Pedal Down Promotions

Your fast track connection

After tough night at Plymouth, Pokorski Motorsports looks for luck to turn

Alex Pokorski of West Bend is pictured at speed behind the wheel of the No. 4 Pokorski Motorsports 360 Sprint Car at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, May 15. – JW’s Car and Raccing Photos

By Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) May 18, 2021 – On an evening when both Paul and Alex Pokorski took to The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. for the third Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car event of the 2021, luck turned out not to be on either’s side as mechanical issues plagued Alex in heat race action and a major incident after the checkered flag in the A main soured a solid night for Paul.

Alex, behind the wheel of the Pokorski Motorsports No. 4 car, and Paul, who made his debut behind the wheel of Spyder Akright’s 53A machine, joined a strong field of 34 PDTR 360 Sprint Car drivers signed for the event.

The strange night started on a good note for Paul in the third 10-lap PDTR 360 Sprint Car heat race. After starting sixth, the 29th year driver worked his way up to fourth on the opening lap on the lightning fast track surface and held off a persistent challenge from Ben Schmidt to secure fourth at the checkered flag and earn a spot in the 22-car A-main field.

Things did not go as well for Alex, who started fifth in the fourth 10-lap 360 Sprint Car heat race before suffering a suspension failure in turn three of the opening lap. The front-end issues forced Alex to retire to the pit area and he was scored eighth in the race.

After lining up eighth in the second 12-lap B Main, Alex dropped back to ninth on the opening lap before settling in to work the high groove of the fast and tacky third-mile clay oval. On lap 3, Alex moved in to challenge Tom Kreutz for eighth. Four laps later, Kreutz spun in turn four to bring out a caution flag.

Alex restarted eighth and quickly worked his way past Katelyn Krebsbach into the seventh spot. The second-year driver held the spot over the final five laps to finish his second night of action in 2021 with a seventh-place B-main finish.

“I’m not entirely sure what happened in the heat race, Alex said. “I came in on the brakes and must have caught a rut the wrong way. Some radius rods bent and I wasn’t able to continue. The B main went fairly well, but it was hard to make up ground on a fast track like we had. We will regroup and go again next week. Hopefully, we can get some good luck.”

Paul Pokorski made his first start in Spyder Akright’s 53A 360 Sprint Car at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, May 15. – JW’s Car and Raccing Photos

Paul rolled off from the 12th starting position in the 25-lap 360 Sprint Car A main and ran inside the top 15 throughout the non-stop race. With a light rain falling on the track, the 2014 Midwest Sprint Car Association Masters Series champion finished the race, which was completed in a PDTR 25-lap 360 Sprint Car A main record pace of five minutes and 31 seconds, with a 15th-place showing in a race won by Justin Miller.

Seconds after taking the checkered flag, Paul was forced to take drastic measures to avoid a rapidly slowing car, which resulted in him making heavy impact with the turn one wall and flipping the 53A car. Paul was able to emerge from the badly damaged car under his own power.

“The night went pretty good for me and I was happy with everything except the very end result, obviously,” Paul said. “It wasn’t perfect and I learned a few things I think could have helped it going forward, but it’s irrelevant now as the car was totaled.”

The Pokorski Motorsports will look for some good luck when it returns to action for a Midwest Sprint Car Association doubleheader this weekend.

On Saturday, May 22, the team will head to The Plymouth Dirt Track .at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. with Alex Pokorski again slated to be behind the wheel.

Pit gates at Plymouth open at 2 p.m., the grandstand opens at 3:30 p.m. with hot laps at 4:30 p.m. and racing starting at 5 p.m.

Alex will also steer the No. 4 machine on Sunday, May 23 in an MSA event as part of the grand reopening of Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wis., which remained closed throughout the 2020 season due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The Badger Midgets and Legends will be on the card with grandstand gates opening at 4 p.m. and racing slated to begin at 6:30 p.m.

Sponsors and supporters for the 2021 Pokorski Motorsports team are Petersen Septic Systems, Quest Engineering Inc., Goeden Auto Body, Goodwin Racing Engines, Hopf Farms, Kettle Moraine Landscaping, Novak’s Service Center, Tisler Salvage Inc., Allied Bearing Corporation, RC Custom Design and Pedal Down Promotions.

Pokorski Motorsports Sponsor Showcase – Petersen Septic Systems

Pokorski Motorsports is pleased to have Petersen Septic Systems step into the role of primary sponsor for the 2021 racing season.

Since opening its doors in Valders, Wis. in 2012, Petersen Septic Systems LLC has provided premier septic tank service and the most reliable septic system installation and repair in Manitowoc and Two Rivers and the surrounding Lakeshore area.

“We offer our services to industrial, institutional, residential, new construction, commercial and municipal accounts,” Petersen Septic Systems Owner David Petersen said. “Customer service is our utmost priority. We do every job as it was in our own homes. Our experience is second to none in the area. Prior to opening the business, I worked for Tuschl Septic Systems from 2004 until owner Chuck Tuschl retired.”

The list of regular services Petersen Septic Systems offers includes septic pump repairs, test drilling/test boring, sewage treatment systems, septic tank removal, septic tank installation, water line repair, oil testing and perc testing.

“We provide all of these services in Manitowoc County and the surrounding areas,” Petersen said. “We are OSHA certified and are licensed MPRS/CST966051.”

Petersen Septic Systems is located at 7334 Nagel Road in Valders, Wis. For more information, call 920-323-2640, email petersenseptic@gmail.com or visit www.petersensepticsystems.com.

For more information on Pokorski Motorsports, check out Pokorski Motorsports on Facebook or visit www.pedaldownpromo.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.pedaldownpromo.com or call 920-323-7970.

2021 Pokorski Motorsports By The Numbers

Total Events – 7

MSA events – 7

IRA events – 0

A Main Victories – 0

B Main Victories – 1

Top Five A Main Finishes – 0

Top 10 A Main Finishes – 1

Heat Race Victories – 0

2021 Pokorski Motorsports Upcoming Schedule

Saturday, May 22 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

Sunday, May 23 – Angell Park Speedway, Sun Prairie, Wis.

Friday, May 28 – Dodge County Fairgrounds, Beaver Dam, Wis.

Saturday, May 29 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

Saturday, June 5 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

May 18, 2021 / by Jeff Pederson

Miller, Buhler, Weber claim PDTR A-main triumphs on record-setting night

2018 Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car champion Justin Miller of Plymouth earned his fourth career 25-lap PDTR 360 Sprint Car A-main victory at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, May 15. – RC Custom Design photo

By Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) May 15, 2021 – With cool temperatures and persistent rain showers lingering throughout the evening, the third Plymouth Dirt Track Racing program of the 2021 season produced lightning fast track conditions and saw three veteran drivers post A-main victories in their respective divisions with a fourth falling victim to rain and two new track records set Saturday, May 15 at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis.

In A-main action, 2018 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Justin Miller of Plymouth outdueled two-time PDTR 360 Sprint champ Brandon McMullen of Oshkosh through heavy lapped traffic to claim the A-main victory in the 25-lap Kristine Hartmann Pleasantview Realty 360 Sprint Car main event, while establishing a new track record pace in the process.

Former PDTR Late Model champion Tim Buhler of Greenbush scored a wire-to-wire win in the 25-lap Sheboygan’s Country B93.7 Late Model main event, while Steven Weber of Plymouth led from start to finish in the 25-lap Oostburg Automotive Grand National A main. The Cellcom B Mod A main fell victim to wet track conditions following steady rain showers.

After Justin Miller led the 22-car 360 Sprint Car A-main field to the green flag from the pole position, outside front row starter Brandon McMullen powered around Miller to take the lead in turn two of the opening circuit along the high groove.

McMullen paced the field with Miller second, fourth starter Kevin Karnitz of West Bend in third and two-time PDTR 360 Sprint Car champ Kurt Davis of South Milwaukee, who started third, in fourth in the early stages of the race. The leaders hit lapped traffic on lap 7, which allowed Miller to cut the gap.

On lap 17, Miller ducked low to seize the top spot from McMullen in dense lapped traffic. Three laps later, Miller made slight contact with a lapped car in turn four, which allowed McMullen to regain the lead briefly along the inside groove.

However, Miller battled back to regain the top spot with a low move in turn three on lap 22 and fended off McMullen over the final three laps to secure his fourth career PDTR 360 Sprint Car A-main victory and sixth overall Midwest Sprint Car Association A-main triumph in the caution-free race.

Miller completed the non-stop A-main race in five minutes and 31 seconds to set a new 25-lap PDTR 360 Sprint Car A-main track record. The previous record was set in 2016 by Kurt Davis.

McMullen finished second, Karnitz placed third, Davis was fourth and Travis Arenz of Sheboygan charged from the 16th starting spot to place fifth.

Polesitter Tim Buhler led the opening lap of the Late Model A main with three-time defending PDTR Late Model champion Justin Schmidt of Cleveland, who started second, in tow.

2016 Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Late Model champ Tim Buhler of Greenbush earned his 13th career 25-lap PDTR Late Model A-main victory at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, May 15. – RC Custom Design photo

On lap 3, fifth starter Justin Ritchie of New London and third starter Jim Schmidt of Cleveland joined Justin Schmidt in a three-wide duel for second. One lap later, Justin Schmidt secured the second spot before the first of two caution flags flew on lap 5 for Chad Ludwigson of Sheboygan Falls and Joe Bongiorno of Milwaukee, who spun in turn three.

Another caution appeared on lap 6 when Turk Letizia of Milwaukee spun in turn two and was collected by Justin Ritchie.

After the restart, Buhler retained control of the top spot with Justin Schmidt trailing. On lap 10, Justin Schmidt pulled his smoking car off the track and into the infield while running second. By lap 12, Buhler had built up a full straightaway cushion over fourth starter Charlie Schmidt of Cedar Grove.

Buhler cruised over the final 13 laps to collect his 13th career PDTR Late Model A-main victory. Jim Schmidt finished second, Charlie Schmidt came home third, Letizia recovered from his lap 6 spin to place fourth and Ritchie charged back through the field after going to the pits following contact with Letizia on lap 6 to finish fifth.

Steven Weber seized the lead on the drop of the green field of the Grand National A main from the pole. On lap 2, outside front row starter Brad Weiss of West Bend pulled even with the low-riding Weber along the high groove and the two drivers dueled side by side over the next two circuits before Weber gained control of the top spot.

On lap 5, 2019 PDTR Grand National champion Tyler Kulow of Plymouth, who started third, slipped past Weiss to take second. On lap 8, Kulow closed in on Weber and continued to hound the leader throughout the remainder of the race.

