WILMOT RACEWAY USAC NATIONAL SPRINTS NEXT FOLLOWING FATHER’S DAY SPECIAL
(Wilmot, Wis., Saturday, June 15, 2024)–Next up for Wilmot Raceway’s 74th Season is the USAC National Sprint Cars make their only appearance of the season at the historic Wilmot oval Saturday, June 22.
AutoMeter Powered By Gandrud Performance Wisconsin WingLESS/Wilmot Raceway Catalyst Exhibits Championship WingLESS Sprints along with 11-75 Sports Complex IRA Lightning Sprints round out the one of a kind all sprint car spectacular program.
Saturday Night Thunder closes out the schedule for the month on June 29 featuring Lightning Sprints, IMCA Modifieds in their only scheduled appearance of the month, Street Stocks and Bandits
Carload and Fireworks Night is Wilmot’s pre-Independence Day Holiday event Tuesday, July 2. LiftPro 604 Crate Powered/Hepfner Racing Products Wings Series Winged Sprint Cars, WingLESS Sprints and B&L Office Furniture powered by Great American Tire & Auto Bandits provide the on track action.
Racing Roundup hosted by Jim Tretow will have a live broadcast from the Raceway.
Wilmot Raceway’s Body Craft M3 Custom Graphics Pace Truck will be in the traditional Village of Antioch July 4 Parade. Kenosha County Fairest of the Fair Katrina Cain will be in the Somers Parade. Several other drivers will participate other parades and festivals.
Featuring on and off track fun and excitement starts off with a pre-race event evening party with activities and music on Thursday, July 11 to get things going for the two-day NOS Energy World of Outlaw Sprints in the Larry Hillerud Classic which features the traveling national winged warriors Friday, July 12 and Saturday, July 13. WingLESS Sprints complete the card both nights.
Post-race Friday, July 12 will have activities and live music.
Anderson’s Maple Syrup Pancake Breakfast starts things off Saturday, July 13 as 11-time IRA Champion and 2023 Wilmot regular season 410 Winged Sprint Car Championship winner Bill Balog, originally from Alaska now calling Wisconsin home, has his title marketing partner head up a great way to start the day. Mid-day activities and live music will get the fans and competitors ready for the night’s action.
Following a week off, Saturday Night Thunder on July 27 features an all sprint car card with wingLESS, Winged 604 crate sprints and lightning sprints scheduled.
A first for Wilmot with the World of Outlaw Late Models coming into town on a special Monday program, July 29. IMCA modifieds wind out the card.
Father’s Day Special Saturday, June 15, Howards Grove’s Mike Reinke captured his first 25-lap Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association(IRA) feature since 2021 at Beaver Dam Raceway. “It’s been a long time,” said Reinke as he climbed out of the Bob Hood owned 10W in victory lane. “I can’t breath. I am really grateful for the opportunity our team has given me.”
Runner-up Paul Nienhauser of Chapin, IL, was somewhat grateful with his finish after winning his heat and dash earning him a pole starting berth. “I thank the Wilmot fans. They’re awesome up here and I hope they liked the show. A second place for us as a team is pretty good.”
“I am happy we found some speed,” said heat winner Blake Nimee of Oswego. “It was a crazy feature.”
Defending IRA champion Brenham Crouch of Lubbock, TX, who won a heat and dash, jumped into the lead just prior to a double-flip by Kenosha’s Dave Uttech, “B[ and Oconomowoc’s Ryan Zielski coming out of turn four collecting into the wall. Both walked away.
Nine laps in the red came out again when Brayton Lynch of Springfield, IL got upside down in turn two after making contact with Jake Neuman of New Berlin, IL. Both drivers walked away with both mounts eliminated.
Five laps later as Crouch was attempting to maneuver traffic, the 2023 Wilmot IRA Founders Night winner got together with teammate John Barnard of Sherman, IL.
