Jeff Pederson, Author at Pedal Down Promotions

Miller, Baldry, Scholten, Glander, Ruh reign supreme on PDTR Mid-Season Championship Night

Paul Pokorski posted a heat race victory during the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Mid-Season Championship Night program on Saturday, July 7, at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. – RC Custom Design photo

By Jeff Pederson – Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS, Plymouth, Wis.) July 7, 2018 – A thrilling last lap pass and a pair of first-time A-main winners highlighted the evening as Plymouth Dirt Track Racing staged its annual Mid-Season Championship Night of racing at The Plymouth Dirt Track on the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, July 7.

In the extended 30-lap Richard’s of Dunbar 360 Sprint Car A main, Plymouth’s Justin Miller stole the lead from Sprint Car rookie Travis Arenz of Sheboygan on the final lap to post an exciting victory. Gasroots Project Late Model rookie Kevin Baldry of Omro notched his first career PDTR Late Model A-main victory in the 30-lap main event. Luke Scholten of Oostburg claimed the 30-lap Klips & Tips Grand National A-main victory in the Bender Racing entry, while Gary Glander of Sheboygan Falls collected his first career Cellcom B Mod A-main triumph. Defending Micro Sprint champion Preston Ruh of Elkhart Lake was victorious in the 15-lap Kristine Hartmann Pleasant View Realty Micro Sprint A main.

The Sprint Car A-main headliner began with Tyler Brabant of Waupun and Tony Wondra of Campbellsport lined up on the front row. Despite dry and slick track conditions, the race featured three different leaders and plenty of jockeying for position throughout the field.

Wondra got the jump on the drop of the green flag from his outside front row starting spot as point leader Josh Walter of Plymouth used the outside groove to jump from fourth at the start into second on the opening lap.

The first of two caution flags appeared on lap 5 when Scott Conger of Eagle spun in turn three. On the restart, Wondra continued to lead while Travis Arenz, who started third, bolted past Brabant and Walter to secure second on lap 8.

The second caution flag slowed the pace on lap 10 when two-time PDTR Sprint Car champion Danny Schlafer of Sussex spun in turn three and was collected by Chris Clayton of Waldo.

On the restart, Arenz flexed his muscle utilizing the extreme low groove to gain ground on Wondra, while Justin Miller, who started 10^th, charged into third on lap 11.

After hounding Wondra for several laps, Arenz made his move on lap 16, taking the lead in turn one. Justin Miller followed suit in getting past Wondra to set up an exciting duel to the finish.

On lap 18, Arenz encountered slower traffic, which allowed Miller to close the gap considerably. The two dueled side-by-side briefly on lap 20 before Arenz pulled away after clearing the lapped car.

Miller worked the low line to perfection in the final five circuits to close within striking range. On the final lap, Miller shot underneath Arenz in turn one to seize the top spot. Miller then held on to claim his second career PDTR Sprint Car and fourth overall Midwest Sprint Car Association A-main triumph.

Arenz, who captured the 2013 PDTR Outlaw Compact championship, posted a career-best runner-up finish in his first season behind the wheel of a Sprint Car. Walter was third, Brabant finished fourth and Wondra rounded out the top five.

Kevin Baldry grabbed the lead on the opening lap of the 30-lap Late Model A main from the pole position with four-time PDTR Late Model champion and current point leader Brad Mueller of Random Lake, who started second, sliding into the runner-up spot.

Just as Mueller closed the gap along the prevailing inside groove on lap 9 the first of four caution flags appeared for an infield tire on the track surface. On the restart, seventh starter Charlie Schmidt of Cedar Grove moved past 2016 PDTR Late Model champ Tim Buhler of Greenbush, who started third, to assume third.

After two more caution periods for spins involving Eric Michaels of Cleveland and Jim Letizia of Milwaukee, fourth starter Justin Schmidt of Cleveland showed some strength, moving into third place and pressuring Mueller for second.

The final caution flag appeared on lap 17 when Late Model rookie Chad Vetting of Valders, Charlie Schmidt and Eric Michaels collided in turn one.

Over the final 13 laps, Baldry clung tight to the inside lane to successfully hold off Mueller and Justin Schmidt en route to his first career PDTR Late Model A-main triumph. Mueller was second, Justin Schmidt finished third, Buhler took fourth and sixth starter Jim Schmidt of Cleveland rounded out the top five.

Polesitter Chad Espen of West Bend jumped into the lead of the 30-lap Grand National A main followed by third starter Steven Weber of Plymouth. Four caution flags over the first two laps ground the race to a halt in the early going.

When the race returned to green flag action, Luke Scholten, who was behind the wheel of the Bender Racing No. 89 machine, moved into third on lap 3 after starting ninth. After the fifth and final caution flag of the race appeared on lap 12 for an infield tire in turn four, Espen continued to lead with Scholten hot on his heels.

On lap 19, Espen lost control of his car and spun into the infield in turn four. Espen’s misfortune turned the lead over to Scholten, who held off fifth starter Tyler Kulow of Plymouth over the final 11 circuits to claim his 10^th career PDTR Grand National A-main victory.

Kulow was second, fourth starter Kurt Davis of South Milwaukee recovered from a trip to the pits to repair a flat tire on lap 1 to finish third, Espen battled back from his spin to place fourth and 10^th starter Donny Kulow of Elkhart Lake placed fifth.

Outside front row starter Gary Glander outpowered polesitter Patrick Hanson of Sheboygan Falls to gain the lead of the 30-lap B Mod A main on the opening circuit with third starter Rick Kretschmann of Sheboygan Falls and seventh starter Tim Warner of Malone in tow.

On lap 9, Travis Schmidt of Plymouth, who started ninth, worked his way into third and three laps later Schmidt passed Kretschmann in turn one to assume second.

After a pair of caution flags for spins, Schmidt continued to pressure Glander for the top spot, pulling even with Glander on a few occasions with some contact made between the two on lap 26.

After the fourth and final caution flag appeared on lap 27 for a spin involving Jesse Cullen of Chilton, Glander closed out the race in impressive fashion to post his first career PDTR B Mod A-main victory.

A slight bobble from Schmidt on the final lap allowed 2016 PDTR B Mod champion Brandon Berth of Cascade to steak into second after starting sixth, Schmidt wound up third, Derek Fehling of Beaver Dam charged up from the 17^th starting spot to finish fourth and 16^th starter J.J. Walvoord of Oostburg placed fifth.

Polesitter Jake Dohner of Milton paced the first five laps of the 15-lap Micro Sprint A main before fourth starter Preston Ruh assumed the top spot on lap 6.

Dave Collins of Madison, who started second, closed the gap on Ruh on lap 10 before fifth starter Jack Vanderboom of Dousman slipped past Collins to gain the runner-up spot.

After two caution flags on lap 13 and lap 14 for spins, Ruh maintained the top spot over the final two laps to collect his fourth career PDTR Micro Sprint A main victory. Vanderboom was second, Collins took third and Dohner placed fourth.

The Plymouth Dirt Track Racing program, which was sponsored by Dale’s Pale Ale and Oskar Blues Brewery, featured 81 cars, including 28 B Mods, 20 Sprint Cars, 11 Late Models, 16 Grand Nationals and six Micro Sprints.

The next PDTR program will take place on Saturday, July 14, topped off by autograph night following the races. The racing program, which begins at 6 p.m., will be sponsored by Hopf Farms.

The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth is located at 229 Fairview Drive in Plymouth. 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.

November 15, 2018 / by Jeff Pederson

UW-Sheboygan Foundation celebrates 40 years

By Jeff Pederson – Pedal Down Promotions

SHEBOYGAN, WIS. (July 2, 2018) – Since its inception in the late 1970s, the University of Wisconsin-Sheboygan Foundation has earned a spot at the head of the class in blazing the trail for students throughout Sheboygan County to pursue their higher-education dreams.

Officially incorporated on Dec. 30, 1977 with its first board meeting held several months later in 1978, this year the UW-Sheboygan Foundation is celebrating 40 years of paving the way for campus building expansion projects, student scholarships and faculty development initiatives.

“Back in the late 1970s, our dean at the time, Dr. Ken Bailey, had a dream to form the UW-Sheboygan Foundation,” UW-Sheboygan Foundation Charter Board Member and Treasurer Gerald Van De Kreeke said. “It was his idea and he saw it through to fruition and here we are 40 years later. Back then, it was one of the first foundations of its kind formed for a two-year campus in the UW-System.”

Since forming four decades ago, the UW-Sheboygan Foundation has raised $6.8 million dollars through community-based fundraising events, contributions and investment income.

“We started small with fundraisers like Chicken and All That Jazz and the Wombat Classic Run,” Van De Kreeke said. “Today, we have our golf outing, which now serves as a big fundraiser for us.”

