4/24/2014
IRA Interstate Racing Association
RECENT BUMPER TO BUMPER IRA MEMBERSHIPS TO BOOST ALREADY STRONG FIELD OF 410 SPRINTS
Anticipation builds for season opener at Beaver Dam Raceway This Saturday!
April 23, 2014; Beaver Dam, WI. – Memberships continued to be filed for participation in this season’s Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series tour. The 2014 campaign will feature 30 events at 15 different tracks and showcase some of the finest winged 410 Sprint racing in the Midwest. The season opening show will be held at Beaver Dam Raceway this Saturday night April 26th. Teams filing memberships generally participate in 75% of the shows allowing them to be eligible for post season awards. With the addition of recent memberships the main core will consist of over two dozen drivers vying for their share of awards and prizes at the end of season banquet.
One of the most recent drivers to file a membership is former World of Outlaw standout Bill Rose of Plainfield, Indiana. For three straight years Rose ran the entire World of Outlaws schedule completing each season in the top 15 in points. Rose will be competing closer to home this season and is expected to make a fair number of IRA events. The veteran racer is anticipating making his first start of the season in the IRA opener at Beaver Dam.
Two-time IRA champion Travis Whitney is also expected to make some additional shows this year. Whitney of Coon Rapids, MN recorded a pair of second place performances last season in IRA competition including the season ending event at Beaver Dam where he finished runner-up to Bill Balog. Whitney is looking to add to his IRA series win total where he has scored 31 career A-main victories.
Jordan Goldesberry of Springfield, IL ended the 2013 season with the Bumper to Bumper IRA Sprints earning back to back top five finishes in his last two appearances with the series. Goldesberry finished second at Oshkosh Speedzone on Friday Night September 13th and came back the next day to record a fourth place performance at the Plymouth Dirt Track. Goldesberry is primed for success in the IRA Sprints and additional appearances could lead to that elusive A-main event victory.
A new team to hit the series this year will be Hartnell Motorsports. The team recently announced that Rob Hartnell will pilot the #47h sprint car this year. Hartnell has raced a 410 sprint cars during the 1998 and 1999 seasons and participated again in 2006. The 47H Hartnell Motorsports Custom Diecast house car will be competing at the Wilmot Raceway, Plymouth, Beaver Dam, and 141 Speedway this season. Car owner Chris Hartnell will be the crew chief.
Other IRA teams have been preparing for the season opening show at Beaver Dam by participating in other Midwest racing programs. This past week two-time series champion Scotty Neitzel ventured to Illinois and Missouri running a pair of contests to fine tune his ride recording two top 10 A-main performances.
Teammates Russel Borland and Blake Nimee turned laps at Oshkosh Speedzone which held a recent practice. Rookie of the year competitor Ben Schmidt was also in attendance at Oshkosh haunted my mechanical gremlins which should now be worked out for opening day.
Fellow rookie Scott Thiel also went trackside to prepare for the season opening show turning laps at Beaver Dam Raceway and he was joined by long time series front runner Mike Reinke as both drivers tested Beaver Dam Raceway’s new surface.
The banked, third-mile, clay oval will be hosting an all-sprint car show featuring the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw 410 Sprints. The MSA 360 Sprints series will also be presenting a full program. Between the two groups nearly 70 sprint cars are expected for the show.
The April 26th race program will see the pit gates opening at 3:30pm and the grandstand will open at 4:30pm. Racing action is set to get underway at 6:30 pm.
General admission is $20 for adults, with a youth ticket being sold for $10 to fans ages 6 through 11. Children ages 5 and under are admitted FREE with a paid adult.
Event information can be found on the Beaver Dam Raceway website at www.wismotorsports.net or by calling the track at (920) 887-1600. Beaver Dam Raceway is located on Racetrack Road just east of the intersection of Hwy 151 and 33 in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.
IRA proudly moves into 2014 backed by its long time supporting series partners led by title sponsor Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts & Service Centers, and associate series partners Osborn & Son Trucking, TW Metals, Hoosier Tire, Cummins Onan, and Carriage Auto Body.
The Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints are a featured member of Racetext.net a website dedicated to bringing fans the best possible coverage of local short track racing.
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.
Article Credit: Jeffrey Sachse
Submitted By: Jeffrey Sachse
