By Jeff Pederson
Pedal Down Promotions
(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) August 26, 2020 – Since storming onto the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Late Model scene in 2012, Justin Schmidt of Cleveland has traveled down a swift road to success at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis.
Racing in the footsteps of his father, Jim, Schmidt has been turning heads ever since outdueling National Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer and Northeast Wisconsin racing legend Pete Parker of Kaukauna to score a heat race victory in his very first race behind the wheel of a Late Model in 2012 at the now defunct Manitowoc Expo Speedway.
Last Saturday, Aug. 22, Schmidt became only the second driver in the 16-year history of Plymouth Dirt Track Racing to win three consecutive track championships as he claimed his third straight PDTR Late Model title by notching his third A-main triumph of the 2020 season to top Turk Letizia of Waukesha by a slim two-point margin.
Schmidt described his 2020 PDTR Late Model title run as far from easy or ordinary, during a most unusual COVID-19-shortened points campaign.
“The best way to describe our 2020 season is simply, short,” Schmidt said. “With the late start to the season, the rainout, and a few other races being sort of last-minute shuffled around due to everything going on, I haven’t been able to get as
many races in by this time in the as we usually do. Typically, our points seasons at Plymouth are around 10-14 total nights. So, this points season ending in only seven points nights was a challenge by itself.
“The first few weeks of the season we were okay, but we were missing something and working on some new things setup wise to try to get quicker for the upcoming higher-paying race specials later in the season,” he said. “When someone brought it to my attention we were about to lose the points lead and there were only three nights left, I said we need to put our heads together and get this figured out. Turk Letizia was running very strong this year, along with some incredibly fortunate starting spots what seemed like every single race at Plymouth. Typically, those two things together are really hard to beat.”
Schmidt found himself two points behind Letizia heading into last Saturday’s final 2020 PDTR Late Model points finale. With the points title on the line, Schmidt’s aggressive approach in the decisive 25-lap A-main proved to pay off in a big way.
“During the week leading up to the last points night, I was somewhat nervous it was going to rain out,” Schmidt said. “Fortunately. we had some luck on our side and the forecasted rain missed the track. On the way to the track that night, my mindset was no different than it’s been all season – win races, especially features. After the heat races, Turk had gained two more points and Tim Buhler was still in the picture as well. I just said to myself it is what it is, I’m going to do my best to win this thing and if at the end of the night, Turk’s second in the race and beats me in points, hats off to him, he deserves it.
“It ended up being a really good race,” he said. “All three of us had to start towards the back of the field and really race for it. That’s exactly what I was hoping for. Winning the feature from eighth was really the icing on the cake. I can’t ask for a better way to end the season. Winning the championship this year really meant a lot to me, winning three in a row just seems unrealistic, but it happened and I’m definitely excited about it.”
Schmidt, who owns 13 career PDTR Late Model A-main victories, is now focused on competing in this Thursday’s prestigious Russ Scheffler Tribute Race at The
Plymouth Dirt Track, which he won in 2018, as well as the remainder of the Dirt Kings Tour schedule.
“Plans for the rest of the year are to finish out the Dirt Kings Tour and run the Russ Scheffler Tribute Night this Thursday,” Schmidt said. “It would be really nice to pick up a couple of those wins. I just can’t thank my pit crew, Scott Sixel and Mike Barts, enough for everything they do. They’re part of the reason this car is consistently fast every night.
“Also, my dad, Jim, and his crew guys are a big help,” he said. “My dad owns the car I’m just fortunate enough to drive it. Also, I need to thank my wife, Samantha. A lot of weight gets put on her, which allows me to do this. Honestly, if not for all of them, there’s no way I’d even be here. I would also like to everyone who comes to the track to support this team as fans.”
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This Thursday, Aug. 26, Plymouth Dirt Track Racing will honor its winningest driver with the third annual Russ Scheffler Tribute presented by KSI Supply Inc., which has developed into one of the most highly anticipated events of the PDTR season.
During his 12-year PDTR Late Model career, Scheffler piled up a grand total of 45 A-main victories and 92 overall race triumphs, to go along with a PDTR Late Model division championship in 2007. His overall combined and A-main race victory tallies are PDTR records that still rank miles ahead of any other competitor in each of the track’s four regular divisions.
Scheffler, who last competed at The Plymouth Dirt Track in 2016, passed away in September 2017 at the age of 54. Scheffler, who owned and operated Suburban Drywall in Waukesha, a business founded by his late father, George, was inducted into the Southeastern Wisconsin Short Track Racing Hall of Fame in 2014.
In addition, to his impressive resume at The Plymouth Dirt Track, Scheffler tallied over 175 A-main triumphs in a Dirt Late Model, while racking up 22 track and
series titles, including 10 track championships at the now defunct Hales Corners Speedway, four Wisconsin Dirt Late Model Association (WDLMA) series titles, four Eastern Wisconsin Stock Car (EWSC) Late Model titles at the now defunct Manitowoc Speedway, one track title at the Seymour Tri-Oval Raceway and two Wisconsin UMP Dirtcar state championships.
For the third consecutive year, PDTR will honor Scheffler with a special 30-lap Russ Scheffler Tribute Race in the Late Model division with an enhanced purse, including a first-place prize of $2,374, fittingly representing the No. 74 car that Scheffler wheeled throughout his career at PDTR.
