I will write more about other things later, and yes, this is basically a follow-up to my review of every All Star Sprint race. but for now, I do want to address one thing: I can’t in good conscience continue the “Everything You Wanted To Know About Formula One (But Were Afraid To Ask)” series. Formula One’s rejection of Andretti-Cadillac is an absolute repudiation of not only American motorsports, but American car manufacturers, American business, and certainly American fans. This spitting in the face of those fans is from a company based in America for the purposes of protecting the investments of Gulf states and convicted felons. I’m not making a specific post to that because I want to give Liberty Media nothing more than the bare minimum of reference. I may even pull my pieces relating to F1. I will not watch F1 related YouTube content and will avoid any news pieces related to it. There’s nothing good I can say, so I simply won’t say anything anymore.
Unlike the All Stars, Flo doesn’t create highlight reels of IRA races, so I just have dates and descriptions. Hey, it’s for me and not so much you. No diss.
34 Raceway (4/7/23): Chase Randall jumps out in the lead early and then I remember the High Limit race here that was a fiasco of crashing. Good list of guys here including Austin McCarl, Hunter Schuerenberg, PPM, Ian Madsen, and Joe B Miller (whose name makes me think Stephen P. New, the attorney and super-duper wrasslin fan that represented CM Punk against AEW). Balog loses it in 2 bringing out a caution, and this is not remotely the most significant incident of the weekend for him. PPM gets stuck behind slower traffic with less than 2 to go, giving Schuerenberg a chance to catch up and he capitalizes with a last lap, last turn pass to win the race by a nose. Poor PPM. I take no joy in his suffering.
34 Raceway (4/8/23): “The main event of the circus of power takes shape” is a heckuva way to open this by the announcer. Then again, I know what’s coming in this one having watched it way back in April. Lots of single car spins here causing cautions that bunch up the field, and that leads to Chase Randall and Bill Balog making contact on the front stretch for the lead. Balog rolls violently and winds up being taken out by ambulance: he was OK. Chase Randall wins this mess of a race.
Beaver Dam (4/15/2023): Beaver Dam is actually a pretty solid looking track that apparently once didn’t have a catch fence in Turn 3, leading to Jason Johnson’s death. Crash at the start. Way fewer of the big names here, so more of the IRA regulars like Estenson and Crouch to watch. Estenson and Crouch almost do a repeat of the Balog/Randall accident from the week before racing for 2nd with 10 to go. Jordan Goldesberry wins running away. Ehh. Ticker was all screwed up too along with the sound. Not Flo’s greatest hour.
Plymouth (5/20/2023): “Prelude to the Rayce” which was a couple weeks later with the All Stars; there’s no feature cut for every IRA race like there were for the All Stars, so I fast forward through the event and caught a monster flip for the Badger Midget Series. Also gives me a chance to watch the B-Features if I so desire (not great tbh). Jake Blackhurst is a guy I don’t know but apparently he has won two IRA titles? This is why I watch the races. The track has slicked off a bunch over the night and running the high line is not easy to run. Man, this is a good finish - 10 laps of solid three way fighting for the win between Goldesberry, Balog, and Blackhurst where Balog keeps smashing off the cushion running the high line until it bites him and sends him into the wall. Goldesberry wins, Russell Borland shows up and takes second (Blackhurst was slow through the middle with 2 to go and lost all momentum), and Crouch is third. Great race TBH.
Angell Park (5/21/2023): Maybe it’s just me but it would be good to have a higher fence in ¾? Call me crazy. Jeremy Schultz has a monster hit in turn two during his heat that takes down some billboards, but he’s OK. Little more diversity up front: Danny Schlafer is in 2nd and looking competitive against leader Blackhurst: Zach Hampton and Scotty Thiel also hanging around the top 5. Second race in two days where the battle for the lead ends in disaster for the known-to-me entity: Thiel makes contact on the backstretch with Blackhurst, breaking his steering and he spins to the inside of the track. Thiel has to be restrained afterwards. Blackhurst looks like a dude who came out of a time machine from 1999 with his soul patch/goatee. Nu metal is back? Neumann won the Badger midget feature and took a third.