Steven Weber of Plymouth notched his third career 25-lap Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Grand National A-main triumph at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, May 15. – RC Custom Design photo

Kulow stayed within striking distance in the closing laps. However, he was unable to wrestle the top spot away from the smooth and steady Weber, who went on to earn his third career PDTR Grand National A-main victory in the non-stop race.

Kulow finished second, fifth starter Chad Espen of West Bend placed third, two-time PDTR Grand National champ Don Sorce Jr. of West Allis, who started fourth, finished fourth and Dustin Weiss of Iron Ridge placed fifth after starting seventh.

The scheduled 25-lap Cellcom B Mod A main was cancelled due to rain with equal points granted to all drivers.

2011 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Ben Schmidt of Howards Grove won the first 12-lap 360 Sprint Car B main and 2008 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champ Lance Fassbender of Burnett was victorious in the second 12-lap PDTR 360 Sprint Car B main.

Nick Schultz of Beaver Dam set a new 10-lap PDTR B Mod heat race track record in the first B Mod heat race of the night with a time of two minutes and 32 seconds, which topped the previous track record by five seconds.

After the checkered flag flew in the 360 Sprint Car A main, Paul Pokorski of West Bend, in his first night behind the wheel of Spyder Akright’s 53A car, made hard contact with the turn one wall in an attempt to avoid contact with a rapidly slowly car directly ahead of him. Pokorski emerged from the badly damaged car uninjured.

The third PDTR racing program of the 2021 season, which was sponsored by the city of Sheboygan Falls Fire Department and honored police, fire and EMS personnel with free admission, drew a total of 87 cars, including 34 360 Sprint Cars, 14 Late Models, 19 Grand Nationals and 20 B Mods.

PDTR action is scheduled to resume on Saturday, May 22 with action in the 360 Sprint Car, Late Model, Grand National and B Mod divisions

Grandstand gates open at 3:30 p.m. with hot laps at 4:30 p.m. racing at 5 p.m.

The new book “70 Years of Plymouth Dirt Track Racing” by Dennis Darovich of Sheboygan and George Baumann of Waupun, covering every season of racing at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. from 1950 to 2020 will be available for purchase at every race during the 2021 PDTR season, as well as at the Sheboygan County Fair office during regular business hours and online at www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com.

 

KRISTINE HARTMANN PLEASANTVIEW REALTY 360 SPRINT CARS

HEAT 1

1, Kurt Davis 2, Blake Wondra 3, Tim Haddy 4, Mike Yurmanovich 5, Travis Arenz 6, Lance Fassbender 7, Doug Wondra 8, Josh Teunissen 9, Tyler Brabant.

HEAT 2

1, Brandon Berth 2, Justin Erickson 3, Tyler Tischendorf 4, Tony Wondra 5, Bill Taylor 6, Austin Hartmann 7, Tom Kreutz 8, Katelyn Krebsbach 9, Adam Miller.

HEAT 3

1, Brandon McMullen 2, Cole Possi 3, Preston Ruh 4, Paul Pokorski 5, Ben Schmidt 6, Matt

Rechek 7, Will Gerrits 8, Jack Vanderboom.

HEAT 4

1, Justin Miller 2, Kevin Karnitz 3, Tyler Davis 4, Scott Conger 5, Nick Daywalt 6, Jason Johnson 7, Ken Schmick 8, Alex Pokorski.

B MAIN 1

1, Ben Schmidt 2, Will Gerrits 3, Scott Conger 4, Matt Rechek 5, Jack Vanderboom 6, Mike Yurmanovich 7, Jason Johnson 8, Ken Schmick 9, Josh Teunissen.

B Main 2

1, Lance Fassbender 2, Bill Taylor 3, Austin Hartmann 4, Tyler Brabant 5, Doug Wondra 6, Adam Miller 7, Alex Pokorski 8, Katelyn Krebsbach 9, Tom Kreutz.

A MAIN

1, Justin Miller 2, Brandon McMullen 3, Kevin Karnitz 4, Kurt Davis 5, Travis Arenz 6, Brandon Berth 7, Justin Erickson 8, Tyler Tischendorf 9, Lance Fassbender 10, Tyler Davis 11, Tony Wondra 12, Ben Schmidt 13, Blake Wondra 14, Tim Haddy 15, Paul Pokorski 16, Will Gerrits 17, Cole Possi 18, Nick Daywalt 19, Bill Taylor 20, Preston Ruh 21, Austin Hartmann 22, Scott Conger.

 

SHEBOYGAN’S COUNTRY B93.7 LATE MODELS

HEAT 1

1, Jim Schmidt 2, Justin Ritchie 3, Justin Schmidt 4, Justin Green 5, Eric Michaels 6, Jacob Van Engen 7, Sawyer Specht.

HEAT 2

1, Turk Letizia 2, Charlie Schmidt 3, Tim Buhler 4, Chad Ludwigson 5, Billy Rezutek 6, Donny Singer 7, Joe Bongiorno.

A MAIN

1, Tim Buhler 2, Jim Schmidt 3, Charlie Schmidt 4, Turk Letizia 5, Justin Ritchie 6, Justin Green 7, Jacob Van Engen 8, Eric Michaels 9, Donny Singer 10, Justin Schmidt 11, Billy Rezutek 12, Joe Bongiorno 13, Chad Ludwigson 14, Sawyer Specht (DNS).

 

OOSTBURG AUTOMOTIVE GRAND NATIONAL

HEAT 1

1, Brad Weiss 2, Dustin Weiss 3, Steven Weber 4, J.J. Pagel 5, Luke Scholten 6, Dylan Struve 7, Justin Pearson.

HEAT 2

1, Don Sorce Jr. 2, Tyler Kulow 3, Derek Kaat 4, Will Sorce 5, Donny Kulow 6, Maverick Ruh.

HEAT 3

1, Chad Espen 2, Dick Hed 3, Seth Westimayer 4, Alex Lester 5, Dylan May 6, Andy Singer.

A MAIN

1, Steven Weber 2, Tyler Kulow 3, Chad Espen 4, Don Sorce Jr. 5, Dustin Weiss 6, Dick Hed 7, Luke Scholten 8, Will Sorce 9, Donny Kulow 10, Derk Kaat 11, J.J. Pagel 12, Justin Pearson 13, Seth Westimayer 14, Dylan May 15, Brad Weiss 16, Maverick Ruh 17, Alex Lester 18, Dylan Struve 19, Andy Singer (DNS).

CELLCOM B MOD

HEAT 1

1, Nick Schultz 2, Trevor Frank 3, Elijah Koenig 4, Jonathan Hitsman 5, Craig Gessner 6, Brendan Ostrowski 7, Christopher Gilson.

HEAT 2

1, Justin Bauer 2, Phil Campanella 3, Jim Fischer 4, Andy Welter 5, Gary Glander 6, Spencer Long 7, Ryan Pafford 8, Tim Thrun.

HEAT 3

1, Steve Lorier 2, Shane Long 3, Rory Welch 4, Donny Singer 5, Patrick Hanson.

A MAIN

Cancelled due to rain with equal points granted to all drivers.

May 16, 2021 / by Jeff Pederson

Walter’s Cedar Lake detour ends with top-15 IRA showing

Josh Walter posted a 13th-place finish in a Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series A main at Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis. on Saturday, May 8. – Bruce Palla, Mindz I Photography photo

By Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions 

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) May 12, 2021 – After rain forced a late adjustment to their weekend racing plans, Josh Walter and the Torque Racing team made the most of scheduling detour by turning in a solid showing against a stout field of 410 Sprint Car drivers during a Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series event at Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis. on Saturday, May 8.

The team had planned to trek to the famed Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa for the track’s weekly 410 racing action on Saturday, May 8. However, rain cancelled the program, which prompted Walter and crew to turn their attention to an IRA event at Cedar Lake Speedway.

Walter was among 31 IRA 410 Sprint Car drivers to sign in for the event.

The 17th year Plymouth, Wis. driver qualified 11th with a lap of 11.957 seconds before lining up second and finishing second in the third 10-lap IRA heat race on the lightning fast three-eighths mile high-banked clay oval to earn a spot in the 30-lap main event.

Walter began the A-main 11th and held his own through a slew of caution flags to post a respectable 13th-place showing in the team’s second outing of the 2021 season.

After taking the upcoming weekend off, Josh Walter and Torque Racing team are scheduled to take part in a Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series event at Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis. on Saturday, May 22. Legends and Street Stocks will also be on the card.

The 2021 Torque Racing pit crew includes Chad DeKarske, Justin Vorpagel, Andrew Rieth, Mike Behr, Noah Koepke, Dean Shelinske, Tiffany Vorpagel and Stephanie Walter.

“Our team is made up of many sponsors, silent sponsors, crew members, friends and family members,” Torque Racing 410 Sprint Car driver Josh Walter said. “That is why we call ourselves Torque Racing. When I first started racing, it was Josh Walter Racing, but I just didn’t feel right having my name on the car when so many other people have been involved and take just as much pride in our race team as I do. It all starts with my wife, Stephanie, and kids allowing me the time away to go race and work on the car.”

Torque Racing Pit Crew Spotlight – Chad DeKarske, crew chief

“Chad DeKarske is the crew chief that every crew needs,” Josh Walter said. “He’s patient, easy to talk to and listens to feedback. Not to mention that there is nothing he won’t do on the car when asked. He is the main setup guy, with years of experience at the track and very thorough when it comes to making sure the car is safe and ready to go.”

Torque Racing sponsors for the 2021 season include Dlapa Construction, Brittany’s School of Dance, Sheboygan by Owner, SCA Inc., Cow Pies, Full Throttle Ink, Lakehouse Bar & Grill, Home Transitions, Oostburg Concrete Products, RC Custom Design and Pedal Down Promotions.

Torque Racing Sponsor Showcase – Oostburg Concrete Products

The Torque Racing team is pleased to have Oostburg Concrete Products of Oostburg, Wis. on board as a sponsor.

In 1946, six partners joined hands to form Oostburg Concrete Products. The original owners purchased special equipment to manufacture a wide range of concrete items, which they used during the summer months for construction work.

Oostburg Concrete Products’ recent investment in equipment allows the company to pour concrete through most of the winter months.

One of the original owners, Gordon Veldboom Sr. became the sole owner in 1959. Today, the company is owned and operated by Gordon J. Veldboom Jr., his wife, Helen, and their son, John.

Oostburg Concrete Products offers a complete line of concrete and masonry services, including footings, poured concrete walls, concrete floors, driveways, sidewalks, flatwork, fireplaces and exterior brick in stone.