Over the past 40 years, the University of Wisconsin-Sheboygan Foundation has provided over $3.4 million in updates for campus facilities, equipment, marking/outreach and campus activities.

Through its fundraising efforts, the University of Wisconsin-Sheboygan Foundation has partially funded the Brotz Science Building, the Acuity Technology Center and the Plastics Engineering Company Center for Engineering Studies.

“The buildings that the foundation has had a hand in bringing to the campus were among the most high-profile projects the foundation has been involved with over the years,” Van De Kreeke said. “The Plastics Engineering Company Center for Engineering Studies has played a key role in bringing a four-year engineering degree option to the UW-Sheboygan campus through a partnership with UW-Platteville.”

To date, the foundation has also helped to generate more than $1.8 million dollars to support student scholarships and internships and cover extended degree costs and support expenses for students, as well as faculty and staff development programs.

“We have distributed a tremendous number of scholarships over the years,” Van De Kreeke said. “Over the past few years, we have been giving out an average of 100 scholarships and a total of $100,000 in scholarship funds each year.”

According to UW-Sheboygan Foundation Executive Director and Development Officer Allyson Olivier, the 15-member foundation board has derived much of its success from its high profile in the community.

“Our foundation board is a working board of Sheboygan County business leaders that is very active and well connected in the community,” Olivier said. “They set a plan of action, talk to people and get things done. They are ambassadors and advocates for our campus and never miss an opportunity to talk about the great things going on at UW-Sheboygan when they are out in the community.

“It has been amazing to work with this board over the past two years,” she said. “The members of the board do an amazing job.

University of Wisconsin-Sheboygan Foundation Board Member Dr. Tom Ries commended the level of commitment of the Sheboygan County business community in supporting the foundation.

“During my 15-year tenure on the foundation board, I have been struck by the generosity of the businesses and individuals in Sheboygan County,” Ries said. “We have a number of great, locally-owned manufacturers that are committed to keeping their money in the community and making it a great place to live, work and get an education.”

After opening in downtown Sheboygan in 1933, UW-Sheboygan moved to its current location at One University Drive on the west side of Sheboygan in 1964.

Over the years, 13-year UW-Sheboygan Foundation Board Member and Past President Elizabeth Braden says the foundation’s commitment to supporting its students and faculty has never wavered.

“UW-Sheboygan is a gem in our community,” Braden said. “It offers students high-quality education at an affordable price, while giving them the opportunity to stay at home and save on housing expenses.”

Above all, the UW-Sheboygan Foundation’s highest priority is providing a multitude of educational opportunities for students.

“Over 50 percent of our student population is comprised of first-generation college students,” Olivier said. “We are providing opportunities to students that may not have gone to college otherwise. Starting out with a strong comfort level with a great student-to-instructor ratio is very important and that is what we offer at UW-Sheboygan.

“Although UW-Sheboygan may be a small school, that does not diminish the size of our students’ dreams,” she said.

For more information on the UW-Sheboygan Foundation, contact UW-Sheboygan Foundation Executive Director and Development Officer Allyson Olivier at Allyson.olivier@uwc.edu or 920-459-6612.

November 13, 2018 / by Jeff Pederson

Plymouth Dirt Track Racing program falls to heat

(Plymouth, Wis.) June 30, 2018 – Excessive heat prompted Plymouth Dirt Track Racing officials to cancel the PDTR race program on Saturday, June 30, at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis.

PDTR will host its Mid-Season Championship Night program on Saturday, July 7, beginning at 6 p.m. with A-main trophies sponsored by Dale’s Pale Ale and Oskar Blues Brewery.

For more information on Pedal Down Promotions, email pedaldownpromotions@gmail.com, visit www.pedaldownpromotions.com or call 920-323-7970.

November 13, 2018 / by Jeff Pederson

Pokorski Motorsports doubles down with PDTR, MSA

Paul Pokorski completed a doubleheader weekend of Midwest Sprint Car Association action with a ninth-place finish at Spring Lake Speedway in Unity, Wis. on Friday, June 22 and a 12th-place showing at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, June 23. – RC Custom Design ph

By Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) June 26, 2018 – Paul Pokorski and his Pokorski Motorsports team tallied yet another top-10 A-main showing, during a doubleheader weekend of 360 Sprint Car racing action with the Midwest Sprint Car Association at Spring Lake Speedway in Unity, Wis. and The Plymouth Dirt Track in Plymouth, Wis.

After turning in an 11^th-place finish in the team’s debut at Spring Lake Speedway last year, Pokorski and his team returned to the Northwoods of Wisconsin for a special Midwest Sprint Car Association event on Friday, June, 22.

With 24 MSA Sprint Cars on hand, Pokorski started and finished fifth in the second Sprint Car heat race. All 24 cars transferred to the A main where Pokorski started 13^th and improved four spots to place ninth and record the team’s fifth top-10 A-main showing of the 2018 season.

Despite encountering a rubbered-over track surface for the much of the A main, Pokorski was pleased to register another top-10 finish in the race, which was won by Justin Miller.

“We were so, so in the heat race and pretty good for the A main,” Pokorski said. “We got a couple of spots early on and then the rubber came in and that kind of killed any passing. It did make it fast though.”

For the second consecutive year, an enthusiastic crowd turned out in droves for the lone Sprint Car event of the 2018 season at Spring Lake Speedway.

“The crowd was very good and the promoter was happy,” Pokorski said. “We are looking forward to coming back to Spring Lake again next year.”

Less than 24 hours after pulling out of the Spring Lake Speedway pit area, the Pokorski Motorsports team rolled through the pit gates at The Plymouth Dirt Track where 25 Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Sprint Cars were on hand.

After starting eighth, Pokorski placed sixth in the first Sprint Car heat race to earn the 14^th starting spot in the 25-lap main event.

The 2014 MSA Masters Series champion advanced to the 10^th spot in the early going before getting caught up in an accident, which forced him to the work area with a flat tire.

After restarting at the tail of the field, Pokorski battled back to register a 12^th-place finish in a race won by Kurt Davis.

“We were really solid and car was good at Plymouth on Saturday,” Pokorski said. “We had a poor heat race draw and a very fast race track made passing hard in the heat race. The car was really good in the A main. However, we had a flat after getting involved with a mess created by a spinning car.

“We managed to get back past a few cars to salvage a 12^th-place finish, so things turned out pretty well all things considered,” he said. “It was just a little frustrating to get caught up an accident, which spoiled a good chance at a strong top-10 showing.”

Pokorski joined with the racing community in reflecting on the loss of 2016 Knoxville Nationals champion and five-time ASCS National 360 Sprint Car Series champion Jason Johnson of Eunice, La., who suffered fatal injuries in an accident while battling for the lead in a World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series event at Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis. on Saturday, June 23.

“God bless Jason Johnson’s family and friends,” Pokorski said. “That was very sad to hear about.”

On Saturday, June 30, the Pokorski Motorsports team will return to The Plymouth Dirt Track with grandstands opening at 4:30 p.m., hot laps at 5:30 p.m. and racing slated to begin at 6 p.m.

The Pokorski Motorsports sponsors for the 2018 season include: Quest Engineering Inc., Acme Armature Works Inc., Goeden’s Auto Body, Goodwin Racing Engines, Jens, Reinbold & Pfeffer Family Funeral Services & Crematory, Kettle Moraine Landscaping, Novak’s Service Center, Pedal Down Promotions, Tisler Salvage Inc., Allied Bearing Corporation and The Cawley Company.

For more information on Pokorski Motorsports, check out Pokorski Motorsports on Facebook or visit www.pedaldownpromotions.com.

Pokorski Motorsports Sponsor Showcase – Quest Engineering Inc.

Pokorski Motorsports will like to welcome Quest Engineering of Richfield, Wis. as a new sponsor for the 2018 racing season.

Quest Engineering focuses solely on full overlay cabinetry and complimenting custom products, including kitchen, bath, closets, garage, entertainment and commercial casework projects.

Quest’s skilled team of customer advocates, product specialists, engineers, production managers and operations team rely on a continuous improvement philosophy to pave the road to success.

Founded as a contract wood products fabricator in West Bend by brothers Chris and Todd Lefeber in 2001, Quest operated on mostly manual machines until adding CNC equipment and parametric engineering software to its repertoire in 2006.

In late 2008, Quest Engineering made the move from a direct sales to a dealer sales model with an increased focused on its capacity as a manufacturer. Quest moved from its original facility in West Bend to a newly renovated production facility in Richfield in fall 2012.

In May 2015, working with equipment, software, and special service vendors, Quest expanded with the addition of a second manufacturing plant. Housing a flexible casework production cell, a custom fabrication cell and a small warehouse, a new facility in Jackson was opened, featuring a design center and showroom.

