6/9/2019
IRA Interstate Racing Association
Blackhursts Bests Balog at PDTR
Jake Blackhurst stood victorious for the first time in 2019 on night two of the Hopf Farms Bullring Showdown at the Plymouth Dirt Track.
A main action was fast and furious, as Ben Schmidt took the initial lead over the field. The Howards Grove, Wisconsin native would quickly face challenge from Dave Uttech. Uttech would muscle past Schmidt and take command of the race. At lap 10 yellow would put the 7th place starting “North Pole Nightmare” Bill Balog on Uttech's bumper. Balog would have his work cut out for him as Uttech fended off Balog’s challenges for multiple laps. Eventually The Rhine Auto 17B worked his way into the lead. As Balog entered lapped traffic he faced a challenge of his own as Jake Blackhurst had moved past Dave Uttech and now had his sights set on the 8 time IRA champion. Blackhurst would use lapped cars to help drive around the 17B and take the lead. “The Hannah City Outlaw” was not able to take strong command either though, as Balog stayed glued to his rear bumper through lapped traffic around the 1/4th mile bullring. The duo traded the lead multiple times as they diced through lapped traffic in the closing laps. As the crossed checkered flags waved it was the Hanna City, Illinois native, Jake Blackhurst standing victorious, in the same place he claimed his first sprint car championship just last year. Balog would cross in second just behind Balckhurst. Steve Meyer would bring his blue and white machine home in third followed by Scotty Neitzel and “The Show Stoppa” Joey Moughan.
28 Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association(IRA) teams signed in to compete at the Plymouth Dirt Track(PDT) on night two of the Hopf Farms Bullring Showdown. Osborn and Son Trucking Qualifications saw “The Gladiator” Ben Schmidt set quick time over defending champion Jake Blackhurst. Eight time champion Bill Balog was third quick followed by Russel Borland and Mike Reinke.
Heat race number one saw former Plymouth Dirt Track regular Scotty Thiel take the victory over Steve Meyer. Russel Borland came home in third ahead of another former PDT regular in Ben Schmidt. Indiana’s Brandon Wimmer finished in the fifth position.
The second heat race saw Mike Reinke move from the second row to the front. Reinke picked up the win ahead of Wayne Modjeski and Jake Blackhurst. Dave Uttech and Todd Daun would round out the top five.
The third and final heat race was a star studded one as former multi time IRA champions Scotty Neitzel and Bill Balog battled for the win. Neitzel would come out victorious while Balog settled for second. Behind them National Sprintcar Hall of Famer Danny Smith brought his 4 machine home in third. Californian Austin Deblauw finished in fourth and Joey Moughan was fifth.
The B main was won by Kris Spitz over Hunter Custer. Scott Biertzer finished in the third position while Jereme Schroeder brought his Pink and Black MLS Auto Clinic machine across in fourth. Bryon Walters in his purple and yellow 5w was fifth.
Current Hopf Farms Bullring Showdown points after two rounds.
PLACE TEAM CAR NUMBER TOTAL
1 Rhine Auto 17B 49
2 Blackhurst 25 46
3 Scott Thiel Motorsports 64 43
4 Bob Hood 10W 41
5 SCA 02 40
6 Wiese Motrsports 23 39
7 Meyer Electric 85M 38
8 Neitzel 2W 35
9 Uttech 68 26
11 Oz Motorsports 73 24
12 Schroeder 43 23
13 MoJo Motorsports 14AJ 22
14 Spitz 4K 22
15 Oz Motorsports 73AF 22
17 Deblauw 65 21
18 King 22 19
19 1229 Motorsports 63 17
20 Biertzer 4B 16
21 Custer 29 15
23 Fellner 18 12
24 Strane 22S 8
25 Wiese Motrsports 45 4
Submitted By: Kim Tennyson
