May 19, 2012; Beaver Dam, WI - For the first half of the 30 lap Bumper to Bumper IRA Sprint Car main event at Beaver Dam Raceway it looked like Billy Balog might actually see the checkered flag fall for another driver. But a series of events that occurred right at the halfway point of the contest changed complexion race placing Balog out front. Once in the lead the second half of the event was simply a matter of Balog keeping his competition in his tire tracks as he claimed his third straight IRA Sprint victory of 2012.

The four-time and defending champion remains undefeated so far this season.

It wasn't for the lack of effort on behalf of his competitors however. A field of 28 drivers checked into the pit area at Beaver Dam Raceway to take on the best Winged 410 Sprint racers in the Midwest. Several drivers showed signs early that they had the speed to catch Balog. Mike Reinke had topped the speed charts in qualifying blistering the third-mile clay oval with a lap of 13.443 seconds. His nearest rival, Mike Kertscher was nearly four-tenths of a second behind with a lap of 13.820 seconds. Four drivers broke into the 13 second range including Bill Warren and 2011 Wilmot Raceway champion Tommy Sexton. Balog's qualifying effort placed him 12th, nearly a second off Reinke's pace.

From that point on though Balog flexed his muscle. In heat race action Balog handedly won his contest, with the other heat race wins going to Sexton and rookie hotshoe Blake Nimee who would turn 18 after this nights racing action.

The balance of the 22 car main event was set by taking 7 positions out of the B-main event. A race that went down to the wire with Matt Vandervere working past Warren for the victory.

The field 22 car field would accept the green flag for the 30 lap A-main with hometown favorite Scotty Neitzel on the pole and Sexton sitting to his outside. Kertscher and Reinke would make up row two while Balog would start the contest in the sixth slot a position he wouldn't stay in for long.

Doug Zimmer PhotographyPhoto Gallery by Doug Zimmer

by Ed Reichert
Rice Lake WI, May 19 – Eric Olson became the first repeat winner in the Street Stock class Saturday at the Rice Lake Speedway and was only one lap from scoring a double win before Aaron Wilson stole the lead from him on the last lap of the Super Stock finale. Other winners on a wild and windy Saturday night included Dave Cain, Shane Halopka and Mike Schnider on the last Saturday night before the Memorial Day holiday special.

Cody Kummer took the early lead in the highly competitive Street Stock main event after battling with Jamey Fisher on the opening lap. Josh Amans, Adam Soltis and Jimmy Randall were all on the move too, while Olson gradually worked his way up from a fourth row starting position. Randall was using the high side of the track as he worked his way to the front while Olson was digging on the bottom lane.

While Kummer continued to lead, Olson worked his way into second with Randall third when suddenly, Kummer went way high in turn two as he jumped the cushion and gave up two positions. This gave Olson the lead with Randall on the charge. Jimmy continued to work the high side using an unusual line that gave him good momentum off the corners and he pulled up to the side of Olson and just as it appeared he was ready to make the pass, the yellow flew for a spin in turn four.

Olson continued to lead on the green but Randall had a problem now, as he couldn’t run his favorable groove because Kummer was right to his low side. As Olson edged away, the battle for second was side by side and Kummer was able to edge out Randall for the position. The top five saw Soltis in fourth with Jay Kesan next in line. Olson became the first repeat winner in the Streets in 2012.

Olson jumped out of his Streeter and into his Super Stock and holding the pole position, he took the early lead in the Super Stock main event. Visions of a double win danced in Olson’s eyes as he held off repeated challenges by Wilson for most of the event. Aaron continued to pressure Olson, running a slightly higher line but no more than a car length behind Eric as he tried to slip by.

From time to time, Olson would open up a slightly greater lead, but then Wilson would put on another charge and nearly edge past the Ladysmith veteran. As they came down for the white flag, Olson suddenly lost his line for an instant and came sliding up the track and Wilson was right there to dive to his inside and they raced wheel to wheel down the front chute. Wilson edged ahead going into turn one and while Olson gave it his best shot down the back chute, Wilson maintained his lead and raced to the win by a car length. Ben Hillman ran third most of the event and held off a late challenge by Shane Kisling for the position while Wayne Harris Jr completed the top five. The win was Wilson’s first of the year at Rice Lake.

Plymouth, WI [May 19, 2012] Ben Schmidt, Matt Yancey, Ted Dolhun, and Michael Strean collect their first PDTR A-main wins of the season.

Poore Wins EDCO Welding Street Stock Battle

ANDERSON, Ind. (May 19, 2012) – In his first start at Anderson Speedway in the McGunegill Engine Performance Late Models, Eddie Van Meter turned in a stellar performance during the Hoosier Park Spring Championships at Anderson Speedway.

LOCUST GROVE, AR (May 19, 2012) - The defending Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion, Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN finally got his breakthrough victory on Saturday Night at Batesville Motor Speedway, after having finished 2nd seven times.

Owens fought off the challenges from Hall-of-Fame drivers, Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR and Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN to capture the Inaugural Bad Boy 98. The race paid $10,000 to win and Owens also claimed a 2012 Chevy Camaro from Mark Martin Chevrolet as his trophy. Moyer chased down Owens late in the race, but fell short of victory. Moyer did earn a $20,000 payday for second. Bloomquist came home third, followed by Wendell Wallace of Batesville, AR and Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN.

Moyer entered the race leading the nation, with ten feature wins, and was looking for his first-win in seven years at his home track. He grabbed the lead at the start of the 98-lap affair. O'Neal challenged him early on. Owens regrouped and passed O'Neal for second on lap nine, then quickly began gaining ground on the leader.

