Bill Balog Goes Back-To-Back In Wisconsin With All Star Sprint Victory At Angell Park

Story By: TYLER ALTMEYER / ALL STAR CIRCUIT OF CHAMPIONS – SUN PRAIRIE, WI – It took Bill Balog 38 tries to score a first-ever victory with the FloRacing All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1, but less than 24 hours later, the “Northpole Nightmare” is a winner again.

This time at the Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, on Sunday, June 6.

Earning a $6,000 top prize for his efforts, the All Stars versus IRA challenge victory not only doubled Balog’s All Star career win total to two, but it also bumped his all-time IRA Outlaw Sprint Series win total to 130; he is a ten-time Series champion and the all-time leading winner.

“It was great to get it done last night, but I can’t believe we did it again,” Bill Balog said in Angell Park Speedway victory lane, driver of the B Squared Motorsports/Anderson’s Pure Maple Syrup/CK Contractors LLC/Buesser Concrete/Wisecup Siding, Howard Law/Wayne Corini CPA/No. 17B sprint car. “This team has a lot of confidence right now. We’ve always had confidence, even during some of the ‘DNFs’ we had earlier in the year. We’re working hard and the speed is there. My mom, my sister, my brother-in-law, my nephews; they are all here in the stands down from Alaska, so it’s great to have them here celebrating with us.”

Utilizing the pole position by way of dash victory, St. Helena, California’s Rico Abreu earned the initial lead and maintained the point position for the first nine circuits, becoming acquainted with slower traffic along the way. Refusing to allow Abreu to disappear, Balog, who joined Abreu on the front row, kept the Rowdy Energy No. 24 in sight, creeping to his back bumper by lap nine before making his first official bid for the lead the following circuit.

After his failed attempt to get by Abreu on lap 10, losing in a drag race out of turn four, Balog redeemed himself and did one move better the following lap, eventually catapulting around Abreu at the exit of turn four before completing lap 11. Balog’s slingshot move was initiated when Abreu attempted to get through the corner on the bottom, ultimately missing the moisture and allowing Balog to drive by.

From that point forward, it was all Balog at the front of the field, withstanding one final slide job attempt by Abreu after a restart on lap 19. Abreu’s move did not stick and Balog drove on to score the $6,000 payday.

“Our car is really good when it’s slick to a curb like this,” Balog continued. “A lot of the tracks next week get like that, so I think we’ll be in pretty good shape for Ohio Sprint Speedweek. I just gotta keep this thing in one piece because it’s really good right now.”

Ian Madsen, who worked beyond Abreu with two to go to secure a third consecutive runner-up finish, crossed the line behind Balog, followed by Abreu, a hard-charging Cap Henry, and Cory Eliason.

The All Star Circuit of Champions will continue their 2021 campaign with Cometic Gasket Ohio Sprint Speedweek presented by Hercules Tires on Friday through Saturday, June 11-19. Action will kick-off, officially, on Friday evening, June 11, at the Attica Raceway Park in Attica, Ohio.

Contingency Awards/Results: Angell Park Speedway – Sunday, June 6, 2021
Event: All Stars vs. IRA
Entries: 26
C&R Racing Hot Laps: Parker Price-Miller | 11.998
Dixie Vodka Fast Qualifier: Ian Madsen | 11.957
Ford Performance Heat #1 Winner: Cory Eliason
All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads Heat #2 Winner: Jeremy Schultz
Hunt Brothers Pizza Heat #3 Winner: Carson Short
Kear’s Speed Shop Dash presented by Elliott’s Custom Trailers and Carts Winner: Rico Abreu
Classic Ink USA Screenprinting & Embroidery B-Main Winner: Jake Blackhurst
Rayce Rudeen Foundation First Non-Transfer: Robbie Pribnow
FloRacing A-Main Winner: Bill Balog
Hercules Tire A-Main Hard Charger: Cap Henry (+9)

