(Wilmot, Wis., Saturday, September 13, 2025)--In a battle of the young guns, 16-year-old Brian Strane Jr. of Paris edged out 13-year-old Colin Sivia of Winthrop Harbor, IL by .032 seconds to score the win in the 20-lap 11-75 Sports Complex & Eatery IRA Lightning Sprints main on night two of the Wilmot Raceway 75th Anniversary 2nd Annual Fall Classic. on Saturday, September 13.
"It was a hard win but a fun battle with Colin," said Strane following his sixth main event win of the season including his second at the original home track of the lightning sprints which are in their 35th season. "It's extra special because my Grandma is finally here to be in victory lane with me for the first time. I have to thank my parents and everybody who helps me."
"I can't wait for Plymouth in two weeks," Strane added referring to the Wisconsin Sprint Championships which close out the lightning sprints season on Saturday, September 27 at Plymouth Dirt Track.
Nick Petska of Sprint Grove, IL took the initial lead opening a sizeable lead which vanished with the first caution on lap six. Five laps later, Petska got caught in a slick spot in turn four looping it and bringing out the yellow. Sivia, who had just worked his way into second, inherited the lead on the restart.
Sivia, Strane, Wilmot track champion Chad Stouthamer of Big Bend engage in a tight 3-way back and forth battle until a final yellow flew with six laps to go.
The same trio went back and fourth during the closing laps with Strane and Sivia making contact in turn four, but both kept going never lifting.
At the checkered it was Strane, who earned the Behling Hard Charger honor by improving six spots, taking the checkered by less than a foot as the top two crossed side by side. Stouthamer was less than a car length behind the front two finishing third. Pleasant Prairie's Mike Neautook fourth holding off fifth place Genoa City's 16-year-old Jacob Irwin by less than a car length.
Tim Brannam of Holiday Hills, IL won the Fox Lake Harbor presents All Star Performance/BR Motorsports 1st Heat. Petska took top honors in the Game Day Men's Health presents Behling Race Equipment/King Race Products 2nd Heat. Stouthamer posted quick time of :14.677 seconds in Body Craft qualifying.
The Lightning Sprints season comes to a close on Saturday, September 27 at Plymouth Dirt Track when they join the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association Winged 410 Sprints, the AutoMeter powered by Gandrud Performance Wisconsin WingLESS Sprints and the Midwest Sprint Association 360 Sprints in the Wisconsin Sprint Car Championships.
Photo By Charlie Lancour
Submitted by Mike Babicz of IRA