Oostburg Concrete Products crews cover a large territory, including jobs in Brown, Calumet, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Jefferson, Kenosha, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha and Winnebago counties.

For more information or to inquire about services, call Oostburg Concrete Products at 920-564-3341.

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.pedaldownpromo.com or call 920-323-7970.

 

2021 Josh Walter-Torque Racing

By The Numbers

Total Events – 2

IRA events – 2

World of Outlaws events – 0

A-Main Victories – 0

B-Main Victories – 0

Top Five A-Main Finishes – 0

Top 10 A-Main Finishes – 0

Heat Race Victories – 0

Dash Victories – 0

Dash Appearances – 0

2021 Josh Walter-Torque Racing

Tentative Upcoming Schedule

(Additional dates to be announced)

Saturday, May 22 – Beaver Dam Raceway, Wis. (IRA)

Friday, May 28 – Dodge County Fairgrounds, Beaver Dam, Wis. (IRA)

Sunday, May 30 – 141 Speedway, Francis Creek, Wis. (IRA)

May 12, 2021 / by Jeff Pederson

Top-ten showing, season debut highlight Pokorski Motorsports double dip

Alex Pokorski made his 2021 season debut behind the wheel of the Pokorski Motorsports 360 Sprint Car at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, May 8. – JW’s Car and Raccing Photos

By Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions 

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) May 11, 2021 – The first doubleheader weekend of the 2021 Midwest Sprint Car Association racing season provided plenty of highlights for the Pokorski Motorsports team, including the team’s first top-10 A-main showing of the season with 29th year driver Paul Pokorski at the wheel at Beaver Dam Raceway on Friday, May 7 and a solid season debut for second-year driver Alex Pokorski at The Plymouth Dirt Track on Saturday, May 8.

The first half of the weekend twinbill got under way on Friday, May with the second MSA event of the 2021 season at Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis. with Paul Pokorski among 27 360 Sprint Car competitors signed in to do battle on an ice cold early May evening.

Pokorski started seventh in the first 10-lap MSA heat race and held the position until lap 8 when he worked past Chris Larson to claim sixth at the finish line.

The 2014 MSA Masters Series champion then rolled off 14th in the 25-lap MSA main event and worked his way up to 12th in the first half of the race. The lone caution of the event appeared on lap 19 for the stalled car of Lance Fassbender with Pokorski running in the 11th position.

When the race resumed Pokorski maneuvered his way into 10th and held the position in the closing laps to secure the team’s first top-10 A-main showing of the 2021 campaign in a race won by Travis Arenz.

“Friday night at Beaver Dam Raceway was pretty decent night,” Pokorski said. “We struggled with some fuel injection issues during engine warm ups and that made things a bit stressful. We didn’t get it perfect, but we got it sorted out enough that we could get out and run. The heat race didn’t go as well as I would have liked, but the A main was solid and we learned some more things. We also got the fuel injection issues sorted out for Saturday night.”

On Saturday night the team returned to action with second-year driver Alex Pokorski at the wheel of the No. 4 Petersen Septic Systems-sponsored car for the first time in 2021 at the Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis.

With 31 PDTR 360 Sprint Cars signed in, Alex lined up seventh in the first 10-lap head race. On the opening lap, Alex fell back to eighth on a tricky track surface that featured a combination of dry slick and heavy, bumpy patches. After finishing eighth in the heat race, Alex started 11th in the 15-lap PDTR 360 Sprint Car B main with the top six finishers earning spots in the evening’s 25-lap A main.

After a caution on lap 2, Alex restarted 10th and quickly worked his way up to eighth by lap three. On lap 4, Alex passed Tom Kreutz to move into the seventh spot. Alex was closing on the sixth-place car Tony Wondra before Ben Schmidt used the high groove to power around him into seventh on lap 11. When the checked flag fell on the race, Alex came home eighth.

“It took a few laps to remember how to drive the Sprint Car,” Alex said. “I think the heat race was a little rough because it was my first race back in the car. The B main was much better. It felt good to be able to compete with the 35 car [Ben Schmidt] because he is one of the best cars every week. It was unfortunate not to make the A main, so that is my goal moving into next week.”

Paul Pokorski was impressed by Alex’s efforts in his first night back in seat of a 360 Sprint Car since last September.

“I thought Alex did a really nice job for his first night in the car this year, especially since the track was kind of tricky,” Paul Pokorski said. “A bad number draw didn’t help matters either, but we’re in one piece and we’ll work on making improvements for next week.”

On Saturday, May 15, the team will return to The Plymouth Dirt Track .at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. with Alex Pokorski again slated to be behind the wheel.

Pit gates at Plymouth open at 2 p.m., the grandstand opens at 3:30 p.m. with hot laps at 4:30 p.m. and racing starting at 5 p.m.

Sponsors and supporters for the 2021 Pokorski Motorsports team are Petersen Septic Systems, Quest Engineering Inc., Goeden Auto Body, Goodwin Racing Engines, Hopf Farms, Kettle Moraine Landscaping, Novak’s Service Center, Tisler Salvage Inc., Allied Bearing Corporation, RC Custom Design and Pedal Down Promotions.

Pokorski Motorsports Sponsor Showcase – Petersen Septic Systems

Pokorski Motorsports is pleased to have Petersen Septic Systems step into the role of primary sponsor for the 2021 racing season.

Since opening its doors in Valders, Wis. in 2012, Petersen Septic Systems LLC has provided premier septic tank service and the most reliable septic system installation and repair in Manitowoc and Two Rivers and the surrounding Lakeshore area.

“We offer our services to industrial, institutional, residential, new construction, commercial and municipal accounts,” Petersen Septic Systems Owner David Petersen said. “Customer service is our utmost priority. We do every job as it was in our own homes. Our experience is second to none in the area. Prior to opening the business, I worked for Tuschl Septic Systems from 2004 until owner Chuck Tuschl retired.”

The list of regular services Petersen Septic Systems offers includes septic pump repairs, test drilling/test boring, sewage treatment systems, septic tank removal, septic tank installation, water line repair, oil testing and perc testing.

“We provide all of these services in Manitowoc County and the surrounding areas,” Petersen said. “We are OSHA certified and are licensed MPRS/CST966051.”

Petersen Septic Systems is located at 7334 Nagel Road in Valders, Wis. For more information, call 920-323-2640, email petersenseptic@gmail.com or visit www.petersensepticsystems.com.

For more information on Pokorski Motorsports, check out Pokorski Motorsports on Facebook or visit www.pedaldownpromo.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.pedaldownpromo.com or call 920-323-7970.

 

2021 Pokorski Motorsports By The Numbers

Total Events – 5

MSA events – 5

IRA events – 0

A Main Victories – 0

B Main Victories – 1

Top Five A Main Finishes – 0

Top 10 A Main Finishes – 1

Heat Race Victories – 0

 

2021 Pokorski Motorsports Upcoming Schedule

Saturday, May 15 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

Saturday, May 22 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

Sunday, May 23 – Angell Park Speedway, Sun Prairie, Wis.

Friday, May 28 – Dodge County Fairgrounds, Beaver Dam, Wis.

Saturday, May 29 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

 

 

 

 

 

May 11, 2021 / by Jeff Pederson

Davis, Ritchie, Sorce, Hitsman visit PDTR victory lane

Two-time Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car champion Kurt Davis of South Milwaukee claimed his division-leading 25th career A-main victory Saturday, May 8 at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, May 8. – RC Custom Design photo

By Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) May 8, 2021 – On a frigid evening for racing, the red hot A-main action featured several impressive runs from deep in the field, along with spirited battles and position swaps at the front of the pack, during the second Plymouth Dirt Track Racing program of the 2021 season Saturday, May 8 at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis.

In A-main competition, two-time PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Kurt Davis of South Milwaukee added to his record-setting main event victory tally with a hard-earned triumph over two-time PDTR 360 champion Brandon McMullen of Oshkosh and Travis Arenz of Sheboygan in the 25-lap 360 Kristine Hartmann Pleasantview Realty Sprint Car headliner.

Justin Ritchie of New London scored his second straight win in the 25-lap Sheboygan’s Country B93.7 Late Model main event, while Will Sorce of West Allis claimed the 25-lap Oostburg Automotive Grand National A-main victory and Jonathan Hitsman of Plymouth scored his first career PDTR Cellcom B Mod A main triumph.

Polesitter Will Gerrits of Waupun jumped into the lead on the drop of the green flag of the 25-lap 360 Sprint Car A main with outside front row stater Justin Erickson of Plymouth settling into second.

On lap three, the red flag appeared when Tim Haddy of Waupun flipped in turn two after contact with another car.

On the restart, sixth starter Kurt Davis bolted into second with a daring move on the outside groove in turn two as 2018 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Justin Miller of Plymouth, who started third, settled into third.

Three laps later, Sheboygan’s Travis Arenz, who started 12th, burst into fourth and then stole third away from Miller on lap 7.

The leaders began to encounter lapped traffic on lap 10, which changed the complexion of the race significantly. As Gerrits negotiated his way through lapped cars, Brandon McMullen, who started 17th, broke into the top five on lap 13.

Four laps later, Davis powered around Gerrits along the high grove in turn four to assume the top spot just before Gerrits made contact with a slower car, which allowed Arenz to move into second and McMullen into third.

On lap 17, McMullen drove around Arenz to assume second in turn two before the yellow flag appeared on lap 22 for the stalled car of Josh Teunissen of Belgium in near the exit of turn two.

Following a single-file restart with less than five laps to go, Davis bolted away from McMullen and Arenz over the final three laps to secure his division-leading 25th career PDTR 360 Sprint Car A-main victory and series-leading 63rd career Midwest Sprint Car Association main event win.

McMullen, who had to qualify for the A main through the B main, finished second, Arenz was third, Erickson claimed fourth and Miller rounded out the top five.

In the 25-lap Late Model A main, 40-year veteran Ron Stroika of Mukwonago jumped into the lead on the drop of the green flag from the outside front row starting position as three-time defending PDTR Late Model champion Justin Schmidt of Cleveland moved into second, after starting fourth, with sixth starter Justin Ritchie in tow.

On lap five, Ritchie ducked under Schmidt to take second in turn one before a series of three consecutive caution flags for single-car spins slowed the pace on laps 7, 8 and 9.

Justin Ritchie of New London picked up his fourth career Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Late Model A-main victory at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, May 8. -RC Custom Design photo

When the race resumed, Ritchie flexed his muscle to wrestle the lead away from Stroika in turn three on lap 11. Richie then proceeded to pull away from the field as it built up a full-straightaway cushion over Stroika on lap 21.

