8/3/2014
IRA Interstate Racing Association
ROOKIE SCOTTY THIEL COLLECTS FIRST CAREER BUMPER TO BUMPER IRA SPRINT VICTORY BY TAKING BEAVER DAM CONTEST!
ROSE REBOUNDS FROM PUSH OFF INCIDENT TO MATCH SEASON’S BEST EFFORT WITH SECOND PLACE PERFORMANCE AT BEAVER DAM!
August 2, 2014; Beaver Dam, WI – For the past several seasons, the talent of the incoming rookies into the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints has been unquestionably among the strongest in series history. This year’s rookie class has been no exception.
Scotty Thiel, a graduate from area 360 sprint racing had already compiled a pair of runner-up performances this year, and many believed his first series victory was imminent.
On Saturday night at Beaver Dam Raceway those expectations were realized when Thiel outdistanced Bill Rose to earn his first career Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series victory on a slick racing surface.
Thiel led all but the opening lap of the 30 lap A-main, playing hide and seek in lapped traffic to keep his rivals at bay as they fought to close on the high flying #64 machine.
“I didn’t think it would happen this quickly”, said an elated Thiel after bowing to the crowd from the top win of his car. “Man I tell you what, this team worked incredibly hard all week long”, noting the efforts of his crew. “I always told these guys we’re a big chaser, we start 20th and come up to fifth, I always come from behind. iI knew f I could just start one of these things in the top five or top ten we could probably win the thing”, stated Thiel. “I know Bill (Balog) wasn’t here, but a win is a win, and we finally got one. It feels good for sure”, exclaimed Thiel.
For Rose the evening had some nervous moments as his car was run over by a push truck prior to the heat race. A strong showing this evening would help in the point chase, as Bill Balog, the series point leader, was competing at the Knoxville Nationals. Rose delivered with a second place performance taking a big bite out of Balog’s point advantage.
“I got run over by a push truck a little bit, it really wasn’t his fault. I got told to go to a different lane, and I turned. He didn’t see me turn. He ran over my right rear, and got a shock and stuff”, noted Rose on the incident which took place prior to the heat race. “‘I was a little nervous about the car but everything turned out okay”, said Rose. In the A-main event, Rose had closed on Thiel but felt he heeded a restart to challenge for the win. “On a restart I think I could have got him, but on a momentum deal like this the lapped cars were really working to his favor. He was good, really really good on the top”, claimed Rose. When asked about winning an event this season with the series he started, “I hope it’s soon, it’s time”.
The A-main event rolled trackside before a solid crowd on a warm evening. The track, though slick, had shown multiple racing grooves which the field would utilize during the contest.
Pole sitter Blake Nimee, set the pace on the opening circuit before Thiel, who had started to the outside of the front row, powered off the cushion to take over the top spot, and begin to pull away. Thiel would give his fellow competitors a view of his tail tank throughout the contest.
Nimee had his hands full in the runner-up slot, he was challenged by 2013 Rookie of the Year, Jeremy Schultz, who made his return to the series this evening after a brief hiatus.
Thiel, out front in clean air put a full straightaway between himself, and Nimee by lap five. Thiel began to reach lapped cars by the eighth trip around the banked third-mile oval.
Deeper in the field Rose was making progress cracking the top five, and then slicing to the inside of Dave Uttech for the fourth spot. The run for Uttech was notable as the team expired the last of their engines last week. They had to scramble to borrow a power plant just to arrive at tonight’s show.
A spin by Jordan Goldesberry on lap 10 drew the first caution of the contest, and placed the field back in contact with Thiel.
Thiel had three lapped machines between himself, and Nimee, on the restart. Nimee quickly disposed of the lapped cars, but he was once again a straightaway behind Thiel by the time he had cleared traffic.
Just behind, Rose was able to work past Schultz on the restart placing him in the third spot. He then began to close the gap on Nimee.
A spin by Scott Biertzer in turn two resulted in the second slowdown of the contest on lap 14. There were no lapped machines between Thiel and Nimee for this restart.
Thiel again was flawless on the as racing resumed, and his lead quickly grew as Nimee found himself under immediate pressure from Rose for the second spot. Rose was able to annex the position, and now sought to close the gap on Thiel.
With the lead duo breaking away third became the focus of attention as Nimee, Schultz, Scotty Neitzel and Johnson all tossed the position back and forth.
The race reached it’s final ten laps with Rose frantically trying to close the gap, removing a few car lengths of the huge advantage Thiel had built. Behind the duo Johnson was hugging the inner most groove of the track and slowly advancing past cars. He placed himself in the fourth spot, and went wheel to wheel over the final circuits with Nimee for the final podium position.
Without a caution to aid him, Rose could get no closer than six car lengths when Thiel flashed under flagman Jim Barr’s checker flag. Rose claimed second, his second runner-up finish of the year. Johnson came out ahead of Nimee after a the wheel to wheel duel over the final circuits scoring his first podium run since his return to the series, just four races ago. Johnson had started in the 14th position.
