By Jeff Pederson
Pedal Down Promotions
(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) April 30, 2021 – After completing one of the most unusual seasons in the long and colorful history of the dirt track facility at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds, Plymouth Dirt Track Racing is aiming to get back to business as usual during the 2021 campaign, which kicks off this Saturday, May 1.
The shortened 2020 season began following a seven-week delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When racing finally got under way on June 6, a number of restrictions were in place to limit contact between fans, competitors, pit crew members and track workers, including attendance restrictions throughout the year.
Track officials are crossing their fingers that the upcoming 17th season of Plymouth Dirt Track Racing and 61st overall season of regular weekly racing competition at the tradition-rich Plymouth one-third mile dirt track will be a little more on the normal side.
The 21-date 2021 PDTR campaign is set to begin on Saturday, May 1 and wrap up on Saturday, Sept. 25.
In addition to the regular weekly program, which features 360 Sprint Cars, Late Models, Grand Nationals and B Mods, the 2021 PDTR season is currently scheduled to feature a return appearance by the national touring FloRacing All Star Circuit of Champions 410 Sprint Car Series in conjunction with the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association Series on Saturday, June 5.
Another major highlight is a special $5,000-to-win IRA 410 Sprint Car Series event to kick off the highly anticipated debut NASCAR Cup Series weekend at nearby Road America in Elkhart Lake on Thursday, July 1.
Both all-Sprint Car special events will also feature the PDTR 360 Sprint Cars.
“We have two big special events that really stand out this year,” PDTR Marketing and Promotions Director Bill Weinaug said. “We have the All Stars coming back for the third straight year, which is always a great night that produces a lot of excitement with some big names in the Sprint Car world coming to town.
“The other big one is the IRA event on July 1st during NASCAR week at Road America,” he said. “That also has the potential to draw some interest from NASCAR drivers and crews coming over to check out that event. We don’t have anything as far as any NASCAR drivers possibly racing with us on that night, so we will have to wait and see what transpires. Regardless, of who is racing, that race with the extra money added to the purse for the IRA drivers, should make for a great event.”
PDTR is also slated to welcome three additional appearances from the Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series on Saturday, July 31, Saturday, Sept. 4 and Saturday, Sept. 25, along with a Dirt Kings Late Model Series event on Friday, Aug. 27.
The Badger Midget Series will also be featured on Saturday, Sept. 11.
The fourth annual Russ Scheffler Tribute Race, including all four regular PDTR divisions highlighted by an increased purse for the Late Model A-main event, will take place on Friday, June 25.
The event honors Scheffler, who passed away in September 2017 as the most successful driver in PDTR history,
No racing will take place at PDTR on Saturday, June 26, Saturday, July 3, Saturday, Aug. 28 and Saturday, Sept. 18.
Vintage Modifieds are set to join the regular PDTR divisions on Saturday, July 24.
“We have another strong schedule with some nice diversity mixed in with special events for Sprint Cars, Late Models, Midgets, Vintage Modifieds and all of our regular divisions,” Weinaug said. “In addition to our Saturday night events, we have two Friday night races featuring Late Models and we are all systems go to have a fair this year on Labor Day weekend, which includes our annual IRA event on Saturday night during the fair.”
Another strong field of competitors is expected in each of the four PDTR divisions, including the 360 Sprint Car ranks. Two-time PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Brandon McMullen of Oshkosh captured last year’s title following a spirited duel with Sheboygan’s Travis Arenz. However, McMullen has indicated that his McMullen Racing Enterprises team may not be competing on a full-time basis this year.
“Our schedule at Plymouth will kind of depend on how the year is going,” McMullen said. “Right now, we have plans to make almost all the nights at Plymouth, but we have one weekend we are going to miss. We’re just looking at getting back to racing for fun rather than points racing after the last few years.”
Arenz, who placed second to McMullen in the 2020 360 Sprint Car point standings, has delayed an anticipated move to the 410 Sprint Car ranks and is expected to run a full 360 Sprint Car schedule with PDTR this season.
“As of now, I am planning a full 360 schedule with hopefully a few 410 shows at the end of the year,” Arenz said. “I’m currently in the market for a 410 to hopefully continue the climb to the top and accomplish my goals. The original plan for 2021 was to just race and finish up the 410 car and maybe make dozen races, but I’m a touch further behind on the 410 motor portion of that yet.”
In the PDTR Late Model ranks, three-time defending champion Justin Schmidt of Cleveland is expected to return in search of a fourth straight title. Milwaukee’s Aaron Stolp captured the 2020 PDTR Grand National division title and Tim Warner of Fond du Lac is the defending PDTR B Mod champion.
One part of the PDTR program that Weinaug hopes will get back on track this year are kids’ activities.