The fourth and final caution flag of the race was displayed on lap 22 when Charlie Schmidt spun in turn four. Meanwhile, Ritchie extended his lead in the closing laps en route to his second straight PDTR Late Model A-main victory and fourth career PDTR Late Model main event win.

Justin Schmidt was second, Stroika wound up third, Letizia placed fourth and 2016 PDTR Late Model champion Tim Buhler of Greenbush placed fifth after starting seventh.

In the Grand National headliner, polesitter Chad Espen of West Bend assumed the lead in turn one of the opening lap. After a pair of consecutive single-car spins brought out two caution flags in the first two laps, outside front row starter Steven Weber of Plymouth dueled side by side for second with 2019 PDTR Grand National champion Tyler Kulow of Plymouth, who started third.

On lap six, Weber finally cleared Kulow to secure second place before eighth starter Will Sorce used the outside groove to challenge Weber for the runner-up spot.

Six laps later, Sorce moved into second with a high move in turn four before pressuring Espen for the lead starting on lap 16. Three laps later, Espen got hung up behind a lapped car, which allowed Sorce to use the high line to take over the lead in turn three on lap 19 with Weber following in second.

On lap 22, 2018 PDTR Grand National champion Matt Loehr of Dotyville used a low move in turn four to take second, while Sorce remain strong at the front of the field and went on to earn his second career PDTR Grand National A-main victory by a full straightaway margin over Loehr.

Weber finished third, Espen was fourth and two-time PDTR Grand National champ Don Sorce Jr. of West Allis placed fifth after starting fourth.

Polesitter Kyle Odekirk of Plymouth led the opening lap of the B Mod A main before fourth starter Trevor Frank of Sheboygan spun in turn two on lap 2 to bring out the first of three caution flags.

On the restart, eighth starter Brendan Ostrowski of Milwaukee used the outside groove to take second and quickly moved in to challenge Odekirk for the top spot on lap six.

After another caution flag was displayed for the stalled car of Ryan Mech of Oak Creek in turn two on lap 6, second starter Gary Glander of Sheboygan Falls worked the high line to challenge Odekirk for the lead. Glander gained the top spot on lap 9 and paced the field for two laps before Odekirk battled back along the low groove to regain the lead.

The third and final caution flag was displayed on lap 12 when Ostrowski spun in turn two. On the restart, Jonathan Hitsman, who started third, secured second and four laps later moved past Odekirk into the lead.

Hitsman quickly bolted away from the field, while Travis Schmidt of Waldo, who started 16th, raced in second on lap 17. Hitsman cruised over the final eight laps en route to his first career PDTR B Mod A-main victory.

Schmidt placed second, Glander finished third, Frank rebounded from his early-race spin to charge back up to fourth and sixth starter Rick Kretschmann of Sheboygan Falls finished fifth.

Brandon McMullen won the 15-lap 360 Sprint Car B main and Will Garceau of Francis Creek captured the 12-lap B Mod B Main.

The second PDTR racing program of the 2021 season, which was sponsored by Collins State Bank, drew a total of 85 cars, including 31 360 Sprint Cars, 13 Late Models, 16 Grand Nationals and 25 B Mods.

PDTR action is scheduled to resume on Saturday, May 15 with action in the 360 Sprint Car, Late Model, Grand National and B Mod divisions

Grandstand gates open at 3:30 p.m. with hot laps at 4:30 p.m. racing at 5 p.m.

The new book “70 Years of Plymouth Dirt Track Racing” by Dennis Darovich of Sheboygan and George Baumann of Waupun, covering every season of racing at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. from 1950 to 2020 will be available for purchase at every race during the 2021 PDTR season, as well as at the Sheboygan County Fair office during regular business hours and online at www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com.

KRISTINE HARTMANN PLEASANTVIEW REALTY 360 SPRINT CARS

HEAT 1

1, Blake Wondra 2, Justin Erickson 3, Travis Arenz 4, Preston Ruh 5, Jason Johnson 6, Katelyn Krebsbach 7, Tyler Brabant 8, Alex Pokorski.

HEAT 2

1, Will Gerrits 2, Kurt Davis 3, Lance Fassbender 4, Tyler Tischendorf 5, Matt Rechek 6, Tyler Davis 7, Chris Larson 8, Ben Schmidt.

HEAT 3

1, Justin Miller 2, Josh Teunissen 3, Kevin Karnitz 4, Bill Taylor 5, Tony Wondra 6, Tom Kreutz 7, Cole Possi 8, Jack Vanderboom (DNS).

HEAT 4

1, Tim Haddy 2, Doug Wondra 3, Adam Miller 4, Brandon McMullen 5, Brandon Berth 6, Mike Yurmanovich 7, Austin Hartmann.

B MAIN

1, Brandon McMullen 2, Jason Johnson 3, Preston Ruh 4, Austin Hartmann 5, Tyler Davis 6, Tony Wondra 7, Ben Schmidt 8, Alex Pokorski 9, Mike Yurmanovich 10, Katelyn Krebsbach 11, Tyler Brabant 12, Tom Kreutz 13, Cole Possi 14, Chris Larson 15, Jack Vanderboom (DNS).

A MAIN

1, Kurt Davis 2, Brandon McMullen 3, Travis Arenz 4, Justin Erickson 5, Justin Miller 6, Ben Schmidt 7, Lance Fassbender 8, Doug Wondra 9, Will Gerrits 10, Kevin Karnitz 11, Brandon Berth 12, Adam Miller 13, Blake Wondra 14, Matt Rechek 15, Bill Taylor 16, Tyler Tischendorf 17, Tony Wondra 18, Austin Hartmann 19, Tyler Davis 20, Preston Ruh 21, Josh Teunissen 22, Tim Haddy. 23, Jason Johnson (DNS).

 

SHEBOYGAN’S COUNTRY B93.7 LATE MODELS

HEAT 1

1, Turk Letizia 2, Tim Buhler 3, Justin Ritchie 4, Joe Bongiorno 5, Ron Stroika 6, Ted Dolhun Sr. 7, Jacob Van Engen.

HEAT 2

1, Jim Schmidt 2, Charlie Schmidt 3, Eric Michaels 4, Justin Schmidt 5, Donny Singer 6, Chad Ludwigson.

A MAIN

1, Justin Ritchie 2, Justin Schmidt 3, Ron Stroika 4, Turk Letizia 5, Tim Buhler 6, Joe Bongiorno 7, Jim Schmidt 8, Jacob Van Engen 9, Charlie Schmidt 10, Ted Dolhun Sr. 11, Eric Michaels 12, Donny Singer 13, Chad Ludwigson (DNS).

 

OOSTBURG AUTOMOTIVE GRAND NATIONAL

HEAT 1

1, Chad Espen 2, Don Sorce 3, Donny Kulow 4, Dylan Struve 5, Dick Hed 6, Derek Kaat 7, Luke Scholten 8, Collin Skindzelewski (DNS).

HEAT 2

1, Tyler Kulow 2, Steven Weber 3, Will Sorce 4, Matt Loehr 5, Nate Ruh 6, Dave Holm 7, Randy Post 8, Alex Lester.

A MAIN

1, Will Sorce 2, Matt Loehr 3, Steven Weber 4, Chad Espen 5, Don Sorce Jr. 6, Tyler Kulow 7, Donny Kulow 8, Derek Kaat 9, Dick Hed 10, Luke Scholten 11, Dylan Struve 12, Alex Lester 13, Randy Post 14, Nate Ruh 15, Dave Holm 16, Collin Skindzelewski.

CELLCOM B MOD

HEAT 1

1, Rick Kretschmann 2, Steve Lorier 3, Jonathan Hitsman 4, Justin Bauer 5, Travis Schmidt 6, Will Garceau 7, Donny Singer 8, Patrick Hanson 9, Matthew Roehl (DNS).

HEAT 2

1, Phil Campanella 2, Gary Glander 3, Spencer Long 4, Ryan Mech 5, Craig Gessner 6, Lonnie Dalgord 7, Glen Blanke 8, Shane Long.

HEAT 3

1, Trevor Frank 2, Brendan Ostrowski 3, Kyle Odekirk 4, Dustin Wudstrack 5, John Fleury 6, Christopher Gilson 8, Jim Fischer.

B MAIN

1, Will Garceau 2, Nick Schultz 3, Shane Long 4, Glen Blanke 5, Donny Singer 6, Matthew Roehl 7, Patrick Hanson 8, Jim Fischer 9, Christopher Gilson.

A MAIN

1, Jonathan Hitsman 2, Travis Schmidt 3, Gary Glander 4, Trevor Frank 5, Rick Kretschmann 6, Justin Bauer 7, Spencer Long 8, Will Garceau 9, Craig Gessner 10, Nick Schultz 11, Dustin Wudstrack 12, Brendan Ostrowski 13, John Fleury 14, Glen Blanke 15, Kyle Odekirk 16, Shane Long 17, Lonnie Dalgord 18, Phil Campanella 19, Steve Lorier 20, Ryan Mech.

May 9, 2021 / by Jeff Pederson

Arenz bolts to convincing MSA Beaver Dam Raceway triumph

Travis Arenz of Sheboygan earned his 13th career Midwest Sprint Car Association 360 Sprint Car A-main victory at Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis. on Friday, May 7. – RC Custom Design photo

By Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) May 7, 2021 – Nearly three weeks after narrowly missing out on a victory in the Akright Auto of Sheboygan Falls Midwest Sprint Car Association 2021 season opener at the Beaver Dam Raceway, Sheboygan’s Travis Arenz reversed his fortunes by posting a commanding victory from deep in the field in the series’ return to the birthplace of Winged 360 Sprint Car racing in Southeastern Wisconsin on Friday, May 7 in Beaver Dam, Wis.

A total of 27 360 Sprint Car competitors turned out on an unseasonably cold early May evening for the fourth MSA Series event of the 2021 campaign at the track where the Winged 360 Sprint Car division got its start in Southeastern Wisconsin in 1996.

The second MSA A-main of the 2021 season at Beaver Dam Raceway featured many of the same cast of characters at the front of the field as the first go-around on April 17, including the season-opening A-main winner Ben Schmidt of Howards Grove, who started on the pole, outside front row starter Tim Haddy of Waupun, who came home third on April 17, after battling for the lead in the early going, and Travis Arenz, who led the field to the white flag lap of the April 17 A main before Schmidt moved past in the final corner of the final lap to steal the victory.