Owens set up Moyer for a few laps and eventually got by him for the lead on lap 12. Meanwhile Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA quickly made his way up to third. With 20 laps scored, the running order was Owens, Moyer, Birkhofer, O'Neal and Steve Francis of Ashland, KY in the top five.

On lap 24 Earl Pearson Jr.'s car went up in smoke heading into turn number one, causing a chain reaction wreck involving several cars. By lap 47 Bloomquist made it a three-way battle for the lead. Both Moyer and Bloomquist closed on Owens in heavy traffic, but a caution for Austin Hubbard on lap 70 cleared the track for Owens in the remaining 28 circuits. Owens pulled away on the restart as Moyer and Bloomquist battled hard for second.

Owens had a commanding lead with ten laps to go, but Moyer cut that deficit in half by five to go. Owens had to contend with traffic to the finish. Moyer sliced the lead to three-car lengths, but couldn't get any closer as the two took the white flag. Moyer made one last stab at the lead, but Owens headed to the finish line for his first series win of 2012.

"I have to thank Mike Reece for giving me the opportunity to drive his car, the crew did a great job this weekend, we were geared up for the long run tonight and it paid off! To hold off two of the best drivers to ever race Late Models is quite an accomplishment," said the 40-year-old Owens, who remains out in front of this year's Lucas Oil Championship Points Standings.

Dan Lewis Photography | danlewisphoto.netPhoto Gallery by Dan Lewis

by J. Tienor
Friday, May 18th, Manitowoc, WI. - Finally sunny skies shown over the Manitowoc County Fairgrounds as Eastern Wisconsin Stock Cars entered the third week of the 2012 season. The show was fast-paced with very few cautions and some fantastic racing.

GRAND NATIONALS
Newcomer Logan Rhode (Manitowoc) and Steven Ruh (Elkhart Lake) led out the Grand National Feature. Nick Schumacher (Eagle) suffered damage in his heat and returned to take the green in the feature and immediately pull into the pits as the first of several racers to have issues. Rhode ran out to the early lead with Ruh in his tire tracks, while last weeks winner Matt Jackson (Sheboygan) and Jestin Danes (subbing for Mark Kuhfuss) started strong moves from deep in the pack. Ruh ran down Rhode on Lap 5, while on Lap 7 Kevin Lubach (Elkhart Lake) and Brad Juckem (Chilton) both pitted, rejoining the field several laps down. Halfway showed Ruh, Ryan Minster (Sheboygan), Rhode, Kevin Naidl (Reedsville), and Travis Groelle (Two Rivers) in the top 5. Lap 12 spelled the end of the night for Adam Broehm (Stockbridge) when he pulled off and did not return. Minster continued to hound Ruh, but did not catch him as Ruh came home with the victory, followed by Minster, Rhode, Naidl, Donny Kulow (Plymouth), Jackson, Danes, James Pagel (St. Cloud) and Paul Perrone (Plymouth). Biggest movers were Danes and Jackson with 5 positions and Pagel with 4.

STREET STOCKS
With last weeks winner Bradley Ruh (Elkhart Lake) starting shotgun on the field, and Tim Mueller (New Holstein) dropping out due to mechanical issues Douglas Engleking (Menominee Falls) and Hank Horn (Brillion) brought the Street Stock Feature to the line. Engleking moved to the early lead, trailed by Horn, Jeff Bender (Plymouth), and Jerry Brickner (Mishicot). Jeff Leonhard (Sheboygan-filling in for Josh McDonald) moved rapidly forward to join Ruh in challenging the top 3. The midway point showed Engleking still holding the lead, Horn, Ruh, Bender, and Leonhard. Lap 9 brought a yellow for debris, and Dave Gauger (Two Rivers) dropping out with mechanical problems. Engleking lead the field to the green, and was challenged quickly by Horn who claimed the lead 2 laps later and held off Engleking for the victory. Leonhard, Ruh, Brickner, Bender and Ray Fuller (Manitowoc) would round out the finishers. Leonhard picked up 3 spots for biggest mover honors.

MSA 360 SPRINTS
A six car inversion produced a front row of Justin Miller (Plymouth) and points leader Ben Schmidt (Howards Grove). Scotty Neitzel (Beaver Dam), last weeks feature winner was buried in the pack in 11th at the start. Jeremy Shultz (Beaver Dam) grabbed the lead from his 3rd starting spot, bringing along Scotty Thiel from his 5th grid position. Schmidt took the lead away a lap later. Tim Haddy (Waupan) retired on Lap 2, while Schultz, Thiel, and Kyle Marten (Sheboygan Falls) tried to hold pace with Schmidt. He began lapping cars on Lap 7, while Thiel got around Schultz and jumped to the high side trying to chase down the 35. Scott Conger (Eagle) slowed to a stop on the backstretch on Lap 12 bringing out a caution. The restart order showed Schmidt, Thiel, Schultz, Marten, John Krebsbach (Cascade), and Neitzel up to sixth. Thiel pressured Schmidt back under green, while Schultz was using every bit of cushion to chase them down. Neitzel broke into the top 5 a lap later, pushing hard to try and reel in the leaders. Shane Wenninger (Kewaskum) was steadily charging through the field from the 15th starting spot, breaking into the top 5 on Lap 22. A lap later Thiel slowed to a stop in Turn 4 after something broke, sending him to the pits for the rest of the night. Schimdt, Schultz, Marten, Neitzel, and Wenninger took the green for the final dash to the checkers. On Lap 25 Neitzel got around Marten for third, setting the final finish. Schmidt took the win, Schultz, Neitzel, Marten, Wenninger, Randy Brunette (Chilton), Kevin Kranitz (West Bend), Randy Sippel (Elkhart Lake), Krebsbach, and Paul Pokorski (West Bend). Hard charger went to Wenninger picking up 9 positions and Neitzel with 8 positions.