GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The Bumper to Bumper IRA Sprints are coming to River Cities Speedway to take on the Buffalo Wild Wings NOSA Sprints July 15-16 for the Buffalo Wild Wings King of the Wings.
River Cities will also host the World of Outlaws Late Models on July 15.
“Trying to get this event in place has been a multi-year effort and we are looking forward to bringing in the IRA Sprints for the first time in nearly 20 years,” said River Cities Speedway partner Darren Evavold. “With the World of Outlaws Late Models being a part of the Friday program, both Late Model and Sprint Car fans will have a lot to be excited about that weekend.”
The River Cities Speedway and NOSA all-time wins leader, Mark Dobmeier, has tallied a few IRA wins in his career. Most recently, he has collected victories at Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wisconsin in 2013 and at Dodge County Fairgrounds Speedway in Beaver Dam, Wisc., in ’11.
“This is going to be absolutely fantastic,” said Dobmeier about the Buffalo Wild Wings King of the Wings. “Any time we can get more high caliber cars to come around here is great. The IRA is a great series, has a lot of really good drivers and a really big following. We should have a big car count for this show.
“(IRA) is a very similar series to what NOSA is. Just like NOSA, they have good car counts at all of their races and about 10 teams that are extremely competitive no matter where they go, whether they run with IRA or with the Outlaws. It’ll be a good race and a little rivalry battle on top of it.”
The Buffalo Wild Wings King of the Wings will be the first time the Bullring has hosted the IRA Sprints since 2003 when six-time IRA champion Joe Roe visited RydellCars.com victory lane.
“(River Cities Speedway) has a wonderful reputation. We were treated really well when we were there years ago. It’s a long trip for our series but several of our top teams have committed to going and I think we can bring enough representation to do ourselves justice,” said Steve Sinclair, president of the Wisconsin-based 410 Sprint Car series. “I think it’ll be a pretty fair fight (between the IRA and NOSA drivers). The two groups are pretty similar. Obviously, NOSA has home track advantage but the last time we were there it was an IRA guy that was victorious so on my end we’ll hope for the same,” said Sinclair.