by Jeff Pederson
Pedal Down Promotions
(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) May 22, 2021 – On a beautiful early summer evening for racing, the fourth Plymouth Dirt Track Racing program of the 2021 season saw three familiar faces make their initial appearance of the 2021 campaign in victory lane and another racked up his second A-main triumph of the 2021 campaign on Saturday, May 22 at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis.
In A-main action, two-time PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Brandon McMullen of Oshkosh led flag-to-flag to earn his first A-main triumph of the 2021 season in the 25-lap Kristine Hartmann Pleasantview Realty 360 Sprint Car headliner.
Veteran Jim Schmidt of Cleveland survived an incident-plagued Sheboygan’s Country B93.7 Late Model main event to claim his first A-main victory of the season in a time-shortened 12-lap race. Will Sorce of Franklin worked the high groove to perfection to rack up his second 25-lap Oostburg Automotive Grand National A-main victory of the 2021 campaign and Jesse Cullen of Chilton rolled to his first A-main tally of the season in the 25-lap Cellcom B Mod main event.
Brandon McMullen outpowered polesitter Tim Haddy of Waupun to seize the lead on in turn one of the opening lap of the 25-lap 360 Sprint Car main event from his outside front row starting position as third starting Adam Miller of Plymouth slipped into second.
On lap 3, the first of three caution flags appeared after two-time PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Kurt Davis of South Milwaukee clipped the turn two water barrel, which resulted in water leaking onto the track.
Following the restart, Haddy and Miller dueled side by side for second before Miller assumed the spot. By lap 4, McMullen had built up a sizeable half-straightaway cushion over Miller at the front of the field.
On lap 8, McMullen caught the back of the field and began working through heavy lapped traffic. McMullen expertly sliced his way through the slower cars to maintain a comfortable lead over Miller.
With seven laps to go, Miller and Haddy made contact entering turn one, which resulted in race-ending damage to Haddy’s car. Miller was able to continue, while the fourth-place car of Sheboygan’s Travis Arenz, who started fifth, had to pay a visit to the work area after suffering a flat tire.
The third caution flag flew for a four-car incident in turn one on the ensuing restart.
With two lapped cars between himself and the second-place car of ninth starter Justin Miller of Plymouth, who had moved up to second, McMullen bolted away from the field on the final restart, while 2011 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Ben Schmidt of Howards Grove, who started 17th, worked his way past Miller into second on lap 19.
Mullen pulled away in the closing laps to seal his 21st career PDTR 360 Sprint Car A-main victory and 31st career Midwest Sprint Car Association main event triumph by a full-straightaway margin over Schmidt, who came home second.
Justin Miller finished third, sixth starter Kevin Karnitz of West Bend placed fourth and Tyler Tischendorf of Waupaca, who started fourth, came home fifth.
The time-shortened 12-lap Late Model A main was plagued by seven caution flags, including two before the first official lap of the race could be completed.
When the race finally got underway, outside front row starter Charlie Schmidt of Cedar Grove grabbed the lead from polesitter Joe Bongiorno of Milwaukee in turn four of the opening lap. On lap 2, back-to-back caution flags again slowed the pace and resulted in single-file restarts as the norm for the remainder of the race.
On lap 3, three-time defending PDTR Late Model champion Justin Schmidt, moved up from the third starting spot to pressure Charlie Schmidt for the lead before the fifth caution of the race appeared on lap four for a three-car incident along the backstretch.
When the race resumed, Justin Schmidt continued to hound Charlie Schmidt for the top spot. On lap 5, Justin Schmidt spun in turn four while challenging for the lead to bring out the sixth caution of the race. During the yellow flag period, Charlie Schmidt went to the pit area to change a flat tire, which handed the lead over to 11th starter Turk Letizia of Milwaukee.
Following the restart, sixth starter Jim Schmidt mounted a challenge for the lead along the high line. Three laps later, Jim Schmidt powered around Letizia to take over the top spot in turn two.
Jim Schmidt maintained the lead until the seventh caution was displayed on lap 12 for a two-car incident in turn two, which brought the race to an early end after reaching the time limit.
Jim Schmidt earned his 16th career PDTR Late Model A-main victory with Letizia second, 2016 PDTR Late Model champion Tim Buhler of Greenbush placed third after starting eighth, seventh starter Justin Ritchie of New London finished fourth and Justin Schmidt recovered from his early-race spin to place fifth.
Polesitter Donny Kulow of Elkhart Lake led the opening lap of the 25-lap Grand National A main before outside front row starter Luke Scholten of Oostburg worked the high groove to take over the lead in turn four on lap 2.
The lone caution flag of the race was displayed on lap 9 for debris in turn two.
Following the restart, two-time PDTR Grand National champion Don Sorce Jr. of West Allis, who started fourth, and Donny Kulow dueled side by side for second beginning on lap 12 with Kulow eventually maintaining second on lap 13.
On lap 18, fifth starter Will Sorce began to make his presence felt as he moved up to the outside line to gain third. One lap later, Sorce powered around Kulow to take over second and quickly set his sights on Scholten.
Sorce and Scholten battled door to door on lap 21 before Sorce surged past Scholten and into the lead.
Sorce pulled away over the final four laps to earn his third career PDTR Grand National A-main victory. Donny Kulow finished second, Don Sorce Jr. placed third, 2019 PDTR Grand National champion Tyler Kulow finished fourth after starting third and 2018 PDTR Grand National champ Matt Loehr of Dotyville wound up fifth after starting seventh.
Polesitter Spencer Long of Sheboygan Falls grabbed the lead on the drop of the green flag of the 25-lap B Mod A main.
As Long led, fourth starter Jesse Cullen slipped past outside front row starter Trevor Frank of Sheboygan to gain second place in the running order. The first of four caution flags appeared on lap 7 for a three-car incident in turn two.
On the restart, Long drifted high in turn two, which allowed Cullen to power into the lead on lap 8 with Frank in tow. After a pair of caution flags ensued on lap 11 and lap 13 for multi-car incidents, Cullen bolted out to a quarter-straightaway lead over Frank by lap 16.
The fourth and final caution flag appeared on lap 20 when Long made contact with the turn three wall. When race resumed, Cullen pulled away over the final five laps to secure his fourth career PDTR B Mod A-main victory by a half-straightaway margin over Frank, who had to settle for second.
Third starter Shane Long of Sheboygan Falls finished third, Rory Welch of Grafton moved up from his 11th starting spot to place fourth and eighth starter Jonathan Hitsman of Plymouth placed fifth.
Doug Wondra of Lomira claimed the 15-lap 360 Sprint Car B main.
PDTR action is scheduled to resume on Saturday, May 29 with action in the 360 Sprint Car, Late Model, Grand National and B Mod divisions. The Military Night program will offer free admission to all members of the U.S. armed forces with a valid I.D.
Grandstand gates open at 3:30 p.m. with hot laps at 4:30 p.m. racing at 5 p.m.
The new book “70 Years of Plymouth Dirt Track Racing” by Dennis Darovich of Sheboygan and George Baumann of Waupun, covering every season of racing at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. from 1950 to 2020 will be available for purchase at every race during the 2021 PDTR season, as well as at the Sheboygan County Fair office during regular business hours and online at www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com.
KRISTINE HARTMANN PLEASANTVIEW REALTY 360 SPRINT CARS
HEAT 1
1, Tyler Tischendorf 2, Lance Fassbender 3, Tony Wondra 4, Justin Miller 5, Jack Vanderboom 6, Ben Schmidt 7, Matt Rechek 8, Tom Kreutz.
HEAT 2
1, Adam Miller 2, Travis Arenz 3, Mike Yurmanovich 4, Josh Teunissen 5, Tyler Brabant 6, Will Gerrits 7, Chris Clayton 8, Austin Hartmann.
HEAT 3
1, Brandon McMullen 2, Kurt Davis 3, Chris Larson 4, Nick Daywalt 5, Justin Erickson 6, Alex Pokorski 7, Katelyn Krebsbach 8, Dylan Winkel.
HEAT 4
1, Tim Haddy 2, Kevin Karnitz 3, Tyler Davis 4, Brandon Berth 5, Doug Wondra 6, Blake Wondra 7, Bill Taylor.
B MAIN
1, Doug Wondra 2, Ben Schmidt 3, Justin Erickson 4, Austin Hartmann 5, Will Gerrits 6, Chris Clayton 7, Josh Teunissen 8, Matt Rechek 9, Alex Pokorski 10, Katelyn Krebsbach 11, Dylan Winkel 12, Tom Kreutz 13, Tyler Brabant (DNS) 14, Blake Wondra (DNS) 15, Bill Taylor (DNS).
A MAIN
1, Brandon McMullen 2, Ben Schmidt 3, Justin Miller 4, Kevin Karnitz 5, Tyler Tischendorf 6, Justin Erickson 7, Travis Arenz 8, Will Gerrits 9, Tony Wondra 10, Adam Miller 11, Nick Daywalt 12, Lance Fassbender 13, Tyler Davis 14, Austin Hartmann 15, Chris Clayton 16, Doug Wondra 17, Chris Larson 18, Jack Vanderboom 19, Mike Yurmanovich 20, Tim Haddy 21, Kurt Davis 22, Josh Teunissen 23, Brandon Berth (DNS).
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