IRA Outlaw 410 Sprint Car Driver Bill Balog and B Squared Motorsports
- Sep 1, 2011
Racing on the Bumper To Bumper IRA Outlaw 410 Sprints class, Bill Balog and B Squared Motorsport's first visit was to the ABC Raceway, in Ashland, Wisconsin. Despite a mid-day rain shower, the track was in racing condition when 22 drivers showed up that evening to compete in the event. Turning the 8th quickest qualifying time, the driver lined up fourth in his heat. As soon as the race began, Balog quickly worked his way into the second position and began to pursue the leader. Navigating the wet and narrow track, Balog passed the number one driver in the final lap and never looked back. "Our confidence level wasn't very high due to the fact that we had hurt both of our engines the week prior," explained the driver. We borrowed an engine for the race at ABC Raceway and really didn't know what to expect. We changed a few things on the car after qualifying, and were able to keep pressure on the leader throughout the race, and eventually passed him for the lead in the final lap."
With severe weather lurking in the vicinity, the decision was made to push the 25 lap feature trackside and go directly to the main event. From position three, Balog worked his way forward and was in a battle for the lead early on in the race. Soon thereafter, the driver took the first place position and after a yellow flag with only seven laps to go, Balog experienced a flawless restart and was able to overcome all challenges by the second place driver, Scott Biertzer, and ultimately took the checkered flag. "It was a close race with the second car having a strong run and challenging us for the lead throughout the race," shared Balog. "Then he had a part failure on the last lap, giving us a straightaway advantage on the super-tacky, red clay surface." Bill Balog and B Squared Motorsports then made a trip to the Dodge County Fairgrounds, in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, where they were scheduled to race in the "Horsepower Half-Mile". As luck would have it, the night didn't start on a positive note, as Balog's Race Gear X/ Weld Racing 17B car broke a rocker arm during the hot laps. Rushing the car back to the pits, the crew went to work and had the car up and running in time for Balog to record the third quickest qualifying time of the night. Referring to their confidence level after breaking the rocker arm, the driver said, "Once again it was pretty low, but we were able to repair the engine just before qualifying. We drew a late number and were able to keep an eye on the track, and make the right adjustments to compensate for the changing conditions." Lining up sixth in his heat, the driver managed to work, his way to the second place position and was battling for the lead when power steering fluid began to spew from the engine compartment. To avoid wrecking the car, he backed off and settled for a third place finish. "The car was really good in the heat race before loosing the power steering fluid," explained Balog. "We didn't need to win the heat because of our qualifying time, but when the car is working, it's nice to get the wins. We were happy just to finish the heat." Starting on the sixth position for the 25-lap main event, Balog worked his way to the front rapidly, and took the lead. Although challenged twice, he eventually pulled away from the other drivers and finished the final five laps with a comfortable lead, taking the win. Although Bill Balog is the person actually manning their car throughout the races, he is quick to credit the entire Bill Balog and B Squared Motorsports team for his success. "The team is very important," stated Balog. "I depend heavily on them with every aspect of the car, from which tires to run, to making sure the car stays clean throughout the night. I wouldn't be where I am today without the crew I have behind me." Referring to maintaining the race car, he continued, "We use the K&N air box/filter, their oil filters, air filter oil and cleaner, as well as a K&N filter in the hauler. We have been using these exclusively for the past ten years. They are the best on the market today, and we will continue to use them going into the future." In closing Bill Balog said, "We would like to thank our sponsors and fans for their support over the years. Without our sponsors, we wouldn't be able to race at the level we do!!" Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world. |