Wilmot (5/27/2023): First race of Memorial Day weekend for these guys. None of the big names are up front to start with Goldesberry starting 5th as closest to it. Blake Nimee took the early lead and stayed out there for a long time while Goldesberry and Balog make their way into 2nd and 3rd. Nimee is really the only guy consistently running the high line; Goldesberry gets great bite on the inside and oh man this is like way good now at the end and I’m invested? Nimee moves down to the inside to block Goldesberry but that bring Balog on the outside and broooooo Nimee wins? Hell yeah. Hell to the yeah. Not often I’m so pumped about a flag to flag win.
141 Speedway (5/28/2023): Holy shit this place has high banks in one and two and then it goes to like flat in 4. Goldesberry just dominates this race: Balog is second, Nimee 3rd, and Crouch 4th.
Sycamore (6/10/2023): Possibly the first time I’ve seen this track. It’s, uhh, a track. Pretty wide, looks like a ⅜ or ¼ mile. Reece Saldana is here! Since there’s no isolated features for IRA on Flo, I wind up needing to fast forward my way through and can’t help myself but to watch the Bs. Sycamore looks like a place that gets slick, which means fun racing. Jake Neuman must have had some issues because he had to transfer in from way back. Also been paying attention to Badger Midget features for Chili Bowl pool action. Goldesberry is on pole and I’m legitimately confused how he nor Balog won the title when this starts. There’s three lines and all sorts of good action up front. Sure enough, Brenham Crouch shows up running the middle line and he’s past Balog and into 5th. Goldesberry just ran over the guy in last’s left rear and ruins his own night. Well, I suppose this is answering my question. Nimee takes over the lead from that and never is seriously challenged. Eventually everyone is running the bottom and that’s all she wrote.
Outagamie County Fair (7/21/2023): I skipped ahead to see some of these tracks and get a sense of them. This race said “(rainout)” and sure enough it was. The official schedule for the IRA shows results because qualifying occurred, but rain hit shortly after that and the night was ruined for all.
Angell Park Speedway (6/11/2023): second of the three shows there in 2023. Kraig Kinser is here! And out in front by a million miles! But there’s a caution and that bunches things up, leading to Jake Blackhurst squeezing Kinser into the outside wall of 2 for the point and taking him out. I don’t think I like the way Blackhurst drives! He’s not bad, but he’s hyper aggressive and willing to wreck himself or others and make them choose. Sure enough, he gets up over the cushion and flips it. Reece Saldana also does a little flippie-doo later and set up a 3 lap shootout where Balog shows off how good he is at pulling off elite starts. Once Kinser got taken out, that opened the door for Balog to do his thing. Otherwise if Kinser isn’t wrecked? Probably not.
Fairbury (6/24/2023): Main camera is on the backstretch, 2 I honestly did not know when I said that I didn’t like Blackhurst’s approach to driving that he would hip check Brenham Crouch damn near out of the park. Later in the feature he makes contact with Kinser *again* then bangs into the wall. Nienhauser does basically the same thing but blows a tire or breaks something and brings out a caution. Kraig Kinser spins as a red flag comes out collecting another car while racing to someone else (Jett Mann) pretty much wiping out their car with a more significant flip. Kinser doesn’t lose his spot though. Joe B Miller winds up winning and I have no recollection of this as I came back to this like multiple weeks later after typing the last sentence. I went back to this and the first ⅓ of the race is only on the front stretch camera. It switches to another view just as Crouch goes flying into the fence. Miller took the lead with 28 to go and doesn't give it up.
Plymouth (7/1/2023): One of seemingly 38 stops at Plymouth for this series. Arenz and Schlafer go do battle for the lead in much of this one and Arenz has oodles of experience at the track in 360s or weekly action (so I’m told by the announcer). Eventually Neitzel and Crouch battle for second and Arenz takes off to win his first feature with the series. I couldn’t get myself engaged with it, TBH.
I-94 (7/13/2023): Looks like there is capacity to hold around 5K and 300 showed up. NOSA copromotes this so there's a pretty healthy car count. Dobmeier and Crouch are out front and this place is stupid fast; Crouch takes the lead about 7 laps in and just starts sailing away until a tire goes with 9 remaining. At that point, Tim Estenson has gone to 2nd from way back in the field (20th) and is about to challenge Dobmeier; after a red flag Estenson breaks or runs out of fuel as he's pushed to restarting and that leaves the race open to Dobmeier. Jake Neuman is the big winner in this ending chaos going from 7th at the red to 3rd rolling the bottom.
