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Short Storms to Finish

Marion,Illinois' Carson Short out duels Iowa’s Austin McCarl at 34 Raceway to claim his first career IRA win. The feature saw 4 different leaders during the 25 laps, but it was Short who with the help of a late race restart was the strongest of the field.

On a beautiful April day, 36 teams signed in to complete in the season opening race for both the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association(IRA), as well as the Midwest Open Wheel Association(MOWA) at Burlington Iowa’s 34 Raceway. Qualifying saw 8 time IRA champion Bill Balog set quick time over defending Knoxville Raceway track champion Austin McCarl. Carson short timed in 3rd with Joey Moughan in 4th and Jeremy Schultz in 5th.

Heat race number 1 was dominated by local favorite Josh Schneiderman. Joe B Miller would bring his 51B home in 2nd ahead of Bill Balog and Parker Price-Miller. Lynton Jeffery’s, who now calls Iowa home would finish 5th.
Heat 2 saw IRA veteran Mike Reinke pick up the win over Iowa’s Chris Martin. Behind them, fans saw a great battle for 3rd through 5th and Austin McCarl and Paul Nienhiser swapped the spots with IRA regular Scotty Thiel. When the checkered fell it was McCarl in 3rd followed by Nienhiser and Thiel.
The 3rd heat was won by Carson Short, who recently picked up and win in Tennessee. Scotty Neitzel would come home in 2nd ahead of Jake Blackhurst who charged from his 6th starting spot. Steve Meyer would bring his Meyer Electric 85m home in 4th and Tanner Gebhardt was 5th.
The 4th and final heat race was won by the Australian Brooke Tatnell. Joey Moughan raced into 2nd position after a fierce battle with Russel Borland who would settle for 3rd followed by Ben Schmidt and Craig Dollansky, making his return to sprint car racing.

The B main would see the final 4 transfers into the A main. Kris Spitz lead from the drop of the green flag, but Jeremy Schultz making his debut in the Bob Hood owned 10w would eventually find his was past Spitz and pick up the victory. Spitz would come home in 2nd followed by Robbie Standridge and Brayden Fox, who snatched the 4th position in the closing laps. Jacob Patton would finish in the 5th spot but that would not be enough to make the A main.

Scotty Thiel took the early lead in the A main but just a couple laps in, he would drift over the top of turn 2 and fall back to 3rd behind Scotty Neitzel and Austin McCarl. Neitzel would hold the lead for a handful of laps before spinning and collecting Scotty Thiel. Austin McCarl would claim the lead on the restart over Carson Short and Mike Reinke. 14th starting Jake Blackhurst would pass Reinke on the restart and move into 3rd. Carson Short and Austin McCarl battled hard for the lead, as the battle was entering leaped traffic and caution with 10 laps to go would bunch the field back up. Carson Short would get by Austin McCarl on the restart and never looked back. Austin McCarl finished 2nd over Brooke Tatnell and Jake Blackhurst, and Ben Schmidt.

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