The Scoop
SCOTTY NEITZEL – IRA SPRINT CAR IRONMAN
Posted on: Wednesday March 19, 2025
Scotty Neitzel has only missed a handful of races in his decades-long career racing the Bumper To Bumper IRA sprint car series. (Dave Olson/Studio 360)
It was Ben Franklin who once said “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”
When it comes to the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw sprint car series, one of those known “certainties” is that Scotty Neitzel will be in attendance and will always be a frontrunner.
The 55-year-old sprint car racing veteran from Beaver Dam, Wisconsin has been dubbed the “Ironman” of the series and most deservedly so. As Neitzel prepares to embark upon his 35th season of wheeling sprint cars in 2025, Neitzel has only missed three series events since his racing career started with his first full year in 1989.
What’s even more remarkable is that Neitzel has competed at a high level for all of those years. Neitzel has finished in the top five in IRA points or higher in 26 of those 27 years. Of Neitzel’s 66 career A main wins, 25 of them have come with the IRA series.
“People often forget around 1996 when I actually also supported the 360 sprint car series when I drove for Denny Lamers,” Neitzel recalled. “I’ve always raced on Saturdays. When I missed any IRA shows once was when our hauler truck blew up on the way to the show. And I missed a couple of shows up north towards Superior when I was hospitalized with stomach issues. But we’ve been fortunate as we went 11 or 12 years without missing an A main. That streak was broken one night at Cedar Lake.”
When Neitzel cracked into the racing biz, there weren’t 360 or 410 sprint cars. “They were simply sprint cars when I started,” Neitzel said. “I mean they raced with 410 motors, but I had an old 377 cubic inch engine laying around that I used. I drove a sprint car in a field on a Thursday night, and I made my debut at the Tom Knowles Memorial race in Canton, Illinois September 17, 1988.”
As one of the elder statesmen of the IRA sprint car series, Scotty Neitzel remains at the top of his game. (IRA sprint car photo)
Over the years, Neitzel has seen his share of changes within the sprint car community. He admitted that most of those changes he’s seen have been positive ones. “The technology advancements have been incredible but that also drives the cost of the sport up,” Neitzel admitted. “For the most part these days though, that technology does become accessible to everyone. Once upon a time, we made a lot of our own suspension pieces. That’s the downfall of technology, though. It raises the costs. It also separates the really blue color racers from the rides that are boughten. But that’s not all bad, either. That young kid who’s never had to build his own equipment? It’s not his fault.”
According to Neitzel, the most important changes to sprint car racing have been safety related. “I remember my first racing seat was a low back seat and my head rest consisted of having four little snaps and a bungee cord,” Neitzel explained. “Now we’re equipped with HANS devices and we have really good, safe seats. If you crashed out or flipped 20 years ago, you knew it and felt it for a couple of weeks. So the sport has come a long ways in that regard.”
Currently the world of 410 sprint car racing is thriving. Many sprint car drivers can race for a living with the longstanding World of Outlaw series and the relative new kid on the block – the High Limits sprint car series. USAC as well. “There used to be a ton of guys from the state of Pennsylvania who raced for a living,” Neitzel said. “Having a guy like Kyle Larson involved with the High Limits deal I think is good for sprint car racing as a whole. Is that good for the sprint car racer who works a full time job? The jury is out, I guess. Sponsorship dollars are available at the bigger series. Hopefully, we can see some of that money trickle down our way. But there are some guys who race almost full time but supplement their income with other side jobs, some racing-related.”
Compare that to IRA, which has always been a Midwestern-based, true “Working man’s” series where the competitors all have full time jobs and go racing on the weekends. When Neitzel isn’t racing, he’s worked full time at a manufacturing plant since 1992. He’s raced against multi-time IRA champ Bill Balog, for example. Balog currently races for a living with the WoO. “When Bill was an IRA champ for much of that time he did work a full time job,” Neitzel said. “But the IRA series is great and yes, it is truly a working man’s series. We’ve got a lot of good, young kids coming up through the ranks. With IRA, it’s proven to be a great training ground for a lot of those eventual full timers. We run some great tracks all across the Midwest.”