River Cities (7/14/23): Only Mark Dobmeier had seen I-94 previously I'm told, and this is another track where there's few guys with relevant experience. Similar story for Dobmeier in fact who grabs pole. Schlafer tips it over at the start forcing a second attempt. Hastings slows due to a tire going down and he was the only guy actively challenging Dobmeier in the early going. There's some excitement when the leaders hit traffic, but Estenson winds up over the banking in 3 and brings out a caution with 5 left. Pierce manages to get up and pass Dobmeier on a hail Mary slider with 2 to go to make something of this, but Dobmeier heads low and regained the position. He goes on to win.
River Cities (7/15/23): Second night here and it's the last of the weekend in which there's a sort of “Minnesota Sprint Week” where the top finisher gets a nice bonus. It's not called that but I guess the co promoted with NOSA races qualify. Big ol wreck in the 305 Feature when a guy hits a tire and goes flipping end over end. Austin Pierce starts on pole tonight and Dobmeyer is coming from 8th. Crouch works his way up to the front 9 laps in and stays there for the majority of the race. Pierce gets by with 6 remaining and we start to have caution after caution for single car incidents. Crouch isn't able to make up the difference and Pierce wins. Dobmeier finished 4th and should have locked up the bonus. NOSA sweeps the weekend. Seems like this was good for the NOSA guys in terms of validation.
Plymouth (7/28/2023): Back here again already with two more events planned for the year. Crouch and Balog racing for the lead is the story here and it's pretty good once we get into the last 12 laps or so. Late caution give Greg Wilson a chance to roll the bottom and make magic as he passes Crouch on the last lap and they drag race to the line. Crouch loses out on his first feature win again by about 8 inches. Excellent race.
Wilmot (7/29/2023): The first of two consecutive IRA shows here three weeks apart. Knoxville Nationals and I believe the Ironman 55 cause this break in the action. Estenson is on pole with Thiel to his outside and Balog in 3rd: that's what you get for early activity. Crouch always has his left rear glowing: what that means I don't know. Balog takes the lead from Thiel and stretches it out a ton. Crouch gets to second and then Balog spins in 3 on his way to two to go. Oops! Crouch is way out in front of IRA points and manages to finish the job for a feature win. Good run for Joel Myers Jr: he's improved all season long and comes home 3rd.
Wilmot (8/19/2023): And we're right back to Wilmot. Some new graphics too which is nice to see: haven't had consistency with having timing and scoring and nothing for heat/feature lineups until this event I think. Myers Jr. winds up on pole: good for him I suppose. A lot of cars showed up for this too: 20 started the B, so that means we started with at least 40 cars. Myers Jr holds off Balog for the first 18 laps and through traffic but a caution bunches everyone up. Balog is leader within a lap, and lookie here, Crouch is 4th from like 14th or 15th. That kid is a model of consistency. Balog keeps it pointed the right way, Myers Jr 2nd, Reinke 3rd, Crouch 4th.
Angell Park (8/20/2023): Darin Naida, future Knoxville fulltimer and fellow Michigander is here. Riley Goodno is also in the field; Balog is on pole with Scotty Thiel outside. The race has a couple green flag runs where the leaders catch the tail and then Thiel in 2nd is either almost wrecked or wrecked outright. He rejoins with a bent up wing from a tipover and slide in Turn 3, which is probably not the best idea! Sure enough, he spins to bring out the next caution and he’s done for the night. Balog isn’t really in trouble the rest of the race and wins.
34 Raceway (8/25/2023): My god, I am am blessed with a “Feature” video and don’t need to fast forward through anything. Austin McCarl and Aaron Reutzel are starting up front because Iowa, that’s why. 2 and 4 are really slick, so it’s interesting to see how the cars are managing that transition. I’ve seen a few races here now and none of them are great with 410s. There’s some different lines being tried, but Reutzel just runs away with this one and it seems almost locked down around the bottom. We get a caution for Myers Jr. having a tire go down that gives us a 2 lap shootout between Wimmer and Reutzel and Reutzel blocks Wimmer’s big run and nearly causes both to wreck. He holds on for a flag-to-flag win and Wimmer finishes second after managing to contend by being the one guy consistently running the top.
