WILMOT RACEWAY
BY MICHAEL H. BABICZ
-BALOG SWEEPS WILMOT ROGER ILES FAIR TRIBUTE-
(Wilmot, Wisconsin, Saturday, August 20, 2016)–Hartland’s Bill Balog scored the 36-lap Roger Iles Tribute sponsored by Carriage Auto Body of Waukegan, Illinois feature for the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association (IRA) Outlaw Sprint Cars highlighting the Saturday, August 20 Kenosha County Fair Championships at Wilmot Raceway.
The win completed a weekend sweep of IRA mains during the fair as Balog, originally from Alaska, won the 30-lap feature the night before.
“This is a big win for our team,” said Balog, a 7-time IRA champion, as the series made its final 50th Anniversary Season Tour stop at Wilmot, which is where the IRA began. “The car was hooked up super. I have to thank Ken Iles of Carriage Auto Body and all of the other sponsors who put in bonus money.”
Balog, who scored a clean sweep of the Saturday portion of the program by posting fast time, winning his heat race and then topping it off with the feature win, picked up over $5,000.00 for the win thanks to Carriage Auto Body, Burlington Electric, Lift Pro, Kunes Country Ford Stateline Super Store and Wooden Valley Carpentry & Millwork. Ken Iles is the owner of Carriage Auto Body, formerly owned by his late father, Roger, formerly raced in the IRA, was a car owner and sponsor. In addition to the added pursue money, Ken Iles presented a check to Denise Zirbel, Kenosha County Fair manager, to be used toward purchasing a scoreboard.
Starting eighth in the 24-car field, Balog worked his way up into contention gradually using both the top and bottom of the 3/8-mile clay oval. On lap 20, just prior to a caution, Balog worked his way around Parker Price-Miller of Kokomo, Indiana who had led much of the first half of the race as the two worked lapped traffic. On the restart, Balog was able to open a sizeable advantage continuing to use both grooves enroute to the victory. Price-Miller took second. Mike Kertscher of Howards Grove improved 10 spots starting 13th and gaining the final podium spot with a third place finish. Greg Wilson of Benton Ridge, Ohio worked his way from 17th starting spot to take fourth. Ben Schmidt of Plymouth was fifth.
Todd Dart of Algoma made the 320-mile one-way trip worth while by taking the win in the 20-lap modified Kenosha County Fair. “I have to thank the Crichtons, Jim and Jay, my crew and family who make this trip every year during the fair,” said Dart, recognizing Dairy Queen Grill and Chill of Zion, Illinois along with Crichton Realty of Lake Villa, Illinois, who posted extra purse money making it $1,000.00 to the winner.
“I figured out the car was running better on the high side just prior to the caution,” said Dart, referring to the yellow which set up his taking the lead on a restart at the halfway point from early pacesetter Mike Simons II of Genoa City. Dart maintained a comfortable margin to the win. Tim Hamburg of Dixon, Illinois, came on to finish second. M. Simons was third holding off Wilmot pointleader Cameron Kuxhouse of Antioch who took fourth. Don Scheffler of Milwaukee finished fifth.
“The track was super smooth,” said Zack Emmons of Racine following his wire to wire fourth Wisconsin-Illinois mini-sprint feature win of the season. “The car was really hooked up thanks to my family and crew who spend a lot of time on it. All wins are great, but getting one in front of the fair crowd is always special.”
Emmons overcame early challenges from fellow front row starter Nick Daywalt of Hubertus as the two went wing to wing for several circuits. Once Emmons broke away it became a family feud between N. Daywalt and his younger brother Kyle Daywalt, also of Hubertus. At the finish it was N. Daywalt edging out K. Daywalt for runner-up. Waukesha’s Mark Heinert was fourth. Kenosha’s Mike Neau finished fifth.
“The track was altogether different tonight from last night,” said Jay Orr of South Milwaukee, winner of the 20-lap Bandit 4-cylinder stock car feature. “The track crew did a super job making the track raceable. Whatever they did, they should do it that way all of the time. My car loved it.”
Orr’s win in just his second Wilmot start of the season came after breaking out of as many as five cars battling for the lead much of the first half of the feature. Once in front, Orr was able to pull away. Ryan Andrews of Woodstock, Illinois scored the runner-up finish. Allen Maher Jr. of Menomonee Falls was fourth. Point leader Courtney Atkinson of Muskego recovered from an opening lap tangle into the front straightway wall to salvage a fifth place finish.
“Once again I have to thank our entire track preparation crew,” said Steve Sinclair, race director, noting that Wilmot was the only clay track in the southern half of Wisconsin which raced on Saturday. “With all of the rain we had throughout the day, it was their efforts that allowed us to put the event on for the fair goers. I also thank the fair board for their commitment to racing.”
Wilmot Raceway, located on the Kenosha County Fairgrounds, hosts Family Night on Saturday, August 27 featuring a special appearance by racing vintage stock cars and modifieds; Meyer Valves and Vacs Wingless Sprint Series presented by the IRA, modifieds and Bandit 4-cylinder stock cars. Grandstands open at 5:00 p.m. with racing at 6:45. Grandstand admission for August 27 is $12.00 for adults ages 12 and older, with children ages 11 and under admitted free. For the latest updates check the official Raceway web site www.wilmotraceway.com, the track Facebook page or phone the trackside race line 262-862-2090.
SUMMARY – WILMOT RACEWAY, WILMOT, WISCONSIN – KENOSHA COUNTY FAIR CHAMPIONSHIPS NIGHT TWO – SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016
BUMPER TO BUMPER INTERSTATE RACING ASSOCIATION SPRINT CARS ROGER ILES TRIBUTE PRESENTED BY CARRIAGE AUTO BODY OF WAUKEGAN, IL: 36-LAP FEATURE: 1. Bill Balog, Hartland; 2. Parker Price-Miller, Kokomo, Indiana; 3. Mike Kertscher, Howards Grove; 4. Greg Wilson, Benton Ridge, Ohio; 5. Ben Schmidt, Plymouth; 6. Scotty Thiel, Sheboygan; 7. Jordan Goldsberry, Springfield, Illinois; 8. Phillip Mock, Pleasant Prairie; 9. Russell Borland, Beaver Dam; 10. Bill Wirth, Cudahy; 11. Todd Hepfner, Sussex; 12. Dominic Scelzi, Fresno, California; 13. Johnny Fahl, Brown Deer; 14. Scotty Neitzel, Beaver Dam; 15. Scott Uttech, New Berlin; 16. Jereme Schroeder, Lake Villa, IL; 17. Jeremy Schultz, Beaver Dam; 18. Raymond Hensley, Trevor; 19. Matt Vandervere, Zion, IL; 20. Blake Nimee, Oswego, IL; 21. Wayne Modjeski, Oak Creek; 22. Dave Uttech, Kenosha; 23. Todd Daun, Pleasant Prairie; 24. Kris Spitz, Salem.
12-LAP “B” MAIN: 1. Schultz; 2. Borland; 3. Fahl; 4. D. Uttech; 5. Kyle Marten, Sheboygan Falls; 6. Ryan Irwin, Genoa City; 7. Dennis Spitz, Lewisburg, Kentucky; 8. Tim Vandervere, Beach Park, IL; 9. Mike Decker, Silver Lake; 10. Chris Dodd, Winthrop Harbor, IL; 11. Jimmy Fifeld, Hewitt, IL; 12. Zach Raidart, Zion.
HEAT WINNERS: Balog; Scelzi; Nimee; Wirth.
FAST QUALIFIER: Balog(:14.901 seconds)
MODIFIEDS: DAIRY QUEEN GRILL AND CHILL OF ZION AND CRICHTON REALTY OF LAKE VILLA 20-LAP FEATURE: 1. Todd Dart, Algoma; 2. Tim Hamburg, Dixon, IL; 3. Mike Simons II, Genoa City; 4. Cameron Kuxhouse, Antioch, IL; 5. Don Scheffler, Milwaukee; 6. Joel Crowbridge, Burlington; 7. Scott Kuxhouse, Antioch; 8. Nick Simons, Genoa City; 9. Josh Heinze, Waterford; 10. Mark Joski, Green Bay; 11. Rob Maule, Hebron, IL; 12. Mike Knurr, Mukwonago; 13. John Dost, Bristol; 14. Steve Mueller, Eagle; 15. Brad McGuire, New Berlin; 16. Tony Izzo, Capron, IL; 17. Sean Stacy, Spring Grove, IL; 18. Tim Bell, Antioch; 19. Andrew Kiedrowski, Union Grove; 20. Mike Wittenburg, Waterford.
12-LAP “B” MAIN: 1. Knurr; 2. Stacey; 3. Bell; 4. Izzo; 5. Marcus Hoeppner, Beaver Dam; 6. Scott Barnharst, Franklin; 7. Chuck Turner, Waukesha; 8. Dustin Jackson, New Berlin; 9. Terry Hilgendorf, McHenry, IL; 10. Mark Hoeppner, Beaver Dam; 11. Jason Hyderdall, Lake Villa; 12. Danny Walter, Burlington.
HEAT WINNERS: Hamburg; S. Kuxhouse; Dart.
WISCONSIN-ILLINOIS MINI-SPRINTS: 20-LAP FEATURE: 1. Zack Emmons, Racine; 2. Nick Daywalt, Hubertus; 3. Kyle Daywalt, Hubertus; 4. Mark Heinert, Waukesha; 5. Mike Neau, Kenosha; 6. Adam Schroeder, Zion; 7. Jeff Schmidt, Slinger; 8. Kyle Koch, McFarland; 9. Kevin Frederiksen, Milwaukee; 10. Tim Brannam, Holiday Hills, IL; 11. C.J. Malueg, Johnsburg, IL; 12. Nick Sheridan, Fox Lake, IL; 13. Ron Brannam, Barrington, IL; 14. Randy Stanford, Kenosha; 15. Kurt Brown, Brookfield; 16. Jason Jones, North Chicago, IL; 17. Morgan Shepard, Genoa City; 18. John Smith, St. Charles, IL; 19. John Kirk, Johnsburg.
HEAT WINNERS: N. Daywalt; Emmons.
FAST QUALIFIER: N. Daywalt(:15.750 seconds).
BANDIT 4-CYLINDER STOCK CARS: 20-LAP FEATURE: 1. Jay Orr, South Milwaukee; 2. Ryan Andrews, Woodstock, IL; 3. Allen Maher, Jr., Menomonee Falls; 4. Carl Benn, Menomonee Falls; 5. Courtney Atkinson, Muskego; 6. David McKellips, Mt. Pleasant; 7. Eric Kuenstler, Palatine, IL; 8. Dale Ehleiter, Union Grove; 9. Blake Kreuser, Kenosha; 10. Bob Andersen, Antioch; 11. Steven Kroll, Wonder Lake, IL; 12. James Creekmore, Zion; 13. Devon Dixon, Grafton; 14. Jake Balk, South Milwaukee; 15. Chris Hall, Bassett; 16. Suiter Bennett, Franksville; 17. Joe Summers, Wonder Lake.
HEAT WINNERS: Dixon; Orr.