LOOKING AT THE 2014 SEASON BUMPER TO BUMPER IRA OUTLAW SPRINT SERIES – HERE ARE THE HOT TOPICS!
We’re Headed to the Halfway Point of the 2014 Season!
July 10, 2014; Appleton, WI. – The pages on the calendar have been turning, but doesn’t it feel like the first green flag of the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint season just fell? Let’s look back at some of the highlights, and well, … low-lights of the season so far.
Item #1 – Weather! Ouch, Mother Nature is not a racing fan. After a brutal winter, one which delayed the start of the 2014 season, ample amounts of rain at the most inopportune times has resulted in the loss of almost half of the shows. When looking at the bigger picture, the number of shows lost so far in 2014 matches the TOTAL of races cancelled during the entire 2012-2013 racing seasons. Let’s hope the back half of the season is more kind to fans wanting the witness the fastest cars on dirt!
Item #2 – Mock! A new face in the win column! Phillip Mock opened the 2014 season with a final turn pass of former World of Outlaw regular, turned IRA campaigner, Bill Rose. Since then Beaver Dam Raceway has been the young chargers personal stomping ground having lead 57 of the 60 laps held in A-main action so far in 2014. He has scored victories in both races held so far at the banked third-mile oval. His consistency has elevated him to third in the current standings and his new found speed has made him a threat to win everywhere the tour has traveled so far.
Item #3 – Outstanding Rookies! For the last several seasons graduates from area 360 sprints have found a home near the front of the pack in Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint action. It started with Robbie Pribnow earning rookie honors a couple years ago. Since then Lance Fassbender, Jeremy Schultz, Scotty Thiel and Ben Schmidt have jumped up to the 410 sprints of the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints and all have had great success in doing so. The new talent coming in has not been intimidated by the extra 200 horsepower of the 410 cubic inch machines, and have run wheel to wheel with the IRA veterans. These new additions have resulted in one of the stoutest fields in IRA competition this current decade.
Item #4 – The long distance haulers! Drivers looking for a challenge have traveled a long ways to be a part of the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints. No stranger to travel, veteran racer Bill Rose has been making the trip from Plainfield, Indiana for every IRA event so far this season. His efforts have been paying off, with three podium finishes, one of which was a near victory, has resulted in Rose being a title contender. The former World of Outlaws tour regular has become a fan favorite with his relaxed and friendly attitude and a win is surely somewhere around the corner. The same can be said for Springfield, Illinois native Jordan Goldesberry. Though not able to make every race, Goldesberry is another “long haul” racer on the tour this season and his effort continue to impress. He has already notched a pair of podium finishes and has proven he’s got the speed to earn his first A-main.
Item #5 – Decker’s Recovery Continues! In sprint car racing, it’s about knowing it’s more of when, than if, a wild tumble takes place. With the strength and engineering of a modern sprint car, the drivers almost always emerge unscathed. IRA series regular Michael Decker tested the engineering of a modern sprint car to its limit in a wild tumble at Wilmot Raceway just over a month ago. Fans and officials were both pleased to find Decker awake and alert at the end of what many consider one of the most violent crashes in the series this past decade. Decker is currently on the mend and many are hopeful we’ll see him get back behind the wheel at some point in the future.
Item #6 – Engine Woes! When 900 horsepower gives up, sometimes it’s in a spectacular fashion obvious to all, other times it’s a little wisp of smoke as the horsepower tickles away. In any case it takes dollars, and time, for a team to get back on track. Mechanical misfortunes under the hood have cut back the schedules of several teams. Most noticeable among these have been Mike Reinke, and Bill Wirth. Reinke has proven time, and again, he’s got the speed, and talent for a breakout season. What he’s not had is luck. Four podium finishes, and a pair of runner-up finishes show that the speed is there, but the mayhem under the hood as presented additional challenges to the Reinke camp so far this season.
Wirth, meanwhile, has his season go awry with a little puff of smoke at 141 Speedway. His engine quietly went away, almost unnoticed. Wirth, who had started every A-main for two straight seasons, saw his streak come to an end when he lacked a replacement engine to connect to the loud pedal at Plymouth in June. Wirth hopes to return to action in the near future.
Item #7 – Balog Overcomes Slow Start! Through the opening shows of the 2014 season, the six-time and defending champion Bill Balog seemed a little off form. Not slow mind you, but he was missing the little extra speed we had witnessed in years past. Whatever “was” missing has been found, and Balog came to life on Memorial Day weekend sweeping events at Wilmot and 141 Speedway. Since then the team has been undefeated in IRA action. He’s looking for his fifth consecutive victory when the season resumes this weekend.
Item #8 – The best is yet to come! The Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints still has a great schedule lined up, giving fans a chance to catch the best in Winged Outlaw 410 Sprint racing. The tour will have multiple double and triple header race weekends coming up at tracks ranging from tight quarter-mile bull rings to wide open half-mile high speed ovals. The series will appear at every corner in the state of Wisconsin and dip into northern Illinois giving fans a chance to witness firsthand the major storylines of the season ahead.
The next chapter of the 2014 season begins at the Dodge County Fairgrounds of Friday Night July 11th. Headlined by the 900 horsepower Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints, the main event will be the 15th annual Rick Schmidt Memorial race, a 23 lap A-main event, for the winged 410 Outlaw Sprints. Two classes of modified action are also on the card.
Pit gates will open at 3:00pm with the grandstands opening at 5:00pm. Warm-ups begin at 6:00pm with qualifying for the IRA Sprint cars and racing to follow.
Grandstand admission is $20 for adults. Children, ages 6 through 12, are admitted for just $5. and children ages 5 and under are FREE.
For additional information please see http://www.irasprints.com/ or http://www.dodgecountyfairgrounds.com
The series then packs up and heads north to Rice Lake, Wisconsin. The IRA starts will take to the high-banked third-mile clay oval for the lone appearance of the IRA Sprints this season at Rice Lake Speedway.
The show, held on Saturday night July 12th will also showcase the tracks own Super Stocks, Midwest Modifieds, Street Stocks and Pure Stocks in addition to the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints.
The Rice Lake Speedway is located one mile north of Rice Lake Wisconsin midway between state highway 48 and Barron County SS. The track phone number is 715-236-2002 and more information can be obtained from co-owner Dave Adams at 715-205-2861. The speedway website provides more information at www.ricelakespeedway.net
Over two dozen teams are expected to venture to both of the upcoming events.
The 2014 Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series scheduled 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.
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