6/17/2014
IRA Interstate Racing Association
LET’S DOUBLE UP ONE MORE TIME BEFORE THE BREAK!
Oshkosh Speedzone and Wilmot Raceway Host Bumper to Bumper IRA Sprint Events This Weekend!
June 17, 2014; Appleton, WI. – The third double-header weekend of the 2014 racing season is planned for the upcoming weekend. The Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints will be slinging clay as both Oshkosh Speedzone Raceway and Wilmot Raceway.
Oshkosh Speedzone will play host to the series on Friday night June 20th, with the Wilmot Raceway show taking center stage on Saturday night June 21st.
The series then takes a break until mid-July.
Heading into the upcoming shows Bill Balog continues his charge toward a seventh consecutive series title. So far in 2014 he has collected three victories, all of which are part of his current win streak dating back to Memorial Day weekend. Since that time he has been undefeated.
Balog’s chief rival so far in 2014 has been Phillip Mock who has collected two victories, and he turned in a second place showing this past week, chasing Balog to the checkered at Plymouth Dirt Track.
Not surprisingly the duo sit atop the standings, Balog leading the way with 987 points, while Mock is showing 882 points for his efforts. Bill Rose, who has been making long hauls from Indiana sits third in the standings with 873 markers. Ironically, it was a last turn pass by Mock for the win in the season opener at Beaver Dam, which has put him ahead of Rose in the season standings.
All three will continue their battle when the series stops at The Speedzone on Friday night. In the last appearance former World of Outlaws hot shoe Craig Dollansky made his way to victory lane becoming the only driver this season to have stolen a win from Balog and Mock.
Several other drivers have been close to breaking into the win column. Mike Reinke has scored a pair of runner-up performances this season, while Rose, Jordan Goldesberry and Steve Meyer have also earned second place performances. These drivers are expected to appear at Oshkosh this Friday evening, in effort to keep Balog from earning his fourth straight victory. Should he overcome his rivals at Oshkosh and win, it will be the sixth time in his career he has notched four straight wins.
The Oshkosh Speedzone show will see IMCA Modifieds, Sport Mods and Stock Cars joining the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints. On Friday evening the pits will open at 4:00pm and the grandstands open at 5:00pm. Qualifying for the IRA Sprints is set to take place at 6:30pm with racing set to get underway at 7:00pm.
Oshkosh Speedzone Raceway is a 1/3 mile semi-banked clay oval located at the Sunnyview Expo Center which resides near the intersection of Highways 76 and County Trunk Y in Oshkosh.
Ticket prices are $20.00 for adults while students ages 11-15 are admitted for $10.00. Children ages 10 and under are free..
Fans and drivers can find additional details on the contest by visiting the track website at www.oshkoshspeedzone.net . Oshkosh Speedzone can also be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thespeedzone
Then on Saturday, the series head to it’s birthplace, Wilmot Raceway which will host the “1st Annual Interstate Racing Association(IRA) Founders Night” on Saturday, June 21 featuring the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Car Series.
So far this season the Winged 410 sprints have appeared twice at the track. Balog captured the sanctioned event over the Memorial Day weekend, while Tommy Sexton, the 2012 champion at Wilmot Raceway, captured the only non-sanctioned race held there this year. Sexton along with local favorite Brian Kristan will be on hand to challenge the best of the IRA regulars.
Joining the traveling sprint car warriors as they return to their original home track and the birthplace of sprint car racing in Wisconsin are the modifieds, Wisconsin-Illinois Mini-Sprints plus the street stocks. Grandstands open at 5 p.m. with racing scheduled for 7 p.m.
Special pre-event festivities recognizing the three founders of the IRA, Ray Toft of Trevor, formerly Mayor of Antioch, Illinois; Whitey Harris of St. Germaine, formerly of Lake Villa, Illinois, and the late Junior Dodd of Beach Park.
Adult admission for the program is just $20, with youth tickets for younger fans ages 7 through 11 only $5. Children under the age of six and under are admitted FREE with an adult.
Wilmot Raceway is a one-third mile clay oval located on the Kenosha County Fairgrounds in Wilmot, Wis. For updated information check the trackside web site www.wilmotraceway.com.
The full cast of series regulars including Jeremy Schultz, who won the series 2013 Rookie of the Year honors, will be in attendance. Other stars will include, Lance Fassbender, the father and son team of Kris and Dennis Spitz, cousins Scott and Dave Uttech, Russell Borland, Blake Nimee, Brandon Thone, Jereme Schroeder, Wayne Modjeski and Allen Hafford should appear at both shows.
A field of 30 cars is expected for the events this weekend.
The 2014 Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series season will consist of 30 shows to be held at 15 different area tracks.
IRA proudly moves into 2014 backed by its long time supporting series partners led by title sponsor Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts & Service Centers, and associate series partners Osborn & Son Trucking, TW Metals, Hoosier Tire, Cedar Creek Motorsports, Cummins Onan, and Carriage Auto Body.
The Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints are a featured member of Racetext.net a website dedicated to bringing fans the best possible coverage of local short track racing.
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.
Submitted By: Jeffrey Sachse
