By Jeff Pederson
Pedal Down Promotions
(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) August 21, 2020 – There was a time in Matt Yancey’s racing career, when the week-to-week grind of chasing track championships was his primary focus from May through September.
Now in his 24th season behind the wheel of a Grand National, the Sheboygan Falls native and current Sheboygan resident has transitioned to a more limited, part-time racing schedule. Even though the volume of his racing endeavors has relaxed a bit, his burning desire to win has never wavered each and every time he hits the track.
So far during the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, Yancey has competed in five of eight scheduled Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Grand National events, racking up four top-10 and three top-five A-main showings to stand 12th in the PDTR Grand National point standings.
“Seeing as we are not running every week, my goal for this year is just to win,” Yancey said. “That’s it. That’s all that matters.”
Yancey was introduced to racing as a young age as his father, Mike, was a standout competitor during Eastern Wisconsin Stock Car Racing’s heyday at Plymouth.
“I have been going to the races in Plymouth since the mid-1980s with my dad, Mike, who also raced in the 1970s,” Yancey said. “He is the sole reason this all has happened.”
With his father serving as his primary racing influence, Yancey set out to make his own name for himself as a driver.
“I started racing go karts in 1993 through 1997,” Yancey said. “I won the championship in 1994 at the Karting Kettle in Elkhart Lake. I also started racing Grand Nationals in 1997 at Chilton,”
Over the course of his highly successful career in the Grand National ranks, which includes the 2008 PDTR Grand National championship, Yancey has racked up a total of 13 A-main victories at various local dirt tracks, including six Grand National main event triumphs at the Plymouth Dirt Track.
“My career highlight definitely has to be winning the 2008 championship at Plymouth,” Yancey said. “What made it interesting was that we won the championship without winning an A feature that year. We were very consistent with a lot of top-five finishes that year.”
Yancey points to the camaraderie at the track and pure adrenaline rush of racing among the reasons he has come back for more year after year.
“I enjoy racing for many reasons, including being able to hang out with friends at the track and being competitive,” Yancey said. “Honestly, it’s a great sound when these things are hitting 7200 rpms at the end of the straightaway.”
Yancey says his tight-knit, family-oriented pit crew has played a key role in the success he has enjoyed on the track over the years.
“My crew is small, but good,” Yancey said. “It includes my dad, Mike Yancey, Lee Kapellen, my son, Austin Yancey, my son, Bryce Yancey and Jason “Squishy” Parrish.”
Sponsors for Yancey’s team include Sheboygan Chevrolet Sheboygan Chrysler, D&H Sales & Service, Kim’s 5 Corners Terry’s Lincoln Avenue Tap, Roeh Trucking, Chissy’s Pub & Grill, Kvindlog’s Services, Sheboygan Quick Lube, RC Custom Design and Mark Petrie Fabrication.
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On Saturday, Aug. 22, Plymouth Dirt Track Racing will return to action with a four division program featuring 360 Sprint Cars, Late Models, Grand Nationals and B Mods.
The program makes the final points night of the 2020 season for the PDTR Late Model division. Entering Saturday’s PDTR Late Model points finale, Waukesha’s
Turk Letizia leads two-time defending PDTR Late Model champion Justin Schmidt of Cleveland by two points as he seeks his first career track championship.
In addition, 2016 PDTR Late Model champion Tim Buhler of Greenbush is in the mix for the title, just 18 points out of the lead, while Oostburg’s Charlie Schmidt stands 82 points out of first place heading into Saturday’s points finale.
Grandstand gates open at 4:30 p.m. with hot laps at 5:30 p.m. and racing at 6 p.m.
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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.
Pedal Down Promotions is a full-service public relations and media services company devoted to helping clients effectively communicate with targeted audiences through a diverse array of promotional strategies and methods, including press releases, newsletters, profile and feature articles, website and social media content development, printed media, editing and layout, graphic design and book publishing services.
For more information on Pedal Down Promotions, email pedaldownpromotions@gmail.com, visit www.pedaldownpromotions.com or call 920-323-7970.
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