9/26 Plymouth, WI Mike Kertscher stole the win from Tommy Sexton with a last corner pass to claim the 13th annual Frank Filskov Memorial Fall Classic at Sheboygan County Fair Park. The race sanctioned by the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series is tradionally the final event of the IRA point season. Kertscher put down an absolute perfect lap rim-riding his way around Sexton and winning the drag race to checkerd. Kertscher piloted the Jim Bell / Chris Hartnell Captain Jim's Yacht Sales Kistler/JEI to the $2700 win. It was Kertcher's second IRA wi of the season, and also his second Filskov Memorial victory. Bill Balog was crowned IRA series champion for the second consecutive season. Donny Goeden led the early going, however fifth starting Sexton powered his way to past Billy Hafemann, Kertscher, and Mike Reinke before taking command as the first 14 laps went green. Veteran Joe Symoens stopped the action with a high altitude back-chute tumble. Sexton would lead Goeden, Kertscher, Scotty Neitzel, Bill Balog, Hafemann, and Reinke on the restart.

There are not too many tracks around the Upper Midwest where Terry McCarl had not visited victory lane but Superior Speedway in Superior, Wisconsin, was one of them. That all changed when McCarl raced by Erin Crocker to take the win at the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints Budweiser Northern Nationals. The win was the fourth IRA win of the season for McCarl.

Crocker took the lead from the outside of the front row and held off polesitter Davey Heskin through a few early yellow flags and a red flag for Billy Hafemann's flip in turn two. On the restart, McCarl snuck by Crocker and opened up a large lead. Late in the race, IRA point leader Bill Balog closed in on Crocker to take second but was never able to pass McCarl, despite a late yellow flag. Balog, who started 10th, was second followed by Crocker, Mike Reinke and Scott Neitzel. Johnny Herrera suffered a broken nose wing and slipped to sixth from third at the finish ahead of Davey Heskin, who spun while running second but charged back to seventh at the finish.

Mike Reinke and Scott Young were the winners in Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series events over the Labor Day weekend. Reinke picked up a well deserved and overdue win by capturing the IRA portion of the Stan Fox Memorial at the Dodge County Fairgrounds, while Young who has competed a very partial schedule this year grabbed a thriller at the Grant County Speedway the following night. For both it was their first IRA victories of the season, making it 18 different drivers winning IRA A-mains thus far in 2009. Scotty Neitzel had a outstanding weekend with a pair of runnerup finishes and the closed the point chase some as defending series champ and current point leader Bill Balog suffered from horrendous luck at Grant Co after recording a solid third place run the night previous. Balog broke a rear axle while leading his heat, then apparently had a rear-end let go while leading the B-main, thus failing to transfer to the A. 31 cars were on hand at Dodge, while 26 made the tow over to Lancaster the following night.

Following a grueling 3-day swing which included an extremely successful inaugural 2-day headline appearance at the Elko Dirt Nationals in Minnesota, and an annual visit to Eagle Valley Speedway in Wisconsin, the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series heads to Wilmot (WI) Raceway this Saturday night (Aug. 1) for the annual running of the Al & Marie Winker / Wayne Daun Memorial.

34 teams were on hand at Elko, all uncertain on what to expect as the top notch 3/8 pavement track was coated with dirt for the weekend. The racers were greeted with an ultra-smooth surface that far exceeded most expectations, and an event that will not soon be forgotten. One thing for certain that both racers and the HUGE throng of fans that turned out for this inaugural event discovered, the Elko Speedway is a spectacular facility. They also discovered improvement with each night, beginning with IMCA Sprint action which began on Wednesday to Saturday's IRA Sprint / USMTS Mod finale.

One week ago, Bill Balog stood in victory lane at Deer Creek Speedway after winning the IRA event. Tonight, as Elko Speedway in Elko, Minnesota, wrapped up their inaugural Dirt Nationals, the 2008 champion did it again. Balog, from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, started outside the first row and trailed polesitter Steve Meyer for the first three circuits before taking the top spot.

On lap four, Brett Geldner brought out the yellow with a soft flip in turn four. On the restart, Travis Whitney edged past Meyer to take the second spot. Balog continued to lead as Whitney dueled with eigth-starting Scott Winters through the early part of the race. A lap 14 yellow flag period for a tangle between Matt Vandevere and Andy Hunt set up a shootout as the top three cars lined up nose-to-tail on the restart. Balog, however, proved to be too strong as he pulled away from Whitney to take his third win of the season in IRA competition. Winters held third while Meyer fended off Jerry Richert Jr. for fourth.

The Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series has a HUGE 3-day weekend planned July 24-26. The action begins Friday night at Elko Speedway, just south of the twin cities off I-35. Saturday has IRA back at Elko, with Eagle Valley Speedway in Jim Falls, WI (just north of Eau Claire) the site for Sunday. The transformation of Elko from one of the nation's premier paved tracks to dirt is complete and the big 2-day IRA show is ready to go green. Elko may very well have the nicest grandstand side of any short-track in the country, the place is absolutely first class. Following the dirt debut at Elko, IRA heads to the 3/8 highbanked Eagle Valley for its' annual stop. Jerry Richert Jr and Brooke Tatnell have captured IRA's 2 previous visits. Mufflers are required this weekend, with early drivers meetings planned Friday & Sunday.

The Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series travels to one of their favorite venues this Saturday night, July 18th, as the winged 410's take to the 3/8 highbanked Deer Creek Speedway. Deer Creek is located in Spring Valley in SE MN, just south of Rochester.

Bill Balog leads the series points race with Mike Reinke holding a slim lead over Scotty Neitzel for second. John Haeni, Scott Biertzer, and Steve Meyer have a great 3-way battle going for 4th. 2006-2007 IRA Champ Travis Whitney is expected to be on hand as he has 2 past IRA Deer Creek victories to his credit, while Biertzer claimed the IRA main in 07. Mother Nature was victorious in 08. A great mix of IRA series regulars and MN 410's always create a talented field for this annual event on one of the most exciting tracks in the country. The super wide, high banked 3/8 produces outstanding action.

Terry McCarl played weatherman and headed the Big Game Tree Stands entry towards Wisconsin as it appeared the World of Outlaw event scheduled at Husets Speedway in Sioux Falls, SD in which he originally planned on attending was going to rained out. He guessed right and made his long tow pay off by capturing the prestigeous Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series 25 lap Sue Thiel Memorial Classic at the half-mile Dodge County Fairgrounds Speedway. A huge crowd turned out for the annual event with 31 IRA Sprinters on hand. While McCarl took the $3000 winner's share, it was no easy task as early leader Donny Goeden gave McCarl a solid challange throughout the contest. For McCarl who recently won at Eldora Speedway with the All-Star Circuit of Champions, and Knoxville Raceway with the World of Outlaws, he now added Dodge County with IRA to his win list. It was the Iowa driver's third IRA win of the season.

After the initial start went red due to 4th starting Dave Uttech's unfortunate contact with the third turn concrete resulting in a slow roll, and then 11th starting Billy Hafemann's brake locking spin, the third try was a charm as pole sitter Goeden took the initial lead.

This Friday Night, July 3rd, The Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series invades the big Dodge County Fairgrounds half-mile for the running of the annual Sue Thiel Memorial.

In addition to the winged/410 IRA sprints will be the Badger Midgets creating a great open wheel combo. Both shows pay $3000 to win, $300 to start. The IRA point chase has certainly heated up as Billy Balog leads Mike Reinke, & Scotty Neitzel. All three have visited Dodge County victory lane in the past. John Haeni, Steve Meyer, Scott Biertzer, and Scott Uttech are involved in a tight battle as only a handful of points separate 4th thru 7th. A solid field is expected. IRA is averaging 35 cars per event thus far in 2009. IRA is a ASA affiliated series with additional support from United Trailers, Osborn & Son Trucking, Hoosier Tire, Bar's Leaks, Rislone, Can-Am/BRP, Mechanix Wear, and The U.S. Army.

6/27 Plymouth, WI Donny Goeden captured the rain shortened Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints headline event at Sheboygan County Fair Park, and ironically did it without ever leading a lap. The race ended when race leader Mike Kertscher spun while trying to put a lap on another competitor and while the yellow was out for Kertscher and new leader Goeden paced the field the sprinkles which were constant throughout the entire A-main turned into a shower which took its' toll on the track surface to the point the race could not be restarted, thus Goeden was declared the winner. It was Goeden's first IRA win of the year. Goeden piloted the Bob Walldan #11 Maxim to the win as 20 of the scheduled 30 laps were completed.