Qualifying

Group (A)
1. 11-Ian Madsen, 11.957; 2. 17B-Bill Balog, 12.039; 3. 24-Rico Abreu, 12.050; 4. 2W-Scotty Neitzel, 12.195; 5. 39-Jake Blackhurst, 12.304; 6. 13-Spencer Bayston, 12.311; 7. 9K-Kyle Schuett, 12.339; 8. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr., 12.343; 9. 19-Parker Price-Miller, 12.389; 10. 26-Cory Eliason, 12.404; 11. 5J-Jeremy Schultz, 12.411; 12. 21-Carson Short, 12.449; 13. 5-Paul McMahan, 12.450; 14. 4-Cap Henry, 12.453; 15. 68-Dave Uttech, 12.475; 16. 10-Zeb Wise, 12.490; 17. 8M-TJ Michael, 12.491; 18. 23-Russel Borland, 12.525; 19. 91-Kyle Reinhardt, 12.529; 20. 7BC-Tyler Courtney, 12.568; 21. O7-Skylar Gee, 12.628; 22. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg, 12.679; 23. 65-Jordan Goldesberry, 12.699; 24. 20R-Robbie Pribnow, 12.730; 25. 4K-Kris Spitz, 13.009; 26. 29-Hunter Custer, 13.154

Heat #1 – Group (A) (8 Laps) – Top 6 Transfer
1. 26-Cory Eliason [1]; 2. 2W-Scotty Neitzel [3]; 3. 9K-Kyle Schuett [2]; 4. 11-Ian Madsen [4]; 5. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg [8]; 6. 5-Paul McMahan [5]; 7. 91-Kyle Reinhardt [7]; 8. 10-Zeb Wise [6]; 9. 4K-Kris Spitz [9]

Heat #2 – Group (A) (8 Laps) – Top 6 Transfer
1. 5J-Jeremy Schultz [1]; 2. 17B-Bill Balog [4]; 3. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr. [2]; 4. 7BC-Tyler Courtney [7]; 5. 4-Cap Henry [5]; 6. 65-Jordan Goldesberry [8]; 7. 39-Jake Blackhurst [3]; 8. 8M-TJ Michael [6]; 9. 29-Hunter Custer [9]

Heat #3 – Group (A) (8 Laps) – Top 6 Transfer
1. 21-Carson Short [1]; 2. 19-Parker Price-Miller [2]; 3. 13-Spencer Bayston [3]; 4. 24-Rico Abreu [4]; 5. O7-Skylar Gee [7]; 6. 23-Russel Borland [6]; 7. 68-Dave Uttech [5]; 8. 20R-Robbie Pribnow [8]

Dash #1 (6 Laps)
1. 24-Rico Abreu [1]; 2. 17B-Bill Balog [3]; 3. 2W-Scotty Neitzel [2]; 4. 5J-Jeremy Schultz [5]; 5. 11-Ian Madsen [7]; 6. 13-Spencer Bayston [6]; 7. 26-Cory Eliason [8]; 8. 21-Carson Short [4]

B-Main (8 Laps) – Top 6 Transfer
1. 39-Jake Blackhurst [1]; 2. 91-Kyle Reinhardt [3]; 3. 10-Zeb Wise [4]; 4. 8M-TJ Michael [5]; 5. 4K-Kris Spitz [7]; 6. 68-Dave Uttech [2]; 7. 20R-Robbie Pribnow [6]; 8. 29-Hunter Custer [8]

A-Main (30 Laps)
1. 17B-Bill Balog [2]; 2. 11-Ian Madsen [5]; 3. 24-Rico Abreu [1]; 4. 4-Cap Henry [13]; 5. 26-Cory Eliason [7]; 6. 7BC-Tyler Courtney [12]; 7. 13-Spencer Bayston [6]; 8. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg [15]; 9. 2W-Scotty Neitzel [3]; 10. 5-Paul McMahan [16]; 11. 5J-Jeremy Schultz [4]; 12. 19-Parker Price-Miller [9]; 13. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr. [11]; 14. 10-Zeb Wise [21]; 15. 23-Russel Borland [17]; 16. 65-Jordan Goldesberry [18]; 17. 21-Carson Short [8]; 18. 9K-Kyle Schuett [10]; 19. 91-Kyle Reinhardt [20]; 20. O7-Skylar Gee [14]; 21. 39-Jake Blackhurst [19]; 22. 8M-TJ Michael [22]; 23. 68-Dave Uttech [24]; 24. 4K-Kris Spitz [23] Lap Leaders: Rico Abreu (1-10), Bill Balog (11-30)