“We spent time working on new sponsorship for this year and we are very excited to have Quest Engineering on board with us for 2018,” Pokorski said. “Quest is a local manufacturer of quality cabinets and we encourage our fans to check out their line of products.”

Pokorski Motorsports invites you to contact Quest Engineering Inc. by phone at 262-334-4949 or by visiting www.questcabinets.com.

Pedal Down Promotions is a full-service public relations and media services company devoted to helping its clients effectively communicate with targeted audiences through 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.

2018 Pokorski Motorsports Upcoming Schedule

Saturday, June 30 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

Friday, July 6 – Dodge County Fairgrounds Speedway, Beaver Dam, Wis.

Saturday, July 7 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

Saturday, July 14 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth Wis.

2018 Pokorski Motorsports By The Numbers

Total Events – 10

MSA events – 9

IRA events – 1

A Main Victories – 0

Top Five A Main Finishes – 1

Top 10 A Main Finishes – 5

Heat Race Victories – 0

November 13, 2018 / by Jeff Pederson

Davis, Schlieper, Schumacher, Edler, Ruh shine in PDTR A-main action

Kurt Davis of South Milwaukee claimed his 18th career Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Sprint Car A-main victory at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth on Saturday, June 23. – RC Custom Design pho

By Jeff Pederson – Pedal Down Promotions

(Plymouth, Wis.) June 23, 2018 – For one of the few times during the 2018 season, racers gathered for an evening of racing competition at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth without the possibility of rain in the forecast on Saturday, June 23.

The Plymouth Dirt Track Racing program featured 105 cars, including 37 B Mods, 25 Sprint Cars, 19 Late models, 19 Grand Nationals and five Micro Sprints, competing on a very tacky, wide and fast track for a program sponsored by Mayer Automotive.

The first A-main to take to the track was the Richard’s of Dunbar 360 Sprint Car event. 2010 PDTR Sprint Car champion Kurt Davis of South Milwaukee took the lead as the green flag waved and would not be passed during the 25-lap race.

Davis who has won more A-mains in this highly competitive Midwest Sprint Car Association 360 Sprint Car division than any other driver would taste victory for the 18^th time with PDTR and 54^th occasion with the Midwest Sprint Car Association.

Hometown driver Justin Miller of Plymouth quickly moved into second on lap four and chased Davis the rest of the distance. The leaders caught the back of the field on lap nine with Davis finding the outside groove to his liking. A caution flag on lap 10 tightened the field as Miller, Sprint Car rookie Travis Arenz of Sheboygan, Jim Melis of Glenbeulah and Kewaskum’s Shane Wenninger trailed Davis on the restart.

Melis showed the experience he has gained during his 37-year racing career and grabbed the second spot immediately. Soon Davis would enjoy a five-car length lead over Melis. However, that advantage disappeared when PDTR Sprint Car point leader and two-time PDTR Sprint Car champ Danny Schlafer of Sussex jumped the cushion in turn two and stopped against the wall.

On the restart, two cars touched in turn two setting off a scramble that included at least six cars. Several would need a tow to the pits before the race could resume.

Wenninger slipped past Miller into second following the restart. Meanwhile, Davis maintained his lead on the way to victory lane for the first time in A-main competition in 2018, followed by Wenninger, Miller, Plymouth’s Josh Walter and Tyler Brabant of Waupun.

In victory lane, Davis reminded everyone that he is racing this season in memory of his father, who passed away last year.

The Gasroots Project Late Model main event was won by part-time driver Dan Schlieper of Milwaukee, who started on the front row alongside Glenbuelah’s Tim Buhler. Cleveland’s Jim Schmidt jumped from his second row starting spot to challenge the leader.

A caution flag flew and slowed the very fast pace on a restart early in the race. Buhler restarted in third with Mitch McGrath of Waukesha and “top-gun” Taylor Scheffler of Waukesha in tow.

Soon McGrath moved into third with four-time and defending PDTR Late Model champion Brad Mueller of Random Lake fourth ahead of Scheffler. Drivers used every bit of the racing surface to set a blistering pace lap after lap.

On lap 19, McGrath and Schmidt dueled side by side, not far behind Schlieper and they battled that way to the checkered flag.

Schlieper held the lead the rest of the way to post his first career PDTR Late Model A-main triumph. Jim Schmidt placed second, followed by McGrath, Buhler and Justin Schmidt of Cleveland.

In victory lane Schlieper, after catching his breath, said he hadn’t driven since last season.

The Cellcom B-Mods would take to the track next featuring the 20 drivers, who made the cut from the strong field of 37 entrants

Tim Sheppard of Beaver Dam and Shane Long of Sheboygan Falls lead the field to the start. Sheppard was first to turn one with Long and Bill Edler of Howards Grove side by side for second.

As Sheppard built a six-car length lead, the racers behind him were staging a fierce battle for position using every bit of the third-mile surface.

Third row starters Tim Warner from Malone and Tom Stark from Egg Harbor would stay right behind the leaders until former champion Justin Green of Sheboygan Falls passed Warner to move into fourth.

By the midway point in the race, Sheppard held the top spot with Long and Edler racing hard for position and several times making contact.

A yellow flag slowed the pace down on lap 16 and on the restart, Edler passed Sheppard on the inside in turn three with Stark following. Stark challenged Edler for the top spot in the closing laps, but Edler would not be denied.A short time later, Green would make a nifty low-side pass of Sheppard only to see him relinquish the spot when Sheppard came back on the outside.

Edler held on to post first PDTR B Mod A-main victory. Stark placed second with Sheppard third, Green fourth and Warner rounding out the top five.

The Klips & Tips sponsored Grand National A-main would be as exciting the previous events. Front row starters were Nick Schumacher of Eagle and Kurt Davis, still on a high from his Sprint Car victory.

Schumacher held the lead throughout in a race that never saw much distance between any of the competitors. Former PDTR Grand National champion Matt Yancey of Sheboygan again used the outside groove to gather a lot of speed and make his way into the top-five.

A lap nine caution would tighten the field with Schumacher ahead of Davis, Josh Pierce of Fredonia, Yancey and Plymouth driver Steven Weber.

Pierce moved outside the leader on lap 13, but the veteran Schumacher would not yield the point after a side-by-side battle. Tyler Kulow of Plymouth found his way into the top five a lap later as three-wide racing was featured.

Davis continued to challenge the leader with Pierce after him. after fading a bit, Yancey would mount another charge and move into second on lap 20 coming off turn four. Several late cautions slowed the pace, but under green the racing would be tight until Schumacher parked in victory lane with his first PDTR Grand National A-main win.

Yancey placed second, Davis was third, Pierce took fourth and Kulow rounded out the top five.

In the Kristine Hartman-Pleasant View Realty A-main, 2017 champion Preston Ruh of Elkhart Lake would best the small field and posted his third career PDTR Micro Sprint A-main victory. Emily Portschy of Plymouth took second and Andy Rein of West Bend was third.

The Sprint Car B-main saw Bill Taylor from Kewaskum take the checkers in a race that saw rookie Chris Larson from Franksville flip in turn three on the final lap.

The large B Mod field featured two B-main events. Brandon Knepprath of Kewaskum and past track champion Brandon Berth of Cascade posted B Mod B-main victories.

In the third B Mod heat race, Brad Mueller driving for Travis Schmidt who was standing up in a wedding, went for a wild ride after it appeared something in the rear suspension failed. after turning over numerous times, the car came to a rest upside down with extensive damage, but Mueller would emerge uninjured.

The next PDTR program will take place on Saturday, June 30, featuring a salute to police, fire and EMS personnel. The racing program, which begins at 6 p.m., will be sponsored by the city of Sheboygan Falls Fire Department and include Late Model driver introductions.

For more information on Pedal Down Promotions, email pedaldownpromotions@gmail.com, visit www.pedaldownpromotions.com or call 920-323-7970.

November 13, 2018 / by Jeff Pederson

Adjustments produce solid showing for Pokorski Motorsports

Paul Pokorski posted his fourth top-10 A-main finish of the 2018 season in Plymouth Dirt Track Racing-Midwest Sprint Car Association 360 Sprint Car action at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Friday, June 15. – RC Custom Design photo

By Jeff Pederson – Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) June 19, 2018 – A week of hard work in the shop paid off with another top-10 finish in A-main competition for Paul Pokorski and his Pokorski Motorsports team in 360 Sprint Car competition at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Friday, June 15.

With 29 PDTR 360 Sprint Cars checked into the pit area for the special Friday night event featuring the Russ Scheffler Tribute Race in the PDTR Late Model division, Pokorski started third in the fourth Sprint Car heat race.

