Reutzel Wards Off Wimmer To Score IRA Checkers At 34 Raceway

The heat broke just in time for a fun night of Sprint Car racing at 34 Raceway Friday night as the Bumper to Bumper IRA Sprint Car Series returned to southeast Iowa for the second time in 2023. Unfortunately with the scorching weather throughout most of the day, the start of Iowa high school football and perhaps a few people who chose to stay home and watch on Flo, the grandstands were bit light but those who were in attendance were treated to an entertaining thirty lap feature to close out the evening.

A pair of Knoxville regulars Austin McCarl and Aaron Reutzel earned the front row starting positions and they would swap the lead on the opening lap with Reutzel getting back to the loop first. As Reutzel started to pull away IRA regular Danny Schlafer would snatch second away from McCarl only to have Austin take it back a few laps later when he started to work the low line in and out of turns one and two.

With Reutzel cruising the cushion on both ends and most of the lapped traffic down low, the leader was not really being slowed, however McCarl was still closing the gap until he too reached those lappers down in his preferred line. Sixth starting Brandon Wimmer had made his way up to third and he was now closing in on the lead duo as well while working the cushion in both sets of turns. The top three would be within about eight car lengths of each other around lap eighteen when Reutzel seemed to sense that his high line was no longer the fastest and once he went to the bottom he would again put some distant on his challengers who were now in their own battle for second.

With the laps winding down Reutzel looked to have this one well in hand only to have Joel Myers Jr. slow in front of him exiting turn four. The leader would get by him and Wimmer would nip McCarl at the stripe just before the caution waved with just two laps now remaining. On the restart Reutzel went to the bottom and stayed there while Wimmer followed him into turn one and then drifted to the cushion out of two. With a big run down the back stretch Wimmer pounded the cushion in turns three and four giving him the momentum to sail by Reutzel down the front stretch, if only he had the room to do so.

The leader would exit turn four off the bottom and then drive up the track toward the flagstand where the cars would make contact. A big crash was avoided though when Wimmer stood on the brakes and once back up to speed there would be no catching Reutzel who would complete the flag-to-flag victory. Wimmer would settle for second with McCarl taking third while Zach Hampton slipped by IRA point leader Brenham Crouch in the final two laps to finish fourth. Paul Nienhiser started thirteenth and was quickly up to fifth mid-race before finishing in sixth. Jordan Goldesberry and Jake Blackhurst were next in line while Travis Arenz came from sixteenth up to ninth. Knoxville's Riley Goodno would complete the top ten. 

Aaron Reutzel from a couple of weeks ago at Knoxville - Barry Johnson photo

The IRA Sprint Cars now head south to the Federated Auto Parts I-55 Speedway in Pevely, Missouri, for what I believe to be their first ever appearance at that facility on Saturday night.

In support class action the American Iron Racing Series ran a non-stop fifteen lap feature with Dennis Etten pacing the field through the early laps. Hometown driver Doak Allen Jr. was on a mission though to win here at 34 and on lap six he drove his Sterzings Potato Chips #01 under Etten in turns three and four to take the lead. With Allen now pulling away the battle for second heated up and when Etten and Robin Atkins made contact on the front stretch with six laps remaining it would cut down the left front tire on the car of the early leader.

Allen was in control and would close out the final laps to take the victory with Atkins a distant second. Bart Miller started tenth and finished third, Bruce Yoerger was fourth and Owen Hayes filled out the top five while Etten nursed his #23 in for eighth.

This would be the final point race of the season for the Mini Hauler division here at 34 and when regular winner and point leader Brian Tipps exited from his heat race early it looked like the door might be open for a new winner on this night. Eric Detlefsen would lead the way early before the caution waved on lap five for a fire under the hood of Larry Hooper's truck. On the restart Jeff Bockes would go to work on Detlefson and the driver who took a twenty-plus year hiatus after racing in the old Sportsman division here would take the lead on lap eight and pace the final four laps for his second win of the season. Tipps, who had started the race from seventh, slipped by Detlefson exiting turn four on the final lap to take second and earn the track title while Sheldon Brockett and James Ruble closed out the top five.

I had a great time sitting with my Sprint Invaders announcing partner Bill Wright, just enjoying a night of racing with no microphone anywhere near us. Outside of perhaps my long time guru Kurt Moon, there is nobody that knows more about the drivers and owners in the world of winged Sprint Car racing. Make sure that you have his website Open Wheel 101 bookmarked!

The forecast for Saturday night looks fantastic for racing and 34 Raceway will be back in action with their Pepsi Season Championship event with an adult admission price of just five dollars. Time to pack those stands for some more great racing action this Saturday night at 34!