Neitzel and a bulk of the IRA regulars typically run a 25-35 race schedule in a year. “There is no replacement for when we go up against these guys who race full time 80 nights a year,” Neitzel admitted. “That’s really hard when we only run maybe 35 nights a year. They see those scenarios. Where it’s very tough to compete. When the bigger series roll into town, the respective tracks sometimes do their track prep a little different. When that happens, it wipes out the advantage for the locals. It’s a completely different race track. Sometimes I feel some of these tracks try too hard for the professional series. If I had my way, I’d let those tracks slick off a little bit more and take out some of that flat out raw speed. Just give two good grooves of racing for the fans. Avoid those one laners if you can at all costs.”
A man who has never found a race track he didn’t like, Neitzel admittedly has incurred a “love-hate” relationship with Wilmot Raceway. “I grew up racing there, but was happy when I left there after the weekly grind,” Neitzel confessed. “Now, Wilmot is one of the raciest places we got to. I loved Knoxville, too. But I’m not sure if we need to race those bigger tracks anymore. I also love racing at Rice Lake in western Wisconsin. I’ve had a lot of success out there. That track surface at Rice Lake chews up tires, so it’s expensive to go there. But that place really fits my driving style.”
But at the end of the day, Neitzel will always have a soft spot in his heart for his pair of “hometracks” in his hometown of Beaver Dam – Dodge County Fairgrounds and Beaver Dam Raceway. “I love “Big Beaver” even though it could use a little work with the lighting,” Neitzel admitted. “But it’s home. I love racing there and also Beaver Dam Raceway. Sometimes the surface can get a little rocky. But I won my first 410 feature there. I had a lot of memories there as a kid, too. It’s heartbreaking to see its up for sale.”
Another track that Neitzel loves and would love to get that proverbial “monkey” off of his back with a win is 141 Speedway in Francis Creek. “We’ve run well there and finished second quite a few times,” Neitzel admitted. “Also, I had my first job selling Midwest Racing News and checkered flags there as a kid. Kermit Schultz set me up with that gig when I was 10 years old. I’ve got a lot of good memories at 141, too.”
While we’re getting nostalgic, Neitzel can also lay claim to winning the last ever 410 sprint car feature at Manitowoc Expo before it was bulldozed to make way for a Meijer Foods store.
Neitzel helps run R and H Racing Equipment in Beaver Dam. It’s a business where they sell anything and everything sprint cars. They are also a Maxim chassis dealer. And as such, Neitzel has had the privilege of knowing and mentoring many of the up-and-comers in the open wheel ranks. Young guns like Logan Julien and former IRA champ Jordan Goldesberry. “I love helping out all drivers, especially the young guys,” Neitzel said. “Everyone starts somewhere. I mean look at Bill (Balog). When he started out, he spun out quite a bit. Now, he’s winning races with the World of Outlaws.”
Scotty Neitzel (left) and his Godfather, Crew Chief and former modified & sprint car driver Rick Lemanski. (seeking photo credit)
Throughout his racing career, Neitzel points to three people who have been key to his success and longevity in the sport – his dad the late Harry Neitzel, Neitzel’s wife Brendalee and his longtime crew chief and friend Rick Lemanski. “My wife has always been super supportive,” Neitzel admitted. “I’m guessing someday, she’d love for me to hang up my helmet. But, she’s never told me to quit. She’s often wondered when it’s going to happen. I’m still competitive, though. That’s the main goal. What I don’t want to do is race B mains. I want to remain competitive. Maybe I’ll go out on top? When I win a new race? In my perfect world, that would happen. People are telling me I should plan a farewell tour down the road. We’re not there yet. When the time seems right, I’ll pull the pin. But I want to go out on my terms.”
Other key crew members who help out with Neitzel’s racing operation include Jon Alexander, Bryon Mason, Joe Fischer, Kyle Neuman and Rachel Bahls, who assists with the team’s social media efforts.
“Scotty Neitzel is and has been the backbone of the IRA series,” said longtime IRA chief Steve Sinclair. “Scotty is the perfect example on how to conduct himself. He races clean and his work ethic is unsurpassed. He always stays within his budget and continues to be a great example for the younger guys coming up.”
Sinclair added: “I doubt Scotty even realizes how much he is looked up to. To still be a top contender after all these years is amazing. He’s a future Southeastern Wisconsin Motorsports Hall of Famer in my opinion.”
Neitzel’s 2025 marketing partners include Northwest Cable Construction, Inc., Falbe Auto, Emergency Starting & Towing, Competition Specialist Racing Engines, Anything and Everything Home Maintenance and R&H Racing Equipment.