Pokorski ducked under Nich Melis to gain the third spot in turn three on the opening lap. On lap 5, Kurt Davis powered around Pokorski to briefly take over third. However, Pokorski battled back to regain the third position on lap 6 and held on the rest of the way to secure a spot in the 25-lap Sprint Car A main.

After rolling off 12^th in the Sprint Car main event, Pokorski settled into 10^th on lap 4 before advancing past two more cars along the high groove of the wide and racey track surface to take eighth on lap 11.

Following first caution flag of the event flew on lap 17, Pokorski fell back to 10^th place in the restart before another caution appeared on lap 18. On the second restart, Pokorski found hit his stride to streak past Justin Miller and Tony Wondra on lap 19 before passing Josh Walter on lap 21 and Brandon McMullen on lap 23 to secure a solid sixth-place finish.

“I didn’t get a very good start at the beginning of the A main and the dust made it hard to see the first couple of laps, but once we got spaced out a little, we got rolling and the end result was good,” Pokorski said. “We advanced six spots from where we started, but I think I lost at least three spots at the start, so we passed more cars than it would appear.”

After failing to finish in the top 10 for the first time this season in a PDTR/MSA 360 Sprint Car A-main event on June 9 at Plymouth, Pokorski credited the team’s fourth top-10 A-main finish of the year to a highly productive midweek brainstorming session in the shop.

“We tried something new this week,” Pokorski said. “Dave Schultz came down and spent Wednesday evening in the shop with me, experimenting and discussing a few new theories to try. It had an immediate positive effect. We have a new baseline to work off of now and few other things we will need to tweak and hopefully make things even better.”

The team was scheduled to take part in a Bank First Midwest Sprint Car Association event at TNT Speedway in Three Lakes on Saturday, June 16, but rain forced the race to be cancelled. The MSA will appear at TNT Speedway later in the season on Sunday, Aug. 19.

Pokorski Motorsports is now gearing up for a doubleheader weekend of action starting with a special Friday night Midwest Sprint Car Association event event at the Spring Lake Speedway in Unity on Friday, June 22.

Grandstand gates open at 5 p.m. with hot laps at 7 p.m. and racing beginning at 7:30 p.m.

On Saturday, June 23, the Pokorski Motorsports team will return to The Plymouth Dirt Track with grandstands opening at 4:30 p.m., hot laps at 5:30 p.m. and racing slated to begin at 6 p.m.

“I can’t wait for two straight days of racing this coming week,” Pokorski said. “I hope that our team and the other Bank First MSA teams can put on a good show for the fans at Spring Lake Speedway in Unity on Friday.”

For more information on Pokorski Motorsports, check out Pokorski Motorsports on Facebook or visit www.pedaldownpromotions.com.

Pokorski Motorsports Sponsor Showcase – Quest Engineering Inc.

Pokorski Motorsports will like to welcome Quest Engineering of Richfield, Wis. as a new sponsor for the 2018 racing season.

Quest Engineering focuses solely on full overlay cabinetry and complimenting custom products, including kitchen, bath, closets, garage, entertainment and commercial casework projects.

Quest’s skilled team of customer advocates, product specialists, engineers, production managers and operations team rely on a continuous improvement philosophy to pave the road to success.

Pokorski Motorsports invites you to contact Quest Engineering Inc. by phone at 262-334-4949 or by visiting www.questcabinets.com.

For more information on Pedal Down Promotions, email pedaldownpromotions@gmail.com, visit www.pedaldownpromotions.com or call 920-323-7970.

2018 Pokorski Motorsports Upcoming Schedule

Friday, June 22 – Spring Lake Speedway, Unity, Wis.

Saturday, June 23 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

Saturday, June 30 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

Friday, July 6 – Dodge County Fairgrounds Speedway, Beaver Dam, Wis.

Saturday, July 7 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

2018 Pokorski Motorsports By The Numbers

Total Events – 8

MSA events – 7

IRA events – 1

A Main Victories – 0

Top Five A Main Finishes – 1

Top 10 A Main Finishes – 4

Heat Race Victories – 0

November 13, 2018 / by Jeff Pederson

Justin Schmidt scores big victory in PDTR Russ Scheffler Tribute Race

Justin Schmidt of Cleveland earned the $2,274 winner’s check for capturing the 30-lap Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Russ Scheffler Late Model Tribute Race at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Friday, June 15. – RC Custom Design photo

Ben Schmidt, Matt Loehr notch A-main triumphs before rain hits

By Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions

(Plymouth, Wis.) June 15, 2018 – Justin Schmidt of Cleveland collected the biggest victory of his seven-year Dirt Late Model racing career by capturing the 30-lap Russ Scheffler Tribute Race at The Plymouth Dirt Track Friday, June 15, at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis.

The special Friday night PDTR program honored the memory of Scheffler, who posted a PDTR record 92 race victories, including 45 A-main triumphs, in PDTR Late Model competition between 2005 and 2016, along with winning the PDTR Late Model title in 2007. Scheffler passed way in September 2017 at the age 54.

The event attracted a strong field of 28 Gasroots Project Late Model drivers from throughout the state of Wisconsin, who were vying for the $2,274 first-place check, along with extra purse money courtesy of several area businesses.

In the 25-lap PDTR Richard’s Supper Club and Motel of Dunbar 360 Sprint Car A main, Ben Schmidt of Howards Grove posted the victory and points leader Matt Loehr of Dotyville won the rain-shortened 10-lap Klips & Tips Grand National A main. Rain also forced the cancellation of the Cellcom B Mod A-main event.

Polesitter Tim Buhler of Greenbush took the lead at the drop of the green flag in the Russ Scheffler Tribute Race as Justin Schmidt, who started second, settled into the runner-up spot.

On lap 2, Schmidt charged in to pressure Buhler for the top spot. Two laps later, Schmidt swung around the 2016 PDTR Late Model champion to assume the top spot exiting turn 2.

Four laps later, 2014 PDTR Late Model champion Mitch McGrath of Waukesha, who started sixth, executed a low move to take third in turn three on lap 8. The first caution of the race appeared on lap 10 for debris in turn one.

On the restart, McGrath shot past Buhler along the high groove to assume second, while Taylor Scheffler of Waukesha, who started fifth, followed suit to charge into third place on lap 12.

Over the final 18 circuits, McGrath worked the top, bottom and middle of the track in an attempt to wrestle the lead away from Schmidt. However, Schmidt fended off each of McGrath’s challenges as the leaders began to work through lapped traffic over the final six laps.

On the final lap, McGrath mounted one final challenge along the low groove in heavy lapped traffic, but it fell just one car length short at the finish line.

Schmidt held on to post his eighth career PDTR Late Model A-main victory, including three of the first four A mains of the 2018 PDTR season, and pocket the big $2,274 Russ Schleffer Tribute Race first-place check.

McGrath had to settle for second, Nick Anvelink of Navarino put on a solid performance, charging from 10^th at the start to finish third, Taylor Scheffler placed fourth after starting fifth and Buhler rounded out the top five.

The first four laps of the 25-lap Sprint Car A main included a whirlwind of action as outside front row starter Justin Miller of Plymouth led the opening lap after polesitter Danny Schlafer of Sussex drifted high in turn one during the first lap.

On lap 2, PDTR Sprint Car rookie sensation Travis Arenz of Sheboygan, who started third, slipped past Miller to take over the top spot. Two laps later, Schmidt charged up from his outside third row starting spot to mount a challenge for the lead along the outside groove.

Schmidt then executed a daring outside pass of Arenz in turn two on lap 4 to assume the top spot. After a pair of caution flags on lap 17 and lap 18 for spins involving Plymouth’s Nich Melis, Waldo’s Chris Clayton and Waupun’s Tyler Brabant, Schlafer battled back to gain second on lap 19.

As the laps wound down, Schmidt maintained a solid full-straightaway margin over Schlafer en route to his ninth career PDTR Sprint Car A main victory and 24th overall Midwest Sprint Car Association A-main triumph of his career.

Schlafer finished second, Arenz wound up third, 2010 PDTR Sprint Car champion Kurt Davis of South Milwaukee finished fourth after starting eighth and Jim Melis of Glenbeulah, who started seventh, completed the top five.

Matt Loehr, who started on the outside of the front row, outpowered Appleton’s Jason Fish to take the lead in turn one of the opening lap of the Grand National A main.

After a caution on lap 3, two-time PDTR Grand National champion Don Sorce Jr. of West Allis, who started third, powered his way into the runner-up spot, while sixth starter Dan Sorce of West Allis followed into third place on lap 4.

As the wind picked up and rain storm approached, Loehr maintained the top spot over the next six laps until rain began to fall on lap 10, forcing the remainder of the race to be cancelled. Per PDTR rules, all A-main events that reach the 10-lap mark are considered complete giving Loehr his sixth career PDTR Grand National A-main victory.

