WILMOT, Wis. – Jake Blackhurst scored his second win in the 12th annual 36-lap Roger Iles Tribute presented by Carriage Auto Body for the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints to close out the Kenosha County Fair 100th Anniversary events Saturday at Wilmot Raceway.
Blackhurst, who won the same event in 2018, used the victory to secure his first regular season Wilmot Raceway 410 sprint car title. Blake Nimee took the initial lead in the feature with Blackhurst taking top spot near the halfway point.
The two battled back and forth as they worked lapped traffic until a red flag waved when Danny Schlafer, who was battling in the top five for some time, slammed into the turn four wall and catch fence, knocking out the track safety lights. Schlafer was checked out by the track paramedic crew.
On the restart, Nimee dove low into turn one, hooking the infield berm in one final attempt to get the lead back. The caution waved and Nimee restarted at the back of the lead lap cars. Blackhurst maintained his lead to the finish. It was an Illinois podium sweep with Chris Windom scoring a career-best second place Wilmot finish. Carson Short was third.
“This is a big race for us to win,” said Blackhurst. “To win the season championship here at Wilmot, with all of the history and the drivers who have won it before, it’s special to get my first one. I have to thank our team. Now we set our sights on the IRA season championship.”
Jimmy Sivia scored the biggest victory of his career by taking the 20-lap 4th Annual Bill Grogan Memorial for the AutoMeter/Brewington Electric Wisconsin WingLess Sprints. C.J. Malueg scored his third 20-lap IRA Lightning Sprints feature win of the season at Wilmot.
The finish:
1. 39-Jake Blackhurst[1]; 2. 19-Chris Windom[3]; 3. 21-Carson Short[8]; 4. 73-Scotty Thiel[5]; 5. 5J-Jeremy Schultz[13]; 6. 2W-Scott Neitzel[12]; 7. 65-Jordan Goldesberry[6]; 8. 23-Russel Borland[7]; 9. 20R-Rob Pribnow[18]; 10. 10W-Mike Reinke[9]; 11. 4K-Kris Spitz[16]; 12. 43-Jereme Schroeder[15]; 13. 0-John Fahl[17]; 14. 79-Blake Nimee[2]; 15. 29-Hunter Custer[14]; 16. 9K-Kyle Schuett[11]; 17. 19B-Jack Berger[21]; 18. 25-Danny Schlafer[4]; 19. 39D-Michael Decker[23]; 20. 24-Scott Conger[22]; 21. 68-Dave Uttech[10]; 22. 70-Chris Klemko[20]; 23. 83-Tom Spooner[24]; 24. 56-Ryan Irwin[19]