This time Schmidt and Haddy waged an epic duel for the top spot in the early going  with both veteran drivers swapping the lead back and forth before Haddy secured the top spot with a low move in turn four on lap 7.

On lap 10, the leaders caught the rear of the 22-car field as the 10th starting Arenz worked his way into third and quickly closed on the lead duo.  On lap 11, Schmidt ducked under Haddy in turn three to regain the lead with Arenz in tow.

Arenz hounded Schmidt through heavy lapped traffic over the next four laps before using the high groove to power around the 2011 MSA champion, who got bottled up behind a group of slower cars along the inside line, to take the lead in turn two on lap 15.

By lap 18, Arenz had built up a huge half-lap lead over Schmidt before the lone caution of the race was displayed on lap 19 when 2008 MSA champion Lance Fassbender of Burnett stalled along the front stretch.

Following the restart, it was all Arenz also he cruised away from Schmidt en route to his second victory of the 2021 MSA season and 13th overall MSA main event triumph.

Schmidt, who has two MSA A-main victories to his credit so far in 2021, had to settle for second, third starter Justin Miller of Plymouth came home third, Haddy wound up fourth and fourth starter Bill Taylor of Boltonville rounded out the top five.

Heat race victories went to Travis Arenz, five-time MSA champion Kurt Davis of South Milwaukee and Justin Erickson of Plymouth. Tyler Davis of South Milwaukee was victorious in the 15-lap MSA B Main.

The Akright Auto Parts of Sheboygan Falls Midwest Sprint Car Association 360 Sprint Car Series returns to action on Saturday, May 8 at The Plymouth Dirt Track The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis.

Hot laps are scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. with racing to commence at 5 p.m.

The next Akright Auto Parts of Sheboygan Falls MSA traveling race is set for Sunday, May 23 at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wis., which will hold its grand re-opening on that night after being closed throughout the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pedal Down Promotions is a full-service public relations and media services company devoted to helping clients effectively communicate with targeted audiences through a diverse array of promotional strategies and methods, including press releases, newsletters, profile and feature articles, website and social media content development, printed media, editing and layout, graphic design and book publishing services.

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

Midwest Sprint Car Association

Beaver Dam Raceway

Beaver Dam, Wis.

May 7, 2021

HEAT 1

1, Travis Arenz 2, Bill Taylor 3, Justin Miller 4, Adam Miller 5, Tyler Tischendorf 6, Paul Pokorski 7, Chris Larson 8, Josh Teunissen 9, Katelyn Krebsbach.

HEAT 2

1, Kurt Davis 2, Nick Daywalt 3, Ben Schmidt 4, Will Gerrits 5, Tim Haddy 6, Tyler Davis 7, Austin Hartmann 8, Tony Wondra 9, Preston Ruh.

HEAT 3

1, Justin Erickson 2, Tyler Brabant 3, Matt Rechek 4, Jack Vanderboom 5, Lance Fassbender 6, Michael Decker 7, Tommy Colburn 8, Blake Wondra 9, Brandon Berth (DNS).

B MAIN

1, Tyler Davis 2,  3, Austin Hartmann 4, Josh Teunissen 5, Chris Larson 6, Michael Decker 7, Blake Wondra 8, Katelyn Krebsbach 9, Tommy Colburn 10, Preston Ruh 11, Brandon Berth (DNS).

A MAIN

1, Travis Arenz 2, Ben Schmidt 3, Justin Miller 4, Tim Haddy 5, Bill Taylor 6, Kurt Davis 7, Justin Erickson 8, Matt Rechek 9, Nick Daywalt 10, Paul Pokorski 11, Tyler Brabant 12, Will Gerrits 13, Adam Miller 14, Tyler Tischendorf 15, Tyler Davis 16, Austin Hartmann 17, Tony Wondra 18, Chris Larson 19, Lance Fassbender 20, Jack Vanderboom 21, Josh Teunissen 22, Michael Decker.

 

May 8, 2021 / by Jeff Pederson

Walter opens 2021 with rock solid Wilmot IRA run

Josh Walter and the Torque Racing team opened the 2021 season with a 12th-place finish with the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series at Wilmot Raceway in Wilmot, Wis. on Saturday, May 1. – Bruce Palla Mindz I Photography photo

By Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions 

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) May 5, 2021 – On an unseasonably warm early May night for racing, Josh Walter and the Torque Racing team turned up the heat in their own way by registering a respectable top-12 result in the team’s 2021 season debut with the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association Series at Wilmot Raceway in Wilmot, Wis. on Saturday, May 1.

Walter was among 28 IRA 410 Sprint Car drivers to register for the evening’s event on the tight and tricky third-mile clay oval located in southern Wisconsin on the Kenosha County Fairgrounds.

After qualifying 20th with a lap of 14.803 seconds, Walter lined up seventh in the second IRA 10-lap heat race. The 17th year Winged Sprint Car competitor worked his way up two spots to earn a spot in the 24-car A-main field with a fifth-place showing.

“The new car and fresh engine ran great throughout the night,” Walter said. “I started off the night with shaking off some driver rust in qualifying and missed the setup a bit. The heat race was a challenge. I started seventh and on the first lap had some issues in the cockpit and drove the entire race one-handed and unable to grab any tearoffs, but brought it home fifth, which was good enough to make the A.”

Walter then rolled off from the 14th starting spot in the 30-lap A-main event and methodically worked his way up through the field to break into the top-10 and find himself running seventh in the closing stages of the race.

After a late caution bunched the field, Walter fell back several spots to finish 12th in a race won by Carson Short.

“With extra time in the pits, we were able to make some changes to the car and it felt stellar in the A main,” Walter said. “We worked our way from 14th to seventh and were looking for more. However, late-race mistakes by the driver cost us our first top-10 finish of the year. We’ll regroup and come out better for it in our next outing.”

Josh Walter and the Torque Racing team are scheduled to take to the road to compete in a weekly 410 Sprint Car event at the famed Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa this Saturday, May 8.

360 Sprints and 305 Pro Sprints will also be on the all-Sprint Car event card, which begins with hot laps at 6:45 p.m., qualifying at 7:15 p.m. and racing at 8 p.m.

Torque Racing sponsors for the 2021 season include Dlapa Construction, Brittany’s School of Dance, Sheboygan by Owner, SCA Inc., Cow Pies, Full Throttle Ink, Lakehouse Bar & Grill, Home Transitions, Oostburg Concrete Products, RC Custom Design and Pedal Down Promotions.

Torque Racing Sponsor Showcase – Oostburg Concrete Products

The Torque Racing team is pleased to have Oostburg Concrete Products of Oostburg, Wis. on board as a sponsor.

In 1946, six partners joined hands to form Oostburg Concrete Products. The original owners purchased special equipment to manufacture a wide range of concrete items, which they used during the summer months for construction work.

Oostburg Concrete Products’ recent investment in equipment allows the company to pour concrete through most of the winter months.

One of the original owners, Gordon Veldboom Sr. became the sole owner in 1959. Today, the company is owned and operated by Gordon J. Veldboom Jr., his wife, Helen, and their son, John.

Oostburg Concrete Products offers a complete line of concrete and masonry services, including footings, poured concrete walls, concrete floors, driveways, sidewalks, flatwork, fireplaces and exterior brick in stone.

Oostburg Concrete Products crews cover a large territory, including jobs in Brown, Calumet, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Jefferson, Kenosha, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha and Winnebago counties.

For more information or to inquire about services, call Oostburg Concrete Products at 920-564-3341.

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.pedaldownpromo.com or call 920-323-7970.

 

2021 Josh Walter-Torque Racing

By The Numbers

Total Events – 1

IRA events – 1

World of Outlaws events – 0

A-Main Victories – 0

B-Main Victories – 0

Top Five A-Main Finishes – 0

Top 10 A-Main Finishes – 0

Heat Race Victories – 0

Dash Victories – 0

Dash Appearances – 0

2021 Josh Walter-Torque Racing

Tentative Upcoming Schedule

(Additional dates to be announced)

Saturday, May 8 – Knoxville Raceway, Knoxville, Iowa (Weekly)

Saturday, May 22 – Beaver Dam Raceway, Wis. (IRA)

Friday, May 28 – Dodge County Fairgrounds, Beaver Dam, Wis. (IRA)

Sunday, May 30 – 141 Speedway, Francis Creek, Wis. (IRA)

May 5, 2021 / by Jeff Pederson

Mechanical woes stall top-five run for Pokorski Motorsports in PDTR opener  

Paul Pokorski (4) races in front of Jack Vanderboom (U2) during the 2021 season-opening Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car event at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, May 1. – RC Custom Design photo

By Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) May 4, 2021 – One week after competing in weather more appropriate for snowmobiles that Sprint Cars, the Wisconsin weather turned on a dime as Paul Pokorski and the Pokorski Motorsports team headed to Plymouth Wis. to compete in the 2021 Plymouth Dirt Track Racing season opener with temperatures hovering in the mid-80s Saturday, May 1 at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds.

On a warm and windy evening, Pokorski was among a stout field of 31 PDTR 360 Sprint Car competitors signing in for the initial program of the 2021 PDTR campaign and third event of the young Midwest Sprint Car Association season.

The 2014 MSA Masters Series champion drew the second starting spot in the second PDTR 360 Sprint Car heat race and wasted little time in powering around polesitter Blake Wondra with an outside move in turn one on lap three to take the lead.

However, six laps later, Travis Arenz ducked under Pokorski to assume the lead. Arenz went on to post the victory in the 10-lap race, while Pokorski earned a runner-up finish to qualify solidly for the evening’s main event.

“The car was pretty good,” Pokorski said. “I made some set up changes to our starting point and the car got a little too tight to start. We were pretty good for the heat race, but we cut the sidewall off the right rear with about three to go and the car got tight over the last few laps as it lost air pressure.”

After the invert based on heat race passing points totals, Pokorski started the 25-lap A main from the third spot.

Pokorski held the third position in the early going until Arenz pulled off a slide job to take the third spot on lap 7. Following a caution flag on lap 8 for a spin involving Blake Wondra, Brandon McMullen worked past Pokorski on lap 10 as the 29-year open-wheel racing veteran settled into the fifth spot along the cushion of the dry slick racing surface.

Pokorski’s hopes for top-five run were dashed on lap 15 when he slowed and pulled into the infield of the third-mile clay oval when the motor began to misfire.

The three-time Eastern Wisconsin Stock Car Winged Super Modified champion was credited with a 22nd place finish in a race won by Ben Schmidt.

