7/2/2018
IRA Interstate Racing Association
Reutzel Victorious at the Dirt Oval
As fireworks lit up the Joliet, Illinois night sky, Aaron Reutzel claimed his first career IRA victory and 5th All Star victory of the season. Dave Blaney charged from 21st to 2nd and Chad Kemenah rounded out the podium.
On June 30th the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association (IRA) returned to action in the Illini state. 39 IRA and Arctic Cat All Star Circuit Of Champions took to the Dirt Oval at Route 66 during NASCAR weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. Qualifications saw “The Law Firm” Parker Price-Miller set quick time over Cale Conley and Aaron Reutzel. 2 time IRA feature winner Carson Macedo would time in 4th followed by Paul McMahan in 5th.
Heat race one was picked up by Chad Kemenah over Carson Macedo. West Virginia’s Cale Conley would come home in 3rd followed by Parker Price-Miller and Jake Blackhurst.
Heat 2 saw Gary Taylor, piloting the Sam Mcgee Motorsports 11 pick up the win ahead of Paul Nienhiser and the 2018 Ohio Speedweek Champion Paul McMahan. Tyler Esh would cross the line in 4th followed by Russel Borland.
Heat race 3 would see “the Big Wheel” Scotty Thiel take the win ahead of 2016 IRA champion Jeremy Schultz. Pennsylvania’s Carl Bowser would run 3rd ahead of current United States Auto Club Sprint Car points leader Kevin Thomas Jr. Phillip Mock behind the wheel of the 1M machine would round out the top 5.
Heat race 4 would be claimed by National Sprint Car Hall of Famer Jac Haudenschild. Behind him fans saw an incredible battle as Aaron Reutzel and Ben Schmidt traded the 2nd position many times before Schmidt would jump the cushion and fall back. Reutzel would finish in the 2nd position and Tony Stewart in 3rd. Schmidt settled for a 4th place finish ahead of Brian Paulus.
Utilizing the All Stars format, 2 dashes were used to set the top 10 positions in the A main, with Parker Price-Miller taking home dash 1 over Chad Kemenah. Dash 2 was picked up by Jac Haudenschild followed by Aaron Reutzel.
The B main treated fans to some very exciting action as “The Buckeye Bullet” Dave Blaney set a torrid pace over the field to claim the win. Jordan Goldesberry would run 2nd with Steve Meyer in 3rd. As the top 3 had settled into their positions, the a trio of drivers battled fiercely over the 4th and final transfer position. Scotty Neitzel grabbed it initially but Brandon McMullen and Brandon Spithaler both made moves to pass Neitzel, only to have Neitzel take the spot back. A caution with just 2 laps to go set up a thrilling battle. On the restart Spithaler sat 6th, but as the field moved through turn 4 coming to the white flag, Spithaler muscled past both McMullen and Neitzel and into 4th. Neitzel would not be denied though and as the trio worked down the backstretch and into turn 3 the orange 2w piloted by Neitzel once again drove back into 4th and claimed the final transfer position into the A main.
As the A main went green, Jac Haudenschild took the lead over Parker Price-Miller. Aaron Reutzel settled into 3rd, but as the leaders began to catch the tail of the field, Reutzel quickly worked past both Price-Miller and Haudenschild to take the lead. A lap 9 caution would shake things up, Aaron Reutzel led the field back to green over Price-Miller and Haudenschild. Paul Nienhiser quickly moved into 5th on the restart and set his eyes on Chad Kemenah in 4th. The pair would battle hard but Ben Schmidt spinning on lap 14 would once again bring the caution out. Cale Conley would get turned around on the restart in front of most of the field, but somehow no one made contact with the 7k machine driven by Conley. On the 2nd attempt to restart, Chad Kemenah would move past both Haudenschild and Price-Miller to take over the 2nd position, but it would all be for naught as 12th place running Carl Bowser would get upside down in turn 3, bring out a red flag before the lap could be completed. Kemenah this time would only be able to take 3rd position, and Carson Macedo would follow him around Jac Haudenschild and take over 4th. Another green flag run would allow the leaders to catch the tail of the field but the caution flag would once again fly. On the restart, Dave Blaney who started the race in 21st position, went from 5th to 3rd and set his sights on Price-Miller in 2nd. Blaney would work past Price-Miller and into 2nd but would not have enough laps left to catch Aaron Reutzel. As the checkered flags fell Reutzel was victorious over Dave Blaney and Chad Kemenah. Carson Macedo would finish in 4th and 5th position would be claimed by Paul McMahan.
Article Credit: Gared Tennyson
Submitted By: Kim Tennyson