Nimee crossed the line in fourth followed by Neitzel who completed the top five. Schultz, in his first showing since mid-June, finished a respectable sixth. Steve Meyer claimed the seventh spot just ahead of Ben Schmidt. Matt Vandervere, who had started the event in the 20th spot earned a ninth place finish with Uttech comprising the top ten.
20 of the 22 starters were still on the track at the conclusion of the event.
14 cars took the green flag for a stacked B-main tonight. Goldesberry topped the event followed by Meyer, Biertzer, Bill Wirth, Vandervere, Dennis Spitz and Phillip Mock as the transfer cars.
Mock, previously won both events held at Beaver Dam Raceway this year, was able to borrow the machine of Darrell Dodd to compete this evening as he currently lacks and engine in his own ride. Unfortunately Mock was the first car to drop from the A-main event with just 10 laps completed of the 30 lap distance.
A great field of 30 cars had checked into the pit area for the show. Two-time series champion Travis Whitney collected fast qualifying honors. Mike Reinke was second quick this evening with Goldesberry netting the third quickest time.
Schultz, Thiel and Nimee were victorious in heat race contests.
The series then takes next weekend off to allow teams a break in the frantic schedule, or to participate in the Knoxville Nationals.
Then the series roars back into action with a three-event weekend. Two races are held back to back at Wilmot Raceway. On Friday night August 15th the series participates in the annual Kenosha County Fair event. The following night, Saturday August 16th, the Roger Iles Memorial race will take place. The Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint teams then load up, and heads to the northern edge of Wisconsin’s Fox Valley to visit Seymour Speedway. On Sunday evening, August 17th, the series will make its first appearance at Seymour Speedway since the 2008 racing season.
11 events remain of the 2014 Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series season schedule.
IRA proudly moves continues it’s 2014 season 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, Cedar Creek Motorsports, 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.
IRA Sprint Cars - IRA Interstate Racing Association
Event #14 – Beaver Dam Raceway – Beaver Dam, WI – August 2, 2014
IRA Sprint Cars | IRA Interstate Racing Association
Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts A Feature (30 Laps): 1. 64- Scotty Thiel; 2. 6r-Bill Rose; 3. 44-Jason Johnson; 4. 79-Blake Nimee; 5. 2w-Scotty Neitzel; 6. 5j-Jeremy Schultz; 7. 85m-Steve Meyer; 8. 35-Ben Shmidt; 9. 10v-Matt Vandervere; 10. 68-Dave Uttech; 11. 02-Mike Reinke; 12. 16-Travis Whitney; 13. 83-Tommy Sexton; 14. 14aj-Wayne Modjeski; 15. 4k-Kris Spitz; 16. 7-Scott Uttech; 17. 65-Jordan Goldesberry; 18. 94-Brandon Thone; 19. 53w-Bill Wirth; 20. 41-Dennis Spitz; 21. 4b-Scott Biertzer; 22. 11m-Phillip Mock
Behling Circle Track B Feature (12 Laps): 1. 65-Jordan Goldesberry; 2. 85m-Steve Meyer; 3. 4b-Scott Biertzer; 4. 53w-Bill Wirth; 5. 10v-Matt Vandervere; 6. 41-Dennis Spitz; 7. 11m-Phillip Mock; 8. 23-Trey Datweiler; 9. 23-Russel Borland; 10. 7f-Lance Fassbender; 11. 43-Jereme Schroeder; 12. 9a-Andy Hunt; 13. 71-Chad Tessman; 14. 5h-Patrick Hayes; 15. 01-Chris Dodd-dns
Weld Racing Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 5j-Jeremy Schultz; 2. 7-Scott Uttech; 3. 68-Dave Uttech; 4. 16-Travis Whitney; 5. 2w-Scotty Neitzel; 6. 85m-Steve Meyer; 7. 23-Russel Borland; 8. 10v-Matt Vandervere; 9. 53w-Bill Wirth; 10. 01-Chris Dodd
Diversified Machine Inc. Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 64-Scotty Thiel; 2. 83-Tommy Sexton; 3. 02-Mike Reinke; 4. 35-Ben Schmidt; 5. 4k-Kris Spitz; 6. 7f-Lance Fassbender; 7. 43-Jeremy Schroeder; 8. 11m-Phillip Mock; 9. 4b-Scott Biertzer; 10.-9a Andy Hunt
All Star Performance Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 79-Blake Nimee; 2. 44-Jason Johnson; 3. 6r-Bill Rose; 4. 94-Brandon Thone; 5. 14aj-Wayne Mopdjeski; 6. 41-Dennis Spitz; 7. 5h-Patrick Hayes; 8. 71-Chad Tessman; 9. 65-Jordan Goldesberry; 10. 23-Trey Datweiler;
Osborn & Son Qualifying (Top 10) 1. 16-Travis Whitney; 2. 02-Mike Reinke; 3. 65-Jordan Goldesberry; 4. 85m-Steve Meyer; 5. 83-Tommy Sexton; 6. 6r-Bill Rose; 7. 2w-Scotty Neitzel; 8. 35-Ben Schmidt; 9. 41-Dennis Spitz; 10. 68-Dave Uttech
Submitted By: Jeffrey Sachse