Dan Sorce placed second, Sorce Jr. was third, fifth starter Roger Lee of Wind Lake took fourth and Fish rounded out the top five.

Justin Reed of Camp Point, Ill. was victorious in the Late Model B main. Tom Naeyaert of Shawano won the Late Model non-qualifier’s dash. Adam Miller of Plymouth captured the Sprint Car B main and Justin Bauer of Sheboygan Falls was victorious in the B Mod B main.

The special Friday night PDTR race program, which was sponsored by A-1 Appliance Repair, drew a total of 112 cars, including 28 Late Models, 29 Sprint Cars, 32 B Mods and 23 Grand Nationals.

The next PDTR program will take place on Saturday, June 23, beginning at 6 p.m. sponsored by Mayer Automotive and featuring B Mod driver introductions.

For more information on Pedal Down Promotions, email pedaldownpromotions@gmail.com, visit www.pedaldownpromotions.com or call 920-323-7970.

November 13, 2018 / by Jeff Pederson

After snapping top-10 streak, Pokorski Motorsports focuses on doubleheader weekend

Paul Pokorski posted a 13th-place showing in the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car A-main on Saturday, June 9, at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. – RC Custom Design photo

By Jeff Pederson – Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) June 12, 2018 – Paul Pokorski and his Pokorski Motorsports team came into Plymouth Dirt Track Racing (PDTR) Sprint Car competition at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, June 9 riding the wave of three consecutive top-10 A-main showings.

However, the evening proved to be an uphill battle, which resulted in Pokorski racking up a 13^th-place showing in the PDTR Sprint Car A main to finish outside of the top 10 for the first time in Midwest Sprint Car Association (MSA) A-main action this season.

After starting sixth in the first Sprint Car heat race, Pokorski crossed the finish line fifth, which relegated him to the B main, where he rolled off fifth. The 2014 MSA Masters Series champion ran a steady race to finish fourth in the B Main and earn one of the six available transfer spots to the Sprint Car A main.

Pokorski began the 30-lap Sprint Car A main from the 20^th starting spot and gradually worked his way up through the field utilizing the outside groove of the third-mile clay oval.

Aided by a pair of caution periods, Pokorski managed to gain seven spots over the course of the event to record a 13^th-place finish in a race won by Kevin Karnitz.

“The track was a little heavier than normal and we struggled a bit,” Pokorski said. “We have some work to do this week to try and find some solutions.”

Pokorski Motorsports is gearing up for a doubleheader weekend of action starting with a special Friday night event at The Plymouth Dirt Track featuring the Russ Scheffler Tribute Race for the PDTR Late Model division on Friday, June 15. Pit gates will open at 4 p.m. with grandstands opening at 5:30 p.m. and racing slated to begin one hour later than normal at 7 p.m.

On Saturday, June 16, the Pokorski Motorsports team is slated to make its first appearance at TNT Speedway in Three Lakes, Wis. for a special Midwest Sprint Car Association event. Hot laps are scheduled to start at 5 p.m. with racing to begin at 6 p.m.

“I’m looking forward to TNT,” Pokorski said. “Hopefully it will be wide and racey. Two nights of racing, as long as things go well, is always fun.”

For more information on Pokorski Motorsports, check out Pokorski Motorsports on Facebook or visit www.pedaldownpromotions.com.

Pokorski Motorsports Sponsor Showcase – Quest Engineering Inc.

Pokorski Motorsports will like to welcome Quest Engineering of Richfield, Wis. as a new sponsor for the 2018 racing season.

Quest Engineering focuses solely on full overlay cabinetry and complimenting custom products, including kitchen, bath, closets, garage, entertainment and commercial casework projects.

Quest’s skilled team of customer advocates, product specialists, engineers, production managers and operations team rely on a continuous improvement philosophy to pave the road to success.

Pokorski Motorsports invites you to contact Quest Engineering Inc. by phone at 262-334-4949 or by visiting www.questcabinets.com.

For more information on Pedal Down Promotions, email pedaldownpromotions@gmail.com, visit www.pedaldownpromotions.com or call 920-323-7970.

2018 Pokorski Motorsports Upcoming Schedule

Friday, June 15 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

Saturday, June 16 – TNT Speedway, Three Lakes, Wis.

Friday, June 22 – Spring Lake Speedway, Unity, Wis.

Saturday, June 23 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

Saturday, June 30 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

2018 Pokorski Motorsports By The Numbers

Total Events – 7

MSA events – 6

IRA events – 1

A Main Victories – 0

Top Five A Main Finishes – 1

Top 10 A Main Finishes – 3

Heat Race Victories – 0

November 13, 2018 / by Jeff Pederson

Karnitz, Schmidt, Yancey, Engebregtsen, Collins claim PDTR A-main triumphs

Kevin Karnitz of West Bend earned his second career Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car A-main victory at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth on Saturday, June 9. – RC Custom Design photo

By Jeff Pederson – Pedal Down Promotions

(Plymouth, Wis.) June 9, 2018 – Overcast skies with a light mist at times kept the racing surface very fast for the 104 cars that gathered in the pits for a highly competitive night of Plymouth Dirt Track Racing action at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis., sponsored by WES Innovations LLC of Wisconsin on Saturday, June 9.

The fast and wide racing surface made for plenty of spirited side-by-side racing action, as well as some hard crashes.

In A-main action, Kevin Karnitz of West Bend took top honors in the Richard’s of Dunbar 360 Sprint Car main event, Justin Schmidt of Cleveland captured the Grasroots Project Late Model headliner, Matt Yancey from Sheboygan earned the triumph in the Klips & Tips Grand National feature event, Vince Engebregtsen of Algoma earned the victory in the Cellcom B Mod A main and Dave Collins of Lake Mills was the victor in the Kristine Hartmann Pleasant View Realty Micro Sprint feature race.

In the 30-lap Sprint Car A main, Chris Clayton of Waldo and Al Schlafer of Sussex were on the front row. As they charged into turn one, Clayton would be the leader. Past PDTR 360 Sprint Car champions Danny Schlafer of Sussex, Brandon McMullen of Plymouth and Kurt Davis of South Milwaukee were close behind the leader rounded out the top five competitors in the early going.

With Clayton setting a fast pace in front, the action behind him was intense. Davis and McMullen ran wing to wing before McMullen slipped ahead on the low side. Soon Karnitz would make his presence known by pressuring McMullen for second. By lap 11, Karnitz had secured the second spot just ahead of McMullen.

Meanwhile, 2011 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champ Ben Schmidt of Howards Grove, who started ninth, showed off his driving skill running outside line into the top five. On lap 16, the leaders caught the back of the field with Clayton holding off Karnitz, but a nifty move in turn one would send Karnitz to the lead with McMullen and Danny Schlafer in tow.

The action was slowed when Clayton’s car and another made contact in turn two resulting in front-end damage to his car, which ended his night.

With the restart tightening the field, a multi-car crash took place entering turn three, after it appeared a car slowed with a mechanical issue and cars went in all directions. The car of Al Schalfer flipped end over end before stopping on its side. After a few minutes, the veteran would immerge from the car and appeared uninjured, although shaken up.

The final laps saw plenty of action behind Karnitz, as Schmidt, McMullen and Danny Schlafer would swap positions.

Karnitz held on to post his second career PDTR 360 Sprint Car A-main victory and his third overall in Midwest Sprint Car Association competition. The victory was also the second in a row for Karnitz, who captured the most recent MSA A main at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie on Sunday, June 3. In victory lane, Karnitz gave credit to his pit crew for giving him the winning car.

Schmidt placed second, followed by McMullen in third, Danny Schlafer fourth and Davis, who rounded out the top five.

Justin Schmidt, who was a close second in the point’s standings entering the evening, would line up on the pole of the 25-lap Late Model A main, flanked by Turk Letizia of Milwaukee with four-time and defending PDTR Late Model champion Brad Mueller of Random Lake and Paul Parker of De Pere comprising second row.

Schmidt would grab the early lead and soon led Mueller by five car lengths, while Letizia and Parker engaged in a tight race close behind.

By lap 10, Mueller tracked down Schmidt to challenge for the lead. On lap 11, coming off turn four Mueller’s car jumped the cushion. The seasoned veteran would be able to keep his mount off the wall, but the bobble allowed Schmidt to build up a solid advantage.

By lap 12, Schmidt’s lead was seven lengths with Letizia and Parker following in nose-to-tail formation. On lap 14, the yellow flag waved for the stopped car of Zach Kessler.

On the restart, 2016 PDTR Late Model champ Tim Buhler of Glenbuelah lined up fifth and at the drop of the green, split the cars of Parker and Letizia to gain third.