Dodge County Fairgrounds (9/1/2023): This is a rarely run track and Josh Bilicki is here running in the 360 MSA series race? It’s a half mile track less than ten minutes from Beaver Dam Speedway in, well, Beaver Dam. Don’t ask. I don’t know. Flat track too with really good looking catch fencing. Only 23 cars check in for the 20 lap A feature: Ian Madsen is here! Crouch is on pole, Goldesberry 2nd, Balog 3rd. Crouch at this point is 200+ points ahead which is literally more than an entire race can possibly provide, essentially locking him up as champ though the announcers are trying to make it sound more dramatic than that. First half of the race is no great shakes but yeah, the last ten laps are where it is at. Scoty Thiel manages to get a win here and Crouch finishes second as there is some wild battling amongst the top 5 in this one.
Plymouth (9/2/2023): I guess Madsen is with the IRA all weekend. This is the 5th Plymouth race this year for IRA and still not the last one. Front row has Jake Arenz and Jake Neuman: not typical for the series but Arenz as established has reps and won earlier in the year at Plymouth. Myers Jr. is hovering around the top 5, again making me think he’s been improving throughout the year. This is another race where the last 10 laps slap: lots of cutting through traffic as Balog and Neuman go to war. Neuman gets the better of it and is yet another different winner in the series. Neuman as the announcer reminds me was in a hellacious crash with High Limit at Lakeside earlier in the year when something broke in Hot Laps, sending him spinning into the wall. Myers Jr. finishes 3rd. Look, I’m fatigued seeing the same place over and over because no one is supposed to watch the IRA Sprints Series in this way. That said, there’s a lot of races at Plymouth or Attica or whatever with these more regional series because the tracks are really good.
Godnik Law (9/8/2023): In the final stretch: never in my life have I heard of this place (⅜ mile, reasonably high banking) up in Superior. Now that I see Ian Madsen is on pole, I think I might have watched this and he won? Let’s see if that’s the case. Lots of drivers saying it’s all about running the top but dudes might throw sliders in interviews Chattie Maddie (who is the fiance of IRA racer Preston Ruh my investigation tells me; good for them!) is doing with the drivers. 13 laps in when the first caution is thrown, this is proven very, very accurate. Honestly, this track locks down in the last ten laps or so, but the first 20 laps might have been the best overall racing the IRA Series had all year in 2023. Madsen finishes 2nd while Balog manages to win the battle between them around lap 20 and easily pulls a gap.
Cedar Lake (9/9/2023): Next to last IRA event of the year at a track that appears on the World of Outlaws schedule each year. Rain delays the start of this event by awhile and in fact the entire entry for this event is close to 8 hours long. During my fast-forwarding, I catch some Traditional Sprints action and this feels like a good track for those guys thanks to the higher banking. Johnny Parsons III sighting in those! Also some pretty big wrecks which always terrify me in those cars. Thiel and Crouch start up front and Kelby Watt is starting 3rd which “Who?” I have since learned he works for Hendrick and also has run Knoxville as a weekly guy. Also in the “Really? They’re here?” list: Justin Henderson and Brooke Tatnell. Ian Madsen worked his way up to battle with Watt for 3rd when we got a red flag thrown for Winters flipping. This place feels like “easier to get to Huset’s” and I like that. Watt and Crouch have a little tussle for second that’s entertaining. This race is coming off at nearly 1AM Central. Jeez. No wonder the crowd is so light. With 3 to go, Crouch breaks and winds up against the wall in the top of the entry to 1. Thiel wins and this race was OK but nothing to write home about.
Plymouth (9/30/2023): We have arrived to the end of another journey, and as such, a new one will once again start with NARC. 38 cars checked in for the 410s and there’s healthy car counts for the other support series too. Austin McCarl and JJ Hickle have shown up for this one. There’s some wild action for second as Balog sails off, and a caution with 17 left takes McCarl out of contention. It isn’t so much that the top guys are fighting each other as fighting through traffic. Balog wins with Crouch second, but Crouch has wrapped up the title forever and a day ago.