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Really good read http://www.thedriversproject.com/2016/10/bill-balog-the-northpole-nightmare/

Excellent article. Great guy; definitely made some fans in his trips to Central PA.

First off, GREAT article.  

After seeing Bill race at Knoxville for several years, I was so glad to hear the news that he was coming to central PA for the Dirt Classic at Lincoln then staying to race at Williams Grove.  I had read so much about Bill and his accomplishments running the IRA circuit.  

I can honestly say I was very impressed.  He was very competitive at both Lincoln and the Grove, something that is hard to do having never visited either track before he arrived.  He qualified both nights in the top 10 in time trials.....again never seeing either track before racing there.

Then word spread that Bill was looking for a ride for the National Open.  Fate would have it that the National Open would be rained out and rescheduled for the day before the WoO race at Port Royal.  This opened the door for Bill to race two consecutive nights back in PA.

Bill returned for the weekend.  Again, time trialing in the top 10 both nights.  Again, he never saw Port Royal until that night.  He would drop out at Port Royal with several laps to go in the A main.  He came to the pit entrance to watch the remainder of the race.

After the race was over, I caught up with Bill as he was walking back to his car.  I extended my hand to shake his.  He wiped his hand on his racing suit before shaking mine.  I told him I really enjoy watching him race at Knoxville and thanked him for making the trip not once but twice to PA to race so I see could see him in "my backyard".  

After several minutes of talking, Bill asked me about me!  I was kind of taken back by this. Here is a person who doesn't know me from whomever asking me to tell him about me.  I have been going to races of all kind/s for over 45 years and this had never happened.

I can honestly say it was a great way to end my racing season.  Thank you Bill Balog.

Hope you see you race in person more in the future.  You are a huge credit to the sport.....one I can say I am a fan of!

Good article and glad someone gave Bill a forum to tell (part of) his story.  Always liked Bill as he always struck me as a really talented "working class" type driver (plus he worked on his own car, set-ups, etc.). 

Wasn't it a few months ago a few people on here started some threads bashing Bill?  Meh, to each their own.  I like the guy and hearing his story affirms that.  Not everyone does and that's fine too.  He's put in his time and has found success.

Very nice guy not that I hate him racing with the Ira I like seeing him go out a lot more and challenging tougher fields of cars to show that hes really talented mechanic and driver if he had big money backing him he'd  scary good

Anybody know if Bill will be racing the World Finals this year?   Would love to catch up with him again this coming weekend.

I had the pleasure of getting to know him when he first moved back to Wisconsin and watched him hone his skills in the lower 48 pretty much from day one.  During that time I was writing for a local racing paper and out at the track taking photos every weekend.  Some years back when they were covering Elko Speedway with dirt and running IRA I stopped and said hi and he starts telling me about his guitars.  He told me that he has a vintage Gibson SG that belonged to his grandpa because he knew that I play an SG.  I suggested that he put some sponsor feelers out to Gibson, I think their logo would look pretty good on his top wing. 

It has been a lot of fun to watch his progress, that's for sure.  A lot of people don't know this but occasionally he'll get a 360 ride for a night and come up here and run at one of the local bullrings.  Last summer he won that WoO race at Beaver Dam on June 25th and the next night he ran 3rd in a 360 race.  Nowadays he's living on the other side of Wisconsin near Milwaukee so we don't see him as often but he still likes to get up this way whenever there's an IRA or WoO race. 

Stan Meissner

Here is a shot I took of Bill in Ron Wuiff's car back in 2006 at the Red Cedar Speedway.  I believe that this is the night he was referring to in the article. 

Stan Meissner

Don't know much about Bill, but "North Pole Nightmare" is without a doubt the craziest nickname in the sport....

Reminds me of pro "wrestling" back in the old days. There was a guy named "Klondike Joe" or something, AKA "Bull of the Woods". When he left the ring after getting his butt whooped, announcer calls out "The Bull of the Woods just turned Chicken of the Sea"....

I think at one point early on his nickname was the "Alaska Assasin".  Can't confirm that though.  "Northpole Nightmare" is better.  Read the article, it's good. 

Balog on his trip to PA. "I expect to go in there and get my ass whupped but that’s what makes you better." I love it!!! Bill, you just gained a new fan. Great article.

I read it, agreed, its good, sounds like a good guy

But the nickname.....

NIcknames that people actually use are better than the ones made up by announcers or writers. I can't imagine guys on his crew (does he have one?) asking "Hey Nightmare, where's the 3/8 socket?"  

When I interviewed Bill for PA Sprint Car News, he was  extremly up front about his expectations. Basically said that  everything he knew about racing, he had learned on his own. And many times, when working on the car, he didn;t have a clue which way to fo when off on set ups. He just throws stuff at the wind and see s what happens. He bought one of Don Kreitz setups tapes while in town and said he watched it and called Donny to ask how wrong he was, because he knew he;d went the completely wrong direction in his first trip to PA. But he also is extremely stubborn and it;s because of the way he came up. He loves meeting fans and selling shirts and hats, but when it comes to working on the car, he;s very blue collar. Hel;s either going to sink with the ship or sail in into the ocean. But he;s going to do it his way

It's funny but sad anyone would have to point out some mechanical skills are beneficial to driving on dirt.  My friend worked for a nascar team that had to teach a kid who's dad had bought him a ride how to shift a manual transmission before they could test.

I get that people in Upper Midwest/Wisconsin tire of Bill "winning all the time" with relation to IRA (even though he's earned it), but I don't know how you can't like and/or respect the guy.  Totally blue collar who built his own success.  It wasn't handed to him. He built/continues to build it.  Seems pretty easy to root for, but that's just me.  

Some people may hate watching him win the Ira I personally don't but I like when hes not with them because with the equipment he has he still manages to give a challenge to really good teams hes a class act simply and he's only getting better 

Balog & Smoke, a couple years ago, at Plymouth Dirt Track, was the best race I think I've ever seen live.  I had just moved back to the area and have been a fan of his ever since.  

That race was simply incredible, and I'm pretty sure he earned Stewart's respect as well.

His charge from the back at the Jerry Richert Memorial was pretty awesome this year as well after putting the car on the wall in 2 in his heat race!! 

Here is the race from Plymouth with Smoke! Also check out the post race interview on what Tony had to say about him. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dM4LgAxwEoA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChOiVTynGAQ