9/19/2016
IRA Interstate Racing Association
KERTSCHER FENDS OFF REINKE, COLLECTS SCOTT SEMMELMANN MEMORIAL AT BEAVER DAM RACEWAY IN BUMPER TO BUMPER IRA SPRINT ACTION!
KERTSCHER FENDS OFF REINKE, COLLECTS SCOTT SEMMELMANN MEMORIAL AT BEAVER DAM RACEWAY IN BUMPER TO BUMPER IRA SPRINT ACTION!
KERTSCHER VICTORY STOPS BALOG BEAVER DAM RACEWAY VICTORY STREAK! SCHULTZ ZEROS IN ON BUMPER TO BUMPER IRA SPRINT SERIES TITLE!
September 17, 2016; Beaver Dam, WI – The intensity ratcheted up as the season is winding down in Bumper to Bumper IRA Sprint Car series action. Following the action during of the 2nd Annual Scott Semmelmann memorial race held at Beaver Dam Raceway 2013 IRA Sprint Series Rookie of the Year Jeremy Schultz is close to wrapping up the series title but while Schultz is winning the war the evening’s battle was captured by Mike Kertscher.
Kertscher known for his hard-charging driving style blew past early race leader Todd Daun coming off a restart early in the contest and then was able to fend off the challenges of Mike Reinke to claim the victory in the evening’s 30 lap headliner.
Heavy rain throughout the week left the racing surface on the third-mile clay oval tacky throughout the evening rewarding drivers that had the courage to keep the right foot planted in their 900 horsepower machines.
Kertscher and Reinke excelled in that area taking their battle to the front of the pack while fighting through lapped traffic. When the checkered flag fell it was Kertscher who was victorious for the second time this season with Reinke in the second spot less than two car lengths behind. Steve Meyer who joins Kertscher with two event wins this season finished solidly in the final podium spot after fending off the challenges of seven-time series champ Bill Balog.
Balog came into the night having won every 410 Winged Sprint event this season at Beaver Dam Raceway having tallied up three wins in Bumper to Bumper IRA Sprint action as week as having captured the World of Outlaws event. Tonight he had the chance to sweep the season but came up just a bit short after advancing from his 10th place starting spot.
Meanwhile, the season long point battle became a bit clearer as current point leader finished ahead of his nearest point rivals. All three title contenders finished in the top ten, but it was Schultz, with his fifth place finish who took a major step in securing his first IRA title. The two-time Wilmot Raceway and former 360 sprint car title champion now holds a solid point lead heading into the final event of the season at the Dodge County Fairgrounds in two weeks. Schultz will have to qualify for, and take the green flag in the final A-main of the year to secure the crown.
With a solid late season showing of 34 participants the field was narrowed down to the 24 fastest drivers for the start of the 30 lap Scott Semmelmann memorial race.
With tons of bite thanks to a heaping of moisture throughout the week, the third-mile clay oval was still full of grip as the main event began. Wheel stands added to the action throughout the contest.
Before the first lap could be completed an accordion effect in mid-pack resulted in contact between several cars with Jereme Schroeder ultimately having the worst outcome hitting one of the infield tires in turn three before coming to a halt drawing a caution and forcing a restart of the race.
When the action did finally get underway it was polesitter Todd Daun blasting into the lead with Kertscher who had started outside the front row dropping into the second spot and immediately applying pressure to the leader. Reinke who had started in the second row assumed the third position ahead of Matt Juhl who made the long trek from Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Juhl’s evening would come to a grinding halt on lap six as he became involved in wild three-car melee which resulted in Ben Schmidt and Trey Datweiler both flipping down the backstretch resulting in a red flag. Schmidt who had been doing battle with Juhl for a top five spot took a wild end over end tumble but quickly crawled from his machine uninjured. All three drivers retired from the contest and the race resumed after the clean-up.
When the green flag returned Daun came under immediate pressure from Kertscher. Kertscher wasted no time in getting to the front diving under Daun in turn two and completing the pass before lap seven began.
The race was slowed for the second time when the caution appeared on lap ten when Kris Spitz came to a halt in turn two on the tenth lap. It was the final slowdown of the event.
The green flag quickly returned and Kertscher went back to setting the pace. The second spot changed hands as Reinke got a solid run on Daun powering into the second spot.
