with a trip to the Seymour Raceway Park for the only appearance of the 2016 season at the track for the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints.
For more information, visit www.angellparkspeedway.net.
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:
7/1/2016 – Manitowoc Speedway – Manitowoc, WI
7/3/2016 – Seymour Speedway – Seymour, WI
7/8/2016 - Dodge County Fairgrounds – Beaver Dam, WI
7/16/2016 – Wilmot Raceway – Wilmot, WI
7/17/2016 – Angell Park Speedway – Sun Prairie, WI
410 Sprints | IRA Interstate Racing Association
Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts A Feature 1 (30 Laps): 1. 64-Scotty Thiel[2]; 2. 17B-Bill Balog[5]; 3. 80K-Mike Kertscher[4]; 4. 65-Jordan Goldesberry[7]; 5. 5J-Jeremy Schultz[6]; 6. 1MM-Jim Moughan Jr[3]; 7. 85M-Steve Meyer[8]; 8. 2W-Scott Neitzel[11]; 9. 94R-Rob Pribnow[17]; 10. 7-Scott Uttech[1]; 11. 02-Mike Reinke[12]; 12. 53W-Bill Wirth[15]; 13. 99-Kyle Marten[13]; 14. 73-Ben Schmidt[19]; 15. 10V-Matt Vandevere[18]; 16. 23-Russel Borland[14]; 17. 1M-Phillip Mock[10]; 18. 7F-Lance Fassbender[24]; 19. 4K-Kris Spitz[21]; 20. 41-Dennis Spitz[23]; 21. (DNF) 12W-Josh Walter[20]; 22. (DNF) 01-Chris Dodd[25]; 23. (DNF) 4B-Scott Biertzer[9]; 24. (DNF) 5K-Brian Kristan[16]; 25. (DNF) 14AJ-Wayne Modjeski[22]
Real Wheels Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 1MM-Jim Moughan Jr[2]; 2. 94R-Rob Pribnow[1]; 3. 80K-Mike Kertscher[4]; 4. 65-Jordan Goldesberry[5]; 5. 99-Kyle Marten[3]; 6. 1M-Phillip Mock[6]; 7. 73-Ben Schmidt[7]; 8. 4K-Kris Spitz[8]; 9. 7F-Lance Fassbender[9]
DMI Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 7-Scott Uttech[1]; 2. 5K-Brian Kristan[2]; 3. 2W-Scott Neitzel[4]; 4. 4B-Scott Biertzer[6]; 5. 23-Russel Borland[3]; 6. 5J-Jeremy Schultz[5]; 7. 01-Chris Dodd[8]; 8. 14AJ-Wayne Modjeski[7]; (DNS) 70-Raymond Hensley
All Star Performance Products Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 64-Scotty Thiel[2]; 2. 10V-Matt Vandevere[1]; 3. 02-Mike Reinke[4]; 4. 85M-Steve Meyer[6]; 5. 17B-Bill Balog[5]; 6. 53W-Bill Wirth[3]; 7. 12W-Josh Walter[7]; 8. 41-Dennis Spitz[8]; (DNS) 79-Blake Nimee
Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts Qualifying 1: 1. 1M-Phillip Mock, 12.689[6]; 2. 4B-Scott Biertzer, 12.779[14]; 3. 85M-Steve Meyer, 12.820[16]; 4. 65-Jordan Goldesberry, 12.858[25]; 5. 5J-Jeremy Schultz, 12.901[10]; 6. 17B-Bill Balog, 12.903[11]; 7. 80K-Mike Kertscher, 12.946[5]; 8. 2W-Scott Neitzel, 13.129[12]; 9. 99-Kyle Marten, 13.199[3]; 10. 23-Russel Borland, 13.200[7]; 11. 53W-Bill Wirth, 13.273[23]; 12. 1MM-Jim Moughan Jr, 13.344[27]; 13. 02-Mike Reinke, 13.443[26]; 14. 5K-Brian Kristan, 13.447[18]; 15. 64-Scotty Thiel, 13.453[2]; 16. 94R-Rob Pribnow, 13.457[8]; 17. 7-Scott Uttech, 13.567[1]; 18. 10V-Matt Vandevere, 13.617[20]; 19. 73-Ben Schmidt, 13.667[24]; 20. 70-Raymond Hensley, 13.678[15]; 21. 12W-Josh Walter, 13.763[17]; 22. 4K-Kris Spitz, 13.778[13]; 23. 14AJ-Wayne Modjeski, 13.895[9]; 24. 41-Dennis Spitz, 14.057[19]; 25. 7F-Lance Fassbender, 14.113[4]; 26. 01-Chris Dodd, 14.364[22]; 27. (DNF) 79-Blake Nimee[21]
- Jeffrey Sachse on Jun 20, 2016
- Article Date: 6/20/2016 by Jeffrey Sachse