Jeffrey Sachse July 13, 2012; Fountain City, WI – It was a history making night at Mississippi Thunder Speedway as the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series made its first appearance at the 3/8 mile dirt oval. Fan who visited the raceway which was built just four years ago got their first taste of open-wheeled 410 sprint action and they would not go home disappointed. The evening was full of anticipation as both the raceway and series officials were fighting incoming weather. Mother Nature teased at postponing the event, as rain began to fall when the 30 lap A-main event began to stage on the front stretch. However, when the brief shower ceased officials were able to push off the field and the event completed before any additional rain arrived at the raceway. For Balog, the event would be decided coming off the second of three caution periods on lap 12 when he would squirt past part time World of Outlaws standout Brooke Tatnell. From that point on Balog was able to repel Tatnell’s challenges to reclaim the top spot. Tatnell had one final shot at stealing the win from Balog after a late race caution setup a three lap dash to the checkered flag, but Balog was up to the challenge securing his eighth feature win of the 2012 season. Tatnell a former champion in his home country of Australia would finish second only three car lengths behind. Travis Whitney a former champion in the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series would cross the line third. A full field of 22 starters would accept the green flag for the main event which was delayed for 10 minutes as a brief shower passed. Officials knew a heavier storm was less than an hour away and as soon as the rain stopped and the racing surface was in condition for racing the field pushed off to the approval of the crowd. Scott Uttech fresh off two straight podium finishes at recent events at Oshkosh Speedzone Raceway and the Sheboygan County Fairpark would pace the event from the pole position, while Tatnell would accept the green flag from outside the front row. With the green flag in the air Tatnell would shoot into the lead while Uttech settled into the second spot. Balog and Whitney who shared the second row for the start were busy trying to decide the third position. Balog, the defending four–time series champion wasted little time in moving forward slipping past both Whitney and Uttech by lap four. Uttech was lowered another notch when Whitney shot by to claim third moments later. Out front Tatnell had built a small lead on Balog as the pair soon began to encounter lapped traffic. Tatntell appeared to have the speed to maintain the top spot as the first of three cautions appeared when Phillip Mock slowed while trying to exit the racing surface. One the restart Tatnell, Balog and Whitney were lined up nose to tail. Balog immediately went on the offensive and would find the room needed to claim the lead dropping Tatnell into the second spot before the next caution appeared as Todd King made contact with the wall and came to a stop. King was able to rejoin the contest. Going back to green flag action Balog went back to setting the pace with Tatnell giving chase. Uttech found a new groove to his liking and managed to work past Whitney for the third position. At the halfway point Balog, Tatnell, Uttech, Whitney and Scott Neitzel would hold the top five positions. Uttech and Whitney continued their war over the third spot as the pair would toss the position back and forth until lap 18 when Whitney again secured the position. Out front, the lead duo of Balog and Whitney were showing their talent, slinging their 900 horsepower machines through lapped traffic with Balog maintaining a small margin. The torrid pace came to an end on lap 27 when Brandon Thone who had been running in the top 10 came to a stop in turn four. This would setup a three lap dash to the checkered. As the field roared back to life Balog got a good jump on Tatnell creating the gap he would maintain to the finish. The leaders were headed for the checkered flag as pair of cars encountered mechanical difficulty. Uttech who had been running in the top five suddenly slowed while Neitzel stalled just off the top of the track in turn three. The yellow checkered was displayed with Balog taking the victory. Tatnell would earn second followed by Whitney. Reinke would be credited with fourth ahead of Bill Wirth who had another strong showing completing the top five. Earlier in the evening Wirth also captured his heat race fending off the challenges of Balog for the win. Russel Borland, Dave Uttech, Tommy Sexton who made his return to racing after a wild flip in UASC Sprint action had sidelined him for several weeks comprised sixth through eighth. King rebounded from his earlier incident to finish ninth and Wayne Modjeski completed the top ten. 18 of the 22 starters were on the track as the checkered flag dropped. In earlier action, Balog established the qualifying standard, with his trip around the raceway in 12.344 seconds. Whitney had held the top spot until Balog’s lap and turned in the second quick lap on the day with a 12.390 second effort. Tatnell was third quick with a lap of 12.565 seconds. Nine drivers managed to click off sub 13 second laps. Heat victories were captured by Wirth, Tatnell and Dave Uttech. The Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints now head north in scenic Western Wisconsin as the stars of the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints make their lone stop of the season at Rice Lake Speedway on Saturday Night July 14th. For the first time in two years, the winged outlaw Sprint Car drivers of the Interstate Racing Association (IRA) are set to invade Rice Lake Speedway. The first IRA sanctioned race at Rice Lake Speedway was run in 2006 with Scott Neitzel picking up the victory. Neitzel repeated his win in 2007 and other race winners at Rice Lake have included Billy Balog in 2008, Tim Kaeding in 2009, and when the IRA last raced in Rice Lake in 2010, the winner was Brooke Tatnell. Sam Hafertepe set the current track record in 2006 when he cranked off a 12.225 second lap on the third-mile track. Along with the Sprint Cars a full program of racing action is on tap for the Rice Lake Speedway event. joining the sprint cars will be WISSOTA-sanctioned Modifieds, Midwest Modifieds, Super Stocks and Street Stocks along with the Rice Lake Pure Stocks. Rice Lake Speedway is located one mile north of Rice Lake Wisconsin midway between state highway 48 and Barron County SS. The track phone number is (715) 236-2002 and more information can be obtained from co-owner Dave Adams at (715) 205-2861. The speedway website provides more information at www.ricelakespeedway.net. For more information on the IRA Outlaw Sprints check out the tour website at www.irasprints.com The Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints can also be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/irasprints and the series is also on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ira_sprints The IRA Outlaw Sprint Series is proudly supported by Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts & Service Centers, Osborn & Son Trucking, Goodyear, TW Metals, Cummins Onan, DNA Energy Drink& Snacks, MPT Industries, UltraLube, Big Game Treestands, Carriage Auto Body, Otis Gun, Mother's Polishes and Waxes and Polaris DEFENSE. The office of the IRA Sprints can be reached at 815-759-9269 or by e-mail at [email protected] BOX SCORE: Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints: A-Main: 1.) Bill Balog; 2.) Brooke Tatnell; 3.) Travis Whitney; 4.) Mike Reinke; 5.) Bill Wirth; 6.) Russel Borland; 7.) Dave Uttech; 8.) Tommy Sexton; 9.) Todd King; 10.) Wayne Modjeski; 11.) Scott Uttech; 12.) Scotty Neitzel; 13.) Robbie Pribnow; 14.) Kris Spitz; 15.) Dennis Spitz; 16.) Andy Hunt; 17.) Darrell Dodd; 18.) Michael Decker; 19.) Brandon Thone; 20.) John Sernett; 21.) Phillip Mock; 22.) Bill Warren Heat 1: 1.) Wirth; 2.) Balog; 3.) Hunt; 4.) S. Uttech Heat 2: 1.) Whitney; 2.) Reinke; 3.) Sernett; 4.) Mock Heat 3: 1.) D. Uttech; 2.) Neitzel; 3.) Tatnell; 4.) Dodd Qualifying: (Top 10) 1.) Balog, 12.344 Seconds (ESTABLISHES TRACK REDORD); 2.) Whitney, 12.390 Seconds; 3.) Tatnell, 12.565 Seconds; 4.) S. Uttech, 12.657; 5.) Reinke, 12.772; 6.) Thone, 12.821; 7.) King, 12.892; 8.) Mock 12.914; 9.) Neitzel, 12.970; 10.) Hunt 13.037