As was the case last year, the purse will pay out generously throughout the entire A-main field all the way down to 20th place, which includes a pay day of $325. In addition, teams that do not transfer to the A main will also be compensated nicely for their efforts.
Under the direction of co-race promoters Greg Wester and Chad Marquardt, the first two editions of the special event have drawn a stellar field of 28 Late Models on both occasions.
Three-time PDTR Late Model champ Justin Schmidt of Cleveland captured the inaugural Russ Scheffler Tribute A-main in 2018, while Waukesha’s Rick Scheffler kept it in the family with a victory last year.
A huge list of marketing partners have stepped up to support this year’s Russ Scheffler Tribute, including KSI Supply Inc, KW Electric, Sorce Services, Professional Plating, TJS Asphalt Paving, Suburban Motors HD – In Memory of Scott Houpt, Pro Power Racing, Barricade Flasher Service, Advanced Compressor Technologies, Gibbsville Cheese, Oostburg Concrete Products, Eisentraut Ag Services, Redwing Boots of Sheboygan, Greg’s Tap, Pit Stop Pizza, Central Services Co. Inc., Waldo Oil, Full Throttle Ink, Goeden’s Auto Body, Keith’s Marina, N&S Towing, Wheels Racing, Kenjay Fiedler Excavating, Giebler Chiropractic, Lakehouse Bar & Grill, B&B Racing Engines, Roger & Dan’s, Napa – Plymouth/ Sheboygan/ Sheboygan Falls/ Random Lake, TA Motorsports, C-Marq Web Design & Photography, Randy Markwardt – In Memory of Ken Markwardt, Gasroots Project (lap leader $20 per lap), Hopf Farms (lap leader $20 per lap), In
the Bag (heat race winners $50 per heat race), FYE Motorsports Promotions (lap leader challenge $74), Giebler Chiropractic (leader at halfway $74), In the Bag (highest finishing non-open motor $74), AI Appliance Repair (first car one-lap down $74), Roger & Dan’s (first car not to transfer $50 per B main), TySyd Racing – In Memory of Judy Davis Tyler Davis Racing Call Girl Motorsports, Joey Borth, BMRE, Al and Wendy Dickie (Longest Tow Award $200), Integra Shocks (hard charger $200), QA1 and Theel Auto (Hard Luck Award $250), Go Lithium (16v lithium battery/charger), Baileigh Industrial (portable MIG welder), FK Rod Ends (two $500 gift certificates), Victory Sign (50-percent off wrap includes install), Hooker Harness (ratcheting belts gift certificate), Total Seal Piston Rings (two $300 gift certificates), Swift Springs (two $200 gift certificates), Performance Bodies ($300 MD3 products gift certificate), VP Racing Fuel (three $100 gift certificates and fuel jug), MPI (steering wheel and $100 gift card), Stone Motorsports LLC (pit sky lights), Schaeffer’s Oil (three cases of oil), QA1 (ball joints gift certificate), Keyser Manufacturing (radiator), Racing Optics (two $100 gift certificates), Champ Pans (two set of champ mats), Wabam (three cases of 200ml bottles) and Wehrs Machine (two $50 gift certificates).
Non-qualifiers dash sponsors include: Theel Auto, Mike Stangl, Back Door Bike Shop.
The event will also include a host of extra goodies for those that form the backbone of local dirt track racing by attending races and supporting the drivers, race teams and racetracks on a regular basis – the fans.
“For the fans there will be tables set up behind the grandstand that will have hats, shirts, sunglasses, can koozies, event stickers, frisbees, Road America tickets and Cupcake Wonders gift certificates, “Wester said. “We ask that fans please pick only one item per person, so a lot of people have something to take home as a ‘thank you’ for coming to our event. There are well over 100 fan giveaway items this year. We will also be having a Late Model driver meet and greet behind the grandstands from 5-5:30 p.m.”
“In addition, Oak Creek Auto is sponsoring a frisbee toss at intermission, with a TV going to the person catching the lucky frisbee,” he said.
Pit gates open at 3 p.m. with grandstand gates opening at 4:30 p.m. The start time will be pushed back by a half hour with hot laps at 6:15 p.m. and racing set to
begin at 6:30 p.m. In addition, the regular Saturday night spectator admission price will be in place for the special event with no price increase.
Also on the card will be the PDTR 360 Sprint Cars, Grand Nationals and B Mods with A-main trophies sponsored by Cupcake Wonders of Sheboygan Falls.
“This year’s event is a must-attend race due to what we are doing to get more interactive with the fans, plus the quality of Late Models that are coming,” Wester said. “For only $15 for an adult admission ticket, you can’t beat that.”
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The Late Model division will also headline the following night as the Dirt Kings Tour returns to The Plymouth Dirt Track for the Mueller Sales and Service 30 presented by Specht Electric and Communications on Friday, Aug. 28.
The PDTR 360 Sprint Cars will also be action for a full points program, while the PDTR Grand National and B Mod divisions round out the card with non-points events.
Tickets prices remain the same for both special events on Thursday and Friday with adults $15, children 12-15 $7 and kids 11 and under admitted free.
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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