Reinke inherited top spot on the restart. Three additional cautions for various minor incidents kept erasing any advantage and momentum Reinke was attempting to build. The final slow down set up an 8-lap heat race-like run to the checkered. Reinke’s win saw him move up five spots from his sixth original berth. Nienhauser was second. Nimee came up to the final podium spot in third from eighth. Gibson’s Danny Schlafer recovered from several times dropping back in the field due to various racing events to come on to a fourth place finish. Kyle Schuett of Philo, IL took fifth.
Beaver Dam’s Scotty Neitzel earned the Behling Racing Products Hard Charger award as the 2024 IRA Founders Night winner three weeks earlier improved from 16th starting berth to finish seventh.
The next and final Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints appearance at their original home track of Wilmot Raceway comes Saturday, August 17 with the Roger Iles Tribute during the Kenosha County Fair.
“For Father’s Day weekend, to score the win, I know my late dad was riding with me,” said an emotional Tim Cox of Park City, IL following his hard fought win in the 20-lap AutoMeter Powered By Gandrud Performance Wisconsin WingLESS Sprints Wilmot Catalyst Exhibits Championship feature.
“I guess I showed them this old guy can run the high side,” Cox said, noting his rim-riding path to the victory. “It’s been a while. It’s cool running with these kids when I am in my 60s. I have to thank my family, crew, sponsors, everyone, and these great Wilmot fans. Looking forward to next week (Sunday, June 22) when I will be doing the double and running a USAC sprint and this car, too.”
Cox held the point on every circuit from his outside row one starting spot. The run was not without interruptions as five laps in, New Berlin’s Austin Hansen got upside down in turn three after tangling with a spinning Rusty Egan who had been challenging for the top 10 at the time. Hansen walked away. Both cars were done.
The final laps saw Cox using his referred to as unconventual cushion rim riding line to his first win of the season for the multi-Wilmot champion in several different types of cars. Genesee’s Eric Wilke was second. Kansasville’s Ryan Marshall came on strong to take third edging out fourth place runner Bristol’s Chris Klemko. Jimmy Sivia of Winthrop Harbor, IL recovered from some early race miscues which kept putting him toward the back of the field to finish fifth.
“It was rough out there, but a fun hard win,” said Salem’s Ryan Johnson, following his win coming from ninth in the 26-car field in the B&L Office Furniture powered by Great American Tire & Auto Bandits 20-lap feature. “This is awesome to get a win against these tough drivers.”
Burlington’s Bradley Becker and Kenosha’s Craig Kreuser went side be side several laps throughout the early going of the feature. Five laps in, the red flag flew when Ben Frank of Spring Grove, IL got upside down in turn one. Frank was not injured, but eliminated.
Suddenly Johnson shot into the mix, as three and even four wide racing raged throughout the final half of the feature. Johnson finally got the top spot seven laps from the finish, holding off second place Becker. Kreuser took a close third. David McKellips fourth. Ryan Andrews of Woodstock, IL fifth.
Pleasant Prairie’s Scott Carpenter impressively moved up 16 spots from 24th to take eighth of of the 26-car field.
“It took a while to work up there, and there was so much battling up there it was hard to find room,” said Pleasant Prairie’s Josh Gehrig after his second 20-lap Unified Street Stock feature win of the season. “I saw a spot and decided to go for it. It worked.”
The beginning of the main saw a father-son family feud on Father’s Day weekend much of the first half. Rob Olson and son Robby Olson, both of Lindenhurst, IL, battled side by side through some of the early going.
After a final caution with three laps to go, and the son Robby Olson leading with Kenosha’s Blake Kreuser, who started tenth in the 17-car field, interrupting the family get-together. Pleasant Prairie’s Josh Gehrig came out of no where commanding the high side down the backstretch to take the lead on the restart.
At the checkered it was Gehrig for his second feature victory of the season after starting eighth. Robby Olson took second beating out his dad, third place finisher Rob Olson by less than a car length. Kreuser was fourth. David Jones of North Chicago, IL took fifth in an impressive run from 16th starting spot.
For updates check the track side race line 262-862-2090, contact Raceway Manager Jennifer Hesse 262-731-3592, or check the official track website wilmotraceway.com or Facebook page.
Submitted By Michael H. Babicz
