NEXT EVENT
May 21, 2022
Cedar Lake Speedway
Wings

New Richmond, WI, May 14, 2022 Summer arrived in full force on Saturday when the PIRTEK Renegades took to the high banks of Cedar Lake Speedway as part of the annual School Bus special. Nineteen Traditional sprints checked in to do battle in June-like temperatures on a cloudless evening. Kevin Bradwell scored the win in the Pirtek heat race #1 while Brad Cunningham snared the Reaction TIme Sports Podcast heat #2. Britt, Minnesota’s Nick DaRonco scooped up a whopping 146 passing points to lead the field in that category. Terry and Rachel Galle, along with the rest of the GT Transport family were on hand for the first of three GT Transport Hot Shot Challenge events this summer. For the Hot Shot Challenge, the top two passing points earners may elect to start the feature at the tail. If the challenge is accepted, and the driver wins from the rear of the field, he or she is awarded an extra $1,000 courtesy of GT Transport! Top points earners on Saturday were DaRonco and Bradwell. Both front row starters declined the challenge - meaning the challenge purse increases to $2,000 for the next Hot Shot Challenge event, scheduled for Friday night, July 1, as part of Cedar Lake annual World of Outlaws weekend. For the 20-lap feature, it was DaRonco and Bradwell pacing nineteen sprinters to race starter Jeff Staken’s geen flag, and after an opening lap caution and quick restart, the finale went caution free. DaRonco held the point early, pursued by a gaggle of heavy hitters including Bradwell, Bryan Roach, Cam Schafer, Cunningham, Jon Lewerer, Johnny Parsons III, and Brad Peterson. Surprising no one, Schafer quickly found the high groove and worked from his third row starting spot up to second by lap four and set sail in pursuit of DaRonco. The field spread out under green, with many drivers favoring a higher groove but Roach and Lewerer were locking horns in a thrilling, racelong high-low battle for third. Up front, DaRonco was handed the near impossible task of holding off the winningest driver in PIRTEK Renegade history– for 16 laps. Schafer, never shy about testing alternate grooves, hunted and throttled in vain for those 16 laps as DaRonco was flawless in nabbing the flag-to-flag victory. Schafer settled for second ahead of Lewerer, Roach and Peterson. The PIRTEK Traditional sprints yield to their Winged brothers next week, as the wingers join the regular field at Cedar Lake in a dash series race, May 21. More information on upcoming events for the PIRTEK Renegades can be found at www.umsprints.com, as well as their facebook page. RESULTS: Feature, 20-laps. 1. Nick DaRonco, 2. Cam Schafer, 3. Jon Lewerer, 4. Bryan Roach, 5. Brad Peterson, 6. Kevin Bradwell, 7. Zach Widdes, 8. Johnny Parsons III, 9. Brad Cunningham, 10. Jake Kouba, 11. Mike Mueller, 12. Joseph Kouba, 13. Ryan Buck, 14. John Breitenfeldt, 15. Brian Trembath, 16. Lucas Logue, 17. Joshua Hulberg, 18. Kevin Seidler, 19. Tim Lynch PIRTEK heat #1: Bradwell, DaRonco, Schafer, Peterson, Mueller, Ja. Kouba, Widdes, Buck, Seidler, Lynch RTS Podcast heat #2: Cunningham, Roach, Lewerer, Parsons, Trembath, Breitenfeldt, Jo. Kouba, Logue, Hulberg​

Brady Donnohue sat aside pole starter Trevor Serbus for the 20-lap winged finale, but many eyes in the arena were spying the #50 of Chase Viebrock. Viebrock encountered engine gremlins during hot laps and the team sat out qualifying action to swap powerplants, relegating the reigning champion to a tail end start.

After an early caution, the restart found Donnohue hard into the turn one concrete, sending the 34DD bouncing and spinning back into the #93 of Brad Peterson. While neither car was drivable afterwards, both drivers emerged seemingly no worse the for the wear.

After the red flag, the final 16 laps went green to the checkers with Serbus nabbing his first career Pirtek Renegade win, chased by Owen Carlson, Graf, Viebrock, and Mark Chevalier.

After losing out to Mother Nature for five consecutive weeks, the Pirtek Renegades of the UMSS finally kicked off their season Saturday at Cedar Lake Speedway. Seventeen Traditional sprints checked in to do battle for the lid lifter, and twenty-one Winged chariots signed in for their opener.

In the Traditional ranks, heat race wins went to defending champion Mike Mueller and Bryan Roach, with Cam Schafer tallying the most passing points with 141. The three Winged qualifiers went to Michael Stien, Brad Peterson, and Chris Graf with Graf topping the passing points at 143. After the redraw, Roach and Lucas Logue paced the 16-car traditional field for their 20-lap feature. Roach led early, with several cars charging forward – including Zach Widdes from the tail, and Nick DaRonco and Schafer from mid-pack.

At the crossed flags, Schafer found himself in the same place he did 14 times last season, at the front of the pack, while Roach, Mueller, DaRonco, and Logue all jockeyed for position. Schafer led the last half of the caution-free affair to extend his record Renegade win total to 43, with DaRonco, Mueller, Roach and Logue rounding out the top five.

Built on the foundation of the past with a focus to the future, the Upper Midwest Sprint Car Series (UMSS) and its Renegades Racing Brand diminishes the influence of “the almighty dollar” and returns the emphasis to driver skill and nerve while fostering a culture of inclusion and support among all participants and their families.

“Am I the only one who thinks the UMSS Traditional Sprint Car Series is the best kept secret in open wheel racing?” This quote from the late Bryan Gapinski was published in a national trade magazine toward the beginning of our journey. No longer are we the best kept secret. The UMSS is in high demand and the brand that is based off the series – the Renegades Racing Brand – has multiple series with well over 100 teams competing.

What started with four cars in 2011, now encompasses multiple series and well over 100 teams. We are the fastest growing sprint car organization in the country. The Renegades Racing Brand provides a sustainable set of rules and a culture that allows the average person with a family, job and mortgage to fulfill their dream of driving a sprint car. For between $8,000-$10,000, and sometimes less, you can build or buy a competitive, safe car and live your dream on the track. Compare the cost of a Renegades Racing sprint car to local street stocks that cost $25,000-$30,000 to be competitive. In addition, our “flat” purse (no points or point fund strategies), creates a culture of inclusion unlike any other in the sport.

In addition to the UMSS, here are the current Renegades Series within our brand:

• Chequamegon Renegades (CRSS)

• Mid-American Renegades (MARS)

• Northern Renegades (NRSS)

• Western Renegades (WRSS)

• Rocky Mountain Renegades

Please check out the Renegade series in your region - and if you are able to attend one of our events, you'll see why our series is growing so quickly!

The following people will be able to help you with all your questions and needs for buying or building a car. Who you decide to deal with will be up to you as we will not encourage you to do business with one over another.

• Eric Anderson (Perfect Performance) – Engines, all types – 218-969-0679

• Josh Braford – 5.3 LS Tech – 218-355-0599

• Mark Chevalier (P Won Performance) – Cars, tires and parts – 612-669-7143 / Facebook

• Blake Follmer or Scott Willis, Hoosier Tire North (Elk River, MN) – Tires – 763-428-8780

• Brandon Palm – Find used rollers, technical and engine help – 701-621-6647

We can show you how! The strategies that the Renegades Racing Brand has put in place for its participants – that allow the racer to have fun, be competitive and not spent their last dollar – allow the series owner more enjoyment.

In addition, strategies for the series and the culture that is created amongst the teams will allow you, as the owner, to enjoy the satisfaction of building the series from the ground up.

The Renegades Racing Brand supports the series owner for free (yes, free). Your investment will include building a car for between $8,000-$10,000 (less if you already have the car or engine parts) and the cost of creating your own LLC.

A phone call to Ron Bernhagen (612-363-5302) or Caley Emerson (218-398-7807) costs you nothing to get more information.

Questions related to the UMSS and the Renegades Racing Brand may be directed to those listed below:

Technical Questions Matt Jelek 715-439-3529

Nightly Procedural Questions Shaun Cimfl 715-651-0378

Marketing Inquiries Kami Tarvis 715-642-0463 kami.renegade@gmail.com

All Other Inquiries:

Ron Bernhagen 612-363-5302 ron@umsprints.com

Caley Emerson 218-398-7807