The race would be stopped a lap later for an incident between Parker and Jim Schmidt of Cleveland, resulting in three cars sliding to a stop near the wall.

The next laps would see Buhler running low and Mueller high as they fought for the second spot. After a restart on lap 20, 2008 PDTR Late Model champion Bill Rezutek of Big Bend and Taylor Scheffler of Waukesha dueled for position side by side not far behind the leaders.

In the closing laps, Buhler and Mueller would continue running side by side and 2014 PDTR Late Model champ Mitch McGrath of Waukesha, who started the race 18^th, charged up to sixth.

Schmidt said he was glad he had a lead that allowed him to run his preferred line while the others had to race all over the track. For the Cleveland driver, it was his second A-main win three events this season at Plymouth and his seventh career PDTR Late Model A-main triumph.

Mueller had to settle for second, Buhler was third, Scheffler placed fourth and Rezutek rounded out the top five.

Justin Bauer of Sheboygan Falls took the initial lead in the 25-lap B-Mod main event. Gary Glander of Sheboygan Falls passed Bauer on the second circuit with defending PDTR B Mod champ Justin Green of Sheboygan Falls and Vince Engebregtsen right behind.

Engebregtsen would made a high side pass for the lead on lap 6 and would stay in front for the remainder of the race. Engebregtsen started lapping traffic by lap 10, while Glander would stay in second with Green, Rick Kretschmann of Sheboygan Falls and Glen Blanke of Sheboygan Falls rounding out the top five in the early going.

After several cautions, things settled down with Cody Eickberg of Plymouth and Travis Schmidt of Plymouth moving into the top five.

Engebregtsen and his family traveled from Algoma to The Plymouth Dirt Track for the first time and he was very happy in victory lane after notching his first career PDTR B Mod A-main victory.

Green wound up second, Glander was third, Kretschmann placed fourth and Eickberg rounded out the top five.

The 25-lap Grand National A-main event saw Sheboygan drivers Ryan Minster and Matt Yancey comprise the front row. Yancey, the 2008 PDTR Grand National champion, took the lead on the backstretch of the first lap. Luke Scholten of Oostburg, who was driving the Bender Racing car for Matt Loehr, made an outside pass for second place on lap 3.

A caution waved on lap 6 to keep the field tight. Yancey would maintain his lead, but could never put much distance on the hungry drivers close behind. Scholten made numerous attempts to get past the leader, but was unsuccessful.

Minster, Kurt Davis, Steven Weber of Plymouth and Tyler Kulow of Plymouth ran very close inside the top five to create suspense until the checkered flag flew. After a lap-23 caution, it was a two-lap dash to the finish with Yancey holding on to claim his fifth-career PDTR Grand National A-main victory.

Scholten finished second, Kulow was third, Minister took fourth and Weber wound up fifth.

The 15-lap Micro Sprint main event went to Dave Collins in a race that saw several leaders have problems.

Defending PDTR Micro Sprint champion Preston Ruh of Elkhart Lake had the lead until he spun out, turning the lead over to 14-year-old Jack Vanderboom of Dousman.

All appeared well for Vanderboom until his car stopped and the lead was turned over to Collins, who started the race fifth. Emily Portschy of Plymouth chased Collins to the finish before ending up second. Ruh came back to get third ahead of Jake Dohner of Janesville and Vanderboom.

Anthony Knierim of Franksville won the Sprint Car B-Main; The two B-Mod B-mains went to Tim Shepard of Beaver Dam and Mark Hoeppner of Rubicon. In the third Sprint Car heat race, Adam Miller from Plymouth escaped injury when contact with another car sent his machine on a wild series of flips.

The race program saw 36 B-Mods, 28 Sprint Cars, 18 Late Models, 17 Grand Nationals and 5 Micro Sprints take to the third-mile Plymouth Dirt Track facility.

PDTR would like to thank Hagar Nelson for once again sponsoring his cash giveaway, providing an opportunity for drivers to take home extra cash.

This Friday, June 15, PDTR will hold a special Friday night event paying tribute to former Late Model champion Russ Scheffler, who passed away last September. The event will feature a special 30-lap Late Model A-main paying $2,274 to the winner and $300 to start. Grandstand gates open at 5 p.m. with racing set to begin at 7 p.m.

The PDTR 360 Sprint Cars, B-Mods and Grand Nationals will also be in action for the Friday night program, which is sponsored by A1 Appliance.

There will be no racing at The Plymouth Dirt Track on Saturday, June 16.

For more information on Pedal Down Promotions, email pedaldownpromotions@gmail.com, visit www.pedaldownpromotions.com or call 920-323-7970.

November 13, 2018 / by Jeff Pederson

Pokorski Motorsports racks up third straight top-10 showing

By Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) June 7, 2018 – Paul Pokorski and his Pokorski Motorsports team emerged from a scheduled doubleheader weekend of Midwest Sprint Car Association competition by adding a third straight top-10 A-main finish to its 2018 racing resume.

The planned two-race weekend began Saturday, June 2, with 30 Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Sprint Cars signed in at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. However, the program fell victim to rain just prior to the start of the PDTR Sprint Car A-main.

The team came back the next day to record its third consecutive top-10 A-main finish by placing eighth in the 25-lap MSA 360 Sprint Car main event at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wis. on Sunday, June 3.

After starting fourth in the first PDTR Sprint Car heat race on Saturday at Plymouth, Pokorski raced into third place on the opening lap before Scott Conger slipped past to push the 2014 MSA Masters Series champion to fourth.

Pokorski regrouped to power around Emily Portschy in turn four on lap 8 to secure a third-place finish in the 10-lap heat race.

After passing points were tallied, Pokorski was scheduled to start the 25-lap PDTR Sprint Car A-main from the pole position. However, mother nature had other plans as a heavy rain shower hit the track just as cars were being pushed off for the Sprint Car A main, forcing the remainder of the program to be cancelled.

With 27 MSA Sprint Cars on hand on Sunday at Angell Park, Pokorski started third in the second MSA heat race. The West Bend driver worked past Jordan Mattson to seize second in turn one of the opening lap. Pokorski ran a steady race the rest of the way to finish second to MSA rookie Travis Arenz.

After starting fifth in the 25-lap MSA A main, Pokorski settled into fourth place in the opening laps before Arenz flipped on the backstretch to bring out a caution on lap 6.

On the restart, Pokorski got shuffled back to seventh in turn three on lap 7 before making a sweeping move past Scott Conger and Ben Schmidt to climb back to fifth in turn 1 on lap 8.

The second and final caution appeared on lap 10 when Adam Miller encountered motor problems while running second. After lining up fourth on the restart, Pokorski fell back to sixth when Brandon McMullen and Ben Schmidt got by on lap 11.

As the laps wound down, Kurt Davis gained a spot on Pokorski and Lance Fassbender edged past at the finish line as the Pokorski Motorsports machine was scored eighth in a race won by Kevin Karnitz.

Pokorski Motorsports is set to return to the Plymouth Dirt Track this Saturday, June 9 for an extended 30-lap PDTR Sprint Car A main, featuring Sprint Car driver introductions.

The grandstand will open at 4:30 p.m. with hot laps at 5:30 p.m. and racing set to begin at 6 p.m.

For more information on Pokorski Motorsports, check out Pokorski Motorsports on Facebook or visit www.pedaldownpromotions.com.

Pokorski Motorsports Sponsor Showcase – Quest Engineering Inc.

Pokorski Motorsports will like to welcome Quest Engineering of Richfield, Wis. as a new sponsor for the 2018 racing season.

Quest Engineering focuses solely on full overlay cabinetry and complimenting custom products, including kitchen, bath, closets, garage, entertainment and commercial casework projects.

Quest’s skilled team of customer advocates, product specialists, engineers, production managers and operations team rely on a continuous improvement philosophy to pave the road to success.

Pokorski Motorsports invites you to contact Quest Engineering Inc. by phone at 262-334-4949 or by visiting www.questcabinets.com.

For more information on Pedal Down Promotions, email pedaldownpromotions@gmail.com, visit www.pedaldownpromotions.com or call 920-323-7970.

2018 Pokorski Motorsports Upcoming Schedule

Saturday, June 9 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

Friday, June 15 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

Saturday, June 16 – TNT Speedway, Three Lakes, Wis.

Friday, June 22 – Spring Lake Speedway, Unity, Wis.