“The car was really pretty good in the feature,” Pokorski said. “Early on, I was over driving the entry to turn one. Once I fixed that, I felt we were a solid top-five car. Then the engine started missing, just like it did at Beaver Dam Raceway a couple of weeks ago. The first time we thought it was a fuel issue, but now we suspect it was the magneto both times. After the race, we changed the magneto and we hope we’ve solved the problem.”

The Pokorski Motorsports team is set to compete in the first Midwest Sprint Car Association doubleheader of the 2021 season with Paul Pokorski behind the wheel of the familiar blue No. 4 machine on Friday, May 7 at Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis., along with the Wisconsin Wingless Sprint Car Series and Legends.

Pits will be open all day at Beaver Dam Raceway before being cleared at 3:15 p.m. when pit passes will be sold. Spectator gates will open at 4:30 p.m. with racing starting at 6:30 p.m.

On Saturday, May 8, the team will return to The Plymouth Dirt Track .at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. with Alex Pokorski making his 2021 season debut in the seat of the Pokorski Motorsports No. 4 machine and Paul Pokorski tentatively slated to make his first start in Spyder Akright’s No. 53A car.

Pit gates at Plymouth open at 2 p.m., the grandstand opens at 3:30 p.m. with hot laps at 4:30 p.m. and racing starting at 5 p.m.

“I’m looking forward to Friday night when I’ll be in the car at Beaver Dam Raceway,” Paul Pokorski said. “On Saturday at Plymouth, Alex will be done with college finals and he will take his first shot at racing the car this year. I may be in Spyder Akright’s car on Saturday night at Plymouth, but that depends on how the weekend flows.”

Sponsors and supporters for the 2021 Pokorski Motorsports team are Petersen Septic Systems, Quest Engineering Inc., Goeden Auto Body, Goodwin Racing Engines, Hopf Farms, Kettle Moraine Landscaping, Novak’s Service Center, Tisler Salvage Inc., Allied Bearing Corporation, RC Custom Design and Pedal Down Promotions.

Pokorski Motorsports Sponsor Showcase – Petersen Septic Systems

Pokorski Motorsports is pleased to have Petersen Septic Systems step into the role of primary sponsor for the 2021 racing season.

Since opening its doors in Valders, Wis. in 2012, Petersen Septic Systems LLC has provided premier septic tank service and the most reliable septic system installation and repair in Manitowoc and Two Rivers and the surrounding Lakeshore area.

“We offer our services to industrial, institutional, residential, new construction, commercial and municipal accounts,” Petersen Septic Systems Owner David Petersen said. “Customer service is our utmost priority. We do every job as it was in our own homes. Our experience is second to none in the area. Prior to opening the business, I worked for Tuschl Septic Systems from 2004 until owner Chuck Tuschl retired.”

The list of regular services Petersen Septic Systems offers includes septic pump repairs, test drilling/test boring, sewage treatment systems, septic tank removal, septic tank installation, water line repair, oil testing and perc testing.

“We provide all of these services in Manitowoc County and the surrounding areas,” Petersen said. “We are OSHA certified and are licensed MPRS/CST966051.”

Petersen Septic Systems is located at 7334 Nagel Road in Valders, Wis. For more information, call 920-323-2640, email petersenseptic@gmail.com or visit www.petersensepticsystems.com.

For more information on Pokorski Motorsports, check out Pokorski Motorsports on Facebook or visit www.pedaldownpromo.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.pedaldownpromo.com or call 920-323-7970.

2021 Pokorski Motorsports By The Numbers

Total Events – 3

MSA events – 3

IRA events – 0

A Main Victories – 0

B Main Victories – 1

Top Five A Main Finishes – 0

Top 10 A Main Finishes – 0

Heat Race Victories – 0

2021 Pokorski Motorsports Upcoming Schedule

Friday, May 7 – Beaver Dam Raceway, Beaver Dam, Wis.

Saturday, May 8 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

Saturday, May 15 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

Saturday, May 22 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

Sunday, May 23 – Angell Park Speedway, Sun Prairie, Wis.

May 4, 2021 / by Jeff Pederson

Schmidt, Ritchie, Kulow, Odekirk shine in PDTR opener

Former Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car champion Ben Schmidt of Howards Grove earned his 11th career PDTR 360 Sprint Car A-main triumph in the 2021 season opener at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, May 1. – RC Custom Design photo

By Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) May 1, 2021 – With unseasonably balmy temperatures greeting a strong contingent of racing-hungry fans and competitors, Plymouth Dirt Track Racing kicked off its 17th season of sanctioning weekly racing action at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, May 1.

In A-main competition, 2011 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Ben Schmidt of Howards Grove held off the hard-charging duo of Travis Arenz of Sheboygan and two-time PDTR 360 Sprint Car champ Brandon McMullen of Oshkosh, while skillfully working through heavy lapped traffic in the closing laps to capture the 25-lap 360 Kristine Hartmann Pleasantview Realty Sprint Car headliner.

Justin Richie of New London led flag-to-flag en route to victory in the 25-lap Sheboygan’s Country B93.7 Late Model main event, while Donny Kulow of Elkhart Lake endured six caution flags to claim the A-main win the 25-lap Oostburg Automotive Grand National main event and Kyle Odekirk of Plymouth captured the caution-filled, time-shortened 17-lap PDTR Cellcom B Mod A main.

Ben Schmidt seized the lead on the drop of the green flag of the 25-lap 360 Sprint Car A main from the pole before 2018 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champ Justin Miller of Plymouth, who started second, used the high groove to power into the lead on lap 2.

Two laps later, Schmidt rebounded to regain the top spot with a nifty low move in turn two. On lap 6, Schmidt caught the back of the field and was poised to negotiate heavy lapped traffic when the lone caution flag of the race appeared on lap 8 after Blake Wondra of Fond du Lac spun in turn two.

On the restart, Schmidt powered away from Miller and eighth starter Travis Arenz, who had worked his way into third. On lap 10, Arenz pulled off a slide job on the dry slick track surface to secure the runner-up spot.

Three laps later, Schmidt hit slower traffic, which allowed Arenz and 10th starter Brandon McMullen, who had worked his way up to third, to close rapidly on the leader.

Dense lapped traffic proved to be challenging for the leaders over the second half of the race as Schmidt, Arenz and McMullen diced their way skillfully through the rear of the field in close quarters.

On lap 20, Arenz dove low in turn three to pull even with Schmidt for the top spot, however, the 21-year veteran refused to be denied as he fended off Arenz, while weaving his way through lapped cars over the final five laps en route to his 11th career PDTR 360 Sprint Car A main victory and 28th career Midwest Sprint Car Association main event triumph.

Arenz had to settle for second, McMullen finished a close third, Miller placed fourth and Waupun’s Will Gerrits, worked his way up from the 13th starting spot, to place fifth.

After a complete restart following a spin involving Turk Letizia of Milwaukee and Sawyer Specht of Sheboygan Falls on the initial start, Justin Ritchie led the 17-car Late Model A-main field to the green flag from the pole and quickly outpowered outside front row starter Dan Schlieper of Milwaukee, who was in the seat of the late Jim Letizia’s D7 car, to take the lead in turn one of the opening lap.

Ritchie wasted little time in building up a solid cushion over third starter Taylor Scheffler of Waukesha on lap 2. Two laps later, Charlie Schmidt of Cedar Grove, who started fifth, flexed his muscle by bolting past Scheffler to seize second in turn two.

On lap 5, the second and final caution flag appeared for Jacob Van Engen of Howards Grove, who spun in turn two. After the restart, Ritchie built up a big lead over Schmidt in the final 20 laps and never looked back en route to his third career PDTR Late Model A-main victory by a half-lap margin.

Schmidt finished a strong second, Scheffler placed third, four-time PDTR Late Model champion Brad Mueller of Random Lake finished fourth after starting eighth and three-time defending PDTR Late Model champion Justin Schmidt of Cleveland, who started sixth, rounded out the top five.

After a caution on the opening lap of the 25-lap Grand National A main for Dave Holm of Chilton and Jeff Muehlbauer of Elkhart Lake, Donny Kulow, who started on the pole and 82-year-old Dick Hed of Plymouth, who started second, dueled side by side over the first two laps before Kulow surged ahead along the low groove on lap 3.

On lap 5, fourth starter J.J. Pagel of Mount Calvary in the Bender Racing No. 89 entry worked past Hed to take second before the second caution flag appeared for a spin involving Maverick Ruh of Sheboygan Falls.

After another caution was displayed on lap 7 for a spin involving Derek Kaat of Plymouth, Pagel and Hed waged a heated battle for second before Pagel gained the spot and moved in two pressure Kulow for the lead on lap 10.

The fourth yellow came out on lap 13 when Derek Kaat spun along the front stretch. When the race resume, Pagel and Hed continued their battle for second with Pagel again surging ahead on lap 17.

Three laps later, 2019 PDTR Grand National champion Tyler Kulow of Plymouth spun in turn four after contact with Hed, who was sent to the rear of field for the altercation.

Following the restart, seventh starter Luke Scholten of Oostburg charged in along the outside groove to pressure Pagel for second before the sixth and final caution was displayed on lap 23 when Jacob Muehlbauer of Elkhart Lake made contact with the front  stretch wall.

When the race resumed, Kulow maintained the top spot by holding firm to the low line on the way to his second career PDTR Grand National A-main victory.

Pagel finished second, Jeff Muehlbauer recovered from an opening lap spin to finish third, Scholten placed fourth and two-time PDTR Grand National champion Don Sorce Jr. of West Allis placed fifth after starting ninth.

After a five-car incident brought out the first of six caution flags on the opening lap, polesitter Kyle Odekirk raced into the lead on the drop of the green flag with second starter Shane Long of Sheboygan Falls and Jesse Cullen of Chilton, who started sixth, in tow.

The second yellow flag appeared on lap 3 when Patrick Hanson of Sheboygan Falls stalled near the turn three pit exit. On the restart, fifth starter Trevor Frank of Sheboygan began to make his presence felt as he slipped into third place. On lap 9, Cullen worked his way into second with a strong move along the cushion before back-to-back cautions for debris and a three-car incident in turn two on lap 11 slowed the pace again.

On the restart, Cullen and Frank waged an epic duel for second with Frank running low and Cullen sticking to the high line. The fifth caution appeared on lap 14 as the race neared the 25-minute time limit. On what proved to the final restart, Kulow again held is own by staying smooth down low, while Cullen fended off Frank for second before the race ended on lap 17 when the sixth yellow flag was displayed for a spin involving Rick Kretschmann of Sheboygan Falls in turn one.

