EAU CLAIRE’S BALOG SHADES REINKE, WINS 141 IRA OUTLAW GO
By Joe and Jordan Verdegan
(Francis Creek, WI) May 29 – Eau Claire’s Billy Balog sweated out a pair of late cautions and went on to win the 30 lap, Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Car series race at 141 Speedway in Francis Creek Sunday.
Balog, who was coming off of a third place finish the night before at Wilmot Raceway, started fourth on the grid and snuck underneath polesitter Russell Borland of Fond Du Lac for the lead on lap 2. A caution flew two laps later for an Earl Possi spin. When racing resumed Balog took off and quickly put real estate between himself and the field, dodging his way through lapped cars throughout the contest.
“I had to fight off Donnie (Goeden) on the last restart and he was pretty strong on the bottom,” sai Balog. “You get a lot of lapped traffic here early so you’ve gotta be careful.”
“I could not be happier with how things turned out,” said Series President Steve Sinclair. “The facilities at 141 are top notch. They fixed turn four quite a bit from a year ago here, and the track was smooth. The bad weather and few guys wrecked last night at Wilmot and that kept our car count down low to 23, but they still put on a great show. We are excited to return here on July 3.”
With four laps to go a caution flew, bunching up the field with 8 cars on the lead lap, and Donnie Goeden of Kewauskum running second with Scotty Neitzel third. On the restart Reinke, last year’s winner here dove underneath Goeden for second. Balog kept Reinke and company at bay for the balance of the contest to collect the win. Reinke took second, followed by Beaver Dam’s Scotty Neitzel, Fredonia’s Mike Kertscher and Goeden.
Earlier in the night Neitzel smashed his own track record, clocking in at a lap of 11.001.
Drivers in both supporting divisions netted clean sweeps for the night. Brillion’s Alex Stumpf won his heat and the 20 lap Brian Peterson Builders Grand National feature while Oconto’s Ralph Legiois Jr. performed the same fete in the sport 4 class.
Next Saturday, June 4 141 Speedway will host sponsor appreciation night for the drivers sponsor’s. Action gets underway at 6 p.m.
141 Speedway is located 20 miles south of Green Bay on County Trunk “R” in Whitelaw. For more information call 920 863 3377. The track’s website is 141speedway.com.
RACE SUMMARY
BUMPER TO BUMPER IRA OUTLAW SPRINT A MAIN – Billy Balog, Eau Claire; Mike Reinke, Howards Grove; Scotty Neitzel, Beaver Dam; Mike Kertscher, Fredonia; Donnie Goeden, Kewauskum; Billy Hafeman, Waldo; Scotty Biertzer, West Bend; Jeremy Schultz, Beaver Dam; Todd King, Sheboygan Falls; Billy Warren, Beaver Dam; Russell Borland, Fond Du Lac; Lance Fassbender, Burnett; Jim Melis, Plymouth;
Scott Uttecht, New Berlin; Wayne Modjeski, Oak Creek; Billy Wirth, Cudahy; Matt Vandervere, Zion, IL; Brandon Thone, Sheboygan; Kris Spitz, Salem; Andy Hunt, Randolph; Earl Possi, Escanaba, MI; Michael Decker, Kenosha; Phillip Mock, Pleasant Prairie
HEATS 1) Warren; Neitzel 2) Kertscher; Schultz 3) Goeden; Mells
Fast Qualifier: Neitzel- 11.001 (new track record)
BRIAN PETERSON BUILDERS GRAND NATIONAL FEATURE – Alex Stumpf, Brillion; Steve Schneider, Chilton; Don Sorce, West Allis; Ben Stumpf, Brillion; Logan Rhode, Manitowoc; Tom Schneider, Chilton
HEATS 1) Sorce; Dave Gauger, Two Rivers 2) Alex Stumpf; Matt Vetting, Valders
SPORT 4 FEATURE – Ralph Liegois Jr., Oconto; Matt Prouty, De Pere; Mike Zitzer, Sheboygan Falls; Shaun Bangart, Kaukauna; Brandon Kaye, Green Bay
HEATS 1) Prouty; Zitzer 2) Liegois Jr.; Tim Simon, St. Peter
Posted on May 30th, 2011