Saturday, June 23 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

2018 Pokorski Motorsports By The Numbers

Total Events – 6

MSA events – 5

IRA events – 1

A Main Victories – 0

Top Five A Main Finishes – 1

Top 10 A Main Finishes – 3

Heat Race Victories – 0

November 13, 2018 / by Jeff Pederson

79-year-old Hed claims PDTR Grand National main event

Dick Hed of Plymouth captured the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Grand National A-main victory at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, June 2. – RC Custom Design photo

Rain washes out four of five A-mains

By Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) June 2, 2018 – The most experienced driver in the pit area also proved to be the fastest, as 79-year-old Dick Hed of Plymouth outran his fellow competitors and beat a fast-closing rain storm to capture the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Klips & Tips Grand National A main, during a rain-truncated PDTR program Saturday, June 2, at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis.

With rain looming throughout the evening, PDTR officials made an effort to accelerate the program, forgoing intermission and moving directly into A-main competition after the completion of the preliminary races.

However, shortly after Hed claimed his fourth career PDTR Grand National A main victory in a time-shortened 23-lap main event, the sky opened and a driving rain storm forced the remainder of the headline races to be cancelled.

Hed, who captured a Sportsman division championship in 1966 and a Winged Super Modified title in 1969 at the Plymouth track, started on the pole and led throughout, but the victory was far from easy as the 53-year racing veteran had to deal with pressure from a host of hungry drivers and survive five restarts in the accident-plagued race.

Hed grabbed the lead on the drop of the green flag with 2008 PDTR Grand National champion Matt Yancey of Sheboygan, who started second, providing pressure along the outside groove.

As Yancey settled into second place along the low line, Plymouth’s Tyler Kulow, who started fourth, worked his way into third with a high move around third starter Matt Loehr of Dotyville in turn two on lap 9.

The first of six yellow flags appeared on lap 19 when an infield tire was moved onto the track. On the restart, Hed continued to lead over Yancey, while sixth starter Kurt Davis of South Milwaukee dove under Kulow to assume third in turn four on lap 20.

After a pair of caution flags appeared for back-to-back multi-car spins, Davis worked his way into second place in turn two on lap 21. However, the move was negated for a four-car incident in turn three. After another caution on the ensuing restart, Davis again powered past Yancey to seize the runner-up spot.

Davis closed in on Hed’s rear bumper as the laps wound down before the sixth and final caution was displayed on lap 23, which rendered the race complete due to the 25-minute time limit.

Davis had to settle for second behind Hed, Yancey was third, Kulow took fourth and Loehr rounded out the top five.

Will Gerrits of Waupun won the Richard’s of Dunbar Sprint Car B main and Derek Fehling of Beaver Dam captured the Cellcom B Mod B main event.

The program, which was sponsored by Pit Stop Pizza of Sheboygan Falls, featured 103 cars, including 30 Richard’s Sprint Cars, 16 Gasroots Project Late Models, 17 Klips & Tips Grand Nationals, 30 Cellcom B Mods and 10 Kristine Hartmann Pleasant View Realty Micro Sprints.

PDTR racing action will continue next Saturday, June 9, with grandstands opening at 4:30 p.m. and racing scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. The trophy sponsor for the program, which will include Sprint Car driver introductions, is WES Innovations.

For more information on Pedal Down Promotions, email pedaldownpromotions@gmail.com, visit www.pedaldownpromotions.com or call 920-323-7970.

November 13, 2018 / by Jeff Pederson

Pokorski Motorsports rallies to post first top-five of 2018

Paul Pokorski recorded his first top-five A-main finish of the season with a fourth-place showing in the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car main event at the Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, May 26. – RC Custom Design photo

By Jeff Pederson – Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) May 30, 2018 – For the first time in three weeks, Paul Pokorski and his Pokorski Motorsports team completed a full night of Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car competition at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. without any weather-related intervention on Saturday, May 26.

After two consecutive weeks during which the PDTR 360 Sprint A-main event was washed out, Pokorski was eager to complete a full evening of racing, especially on a night that was sponsored by Pokorski Motorsports supporter Pedal Down Promotions.

With hot and humid conditions giving the evening a mid-summer feel, a field of 27 PDTR Sprint Cars registered to do battle on the third-mile clay oval.

After lining up seventh in the first PDTR Sprint Car heat race, Pokorski was able to advance to sixth on the opening lap. On lap 4, the 2014 Midwest Sprint Car Association (MSA) Masters Series champion slipped past Emily Portschy to assume fifth in the running order. Pokorski held on to fifth place at the finish line to earn a spot in the 22-car A-main lineup.

After the calculation of passing points and the inversion draw, Pokorski was slotted into the pole position for the 25-lap PDTR A-main. On the drop of the green flag, Pokorski fell back to third as former PDTR Sprint Car champs Kurt Davis and Lance Fassbender slipped past on the opening lap.

As Pokorski continued to search for his line in the early stages of the race, he found himself running as far back as eighth in the first half of the event.

While the laps clicked off and the low line slicked off, Pokorski began to find his stride along the high groove steadily making his way back to the front as the leaders worked their way through lapped traffic over the closing 10 laps.

With two laps to go, Pokorski worked around Scott Conger for fourth and dueled briefly with Danny Schlafer for the third spot before settling for fourth place and his first top-five A-main finish of the 2018 racing season in a race won by Josh Walter.

Pokorski Motorsports is now set to compete in its first doubleheader weekend of the 2018 racing season, beginning with PDTR action on Saturday, June 2 at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth and concluding with an MSA traveling event on Sunday, June 3 at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie.

“I’m looking forward to going to Angel Park and getting to race two nights in a row for the first time all season,” Pokorski said. “Our last time there things went pretty well and I’m excited to see if we can build on that.”

In three appearances at Angell Park last year, Pokorski posted a pair of top-10 finishes in A-main competition, including an eighth-place showing in the MSA A-main on July 30, 2017.

On Saturday, June 2 at The Plymouth Dirt Track, the grandstand will open at 4:30 p.m. with hot laps at 5:30 p.m. and racing set to begin at 6 p.m.

Grandstand gates will open at 4:30 p.m. with hot laps at 6 p.m. and racing to follow on Sunday, June 3 at Angell Park Speedway.

For more information on Pokorski Motorsports, check out Pokorski Motorsports on Facebook or visit www.pedaldownpromotions.com.

Pokorski Motorsports Sponsor Showcase – Quest Engineering Inc.

Pokorski Motorsports will like to welcome Quest Engineering of Richfield, Wis. as a new sponsor for the 2018 racing season.

Quest Engineering focuses solely on full overlay cabinetry and complimenting custom products, including kitchen, bath, closets, garage, entertainment and commercial casework projects.

Quest’s skilled team of customer advocates, product specialists, engineers, production managers and operations team rely on a continuous improvement philosophy to pave the road to success.

Pokorski Motorsports invites you to contact Quest Engineering Inc. by phone at 262-334-4949 or by visiting www.questcabinets.com.

For more information on Pedal Down Promotions, email pedaldownpromotions@gmail.com, visit www.pedaldownpromotions.com or call 920-323-7970.

2018 Pokorski Motorsports Upcoming Schedule

Saturday, June 2 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

Sunday, June 3 – Angell Park Speedway, Sun Prairie, Wis.

Saturday, June 9 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

Friday, June 15 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

Saturday, June 16 – TNT Speedway, Three Lakes, Wis.

2018 Pokorski Motorsports By The Numbers

Total Events – 4

MSA events – 3

IRA events – 1

A Main Victories – 0

Top Five A Main Finishes – 1

Top 10 A Main Finishes – 2

Heat Race Victories – 0

November 13, 2018 / by Jeff Pederson

Walter, Siefert, Sorce Jr., Steenbergen, Ruh claim PDTR A-main triumphs

Josh Walter of Plymouth celebrates after winning the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car A main at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth on Saturday, May 26. – Pedal Down Promotions photo

By Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) May 26, 2018 – Under steamy Memorial Day weekend weather conditions, the action on the track was equally hot and heavy as Plymouth Dirt Track Racing staged its annual Military Night racing program Saturday, May 26, at The Plymouth Dirt Track on the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis.

A strong field of 100 cars took to the one-third mile Plymouth Dirt Track with Josh Walter of Plymouth (Richard’s of Dunbar 360 Sprint Cars), Jared Siefert of Luxemburg (Gasroots Project Late Models), Don Sorce Jr. of West Allis (Klips & Tips Grand Nationals), Jeff Steenbergen of Watertown (Cellcom B Mods) and Preston Ruh of Elkhart Lake (Micro Sprints) securing A-main victories in the second full PDTR racing program of the 2018 season.

In the 25-lap Sprint Car A-main, Paul Pokorski of West Bend lined up from the pole position flanked by 2010 PDTR Sprint Car champion Kurt Davis of South Milwaukee.

