Jeff Pederson
Pedal Down Promotions
(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) June 12, 2021 – The seventh Plymouth Dirt Track Racing program of the 2021 season produced plenty of action at the front of the field with three drivers visiting the Kunes RV Winners Circle in A-main action for the first time in 2021 and another earning back-to-back main event victories Saturday, June 12 at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis.
In A-main action, Travis Arenz of Sheboygan stormed to his second consecutive A-main victory of the 2021 campaign in the 25-lap Kristine Hartmann Pleasantview Realty 360 Sprint Car headliner.
Three-time and defending PDTR Late Model champion Justin Schmidt of Cleveland shook off an uncharacteristically slow start to the season by claiming his first 25-lap Sheboygan’s Country B93.7 Late Model main event victory of 2021.
2018 PDTR Grand National champion Matt Loehr of Dotyville notched is initial triumph of the 2021 season in the 25-lap Oostburg Automotive Grand National A main.
Sheboygan’s Steve Lorier was another 2021 first-time winner in the 25-lap PDTR B Mod A main.
In the 25-lap 360 Sprint Car A main, third starter Will Gerrits of Waupun bolted past polesitter Mike Yurmanovich of Cascade and outside front row starter Justin Erickson of Plymouth to take the lead in turn two of the opening lap.
On lap three, Travis Arenz, who started seventh, used the high groove to power his way into second. One lap later, Arenz swept past Gerrits to take over the top spot and he immediately proceeded to leave the field in his dust.
Starting on lap 11, Arenz found himself negotiating heavy lapped traffic on the dry slick third-mile track surface. As Arenz enjoyed a comfortable half-lap lead, two-time PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion and current point leader Brandon McMullen of Oshkosh, who started eighth, worked his way into the runner-up spot.
As the laps wound down, McMullen was able to close the gap slightly, but it was all Arenz at the front of the field as he cruised to his sixth career PDTR 360 Sprint Car A-main victory and second straight main event win at the Plymouth track in the caution-free event.
McMullen had to settle for second, Gerrits wound up third, Erickson placed fourth and 2011 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Ben Schmidt of Howards Grove charged up to finish fifth after starting 16th.
Polesitter Charlie Schmidt of Cedar Grove grabbed the lead at the drop of the green flag of the 25-lap Late Model A main with 2016 PDTR Late Model champ Tim Buhler of Greenbush in tow.
On lap 3, Justin Schmidt used the cushion to shoot into third in the running order. The first of two caution flags appeared on lap 4 when Donny Singer of Random Lake spun in turn four.
Following the restart, Justin Schmidt used the high line to move around Buhler into second on lap 5 before the second and final caution flag flew on lap 6 for a spin in turn four involving Sawyer Specht of Sheboygan Falls.
When the race resumed, Justin Schmidt continued to stalk the low-riding Charlie Schmidt along the outside groove. On lap 12, Justin Schmidt assumed the lead utilizing the high line in turn four.
After switching to the low line, Justin Schmidt went on to built up a comfortable cushion in the closing laps en route to his 14th career PDTR Late Model A-main victory by a half-lap margin.
Charlie Schmidt finished second, Buhler placed third, fifth starter Turk Letizia of Milwaukee placed fourth and sixth starter Justin Ritchie of New London rounded out the top five.
The 25-lap Grand National A main got off to a rousing start as octogenarian polesitter Dick Hed of Plymouth dueled side by side with outside front row starter Matt Loehr for the first six laps of the race.
On lap 7, the cushion-pounding Loehr finally surged ahead of the low-riding Hed in turn four. The lone caution of the race appeared one lap later for a spin involving rookie Jacob Falk.
Loehr used a strong restart to pull away to a commanding full-straightaway lead over third starting Donny Kulow of Elkhart Lake over the final 18 laps of the race on the way to his seventh career PDTR Grand National A main victory.
Donny Kulow came home second, two-time PDTR Grand National champion Don Sorce Jr. of West Allis finished third after starting sixth, 2019 PDTR Grand national champ Tyler Kulow of Plymouth placed fourth after starting seventh and Hed rounded out the top five.
Polesitter Justin Bauer of Sheboygan Falls seized the lead on the opening lap of the 25-lap B Mod as third starter Jonathon Baumann of Sheboygan moved into second on lap 3.
The first of three caution flags appeared on lap 7 when Travis Schmidt of Waldo spun in turn four after contact with Sheboygan’s Trevor Frank, which sent Frank to the rear of the field.
On the restart, Frank, James Fischer of Oostburg and Patrick Hanson of Sheboygan Falls collided in turn two to bring out the second caution flag. Following the restart, Baumann flexed his muscle along the high groove to take over the to spot on lap 9 in turn two.
The third and final caution flag appeared on lap 12 when Jonathan Hitsman of Sheboygan and Gary Glander of Sheboygan Falls made contact in turn four. Fifth starter Steve Lorier used a nifty low move on the restart to steal the lead away from Baumann in turn two on lap 13.
However, Baumann battled back on the cushion to pull even with Lorier three laps later with the two drivers dueling side by side over the next three laps before Lorier finally surged ahead for good on lap 18 along the inside groove.
Lorier went on to claim his third career PDTR B Mod A-main victory by a five-car margin over Baumann, who placed second. Bauer finished third, Rory Welch of Grafton, who started second, finished fourth and 12th starter Spencer Long of Sheboygan Falls came home fifth.