Odekirk, who owns a pair of PDTR Late Model victories, earned his first career PDTR B Mod A-main win with Cullen placing second, Frank taking third, Shane Long finishing fourth and Spencer Long of Sheboygan Falls, who started 17th, placing fifth.

Brandon Berth of Cascade was victorious in the 15-lap 360 Sprint Car B Main and Spencer Long won the 12-lap B Mod B Main.

The season-opening PDTR racing program of the 2021 season, which was sponsored by Mayer Automotive, drew a total of 87 cars, including 31 360 Sprint Cars, 17 Late Models, 15 Grand Nationals and 24 B Mods.

PDTR action is scheduled to resume on Saturday, May 8 with action in the 360 Sprint Car, Late Model, Grand National and B Mod divisions

Grandstand gates open at 3:30 p.m. with hot laps at 4:30 p.m. racing at 5 p.m.

The new book “70 Years of Plymouth Dirt Track Racing” by Dennis Darovich of Sheboygan and George Baumann of Waupun, covering every season of racing at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. from 1950 to 2020 will be available for purchase at every race during the 2021 PDTR season, as well as at the Sheboygan County Fair office during regular business hours and online at www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com.

 

KRISTINE HARTMANN PLEASANTVIEW REALTY 360 SPRINT CARS

HEAT 1

1, Kurt Davis 2, Bill Taylor 3, Justin Miller 4, Tyler Tischendorf 5, Matt Rechek 6, Tony Wondra 7, Preston Ruh 8, Scott Conger (DNS).

HEAT 2

1, Kevin Karnitz 2, Ben Schmidt 3, Will Gerrits 4, Brandon McMullen 5, Cole Possi 6, Spyder Akright 7, Mike Yurmanovich 8, Chris Larson (DNS).

HEAT 3

1, Travis Arenz 2, Paul Pokorski 3, Justin Erickson 4, Jack Vanderboom 5, Blake Wondra 6, Tyler Brabant 7, Josh Teunissen 8, Katelyn Krebsbach.

HEAT 4

1, Tyler Davis 2, Tim Haddy 3, Austin Hartmann 4, Adam Miller 5, Lance Fassbender 6, Brandon Berth 7, Tommy Colburn (DNS).

B MAIN

1, Brandon Berth 2, Lance Fassbender 3, Tyler Brabant 4, Matt Recheck 5, Scott Conger 6, Blake Wondra 7, Spyder Akright 8, Cole Possi 9, Mike Yurmanovich 10, Tony Wondra 11, Josh Teunissen 12, Katelyn Krebsbach 13, Tommy Colburn 14, Preston Ruh 15, Chris Larson (DNS).

A MAIN

1, Ben Schmidt 2, Travis Arenz 3, Brandon McMullen 4, Justin Miller 5, Will Gerrits 6, Kevin Karnitz 7, Tim Haddy 8, Jack Vanderboom 9, Kurt Davis 10, Adam Miller 11, Justin Erickson 12, Lance Fassbender 13, Brandon Berth 14, Scott Conger 15, Austin Hartmann 16, Tyler Brabant 17, Matt Recheck 18, Bill Taylor 19, Tyler Davis 20, Blake Wondra 21, Tyler Tischendorf 22, Paul Pokorski.

 

SHEBOYGAN’S COUNTRY B93.7 LATE MODELS

HEAT 1

1, Justin Schmidt 2, Charlie Schmidt 3, Dan Schlieper 4, Taylor Scheffler 5, Tim Buhler 6, Ron Stroika 7, Jon Bongiorno 8, Jim Schmidt 9, Chad Ludwigson.

HEAT 2

1, Brad Mueller 2, Sawyer Specht 3, Turk Letizia 4, Justin Ritchie 5, Brian Konitzer 6, Dan White 7, Jacob Van Engen 8, Donny Singer.

A MAIN

1, Justin Ritchie 2, Charlie Schmidt 3, Taylor Scheffler 4, Brad Mueller 5, Justin Schmidt 6, Tim Buhler 7, Joe Bongiorno 8, Jim Schmidt 9, Turk Letizia 10, Dan Schlieper 11, Dan White 12, Jacob Van Engen 13, Ron Stroika 14, Chad Ludwigson 15, Donny Singer 16, Brian Konitzer 17, Sawyer Specht.

 

OOSTBURG AUTOMOTIVE GRAND NATIONAL

HEAT 1

1, Tyler Kulow 2, Brad Weiss. 3, J.J. Pagel 4, Dylan Struve 5, Dick Hed 6, Jeff Muehlbauer 7, Maverick Ruh 8, Jacob Muehlbauer.

HEAT 2

1, Don Sorce Jr. 2, Luke Scholten 3, Dave Holm 4, Derek Kaat 5, Donny Kulow 6, Steven Weber 7, Daryl Traber.

A MAIN

1, Donny Kulow 2, J.J. Pagel 3, Jeff Muehlbauer 4, Luke Scholten 5, Don Sorce Jr. 6, Steven Weber 7, Tyler Kulow 8, Brad Weiss 9, Dick Hed 10, Derek Kaat 11, Maverick Ruh 12, Dave Holm 13, Jacob Muehlbauer 14, Dylan Struve 15, Daryl Traber.

 

CELLCOM B MOD

HEAT 1

1, Craig Gessner 2, Matthew Roehl 3, Rick Kretschmann 4, Gary Glander 5, Rory Welch 6, Patrick Hanson 7, Michael Gilson 8, Spencer Long 9, Christopher Gilson (DNS).

HEAT 2

1, Shane Long 2, Jesse Cullen 3, Phil Campanella 4, Will Garceau 5, Brendon Ostrowski 6, Justin Bauer 7, Logan See 8, Donny Singer.

HEAT 3

1, Kyle Odekirk 2, Steve Lorier 3, Trevor Frank 4, Dustin Wudstrack 5, Mark Hoeppner 6, Jon Fleury 7, Conrad Kaufert 8, Jim Fischer.

B MAIN

1, Spencer Long 2, Donny Singer 3, Jim Fischer 4, Patrick Hanson 5, Logan See 6, Christopher Gilson 7, Michael Gilson 8, Rory Welch 9, Conrad Kaufert.

A MAIN

1, Kyle Odekirk 2, Jesse Cullen 3, Trevor Frank 4, Shane Long 5, Spencer Long 6, Justin Bauer 7, Gary Glander 8, Will Garceau 9, Steve Lorier 10, Brendan Ostrowski 11, Donny Singer 12, Dustin Wudstrack 13, Jim Fischer 14, Rick Kretschmann 15, Mark Hoeppner 16, Matthew Roehl 17, Patrick Hanson 18, Craig Gessner 19, Phil Campanella  20. John Fleury (DQ).

May 2, 2021 / by Jeff Pederson

Up, down night yields top-15 result for Pokorski Motorsports at Gravity Park  

Paul Pokorski turned in a 15th-place finish in the 25-lap Midwest Sprint Car Association A-main at Gravity Park Speedway in Chilton, Wis. on Saturday, April 24. – Joe Holz Photography

By Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) April 27, 2021 – On a frigid spring evening, which saw the temperatures dip into the high 30-degree range, Paul Pokorski and the Pokorski Motorsports team faced a considerable challenge in finding the hot set-up in Midwest Sprint Car Association action the tight quarter-mile Gravity Park Speedway bullring in Chilton, Wis. on Saturday, April 24.

Pokorski was among 29 drivers to sign in for the second event of the 2021 MSA season and second-ever MSA-sanctioned race contested at Gravity Park Speedway.

The 2014 MSA Masters Series champion opened the night on a solid note by steering the team’s 2020 Maxim to the second-fastest time of 12.500 seconds in the second heat race group qualifying session.

After a four-car invert based on group qualifying times, Pokorski lined up third in the second 10-lap MSA heat race. On the opening lap, four-time MSA champion Brandon McMullen of Oshkosh bolted around Pokorski to take third and relegate the 29-year veteran to fourth on the opening lap.

On lap 2, Sheboygan’s Travis Arenz worked past Pokorski to claim fourth. Four laps later, Pokorski regained the fourth spot when Arenz exited the track with an apparent mechanical issue.

Pokorski went on to place fourth in the heat race, which gave him the pole position for the 15-lap B main. The West Bend driver put together a strong performance in the B main, leading flag to flag to earn the 17th starting spot in the 25-lap MSA main event.

The A main got off to a rough start when contact with Ken Schmick resulted in some front-end damage on the No. 4 car.

After a trip to the work area to fix the damage, Pokorski restarted 19th and went to work in gradually working his way through the field. While struggling to find a comfort level in the heavy traffic that is a signature of racing at Gravity Park Speedway, Pokorski was able to advance four positions over the final 21 laps en route to a 15th-place finish in a race won by Travis Arenz.

“The car was so, so in the heat race,” Pokorski said. “We struggled a bit in turns one and two. We made some changes for the B main to help that and the car was good.

“However, we didn’t make the right changes for the A and the tangle early on bent the front axle and made it worse,” he said. “It was not a great night, but not awful either. We have some work to do before this Saturday’s opener at Plymouth.”

Paul Pokorski is set to return to action behind the wheel of the familiar No. 4 Pokorski Motorsports 360 Sprint Car for the 2021 Plymouth Dirt Track Racing opener at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, May 1.

Pit gates open at 2 p.m., the grandstand opens at 3:30 p.m. with hot laps at 4:30 p.m. and racing starting at 5 p.m.

Sponsors and supporters for the 2021 Pokorski Motorsports team are Petersen Septic Systems, Quest Engineering Inc., Goeden Auto Body, Goodwin Racing Engines, Hopf Farms, Kettle Moraine Landscaping, Novak’s Service Center, Tisler Salvage Inc., Allied Bearing Corporation, RC Custom Design and Pedal Down Promotions.

Pokorski Motorsports Sponsor Showcase – Petersen Septic Systems

Pokorski Motorsports is pleased to have Petersen Septic Systems step into the role of primary sponsor for the 2021 racing season.

Since opening its doors in Valders, Wis. in 2012, Petersen Septic Systems LLC has provided premier septic tank service and the most reliable septic system installation and repair in Manitowoc and Two Rivers and the surrounding Lakeshore area.

“We offer our services to industrial, institutional, residential, new construction, commercial and municipal accounts,” Petersen Septic Systems Owner David Petersen said. “Customer service is our utmost priority. We do every job as it was in our own homes. Our experience is second to none in the area. Prior to opening the business, I worked for Tuschl Septic Systems from 2004 until owner Chuck Tuschl retired.”