After an aborted start for a flip involving Chris Clayton of Waldo, Davis jumped out into the lead with a high move in turn two on the opening lap. On lap 2, third starter Kevin Karnitz of West Bend and 2008 PDTR Sprint Car champ Lance Fassbender of Burnett, who started fifth, ducked under Pokorski to assume the second and third spots respectively.

Hugging the low line, Karnitz bolted under Davis to take the lead in turn one on lap 4. However, one lap later, Davis rode the cushion to power past Karntiz in turn two.

After Davis switched lines to run the low groove on lap 9, he quickly built up a half-straightaway cushion over Karnitz on lap 12. Meanwhile, Walter, who started sixth, flexed his muscle to move into third place on lap 13 before slipping past Karnitz to take the runner-up spot on lap 14 with a nifty low move.

Misfortune struck Davis on lap 16 when a flat left rear tire forced him to drop out of the race and relinquish the lead to Walter.

With Walter maintaining a half-straightaway lead, fourth starter Tim Haddy of Waupun gained second from Karnitz and began to set his sights on the top spot as the leaders worked through lapped traffic in the closing laps.

Jared Siefert of Luxemburg visits victory lane after winning the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Late Model A main at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth on Saturday, May 26. – Pedal Down Promotions photo

As Walter found himself bottled up by lapped traffic, Haddy closed the gap along the cushion, trailed closely by 2005 PDTR Sprint Car champion Danny Schlafer of Sussex, who started eighth, in third and Pokorski, who rallied to mount a late charge along the cushion, in fourth.

With Haddy closing rapidly, Walter held on to collect his fourth career PDTR Sprint Car A-main victory by just over one car length over Haddy, who was second. Schlafer finished third, followed by Pokorski in fourth and Eagle’s Scott Conger, who placed fifth, after starting seventh.

After cautions for spins involving Justin Schmidt of Cleveland and Kevin Baldry of Omro on the opening lap, Jim Schmidt of Cleveland assumed the top spot from the pole on the drop of the green flag of the 25-lap Late Model A main with outside front row starter Tim Buhler of Greenbush settling into second with fourth starter Jared Siefert third.

After working around Buhler with a high move on lap 3, Siefert used the outside line to pull event with Schmidt on lap 5. One lap later, Siefert powered around Schmidt in turn one to assume the lead.

As Siefert held a comfortable edge at the front of the field, a three-car battle raged between Schmidt, Buhler and four-time and defending PDTR Late Model champ Brad Mueller of Random Lake, who started sixth.

Don Sorce Jr. of West Allis won the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Grand National A main at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth on Saturday, May 26. – Pedal Down Promotions photo

On lap 10, Mueller rode the high groove to second in turn two. However, the tricky high groove proved to be a challenge for Mueller, as he dropped back to fourth on lap 18 after jumping the cushion.

Siefert went on to post his second career PDTR Late Model A-main victory, Schmidt was second, Buhler took third, Mueller claimed fourth and eighth starter Paul Parker of Kaukauna finished fifth.

In the 25-lap Grand National A main, two-time PDTR Grand National champion Don Sorce Jr. jumped out to the lead from the pole on the opening lap.

After running side-by-side for the first lap and a half, fifth starter Tyler Kulow of Plymouth outdueled Steven Ruh of New Holstein, who was driving for Matt Loehr and Bender Racing, to assume second in turn three on lap 2.

Kulow kept pace with Sorce Jr. along the low groove throughout most of the race, but was unable to mount a serious challenge for the lead as Sorce Jr. posted his 11^th career PDTR Grand National A-main victory in impressive flag-to-flag fashion.

Kulow had to settle for second, Ruh drove Loehr’s machine to a solid third-place showing, third starter Dick Hed of Plymouth placed fourth and Kurt Davis, who started seventh, rounded out the top five.

Elijah Koenig of Beaver Dam jumped out to the lead in the 25-lap B Mod A main followed by outside front row starter Tim Sheppard of Beaver Dam.

Jeff Steenbergen of Watertown is interviewed in victory lane after winning the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing B Mod A main at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth on Saturday, May 26. – Pedal Down Promotions photo

After the first of five caution flags was displayed on lap 2 for a spin involving Chris Gilson of Elkhart Lake.

One lap later, Sheppard spun in turn two while running second to bring out the second caution. On the restart, Koenig found himself feeling pressure from Jeff Steenbergen, who started fourth, and defending PDTR B Mod champion Justin Green of Sheboygan Falls, who started fifth.

On lap 9, Green dipped under Steenbergen in turn one to take second place. Three laps later, Green powered under Koenig to gain the lead in turn one.

However, Green’s lead was short-lived as he was penalized two spots for making contact with and knocking the infield tires onto the track in turn four to bring out the third caution of the race.

On the restart, Steenbergen wasted little time passing Koenig for the top spot. On lap 16, Green maneuvered around Koenig to assume the runner-up spot.

Steenbergen survived two more cautions to hold off Green by four car lengths to earn his first career PDTR B Mod A main victory. Green was second, 2016 PDTR B Mod champion Brandon Berth of Cascade finished third after starting seventh, Geoff Jeche of Juneau wound up fourth after starting ninth and Koenig rounded out the top five.

Dave Collins of Madison led the first eight laps of the 15-lap Micro Sprint A main before he was disqualified for a sparking brake rotor.

Preston Ruh of Elkhart Lake captured the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Micro Sprint A main victory at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth on Saturday, May 26. – Pedal Down Promotions photo

With Collins relegated to the infield, 2017 PDTR Micro Sprint champ Preston Ruh, who started second, assumed the top spot trailed by fourth starter Tory Strauss of Sun Prairie.

The lone caution of the race appeared on lap 7 for the stalled car of rookie Miles Quandt of Watertown in turn two. When the race resume, Ruh maintained the top spot with Strauss in tow.

Ruh went on to claim his second career PDTR A-main victory by two car lengths over Strauss. Dousman’s Jack Vanderboom, who started fifth, placed third, Plymouth’s Emily Portschy finished fourth, after starting third, and Quandt was scored fifth.

John Krebsbach of Cascade won the Sprint Car B main. Spencer Long of Oshkosh captured the first B Mod B Main and Rick Kretschmann of Sheboygan Falls collected the victory in the second B Mod B main.

The race program, which was sponsored by Pedal Down Promotions, featured 27 Sprint Cars, 14 Late Models, 16 Grand Nationals, 36 B Mods and 7 Micro Sprints.

PDTR racing action will continue next Saturday, June 2, with grandstands opening at 4:30 p.m. and racing scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. The trophy sponsor for the Graduates Night program will be Pit Stop Pizza.

For more information on Pedal Down Promotions, email pedaldownpromotions@gmail.com, visit www.pedaldownpromotions.com or call 920-323-7970.

November 13, 2018 / by Jeff Pederson

Pokorski Motorsports makes most of abbreviated night at Plymouth

By Jeff Pederson – Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) May 23, 2018 – After a one-week hiatus due to the second weather-related cancellation in the first three weeks of the 2018 Plymouth Dirt Track Racing-Midwest Sprint Car Association 360 Sprint Car season, Paul Pokorski and his Pokorski Motorsports team headed back to the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. to participate in a big all-Sprint Car spectacular, including a co-sanctioned All Star Circuit of Champions and Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car event.

With a capacity crowd of Sprint Car fans packing the stands and a strong field of 32 PDTR 360 Sprint Cars filling the pit area, Pokorski rolled off sixth in the fourth PDTR Sprint Car heat race.

When the green flag fell, Pokorski ventured to the high groove before dropping back to seventh when Nich Melis slipped past along the low line on lap 4. One lap later, Pokorski battled back to snatch sixth away from Melis.

Pokorski was challenging Justin Miller for fifth when the caution appeared on lap 7 for a spin involving Kenjay Fiedler and Brandon McMullen. After restarting fourth, Pokorski powered around Bill Taylor along the high groove on lap 8 to secure third place.

The 2014 Midwest Sprint Car Association Masters Series champion held on the rest of the way to finish third behind Miller and race winner Danny Schlafer.

Pokorski was scheduled to start fifth in the 25-lap PDTR 360 Sprint Car A main, but a heavy rain shower hit the track after the All Star-IRA B main, which forced the cancellation of the remainder of the program.

“I think the track was really nice and would have made a great A main for the 410s,” Pokorski said. “It may have been burned off by the time we got out there for the 360 main event though. I sure would have liked to find out. I know you can’t beat mother nature, but it’s still frustrating to get cut short like that. It was a pretty great night of racing up to that point.”

The Pokorski Motorsports team will be in action again this Saturday, May 26 for Military Night at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth.

The trophy sponsor for the evening is Pokorski Motorsports supporter Pedal Down Promotions. Pokorski will be looking to claim his second straight Pedal Down Promotions trophy after winning the PDTR 360 Sprint Car A main on PDP Night last year.