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BALOG MAKES THE 16th ANNUAL RICHERT MEMORIAL VERY MEMORABLE

BALOG MAKES THE 16th ANNUAL RICHERT MEMORIAL VERY MEMORABLE
New Richmond, WI The 16th annual running of the Bumper To Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series sanctioned Jerry Richert Memorial will go down as one of the most memorable sprint car events ever contested at Cedar Lake Speedway. The main reason was simply following the night of Bill Balog. After nearly crashing on his first qualifying lap in turns 3-4, he rebounded to record second quick time over the twenty-six car field on his second lap. While challenging for second in his heat, Balog and Blake Nimee had contact with both crashing and Balog actually flipping over the wall but landing on his wheels in the grass just outside the turn 2. Then after making repairs and starting 18th in the A-main, and capitalizing on a few early yellows, The North Pole Nightmare would put on one of the most determined charges in modern IRA competition en route to winning one of IRA's most prestigious events, the 16th annual Jerry Richert Memorial, and the $4000 pay day that comes with it.
Travis Whitney and Mike Reinke swapped the lead at the start with Whitney taking the point only to spin from the lead with four laps in. Third running Brooke Tatnell also pulled in early with mechanical woes. Reinke would then lead with challenges from Tasker Phillips, that battle was halted when Kris Spitz had something break entering turn one bringing out another yellow. Balog thundered to the outside on both early restarts roaring around several cars each time keeping the lead pack in his sites. Reinke made some contact with the front stretch wall hindering his handling and he began to fade allowing Phillips to take the lead with Reinke trying to fend off Jeremy Schultz, Davey Heskin, Ben Schmidt, Scotty Thiel, Scotty Neitzel, and a charging Balog. Phillips continued to lead while Balog continued to rim-ride his way forward. Reinke was fading as Schultz and Heskin moved ahead while Balog continued his mission, and once he cleared Heskin and Schultz, it was only time before he reeled in Phillips. Despite Phillips driving an excellent race, Balog was not going to be denied as he rocketed to the front in the races final laps completing one of the most impressive charges ever witnessed by many. Philips came a solid second with Schultz edging a challenging Thiel in a (scoring loop) finish for third. Heskin pounded out a very fast top five. Schmidt and Reinke came home sixth and seventh respectively while Matt Vandervere charged his way from the back to score eighth, with Steve Meyer and Wayne Modjeski rounding out the top ten. IRA title contender Scotty Neitzel limped home 11th wih front end damage while Whitney rebounded to 12th. Twenty cars were still running at the finish.
Heskin set fast time while Schmidt, Scott Bogucki, and Kyle Marten won heats. Schultz leads Thiel and Neitzel in the point chase with two events remaining, Sept 17 at Beaver Dam Raceway, and October 1 at the Dodge County Fairgrounds.
410 Sprints
IRA Interstate Racing Association
A Feature 1 30 laps Presented by Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts

1. 17B-Bill Balog[18]; 2. 7W-Tasker Phillips[5]; 3. 5J-Jeremy Schultz[4]; 4. 64-Scotty Thiel[11]; 5. 56-Davey Heskin[6]; 6. 59-Ben Schmidt[7]; 7. 02-Mike Reinke[1]; 8. 10V-Matt Vandevere[21]; 9. 85M-Steve Meyer[16]; 10. 14AJ-Wayne Modjeski[10]; 11. 2W-Scott Neitzel[12]; 12. 16-Travis Whitney[2]; 13. 7-Scott Uttech[15]; 14. 79-Blake Nimee[19]; 15. 99-Kyle Marten[8]; 16. 19-Rob Caho Jr[14]; 17. 5-Dave Glennon[9]; 18. 29-Leigh Thomas[13]; 19. 7V-Tim Vandervere[17]; 20. 41-Dennis Spitz[22]; 21. (DNF) 4K-Kris Spitz[20]; 22. (DNF) 14X-Joe Symoens[23]; 23. (DNF) 55-Brooke Tatnell[3]; (DNS) 84-Scott Bogucki
   Heat 1 10 laps Presented by Real Wheels
2. 59-Ben Schmidt[1]; 2. 16-Travis Whitney[4]; 3. 2W-Scott Neitzel[2]; 4. 56-Davey Heskin[6]; 5. 5J-Jeremy Schultz[5]; 6. 5-Dave Glennon[3]; 7. 41-Dennis Spitz[8]; 8. (DNF) 4K-Kris Spitz[7]; (DNS) 12-Michael Decker
   Heat 2 10 laps Presented by DMI
3. 84-Scott Bogucki[5]; 2. 02-Mike Reinke[4]; 3. 19-Rob Caho Jr[1]; 4. 85M-Steve Meyer[7]; 5. 29-Leigh Thomas[2]; 6. 7V-Tim Vandervere[8]; 7. (DNF) 79-Blake Nimee[3]; 8. (DNF) 17B-Bill Balog[6]; (DNS) 73-Dennis Weisner
   Heat 3 10 laps Presented by All Star Performance Products
4. 99-Kyle Marten[2]; 2. 7-Scott Uttech[1]; 3. 55-Brooke Tatnell[5]; 4. 64-Scotty Thiel[3]; 5. 7W-Tasker Phillips[6]; 6. 14AJ-Wayne Modjeski[4]; 7. 10V-Matt Vandevere[7]; 8. (DNF) 14X-Joe Symoens[8]
   Qualifying 1 Presented by Osborn & Son
5. 56-Davey Heskin, 11.544[1]; 2. 17B-Bill Balog, 11.558[15]; 3. 7W-Tasker Phillips, 11.681[9]; 4. 5J-Jeremy Schultz, 11.691[4]; 5. 84-Scott Bogucki, 11.714[20]; 6. 55-Brooke Tatnell, 11.743[10]; 7. 16-Travis Whitney, 11.800[3]; 8. 02-Mike Reinke, 11.807[22]; 9. 14AJ-Wayne Modjeski, 11.879[21]; 10. 5-Dave Glennon, 11.908[23]; 11. 79-Blake Nimee, 11.929[6]; 12. 64-Scotty Thiel, 12.035[16]; 13. 2W-Scott Neitzel, 12.052[2]; 14. 29-Leigh Thomas, 12.202[18]; 15. 99-Kyle Marten, 12.228[25]; 16. 59-Ben Schmidt, 12.255[19]; 17. 19-Rob Caho Jr, 12.262[7]; 18. 7-Scott Uttech, 12.303[8]; 19. 4K-Kris Spitz, 12.346[5]; 20. 85M-Steve Meyer, 12.447[13]; 21. 10V-Matt Vandevere, 12.548[17]; 22. 41-Dennis Spitz, 12.647[14]; 23. 7V-Tim Vandervere, 12.898[24]; 24. 14X-Joe Symoens, 13.828[12]; (DNS) 12-Michael Decker; (DNS) 73-Dennis Weisner

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