By Jeff Pederson
Pedal Down Promotions
(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) July 7, 2023 – While not a newcomer to racing, Hunter Larson of Oshkosh is one of the fresh faces gracing the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing B Mod division on a regular basis during the 2023 season at The Plymouth Dirt Track in Plymouth.
After a couple of seasons away from competition, Larson made the decision to embark on a full season in the PDTR B Mod division during the 2023 campaign. So far, Larson has adapted nicely to his new home track sitting seventh in the point standings through the first five B Mod events of the season.
The highlight of Larson’s 2023 campaign was a second place showing in the most recent PDTR B Mod main event on June 24, during which he led the majority of the race before finishing second to two-time track champion Tim Warner.
“I took a few years off from racing, so the goal coming into the season was to just complete every lap and be consistently in the top 10 weekly,” Larson said. “We have done a decent job of that so far with only one DNF [did not finish] to go along with a few heat race wins and a second place feature finish on June 24th.
With a keen interest in the mechanical elements of automobiles from a young age, racing developed into a natural outlet for Larson’s speed-seeking passion.
“I have always been interested in cars and engines from a really young age and racing was just a way to put all that together,” Larson said. “I first started racing Go Karts at the Kids Kart Club in Oshkosh at the age of 9 in the summer of 2005. It’s a program that teaches kids how to build Go Karts from the ground up. This includes tube welding, painting and final assembly. The end goal is racing the Go Kart you built from the ground up.
“After competing in Go Karts for several years, I started racing a Sport Mod at the old Oshkosh Speed Zone and Beaver Dam Raceway in 2012,” Larson said. “Overall, I’ve raced Go Karts, Micro Sprints, Sport Mods (B Mods), Modifieds and Street Stocks. I also made a few attempts at asphalt racing in 2016 with a couple of test nights and a race night at Dells Raceway Park in Wisconsin Dells in a Sportsman car.”
Competing in a diverse array of divisions, Larson has enjoyed a good deal of success behind the wheel over the years.
“Starting with my Go Kart days up until today, I probably have in the neighborhood of 20 to 25 overall race wins over the years,” Larson said. “I guess I never really kept a true count of that. Most of the A main wins have come in Karts and Micro Sprints I have probably seven or eight of those. I’m still looking for the first A main victory at Plymouth. Hopefully, I can check that one off this year.”
As a regular competitor at The Plymouth Dirt Track for the first time in his career, Larson has found plenty to admire about the historic 73-year-old third-mile clay oval facility.
“I enjoy racing at Plymouth mostly due to the track size,” Larson said. “It really fits my driving style. It’s also one of the better facilities as far as fan experience goes. It’s easy to get in and out of with nice grandstands and concession areas.”
Larson says the uncompromising nature of dirt track racing along the spirited duels with his fellow competitors on the track continues to fuel his desire to improve.
“I like the challenge that racing represents,” Larson said. “There is a constant push to make yourself and your equipment better than the next guy. I enjoy finding ways to be faster within the rule book. I always remind myself, if it were easy, everyone would be doing it.
“We will keep working away for the remainder of the season,” he said. “I’m one to always keep pushing to be better, so I will keep working as I know we have room to improve.”
Larson’s sponsors for the 2023 racing season include Skid Loaders Plus of Fond Du Lac, SLP Rentals of Fond Du Lac, Everlasting Living Memories of Oshkosh and Schaad Farms of Columbus, Neb.
Pit crew members for the 2023 Hunter Larson Racing Team are Erin Barrette, Jesse Jakubowski, Travis Schmidt, Jeff Larson (dad), Ashlyn Larson (sister) and Jeanette Larson (mom).
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This week’s Plymouth Dirt Track Racing program on Saturday, July 8 will feature the second of three scheduled 2023 appearances at The Plymouth Dirt Track for the Wisconsin Legends Racing Dirt Series. The PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Cars, Grand Nationals and B Mods will also be in action.
Grandstand gates open at 4:30 p.m. with qualifying set at 5:30 p.m. and racing scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
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, Twitter and Instagram.
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.pedaldownpromo.com or call 920-323-7970.
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