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.

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.

by Bryan Gapinski
BEAVER DAM,Wis. -- Friday Night's July 3rd eighth annual Mid State Equipment Sue Thiel Memorial at Dodge County Fairgrounds, will post one of the Badger Midget Series, largest purses for the season. The event will also feature the IRA Bumper-to-Bumper Outlaw Sprint Car Series.

Race organizer Dan Thiel has structured a purse which pays $3,000 to-win, with $300 to start the feature. The payoff for the 22-car feature will total $13,400, with additional money slated for non-starters and preliminary race winners. Previous Thiel Memorial midget winners include: Jerry Coons Jr. (2006, '07) and Cole Whitt ('08).

The lightning fast half-mile dirt oval will also host a second Badger/IRA doubleheader on Friday Night Sept. 3 with the running of the third annual Stan Fox Memorial. A special ceremony honoring all previous Badger & IRA Drivers Champions will take place at the start of the evenings events.

Beaver Dam, WI 4/18 Hometown racer Scotty Neitzel claimed the annual Rick Schmidt Memorial season opener for the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series at the Dodge County Fairgrounds Speedway. The 23 lap, $2300 to win event, 23 being the car number for Schmidt who was of one of IRA's most influential members over the years. A 37 car field greeted a solid crowd despite the storm clouds and predicted rain. Neitzel piloted the R&H Enterprises, T&D Jewelry, Competition Specialists Maxim to the win on the big half-mile.

Jason Johnson and Brian Kristan led the 24 car ASA affiliated series A-main to the green with Johnson taking control and Neitzel jumping into second from his second row starting position. Steve Meyer, Jake Peters, and Lance Fassbender were victims in separate early incidents, though Johnson who was having a career night was able to keep multi-IRA Dodge County winner Neitzel at bay despite the single file restarts.

Johnson, led Neitzel, Kristan, Scott Biertzer, and Ricky Logan at the half way point, the eyes could see a charging duo of 11th starting Todd Hepfner and 16th starting Mike Reinke moving towards the front.

By: Series PR
Beaver Dam, Wi 7/12 It was long overdue, but Brian Kristan won his first Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series A-main event by capturing Round 3 of Charter Raceway Park's Duel At The Dam series. The second generation driver drove the bottom of the banked third-mile to perfection, holding off multiple challange's by runner-up Donny Goeden, however Kristan aboard his Weiland Racing Enerprises / J&J Powdercoating Maxim opened up a comfortable margin at the checkerd, and then the popular pilot executed a great set of victory donuts thrilling the large crowd. Kristan has had numerous top five finishes in IRA career but was never able to seal the deal, however on this night he put his name in the IRA record book with a big exclamation point. Goeden came home a strong second over point leader Billy Balog, with a charging duo of Bill Warren and Scott Biertzer completing the top five. Mike Kertscher edged Tommy Sexton and Mike Reinke in a wild battle for sixth, with Kurt Winker and Todd Hepfner rounding out the top ten.

By: Series PR
6/6 Beaver Dam, WI Billy Balog has made his decision to compete for the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series championship payoff thus far, as the former series Rookie of the Year captured his first A-main win of the season and regained the early point lead by capturing the 25 lap headliner at the Dodge County Fairgrounds Speedway. Balog had his Maxim chassis performing perfectly on the big half-mile scoring a well earned victory after starting 12th in the 24 car A-main field. Balog, known as the Alaskan Cheesehead, proved his strength by holding off former 2-time IRA Champion and local Beaver Dam favorite Scotty Neitzel on two consecutive green white checkered restarts to put a big exclamation point on his win. Balog didn't only defeat his rivals on this night, but Mother Nature too as tornado's
and heavy storms ravaged nearby areas just to the southeast.