“Last year, outside of a few driver meet and greets, we weren’t able to do any kids’ activities, which are very important and a big key to what we do,” Weinaug said. “We have tentatively scheduled an American flag handout on May 29, several glow stick handout nights, Backpack Night and Autograph Night on Aug. 7 and other scattered special kids’ activities throughout the season, which we will announce as we get closer to them based on where we stand with any restrictions that might still be in place.”
In addition to new clay added to the track surface last fall, Weinaug said two business have stepped up to serve as division sponsors in 2021 with B93 Sheboygan’s Country stepping up to sponsor the Late Model division and Oostburg Automotive sponsoring the Grand National division.
Kristine Hartmann Pleasantview Realty returns as the 360 Sprint Car division sponsor and Cellcom will again sponsor the B Mod division.
Hard Charger Award sponsors for the 2021 PDTR season include Kristine Hartmann Pleasantview Realty (360 Sprint Car), Racer’s Hall (Late Model) and Schwaller Painting and Staining (B Mods) with the Grand Nationals Hard Charger Award yet to be announced.
The winner’s circle sponsor for the 2021 season is Kunes Country RV.
“The sponsor support has been great for the 2021 season,” Weinaug said. “We have 10 new sign sponsors from area businesses, which is really outstanding. It is the best year for sign sponsors at the track that I can recall.”
While the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic may have kept some regular fans from attending the races in 2020, Weinaug said many new fans were made during the course of last year’s PDTR season.
“We may have lost a few people that didn’t feel safe going out, but we had a lot of new faces and new families join us last year,” Weinaug said. “Many of them were looking to get out and find something to do and we were glad to have them. It is important to get kids to the track, in particular, because they are the future of our sport.
“Another thing we hope to do more of in 2021 are group outings for businesses, organizations, teams and families,” he said. “We offer ticket discounts for groups, along with a driver meet and greet session, which is a great, affordable way to bring people together for a fun night out and potentially introduce new people to the sport of dirt track racing.”
Start times during the month of May will move up one hour with grandstand gates opening at 3:30 p.m. with hot laps at 4:30 p.m. and racing to begin at 5 p.m.
On normal race nights beginning in June, grandstand gates will open at 4:30 p.m. with hot laps at 5:30 p.m. and racing to follow at 6 p.m.
For more information about Plymouth Dirt Track Racing, call Bill Weinaug at 627-1217, send an email to bweinaug@shebcofair.com or visit www.plymouthdtr.com.
2021 PDTR SCHEDULE
Saturday, May 1 – Opening Night Weekly Program featuring 360 Sprint Cars, Late Models, Grand Nationals, B Mods, 5 p.m.
Saturday, May 8 – Weekly Program, 5 p.m.
Saturday, May 15 – Weekly Program, 5 p.m.
Saturday, May 22 – Weekly Program, 5 p.m.
Saturday, May 29 – Weekly Program, 5 p.m.
Saturday, June 5 – All Star Circuit of Champions-Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Cars, 360 Sprint Cars, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 12 – Weekly Program, 6 p.m.
Saturday, June 19 – Weekly Program, 6 p.m.
Friday, June 25 – Russ Scheffler Late Model Tribute Race with all weekly divisions, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 1 – Special NASCAR Weekend Kickoff $5,000-to-win Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Cars, 360 Sprint Cars, start time TBA.
Saturday, July 10 – Weekly Program, 6 p.m.
Saturday, July 17 – Weekly Program, 6 p.m.
Saturday, July 24 – Weekly Program with Vintage Modifieds, 6 p.m.
Saturday, July 31 – Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Cars, 360 Sprint Cars, Lightning Sprints, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 7 – Weekly Program, 6 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 14 – Weekly Program, 6 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 21 – Weekly Program with Late Model championship night, 6 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 27 – Dirt Kings Late Model Series with all weekly divisions, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 4– Sheboygan County Fair Race featuring Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Cars and 360 Sprint Cars, start time TBA.
Saturday, Sept. 11 – Badger Midget Series with all weekly divisions, championship night for Grand Nationals and B Mods (no Late Models), 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 25 – Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Cars, 360 Sprint Cars, Wisconsin Wingless Sprint Cars, Lightning Sprints championship night,
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Eastern Wisconsin Stock Car Racing Historian Dennis Darovich and Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Historian George Baumann have teamed up to release a new book titled “70 Years of Plymouth Dirt Track Racing,” which will be on sale during racing events at The Plymouth Dirt Track throughout the 2021 season.
The new 246-page book, which is published by Pedal Down Promotions of Manitowoc, Wis., provides a season-by-season account of every season of regular racing action at the Plymouth track, featuring a total of 183 photos, 140 of which appear in color.
Additional highlights include a chapter devoted to women in racing, final point standings for each season between 1950 and 2020, driver photograph identification pages and human interest stories.
The book is also available for purchase at the Sheboygan County Fair office at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth weekdays during regular business hours, as well as on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.
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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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