At the halfway point in the contest, Kertscher was out front beginning to work lapped traffic with Reinke, Daun, Meyer and Balog holding down the top five spots.
The battle between Kertscher and Reinke intensified as the final ten circuits began as Reinke had closed the gap and awaited any miscue by Kertscher as the leader negotiated lapped cars.
On lap 23 Daun gave up the final podium spot as Meyer advanced to third bringing Balog with him. Daun would fade throughout the closing laps.
With four laps to go lapped traffic began to hinder Kertscher allowing Reinke to make an attempt on the lead, but Kertscher made a daring move between lapped cars and once he was able to thread the needle past them he extended his gap on Reinke.
Over the closing laps, Reinke was again able to reel in Kertscher but Kertscher remained flawless to secure the win by a three car lengths. Reinke had to settle for second. Meyer meanwhile had his hand full with Balog in the third spot but he held tight to the position with the veteran racer earning the third position.
Balog crossed the line in fourth, and while he was unable to sweep the season in 410 sprint action at the track he did complete every race in the top five.
Schultz completed the top five finishers having bested his nearest point rival Scotty Thiel who crossed the line in the sixth spot. Thiel remains the only driver with a mathematical chance to unseat Schultz from the top of the point standings during the final race of the year.
Blake Nimee, who had captured the B-main turned in a solid showing with a seventh place finish while Daun, the early race leader, faded to the eighth spot.
Todd Hepfner making a rare start this season completed the contest in ninth followed by Scotty Neitzel who completed the top ten finishers.
Attrition took it’s toll late in the race with cars pulling into the infield every couple laps. 14 of the 24 starters were able to complete the contest.
Earlier in the program, the B-main was hotly contested for the final transfer spots. Nimee had dominated the contest followed by Kris Spitz and Johnny Fahl. Scott Uttech had been in the final transfer spot until the last lap when he came to a halt giving the final transfer position to Datweiler.
Heat race victories were captured this evening by Juhl, Daun, Reinke and Kertscher.
Wayne Modjeski was one of the last cars to qualify and he turned in a blistering lap of 11.829 seconds to take top honors. That lap bumped Balog into the second spot after pacing most of the qualifying session with a lap of 11.972 seconds. Nimee was the only other driver to crack the 12-second barrier earning the third fastest time of the night with a lap of 11.997 seconds
The series has one week off before concluding the 2016 racing season on Saturday Night October 1st at the Dodge County Fairgrounds in Beaver Dam, WI.
The show will feature the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints along with the MSA 360 Sprint series and the WDLMA Late Models.
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 Hoosier Tire, Osborn & Son Trucking, TW Metals, Cummins Onan, and Twin Lakes Marine.
Remaining 2016 Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series Events:
10/1/2016 – Dodge County Fairgrounds – Beaver Dam, WI
410 Sprints | IRA Interstate Racing Association
Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts A Feature 1 (30 Laps): 1. 80K-Mike Kertscher[2]; 2. 02-Mike Reinke[3]; 3. 85M-Steve Meyer[5]; 4. 17B-Bill Balog[9]; 5. 5J-Jeremy Schultz[7]; 6. 64-Scotty Thiel[12]; 7. 79-Blake Nimee[11]; 8. 19-Todd Daun[1]; 9. 1HRP-Todd Hepfner[13]; 10. 2W-Scott Neitzel[14]; 11. 99-Kyle Marten[16]; 12. 14AJ-Wayne Modjeski[10]; 13. 10V-Matt Vandevere[20]; 14. 73-Brandon McMullen[15]; 15. (DNF) 7V-Tim Vandervere[21]; 16. (DNF) 0-John Fahl[23]; 17. (DNF) 68-Dave Uttech[6]; 18. (DNF) 01-Chris Dodd[19]; 19. (DNF) 53W-Bill Wirth[18]; 20. (DNF) 4K-Kris Spitz[22]; 21. (DNF) 09-Matt Juhl[4]; 22. (DNF) 59-Ben Schmidt[8]; 23. (DNF) 23D-Trey Datweiler[24]; 24. (DNF) 43-Jereme Schroeder[17]
Behling Racing Equipment B Feature 1 (12 Laps): 1. 79-Blake Nimee[1]; 2. 4K-Kris Spitz[6]; 3. 0-John Fahl[2]; 4. 23D-Trey Datweiler[5]; 5. 21H-Tim Haddy[7]; 6. 15M-Justin Miller[10]; 7. 7-Scott Uttech[3]; 8. 55-Jeff Ludwig[9]; 9. (DNF) 7Y-Mitchel Yurmanovich[11]; 10. (DNF) 41-Dennis Spitz[8]; 11. (DNF) 14X-Scott Hatton[4]; (DNS) 65-Jordan Goldesberry; (DNS) 1-Joe (Doc) Probst; (DNS) 32-Jeremy Hunt
Real Wheels Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 09-Matt Juhl[4]; 2. 5J-Jeremy Schultz[5]; 3. 10V-Matt Vandevere[7]; 4. 43-Jereme Schroeder[1]; 5. 14AJ-Wayne Modjeski[6]; 6. 21H-Tim Haddy[8]; 7. 7Y-Mitchel Yurmanovich[9]; 8. (DNF) 0-John Fahl[3]; 9. (DNF) 65-Jordan Goldesberry[2]
DMI Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 19-Todd Daun[2]; 2. 1HRP-Todd Hepfner[4]; 3. 17B-Bill Balog[6]; 4. 2W-Scott Neitzel[3]; 5. 68-Dave Uttech[5]; 6. 1-Joe (Doc) Probst[1]; 7. 23D-Trey Datweiler[7]; 8. 41-Dennis Spitz[8]; (DNS) 32-Jeremy Hunt
All Star Performance Products Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 02-Mike Reinke[4]; 2. 73-Brandon McMullen[3]; 3. 85M-Steve Meyer[5]; 4. 53W-Bill Wirth[1]; 5. 7V-Tim Vandervere[7]; 6. 55-Jeff Ludwig[8]; 7. (DNF) 79-Blake Nimee[6]; 8. (DNF) 14X-Scott Hatton[2]
R&H Enterprises Heat 4 (10 Laps): 1. 80K-Mike Kertscher[4]; 2. 99-Kyle Marten[2]; 3. 64-Scotty Thiel[5]; 4. 01-Chris Dodd[1]; 5. 59-Ben Schmidt[6]; 6. 7-Scott Uttech[3]; 7. 4K-Kris Spitz[7]; 8. 15M-Justin Miller[8]
Osborn & Son Qualifying 1: 1. 14AJ-Wayne Modjeski, 11.829[31]; 2. 17B-Bill Balog, 11.972[6]; 3. 79-Blake Nimee, 11.997[22]; 4. 59-Ben Schmidt, 12.010[20]; 5. 5J-Jeremy Schultz, 12.071[29]; 6. 68-Dave Uttech, 12.116[15]; 7. 85M-Steve Meyer, 12.134[33]; 8. 64-Scotty Thiel, 12.138[3]; 9. 09-Matt Juhl, 12.173[7]; 10. 1HRP-Todd Hepfner, 12.196[14]; 11. 02-Mike Reinke, 12.211[9]; 12. 80K-Mike Kertscher, 12.231[11]; 13. 0-John Fahl, 12.321[34]; 14. 2W-Scott Neitzel, 12.322[28]; 15. 73-Brandon McMullen, 12.332[2]; 16. 7-Scott Uttech, 12.378[5]; 17. 65-Jordan Goldesberry, 12.379[19]; 18. 19-Todd Daun, 12.413[30]; 19. 14X-Scott Hatton, 12.418[26]; 20. 99-Kyle Marten, 12.490[1]; 21. 43-Jereme Schroeder, 12.520[25]; 22. 1-Joe (Doc) Probst, 12.520[27]; 23. 53W-Bill Wirth, 12.541[21]; 24. 01-Chris Dodd, 12.558[17]; 25. 10V-Matt Vandevere, 12.634[4]; 26. 23D-Trey Datweiler, 12.732[16]; 27. 7V-Tim Vandervere, 12.816[12]; 28. 4K-Kris Spitz, 12.860[13]; 29. 21H-Tim Haddy, 12.961[23]; 30. 41-Dennis Spitz, 12.961[32]; 31. 55-Jeff Ludwig, 13.461[10]; 32. 15M-Justin Miller, 13.540[24]; 33. 7Y-Mitchel Yurmanovich, 13.752[18]; 34. 32-Jeremy Hunt[8]
Submitted By: Jeffrey Sachse
