By Jeff Pederson
Pedal Down Promotions
(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) September 11, 2020 – One of the most entertaining title duels in the 16-year history of the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car division pivoted in a major way at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, Sept. 5.
After holding a six-point lead over 2017 Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car champion Brandon McMullen of Oshkosh through action on Thursday, Aug. 27, Travis Arenz of Sheboygan was absent from the 360 Sprint Car field for last Saturday’s event.
PDTR and Midwest Sprint Car Association officials issued Arenz a one-race suspension prior to Saturday’s event for “unsportsmanlike conduct” related to an ongoing inquiry into the manner his 25T 360 Sprint Car sounds and operates on the track.
As a result of Arenz’s absence last Saturday, McMullen now holds an 82-point lead over Arenz heading into the final two PDTR 360 Sprint Car points events on Saturday, Sept. 12 and Saturday, Sept. 26.
In his third season of 360 Sprint Car competition, Arenz has enjoyed a stellar 2020 PDTR campaign, including nine top-five A-main showings and eight top-three finishes in nine A-main appearances to go along with three A-main victories at The Plymouth Dirt Track.
“I’m pretty disappointed,” Arenz said. “For the past two months, I have been accused of cheating even though every time they inspect the car, they find nothing. The suspension last Saturday ruined a great points battle.
“The points race was shaping up to be awesome,” he said. “I was excited to be a part of it. I feel bad for my sponsors and everyone that has supported the team, including my pit crew, which works very hard, and all the fans that have supported us through the season and over the years that we’ve been racing.”
Although he was not in action in the 360 Sprint Car ranks, Arenz did compete in the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series portion of last Saturday’s program at The Plymouth Dirt Track in a third Ozzie Motorsports entry.
Arenz, who captured the 2013 PDTR Outlaw Compact championship, qualified 10th and placed second in the first 10-lap IRA heat race to earn the 11th starting spot in the 30-lap A main. Arenz’s 410 Sprint Car debut ended with a flip near the mid-way point of the race and he was scored 23rd in the event.
For the remainder of the 2020 season, Arenz plans to compete in both the 360 and 410 Sprint Car ranks.
Heading into the final two PDTR 360 Sprint Car points races of the 2020 season, 2018 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Justin Miller of Plymouth stands 89 points out of the lead in third, while two-time and defending PDTR 360 Sprint Car champ Kurt Davis of South Milwaukee sits fourth 96 points behind McMullen. Kevin Karnitz of West Bend is fifth in the point standings 134 points out of the top spot.
The PDTR Grand National and B Mod divisions will crown a champion this Saturday, Sept. 12.
The Grand National points race is still up for grabs with three drivers maintaining a good shot at the title going into championship night. Aaron Stolp of Milwaukee heads into the finale holding a 10-point lead over two-time PDTR Grand National champion Don Sorce Jr. of West Allis, while Luke Scholten of Oostburg stands 17 points back. Steven Weber of Plymouth is 54 points out of the lead in fourth and defending PDTR Grand National champ Tyler Kulow of Plymouth sits 60 points back in fifth.
Stolp will be looking to add his second PDTR championship this Saturday after earning the 2010 PDTR Outlaw Compact title.
Defending PDTR B Mod champion Tim Warner of Fond du Lac has already clinched the 2020 B Mod title as he holds an insurmountable 97-point lead over Steve Lorier of Sheboygan heading into the final points night of the season this Saturday.
Justin Schmidt of Cleveland wrapped up his third straight PDTR Late Model title during the final Late Model points program on Aug. 22.
This Saturday, Sept. 12 PDTR will host the Badger Midget Series for the first time this season and the 12th time in The Plymouth Dirt Track’s 70-year history.
Chase McDermand of Springfield, Ill. heads into the event with a 22-point lead over Nick Baran of Tomahawk with two races remaining in the Badger Midget Series 2020 season.
McDermand has won four of the six Badger Midget A-mains this year, while Tyler Baran of Joliet, Ill. and Sean Murphy of Villa Park, Ill. have earned one main event victory apiece in 2020.
Other top Badger Midget Series competitors expected for the event are Kevin Douglas of Madison, Jeff Zelinski of Joliet, Ill., Kurt Mayhew of Demotte, Ind., Derek Doerr of Watertown, Ryan Zielski of Oconomowoc, Jeremy Douglas of McFarland and Kevin Olson of Machesney Park, Ill.
Jack Routson of Wateman, Ill., who has been competing as a rookie with the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series this season, won last year’s Badger Midget Series event at Plymouth on June 8, 2019.
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This week’s PDTR program will feature the PDTR 360 Sprint Car, Grand National and B Mod divisions, along with the Badger Midget Series. Collins State Bank will serve as the trophy sponsor for the evening.
Grandstand gates open at 4:30 p.m. with hot laps scheduled at 5:30 p.m. and racing 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.
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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