4/16/2015
IRA Interstate Racing Association
WINDS OF CHANGE – BUMPER TO BUMPER IRA OUTLAW SPRINTS SEASON PREVIEW!
A NEW CHAMPION? AN EXCITING SCHEDULE! HISTORY TO BE MADE IN 2015!
April 14, 2015; Appleton, WI – A continued influx of new talent, some exciting schedule changes, and the possibility of a new series champion lies in store for fans of the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series. The 2015 season breaks loose this coming weekend with the first contest of the year to be held at LaSalle Speedway.
For the past several years talent as been pumped into the IRA Sprints through it’s rookie of the year program. Heading into the season it looks like six drivers are eligible for the rookie program. The 2015 season again sets the bar high with Kyle Marten, Josh Walter, Steve Muth, Rick Kelsey, Johnny Fahl and Trey Datweiler attempting to grab the coveted Rookie of the Year honors. Wisconsin racers Marten and Walter come from area 360 sprint racing which has become the main source of new IRA talent, while Datweiler a resident of Illinois came from micro-sprints before moving up to 410 action in recent years. Kelsey has amassed a fair number of victories in 410 sprint competition over the years but is still rookie eligible in IRA competition. Fahl is a former modified racer and Muth drove vintage modifieds before competing in a few 410 sprint shows last season.
Looking back at the past several seasons new talent such as Russel Borland, Phillip Mock, Lance Fassbender, Jeremy Schultz, Bill Rose, Scotty Thiel, Ben Schmidt, Byron Walters, Michael Decker, Allen Hafford, Blake Nimee, Jordan Goldesberry, Steve Muth and Brandon Thone have all added their names to the IRA record books and they plan to participate in the 2015 action.
Several drivers are looking to make a return to a more active schedule after limited participation the past several seasons, these drivers include Andy Hunt, Todd King, and Kurt Davis.
Of course veteran drivers who have laid the foundation to one of the nations best 410 Sprint series look to find victory lane again this season. Drivers such as Bill Balog, Mike Reinke, Scotty Neitzel, Scott Biertzer, Steve Meyer, Matt Vandervere, Wayne Modjeski, Todd Daun, Jereme Schroeder, and Bill Wirth. Add to that long standing family racers such as the father and son combination of Dennis, and Kris Spitz along with cousins Scott, and Dave Uttech you have a talent pool in excess of 30 drivers who look to participate in a majority of the season.
Balog, the seven time and defending champ will act as a catalyst for the change ahead as he looks to expand his schedule running more events outside the IRA ranks. This change in participation almost assuredly points toward a new title holder in 2015. With a strong group of drivers having already pressured Balog for previous titles the question is in whose hands will the 2015 championship trophy reside. Will it be Rose, Reinke, Neitzel, Schultz or one of the other dozen drivers who have a contending shot at the title based upon prior performances?
The schedule itself could play into the drama with some 33 events listed for the season. Some minor tweaking to the schedule moves the historical Angell Park Speedway to the forefront. The semi-banked third-mile clay oval hosted it’s first IRA show after a 30 year absence last season. That contest, which was won by Sheldon Haudenschild after a dramatic late race charge drew rave reviews. As such, the track will host five events in 2015 including a show run in conjunction with “Cornfest”, a very high profile date on the track’s schedule. Wilmot Raceway will join Angell Park Speedway in frequency of events also hosting five IRA contests.
The Bumper to Bumper IRA Sprint schedule also includes several co-sanctioned shows. The NEW All-Star Circuit of Champions will join the IRA for a show at Wilmot in late July. The Tony Stewart owned series will bring big talent to the third-mile oval in Southeastern Wisconsin. The newly formed National Sprint League will join IRA for an event at Sun Prairie in late August and then again a few weeks later at Cedar Lake Speedway for the Jerry Richert Memorial in mid-September. Cedar Lake has an additional IRA date, the traditional Triple Crown event in late May.
The Midwest Open Wheel Association, is the third series to join forces with the Bumper to Bumper IRA Sprints this upcoming season, being the co-sanction at both races held at LaSalle Speedway. The combination of both groups should send car counts soaring for the shows on the high-banked quarter mile oval which now hosts the season opener on April 18th, as well as it’s traditional Bill Waite Jr. Memorial show in late August.
Six races will be held in the Beaver Dam area, with three events at the Dodge County Fairgrounds on the big-half mile oval, and three contests at the banked third-mile Beaver Dam Raceway.
A pair of contests will be held at the Sheboygan County Fairpark in Plymouth with the annual Frank Filskov Memorial date moving to early August, rather than it’s traditional mid-September date. The Oshkosh Speedzone will also host a pair of contests again in 2015 with the dates being moved deeper into the season to avoid the poor weather which has plagued their season opening shows the past couple years.
