By Jeff Pederson
Pedal Down Promotions
(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) July 29, 2020 – Preparing and racing a car in one division on any given night with Plymouth Dirt Track Racing at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. is no small task. That challenge increases significantly when taking on the task of preparing and racing a car in two separate divisions on one night.
That is what Waldo’s Donny Singer is doing during the 2020 season as he embarks on his third season in the PDTR B Mod division, while also competing for the track’s Late Model Rookie of the Year Award this season.
While acknowledging the challenges of competing in two different divisions on the same night on a weekly basis, the recent 18-year-old Random Lake High School graduate is enjoying the opportunity to learn twice as much behind the wheel in his fifth overall season as a driver.
“It is a little tough to drive two cars in one night, but at the same time you get twice as many laps to feel out the track,” Singer said. “I have enjoyed seeing the improvements that I make every week with the extra laps that I’m able to get in the two divisions.”
With both of his parents, Don and Melissa Singer, previously competing as drivers at Plymouth, it is no surprise that Singer has followed in their footsteps.
“I got interested in racing while watching my mom race growing up,” Singer said. “I started racing in the Grand National division at Plymouth in 2016 when I was 14 years old. I’ve also raced in the B Mod division at Plymouth and now with the Late Models as well.”
So far this season, Singer stands sixth in the PDTR B Mod point standings with two top-10 A-main showings to his credit in four events. He also sits 16th in the PDTR Late Model points race and currently third in the three-driver chase for Late Model rookie of the year honors with fellow first-year Late Model drivers Chad Ludwigson of Sheboygan Falls and Sawyer Specht of Sheboygan Falls, who currently leads the rookie battle, standing 46 points ahead of Singer.
“My dad loves Late Models, so we moved into them,” Singer said. “The seat time I’m getting is good. This year our main goal is going for the Late Model Rookie of the Year Award at Plymouth.
“My favorite part about running with the Late Models is the respect and trust that all of the drivers have for each other,” Singer said. “I think the transition has gone pretty well, but we are still making changes to the car. I think the biggest challenge has been getting the setups right.”
After missing last week’s PDTR event due to a personal obligation, Singer is still determined to challenge for the 2020 PDTR Late Model Rookie of the Year Award.
“I had to miss this past Saturday because of a wedding,” Singer said. “My cousin was supposed to sub, but he was too injured to drive the Late Model. I’m still going for Rookie of the Year Award with the Late Model. I just have to work harder now.”
While he is currently chasing a coveted A-main victory, Singer points to an accomplishment in the PDTR Grand National division as his career highlight thus far.
“I have not won an A-main in my racing career yet,” Singer said. “My career highlight is winning the PDTR Grand National Rookie of the Year Award in 2016 when I was 14.”
Singer’s pit crew consists of his father, Don, Kyle Singer, Jake Falk and Ryan Falk.
The sponsors for Singer’s Late Model and B Mod cars are Meyer Motors, Detroye Electric, Collins State Bank, Heartland Video Systems and Pado Farms.
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This week will feature two events in three days at The Plymouth Dirt Track as the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions joins with the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series for the second annual Rayce Rudeen Foundation event on Thursday, July 30 and the regular PDTR program presented by Pedal Down Promotions is set to take place two nights later on Saturday, Aug. 1.
The July 30 event, which was rescheduled from May 26, will feature the highest-paying Winged 410 Sprint Car race in Wisconsin history as a cool $26,000 will go to the winner. The large purse is expected to attract a stellar field featuring many of the country’s top Sprint Car drivers.
Last season Australian standout James McFadden captured the victory aboard retired NASCAR star Kasey Kahne’s No. 9 machine in the first All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car A-main at the Plymouth facility since 1995. The July 30 all-Sprint Car event will also feature a non-points event for the PDTR 360 Sprint Cars.
Among the drivers expected to compete are All Star Circuit of Champions Series owner and retired three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart of Columbus, Ohio, who won last year’s Rayce Rudeen event at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa as well as an IRA event at The Plymouth Dirt Track last Aug. 31, two-time defending All Star Series point champ Aaron Reutzel of Clute, Texas, two-time All Star Series champion Greg Wilson of Benton Ridge, Ohio and nine-time IRA champ Bill Balog of Hartland, along with All Star and IRA series regulars Cory Eliason of Visalia, Calif., Jeb Wise of Angola, Ind., Paul McMahan of Nashville, Tenn., two-time IRA champion Scotty Neitzel of Beaver Dam, former IRA champ Jeremy Schultz of Beaver Dam, former IRA champ Jake Blackhurst of Hanna City, Ill. and Russel Borland of Kewaskum.
Other high-profile drivers tentatively indicating their intentions to compete include Gio Scelzi of Fresno, Calif., Dominic Scelzi of Fresno, Calif., Austin McCarl of Altoona, Iowa, Terry McCarl of Altoona, Iowa, Kerry Madsen of St. Mary’s, New South Wales, Australia, Shane Stewart of Indianapolis, Ind., Brian Brown of Grain Valley, Mo. and Hunter Schuerenberg of Sikeston, Mo.
Grandstand gates are scheduled to open at 4:30 p.m. with hot laps at 5:30 p.m. and qualifying and racing to follow.
The PDTR 360 Sprint Car, Late Model, Grand National and B Mod divisions will be in action on Saturday, Aug. 1 with trophies sponsored by Pedal Down Promotions.
Grandstand gates open at 4:30 p.m. with qualifying at 5:30 p.m. and racing at 6 p.m.
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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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