Jack Vanderboom of Dousman won the first 12-lap 360 Sprint Car B main and Adam Miller of Plymouth claimed the victory in the second 12-lap 360 Sprint Car B main.
The seventh PDTR program of the 2021 season, which was sponsored by Josfo Electric, drew 79 total cars, including 35 360 Sprint Cars, 18 B Mods, 15 Late Models and 11 Grand Nationals.
PDTR action is scheduled to resume on Saturday, June 19 with action in the 360 Sprint Car, Late Model, Grand National and B Mod divisions.
Spectator gates open at 4:30 p.m. with hot laps at 5:30 p.m. and racing at 6 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, Lance Fassbender 2, Brandon McMullen 3, Bill Taylor 4, Kevin Karnitz 5, Austin Hartmann 6, Tom Kreutz 7, Tyler Brabant 8, Tyler Davis 9, Tim Haddy.
HEAT 2
1, Tony Wondra 2, Mike Yurmanovich 3, Katelyn Krebsbach 4, Blake Wondra 5, Ben Schmidt 6, Chris Larson 7, Chris Clayton 8, Josh Teunissen 9, Tyler Tischendorf.
HEAT 3
1, Travis Arenz 2, Justin Miller 3, Justin Erickson 4, Anthony Knierim 5, Preston Ruh 6, Alex Pokorski 7, Dylan Winkel 8, Cole Possi 9, Tommy Colburn (DNS).
HEAT 4
1, Will Gerrits 2, Brandon Berth 3, Matt Rechek 4, Jack Vanderboom 5, Nick Daywalt 6, Kurt Davis 7, Doug Wondra 8, Adam Miller.
B MAIN 1
1, Jack Vanderboom 2, Kurt Davis 3, Doug Wondra 4, Tim Haddy 5, Nick Daywalt 6, Tom Kreutz 7, Dylan Winkel 8, Josh Teunissen 9, Tyler Davis (DNS).
B MAIN 1
1, Adam Miller 2, Austin Hartmann 3, Preston Ruh 4, Tyler Tischendorf 5, Alex Pokorski 6, Chris Clayton 7, Chris Larson 8, Tyler Brabant 9, Cole Possi 10, Tommy Colburn (DNS).
A MAIN
1, Travis Arenz 2, Brandon McMullen 3, Will Gerrits 4, Justin Erickson 5, Ben Schmidt 6, Kevin Karnitz 7, Lance Fassbender 8, Mike Yurmanovich 9, Matt Rechek 10, Anthony Knierim 11, Bill Taylor 12, Adam Miller 13, Doug Wondra 14, Preston Ruh 15, Kurt Davis 16, Jack Vanderboom 17, Tony Wondra 18, Blake Wondra 19, Austin Hartmann 20, Katelyn Krebsbach 21, Brandon Berth 22, Justin Miller.
SHEBOYGAN’S COUNTY B93.7 LATE MODELS
HEAT 1
1, Justin Ritchie 2, Turk Letizia 3, Tim Buhler 4, Brian Konitzer 5, Donny Singer 6, Eric Michaels 7, Joe Bongiorno 8, Chad Ludwigson (DNS).
HEAT 2
1, Justin Schmidt 2, Jim Schmidt 3, Justin Green 4, Charlie Schmidt 5, Ron Stroika 6, Sawyer Specht 7, Jake Van Engen.
A MAIN
1, Justin Schmidt 2, Charlie Schmidt 3, Tim Buhler 4, Turk Letizia 5, Justin Ritchie 6, Jim Schmidt 7, Justin Green 8, Joe Bongiorno 9, Ron Stroika 10, Eric Michaels 11, Sawyer Specht 12, Chad Ludwigson 13, Donny Singer 14, Jake Van Engen 15, Brian Konitzer.
OOSTBURG AUTOMOTIVE GRAND NATIONALS
HEAT 1
1, Don Sorce Jr. 2, Luke Scholten 3, Dick Hed 4, Tyler Kulow 5, Jacob Falk 6, Steven Weber.
HEAT 2
1, Matt Yancey 2, Donny Kulow 3, Matt Loehr 4, Derek Kaat 5, Maverick Ruh.
A MAIN
1, Matt Loehr 2, Donny Kulow 3, Don Sorce Jr. 4, Tyler Kulow 5, Dick Hed 6, Derek Kaat 7, Luke Scholten 8, Matt Yancey 9, Jacob Falk 10, Maverick Ruh 11, Steven Weber.
CELLCOM B MOD
HEAT 1
1, Trevor Frank 2, Steve Lorier 3, Jonathan Hitsman 4, Justin Bauer 5, Patrick Hanson 6, Gary Glander.
HEAT 2
1, Shane Long 2, Glen Blanke 3, Matthew Roehl 4, Spencer Long 5, Will Garceau 6, Christopher Gilson.
HEAT 3
1, Travis Schmidt 2, Jonathon Baumann 3, Rory Welch 4, Donny Singer 5, Jim Fischer 6, Phil Campanella.
A MAIN
1, Steve Lorier 2, Jonathon Baumann 3, Justin Bauer 4, Rory Welch 5, Spencer Long 6, Will Garceau 7, Matthew Roehl 8, Donny Singer 9, Shane Long 10, Patrick Hanson 11, Phil Campanella 12, Jonathan Hitsman 13, Glen Blanke 14, Travis Schmidt 15, Gary Glander 16, Trevor Frank 17, Jim Fischer 18, Christopher Gilson.
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