Six-Four promotions, which brought the IRA Sprints to Luxemburg Speedway after a long absence last season will continue to promote the “Battle by the Bay” show in late September and will now present the “Harbor Town Showdown” at the Manitowoc Expo Raceway on Friday night, July third, giving fans a chance to see 410 sprints at the track for the first time in many seasons. It will be a great way to start the Independence Day Weekend.
Single events at Eagle Valley Speedway, Seymour Speedway, the Langlade County Fairgrounds in Antigo, ABC Raceway in Ashland, and Amsoil Speedway in Superior round out the 33 race schedule.
The season opening show held at LaSalle Speedway occurs this Saturday Night April 18th.
The Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw 410 Sprint Cars will be joined by Modifieds, Street Stocks and 4-Cylinders. Admission to the grandstand is $20.00 for adults, while children ages 6-11 are admitted for $5.00. Pit gates open at 2:00pm. Hot laps begin at 6:00pm with racing to follow.
The high-banked quarter-mile oval is located at E. 578 on U.S. Highway 6 in LaSalle, Illinois, which is just east of I-39 on Highway 6. The track is 60 miles west of Joliet, 80 miles east of the Quad Cities, 70 miles south of Rockford, and 60 miles north of Bloomington. The track can be reached by calling (815) 223-6900.
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.
The IRA Sprints are presented by its long time supporting series partners. The series support is 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.
Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints 2015 Schedule:
4/18/2015 LaSalle Speedway - LaSalle, IL
4/25/2015 Beaver Dam Raceway - Beaver Dam, WI
5/9/2015 Beaver Dam Raceway - Beaver Dam, WI
5/16/2015 Wilmot Raceway - Wilmot, WI
5/24/2015 141 Speedway - Francis Creek, WI
5/29/2015 Oshkosh Speed Zone Raceway - Oshkosh, WI
5/30/2015 Cedar Lake Speedway - New Richmond, WI
5/31/2015 Angell Park Speedway - Sun Prairie, WI
6/6/2015 Wilmot Raceway - Wilmot, WI
6/13/2015 Sheboygan County Fair Park - Plymouth, WI
6/20/2015 ABC Raceway - Ashland, WI
6/21/2015 Angell Park Speedway - Sun Prairie, WI
7/3/2015 Manitowoc Co. Expo Speedway - Manitowoc, WI
7/10/2015 Dodge County Fairgrounds - Beaver Dam, WI
7/18/2015 Eagle Valley Speedway - Jim Falls, WI
7/19/2015 Angell Park Speedway - Sun Prairie, WI
7/24/2015 Oshkosh Speed Zone Raceway - Oshkosh, WI
7/25/2015 Wilmot Raceway - Wilmot, WI
7/31/2015 Langlade County Speedway - Antigo, WI
8/1/2015 Sheboygan County Fair Park - Plymouth, WI
8/2/2015 Seymour Speedway - Seymour, WI
8/7/2015 Dodge County Fairgrounds - Beaver Dam, WI
8/21/2015 Wilmot Raceway - Wilmot, WI
8/22/2015 Wilmot Raceway - Wilmot, WI
8/23/2015 Angell Park Speedway - Sun Prairie, WI
8/29/2015 LaSalle Speedway - LaSalle, IL
8/30/2015 Angell Park Speedway - Sun Prairie, WI
9/6/2015 141 Speedway - Francis Creek, WI
9/11/2015 Amsoil Speedway - Superior, WI
9/12/2015 Cedar Lake Speedway - New Richmond, WI
9/19/2015 Beaver Dam Raceway - Beaver Dam, WI
9/25/2015 Luxemburg Speedway - Luxemburg, WI
9/26/2015 Dodge County Fairgrounds - Beaver Dam, WI
2015 Season Gold Membership Drivers: ( Those expected at multiple events )
0 Johnnny Fahl
02 Mike Reinke
1m Phillip Mock
2w Scotty Neitzel
4b Scott Biertzer
4k Kris Spitz
5 Bryon Walters
5j Jeremy Schultz
6 Bill Rose
6k Kurt Davis
7 Scott Uttech
7f Lance Fassbender
9a Andy Hunt
10v Matt Vandervere
11k Rick Kelsey
12 Mike Decker
12w Josh Walter
14aj Wayne Modjeski
17b Bill Balog
19 Todd Daun
23 Russel Borland
23d Trey Datweiler
25 Steve Muth
35 Ben Schmidt
38 Allen Hafford
41 Dennis Spitz
43 Jereme Schroeder
53w Bill Wirth
64 Scotty Thiel
65 Jordan Goldsberry
68 Dave Uttech
73 Todd King
79 Blake Nimee
85m Steve Meyer
94 Brandon Thone
99 Kyle Marten
Article Credit: Jeffrey Sachse
