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Tatnell Uses Late Race Heroics For Elko IRA Win
by: Justin Zoch
ELKO, MN (July 24) - For nearly the entire 30 lap finale to the AMSOIL Dirt
Nationals at Elko Speedway, it looked like Bill Balog was going to streak to
victory lane, just like he did on Saturday night at the 2009 Dirt Nationals.
Then, with a lap and a half remaining, Wayne Modjeski’s overtaxed right rear
tire finally let loose and a yellow flag came out. This put ninth-starting
Brooke Tatnell right on the rear nerf bar of Balog. The veteran racer popped
to the inside of Balog in turn one on the restart and drove off to claim his
first career Elko Speedway win and fourth IRA score of 2010.
Balog, the IRA point leader, jumped out the early lead from the pole
position while Wayne Modjeski and Steve Meyer followed. On lap six, Mike
Reinke spun while passing Meyer for third, bringing out a yellow flag. At
this point, Tatnell was moving to the front while Scott Winters was also on
the charge from row seven. Over the next 24 laps, Balog continued to check
out on the field as he blasted through the lapped traffic ahead of an
excellent three, four and sometimes five car tussle for position between
Modjeski, who held second for much of the race, Tatnell, Winters, Haeni and
Meyer. Travis Whitney, a heat race flip victim in the Dewall Racing 16, was
using the low groove and soon found himself in the fight as well.
On the last yellow flag, for Modjeski’s tire, the lapped cars were put to
the rear and Tatnell capitalized to take the win. Balog maintained second
and upped his streak of top-five IRA finishes to 13 straight and extended
his point lead over Neitzel. Scott Winters had his fourth consecutive podium
finish in IRA action at Elko while John Haeni and Travis Whitney filled out
the fastest five.
The feature got off to a rough start when a push truck ran over Jeremy
Kerzman’s right rear and the car was too badly damaged to continue. Bill
Wirth was allowed to start as the first alternate. Heat races for the 29
cars were won by Tatnell, Kim Mock, and Russel Borland. Gregg Bakker set
quick time during Osborne and Sons Trucking Qualifications.
For more information on the IRA Sprint Cars, log on to www.irasprints.com.
Osborne and Sons Trucking Qualifications
Quick Time: Travis Whitney 12.333 (NTR)
30-Lap A-Feature
1. Brooke Tatnell (9), 2. Bill Balog (1), 3. Scott Winters (13), 4. John
Haeni (10), 5. Travis Whitney (12), 6. Gregg Bakker (6), 7. Steve Meyer (4),
8. Scott Neitzel (5), 9. Scott Biertzer (11), 10. John Sernett (22), 11.
Dave Uttech (20), 12. Kim Mock (7), 13. Wayne Modjeski (2), 14. Mike Reinke
(3), 15. Scott Uttech (19), 16. Kris Spitz (18), 17. Bill Warren (21), 18.
Phillip Mock (16), 19. Andy Hunt (14), 20. Rob Kubli (17), 21. Russel
Borland (8), 22. Bill Wirth (22), 23 Jeremy Kerzman (DNS)
Behling Racing Products B-main: 1. Whitney, 2. Biertzer, 3. Spitz, 4. S.
Uttech, 5. D. Uttech, 6. Warren, 7. Sernett / 8. Bill Wirth, 9. Ryan Wilson,
10. Brandon Thone, 11. Michael Emme, 12. Duane Olson, 13. Jamie Klootwyk,
14. Dave Glennon (DNS)
Weld Racing Heat Race #1: 1. Tatnell, 2. Kerzman, 3. Modjeski, 4. Meyer, 5.
Bakker / 6. Spitz, 7. Glennon, 8. Wirth, 9. Thone, 10. Klootwyk
Lane Automotive Heat Race #2: 1. K. Mock, 2. P. Mock, 3. Winters, 4. Kubli,
5. Balog / 6. Biertzer, 7. Warren, 8. Wilson , 9. Olson, 10. Whitney
DMI/King Racing Products Heat Race #3: 1. Borland, 2. Haeni, 3. Neitzel, 4.
Reinke, 5. Hunt / 6. S. Uttech, 7. Sernett, 8. D. Uttech, 9. Emme
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