(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) August 30, 2019 – The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth proved to be a home away from home of sorts for three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart during the 2018 racing season.
The Columbus, Ind. resident competed at the third-mile clay oval on four separate occasions a year ago, including three Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series events last September, during which he tallied three consecutive second-place finishes in A-main competition.
After a scheduled appearance with the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions, a series he owns, fell victim to rain on May 18, Stewart will definitely be focusing on victory lane when he makes his first appearance of the 2019 season at The Plymouth Dirt Track this Saturday, Aug. 31 for an IRA Series event during the Sheboygan County Fair.
Stewart, who will be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Jan. 31, 2020, was also the featured attraction at the IRA event held during the 2018 Sheboygan County Fair. However, it was eight-time IRA champion Bill Balog of Hartland, who stole the show as he pulled off a thrilling last-lap pass to nip Stewart by .004 of a second at the finish line in a race for the ages.
It wasn’t the first time Balog and Stewart had squared off in an IRA event at Plymouth. On June 15, 2013, Stewart prevailed in an equally exciting late-race duel with Balog.
Stewart, who retired from NASCAR competition in 2016, returned to Plymouth for the two-day IRA season finale last Sept. 28 and 29, finishing second to Scotty Thiel of Sheboygan on Sept. 28 and again falling victim to Balog’s late-race heroics to place second to the IRA kingpin on Sept. 29.
“I think Tony has had this Plymouth race circled on his calendar for quite some time, after finishing second three times last year and twice getting inched out by Bill Balog in really close finishes,” Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Director of Marketing Bill Weinaug said. “Tony has a huge legion of fans of course and his duels with Bill Balog at Plymouth last year and back in 2013 have been amazing to witness.”
In 55 Winged Sprint Car races throughout the U.S. this year, Stewart has posted eight A-main victories to go along with 25 top-five and 32 top-10 main event finishes.
Following last year’s near-misses at Plymouth, Stewart was appreciative of the enthusiastic local fan support and complimentary of Balog’s racing prowess.
“I love coming up to Wisconsin to race,” Stewart said. “This is a really cool part of the country with great fans. Bill [Balog] is an awesome driver. He is the type of driver who you can race wheel to wheel with for the entire race and never touch. That is what makes racing fun.”
Although he has encountered some bad luck in recent IRA action, including failing to finish the last two A mains at Angell Park in Sun Prairie, Wis. and Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis. due to on-track incidents, Balog has again been the man to beat on the IRA trail this year.
The North Pole, Ak. native has earned five A-main victories, along with 12 top-five and 14 top-10 showings in 17 IRA main events this season to hold a 112-point lead over runner-up Scotty Thiel of Sheboygan in the IRA point standings.
After a slow start to the season, Thiel has been red hot as of late with four A-main victories, eight top-five and 14 top-10 finishes to his credit in 17 IRA main events in 2019.
Other top IRA competitors expected to be on hand include 2016 IRA champion Jeremy Schultz of Beaver Dam, two-time IRA champion Scotty Neitzel of Beaver Dam, Russel Borland of Kewaskum, Ben Schmidt of Howards Grove, Steve Meyer of Sheboygan Falls, Mike Reinke of Howards Grove and Joey Moughan of Springfield, Ill.
Another potential entry is 2018 IRA champ Jake Blackhurst of Hanna City, Ill., who returned to action last Saturday at Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis. after being out of action for nearly two months following a hard crash at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill. in late June. Blackhurst was victorious in an IRA event at Plymouth on June 8, during which he prevailed in a late-race battle with Balog.
Among the non-IRA regulars expected to compete is Mason Daniel of Springville, Calif., who raced regularly at the Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa this season. Daniel has been tutored by Sprint Car legend Danny Lasoski, who has served as Daniel’s driver coach throughout the 2019 season.
Also on the card will be the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car division currently headed by 2010 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champ Kurt Davis of South Milwaukee, who currently holds a 48-point cushion over Kevin Karnitz of West Bend and a 73-point lead over 2017 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Brandon McMullen of Oshkosh.
Professional Plating of Brillion has contributed extra money to the purse for Saturday’s 410 and 360 main events at Plymouth with the IRA A-main winner receiving an extra $1,000 to make it a $4,000-to-win event. In addition, $500 has been added for the second-place finisher and an additional $250 for the driver finishing third in the IRA A main.
In addition, the PDTR 360 Sprint Car A-main winner will receive an extra $500 to make the race $1,200 to win. An additional $250 will go to the second-place finisher and $125 going to the third-place driver in the 360 main event.
The Plymouth race is also part of the four-race Hopf Farms Bullring Showdown for the IRA Series, which is scheduled to wrap up on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 141 Speedway in Francis Creek.
Bill Balog leads the Hopf Farms Bullring Showdown point standings with 73 points with Scotty Thiel standing nine points behind with 64. Mike Reinke is third with 60 points, Russel Borland stands fourth with 56 and Ben Schmidt sits fifth with 49 points.
Jake Blackhurst captured the first Hopf Farms Bullring Showdown event at The Plymouth Dirt Track on June 8 and Ben Schmidt won the second event of the mini series at 141 Speedway on June 30.
Engine warm ups are scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. with IRA qualifying and racing to follow.
The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds is located at 229 Fairview Drive in Plymouth, Wis. For more information, visit www.plymouthdtr.com or check out Plymouth Dirt Track Racing on Facebook.
By Jeff Pederson
Pedal Down Promotions
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