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Dollansky Returns To Roots For Rick Schmidt Memorial Win
by Paul Pittman
Beaver Dam, WI (Apr 22, 2006): Someone must have forgotten to tell
Mother Nature that the Rick Schmidt Memorial was to start early because just
prior to 4pm, the skies opened up as if to remind everyone that she was
there. But persistence and teamwork paid off as all the stops were
pulled out in an effort to get the show in. Even some neighborly
assistance! With 35 sprinters signed in for the Bumper to Bumper IRA
Outlaw Sprint Series salute to one of it’s defining members.
Despite the near three hour delay and cool temperatures, a packed grandstand
awaited the beginning of the 2006 season at the Dodge County Fairgrounds.
With a rare break in their schedule, WoO ace Craig Dollansky made a visit to
his sponsor’s local track and back to his roots. Dollansky would set
quick time for the night with a 17.146 second lap, just a tick under Travis
Whitney’s lap of 17.335 seconds. Whitney’s efforts would be rewarded
by a $200 bonus from Osborn & Son Trucking as the night’s fastest IRA
regular in time trials. Heat race action saw Todd Hepfner,
Mike Reinke, Dave Uttech and Scott Biertzer all start the season off on the
right foot with heat race wins. Scotty Neitzel, who clipped the inside
berm on the final lap of his heat and failed to finish due to damage,
rebounded back to win the B-Main.
The start of the 23 lap Rick Schmidt Memorial saw outside pole sitter Scott
Young grab the point exiting turn #2 over Steve Meyer. The pace quickly
slowed when the yellow flew for Todd Hefpner who spun on lap #3. Two
laps later, Mike Reinke would bring the caution out again while battling with
Scott Biertzer for position. The restart saw Young holding a charging
Dollansky at bay until the duo entered turns 1 and two on lap six, when
Young’s #1H climbed the outside retaining wall and caught the fencing,
instantly stopping the potent ride in one of the night’s scariest
incident. Young would climb from the mount unscathed, but finished for
the evening. After a brief period for fencing repairs, the restart
saw Kim Mock up to the second position following Dollansky while Meyer was
holding on for third. A lap eleven caution for a Troy Hepfner 360 in
turn four would bunch the field up slightly, but with lapped cars between
himself and leader Dollansky, the best offense for Mock would be defending his
position. As laps clicked off, Dollansky was able to put some distance
between himself and his competition, however, Meyer would be able to mount a
challenge for 2nd and ultimately got by Mock for second. In Victory
Lane, Dollansky commented that after the WoO rainout on Friday night, he
wanted to run the IRA show in Beaver Dam as his sponsors were located in
nearby Fox Lake (WI). "Karavan Trailers are located right down the road
and Scott Boyd has been so good to us." When asked about his involvement
and past with the IRA, Dollansky expounded "My first ever win was an IRA
race. This is a good and competative bunch of guys to race with. Rick
Schmidt was an inspiration and Al Schmidt was a heck of a racer in his own
right. I'm actually surprised he wasn't out here racing tonight.
I'm honored to win this race for such a great family." 14th place
starting Scotty Neitzel would cross the line in 4th while Donny Goeden climbed
from his eleventh place starting spot to finish fifth. Brian Kristan
would claim the DMI Hard Charger award by passing 14 cars to finish ninth
after starting 23rd.
The Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series returns to the Beaver Dam area
on Saturday, April 29th in a double header with the Badger Midgets at the
Raceway @ Powercom Park. For complete scheduling details, please visit
the IRA’s website at www.irasprins.com.
OFFICIAL RESULTS:
Osborn & Son Trucking Time Trials (35 cars): Craig Dollansky (Karavan
Trailers #7) 17.146 seconds
WELD Racing Heat: Todd Hepfner (Paul J. Schmidt Trucking #28)
MPD Race Products Heat: Mike Reinke (Mike’s Construction #02)
Lane Automotive Heat: Dave Uttech (George Uttech Heating & AC #68)
VMAC Heat: Scott Beirtzer (W.G. Strohwig Tool & Die #4B)
Behling Racing Equipment B-Main: Scotty Neitzel (T&D Jewelry #2W)
Rick Schmidt Memorial (23 laps): 1. Craig Dollansky (Karavan
Trailers #7) 2. Steve Meyer 3.Kim Mock 4. Scotty Neitzel 5. Donny
Goeden 6. John Sernett 7. Billy Warren 8. Todd Hepfner 9. Brian Kristan
10. Scott Uttech 11. Troy Hepfner 12. Mike Reinke 13. Todd King 14.
Howie Gleason 15. Dave Uttech 16. Ryan Irwin 7. Jason
Johnson 18. Dave Enders 19. Scott Biertzer 20. Andy Hunt 21. Tim Sernett 22.
Scott Young 23. Ty Bartz 24. Travis Whitney (DNS) John Haeni
DMI Hard Charger: Brian Kristan (+14)
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