5/1/2014
IRA Interstate Racing Association
IRA Sprints In "The Zone" This Sunday Afternoon
Oshkosh Speedzone to Host Sunday Afternoon May 4th Contest
April 29, 2014; Oshkosh, WI - The 2014 racing season is underway for the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints. The winged 410 sprint series thrilled fans on a chilly evening this past week at Beaver Dam Raceway to begin the 2014 campaign.
Young Phillip Mock topped a last lap duel with former World of Outlaws regular Bill Rose to collect his first career A-main victory by less than a car length and Rose demonstrated his proficiency for finding the front of the pack nearly stealing the win from Mock who had led much of the event.
The excitement of the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints will continue to play out this coming weekend as the tour heads to Oshkosh Speedzone Raceway to contest a weather postponed show on late Sunday afternoon May 4th.
Oshkosh Speedzone was originally scheduled to host the season opening contest back on April 19th but the program was hindered by weather related issues which didn’t allow the track to fully prepare for the event thus forcing the delay to May 4th.
Rose fresh off the runner-up performance at Beaver Dam heads to Oshkosh Speedzone as the point leader. Rose is currently weighing his options but has considered running for the 2014 championship and is off to a great start in that pursuit.
Bill Balog, the six-time, and defending champion was hindered on opening night by a flat tire and had to start the A-main from the tail of the field after the tire was replaced. Balog rallied to finish fourth in the contest. Balog has been especially strong at Oshkosh Speezone’s their-mile clay oval as he will be seeking his fifth straight Speedzone victory. The last time he was shut out of the winners circle was August of 2011 when Mike Kertscher relegated Balog to a second place finish.
Still, this past week, Mock, Rose, and Mike Reinke all managed to finish ahead of Balog keeping him from the podium and the competition this season is nearing an all-time high.
Mock with his first career victory under his belt looks to have one of the strongest starts in his young career and should be a threat throughout the season.
Mike Reinke also appears to be back on track, collecting a podium in the season opener with a strong third place performance. His speed at Oshkosh is well documented and he finished second last season at the track in June.
Rookies Ben Schmidt, and Scotty Thiel also showcased their speed. Both divers have excelled in 360 sprints and seem to have adapted quickly to the 900 horsepower engines featured in the 410 sprints. Both drivers’ collected top ten finishes in the opener with Schmidt collecting a sixth place finish just ahead of 2013 Rookie of the Year Jeremy Schultz.
“Wild Bill” Wirth also showcased some opening night speed with a fifth place run. Wirth spent the early portions of the contest giving chase to Mock before fading a bit near the finish.
Some additional teams are expected to have their cars completed for the Oshkosh race with close to 30 cars expected for the contest. Brian Kristan and Nick Alden are among the teams expected to hit the track shortly.
The Sunday afternoon May 4th event will see pit gates will open at noon, grandstands at 2:00pm, hotlaps and qualifying start at 4:00pm with racing at 5:00pm.
Ticket prices are $20.00 for adults while students ages 11-15 are admitted for $10.00. Children ages 10 and under are free. Supporting divisions will be the Outlaw Chassis Grand Nationals, Gold Star Racing Supplies Street Stocks and the Ellington Mutual Insurance Dirt Devils. It is a points night for the Grand Nationals and Dirt Devils.
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
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.
The 2014 Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series season will consist of 30 shows to be held this at 15 different area tracks.
The series is a featured member of Racetext.net which is a website dedicated to bringing fans the best possible coverage of local racing.
IRA proudly 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, Cummins Onan, and Carriage Auto Body.
For more information on the IRA Outlaw Sprints check out the tour website at www.irasprints.com or logging onto the series Facebook page at www.facebook.com/irasprints and on twitter at #IRA_sprints.
Article Credit: Jeffrey Sachse
Submitted By: Jeffrey Sachse