The list of regular services Petersen Septic Systems offers includes septic pump repairs, test drilling/test boring, sewage treatment systems, septic tank removal, septic tank installation, water line repair, oil testing and perc testing.

“We provide all of these services in Manitowoc County and the surrounding areas,” Petersen said. “We are OSHA certified and are licensed MPRS/CST966051.”

Petersen Septic Systems is located at 7334 Nagel Road in Valders, Wis. For more information, call 920-323-2640, email petersenseptic@gmail.com or visit www.petersensepticsystems.com.

For more information on Pokorski Motorsports, check out Pokorski Motorsports on Facebook or visit www.pedaldownpromo.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.pedaldownpromo.com or call 920-323-7970.

 

2021 Pokorski Motorsports By The Numbers

Total Events – 2

MSA events – 2

IRA events – 0

A Main Victories – 0

B Main Victories – 1

Top Five A Main Finishes – 0

Top 10 A Main Finishes – 0

Heat Race Victories – 0

2021 Pokorski Motorsports Upcoming Schedule

Saturday, May 1 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

Friday, May 7 – Beaver Dam Raceway, Beaver Dam, Wis.

Saturday, May 8 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

Saturday, May 15 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

Saturday, May 22 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

 

April 27, 2021 / by Jeff Pederson

Arenz mounts inspiring charge to net MSA Gravity Park Speedway triumph

Travis Arenz of Sheboygan earned his 12th career Midwest Sprint Car Association A-main victory at Gravity Park Speedway in Chilton, Wis. on Saturday, April 24. – Joe Holz Photography

By Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) April 24, 2021 – On a night when misfortune hounded him in both qualifying and heat race action, Travis Arenz of Sheboygan turned it on when it mattered most as he charged from the second-to-last-row of the main event field to capture his first 25-lap Akright Auto Parts of Sheboygan Falls Midwest Sprint Car Association A-main victory of the 2021 season at Gravity Park Speedway in Chilton, Wis. on Saturday, April 24.

On a cold and blustery late April evening, which was preceded by rain showers in the afternoon, a total of 29 360 Sprint Car competitors checked in for the second MSA event of the 2021 campaign.

In the 25-lap MSA headliner, five-time MSA champion Kurt Davis of South Milwaukee bolted into the lead on the drop of the green flag from the pole position, as third starter Justin Erickson of Plymouth slipped past MSA rookie outside front row starter Matt Rechek of Beaver Dam to assume second in the running order.

The race was slowed for the first of three occasions on lap 2 when Brandon Berth of Cascade spun in turn two. Davis again commanded the top spot on the restart before Oshkosh’s Ken Schmick flipped in turn three after contact with 2014 MSA Masters Series champion Paul Pokorski of West Bend to bring out the red flag.

Following the restart, Erickson started to flex his muscle as he closed the gap on Davis on lap 8, before four-time MSA champion Brandon McMullen of Oshkosh, who started eighth, used the high groove to pass 2005 MSA champion Lance Fassbender of Burnett, who started fifth, for third place.

Two laps later, McMullen, who is racing a part-time MSA schedule this season, swept around Erickson to take over second as Arenz, who started 18th after transferring through the B main, worked the high line to seize fourth on lap 13.

McMullen quickly reeled in Davis on lap 15 and used a daring move entering turn one to work his way into the lead with Arenz in tow as the leaders began to encounter slower traffic.

One lap later, Davis lost control and made hard head-on contact with the turn one wall after racing in dense traffic, which brought out another red flag. Davis was able to emerge from the grinding impact under his own power.

During the red flag clean-up, McMullen retreated to the work area to change a flat tire, which relinquished the lead to Arenz.

After the restart, Arenz darted away from Erickson to build up a full-straightway cushion by lap 20. Arenz, who failed to register a qualifying lap after making contact with the turn two wall and dropped out of his heat race with an apparent mechanical issue, cruised over the final five laps en route to his 12th career MSA A-main win and first main event victory of the 2021 season.

Erickson held on to finish an MSA A-main career-best second, Rechek, who is a Modified and Midget racing veteran, continued his impressive rookie MSA season by recording an MSA 360 Sprint Car career-best third-place showing, Fassbender finished fourth and ninth starter Tyler Brabant of Waupun rounded out the top five.

Justin Erickson was the overall fastest qualifier for the event with a top lap of 12.034 seconds around the tight, well-prepared quarter-mile clay oval.

Heat race victories went to Justin Miller of Plymouth, Brandon McMullen, Brandon Berth and Lance Fassbender. Paul Pokorski was victorious in the 15-lap B Main.

The next Akright Auto Parts of Sheboygan Falls Midwest Sprint Car Association 360 Sprint Car Series returns to action on Saturday, May 1 for the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 2021 season opener at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis.

Hot laps are scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. with racing to commence at 5 p.m.

The next Akright Auto Parts of Sheboygan Falls MSA traveling race is set for Friday, May 7 at Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis. in conjunction with the Wisconsin Wingless Sprint Car Series and Legends.

Pedal Down Promotions is a full-service public relations and media services company devoted to helping clients effectively communicate with targeted audiences through a diverse array of promotional strategies and methods, including press releases, newsletters, profile and feature articles, website and social media content development, printed media, editing and layout, graphic design and book publishing services.

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

 

Midwest Sprint Car Association

Gravity Park Speedway

Chilton, Wis.

April 24, 2021

 

Overall Fast Qualifier – Justin Erickson 12.034 seconds.

Qualifying Heat 1 – 1, Ben Schmidt 13.015 2, Scott Conger 13.164 3, Justin Miller 13.388 4, Tim Haddy 13.402 5, Adam Miller 13.559 6, Tommy Colburn 13.805 7, Katelyn Krebsbach 14.897 8, Preston Ruh no time.

Qualifying Heat 2 – 1, Brandon McMullen 12.433 2, Paul Pokorski 12.500 3, Tyler Brabant 12.934 4, Blake Wondra 13.196 5, Tom Kreutz 13.235 6, Chris Larson 13.340 7, Travis Arenz no time.

Qualifying Heat 3 – 1, Tony Wondra 12.362 2, Tyler Tischendorf 12.419 3, Brandon Berth 12.568 4, Nick Daywalt 12.655 5, Tyler Davis 12,926 6, Matt Rechek 13.019 7, Ken Schmick 14.065.

Qualifying Heat 4 – 1, Justin Erickson 12.034 2, Will Gerrits 12.125 3, Lance Fassbender 12.126 4, Bill Taylor 12.129 5, Kurt Davis 12.347 6, Jack Vanderboom 12.381 7, Austin Hartmann 12.599.

HEAT 1

1, Justin Miller 2, Ben Schmidt 3, Tim Haddy 4, Scott Conger 5, Adam Miller 6, Tommy Colburn 7, Katelyn Krebsbach 8, Preston Ruh (DNS).

HEAT 2

1, Brandon McMullen 2, Tyler Brabant 3, Blake Wondra 4, Paul Pokorski 5, Chris Larson 6, Tom Kreutz 7, Travis Arenz.

HEAT 3

1, Brandon Berth 2, Nick Daywalt 3, Matt Rechek 4, Tyler Tischendorf 5, Ken Schmick 6, Tyler Davis 7, Tony Wondra.

HEAT 4

1, Lance Fassbender 2, Justin Erickson 3, Kurt Davis 4, Bill Taylor 5, Jack Vanderboom 6, Austin Hartmann 7, Will Gerrits.

B MAIN

1, Paul Pokorski 2, Travis Arenz 3, Adam Miller 4, Bill Taylor 5, Will Gerrits 6, Tony Wondra 7, Austin Hartmann 8, Katelyn Krebsbach 9, Tyler Davis 10, Tyler Tischendorf 11, Tom Kreutz 12, Tommy Colburn (DNS), 13, Preston Ruh (DNS).

A MAIN

1, Travis Arenz 2, Justin Erickson 3, Matt Rechek 4, Lance Fassbender 5, Tyler Brabant 6, Tim Haddy 7, Jack Vanderboom 8, Justin Miller 9, Bill Taylor 10, Scott Conger 11, Brandon Berth 12, Brandon McMullen 13, Chris Larson 14, Nick Daywalt 15, Paul Pokorski 16, Adam Miller 17, Ben Schmidt 18, Blake Wondra 19, Kurt Davis 20, Ken Schmick.

 

April 25, 2021 / by Jeff Pederson

Mueller shares story of son’s loss, renewed purpose and legislative mission in debut poetry book

Angel Mueller’s first book “Wheels Up – Grief to Peace” features poems inspired by her late son Dillon Mueller, who died in 2014 following an undiagnosed allergic reaction to a bee sting.

By Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) April 21, 2021 – After losing her 18-year-old son, Dillon, to an undiagnosed allergic reaction to a bee sting in 2014, Mishicot, Wis. resident Angel Mueller found comfort and clarity in writing religious-based poetry as a way to work through her grief.

Nearly seven years after Dillon’s passing, Mueller has released her debut poetry book “Wheels Up – Grief to Peace,” inspired by Dillon’s live-in-the-moment youthful vigor and uncanny ability to engage people through his dynamic personality. The book also chronicles Mueller’s complex process of dealing with the deep-seated feelings associated with her youngest son’s sudden death.

Published by Pedal Down Promotions of Manitowoc, Wis, Mueller’s first book release is designed to help others dealing with the loss of a loved one, provide a glimpse into Dillon’s short, but impactful life and continue the mission of Dillon’s Law by pursuing similar life-saving epinephrine legislation throughout the United States.

“The suffocating, unbearable pain of losing my 18-year-old son, Dillon, to an undiagnosed bee sting allergy is what led me to write these poems,” Mueller said. “They are more like prayers on paper, gifted to me by God. It was when I was emotionally at my worst, the urge to write came on strong.  The poems in the book are  in order as I wrote them so the reader will journey along with me from ‘Grief to Peace.’

“The tone of my poems start out very gloomy and dismal, expressing the indescribable gut-wrenching pain I was feeling,” she said. “Next comes the ‘aha’ moment and divine words of wisdom which comforted me. Every single poem will leave the reader feeling inspired and hopeful. These words came to me straight from Heaven, so quickly, that I grabbed whatever was close to write with and on, including napkins. The message is, ‘We are never alone.’ The tiniest bit of positivity or faith, whatever the reader wants to call it, can spark the slightest motivation to slowly lift ones foot to take the very next step. How we carry our burdens, and we all have them, can make the trip as easy or hard as we choose. We are ultimately, with God’s help, in charge of the destination.  I chose peace.”

Angel Mueller of Mishicot, Wis. has released her first book “Wheels Up – Grief to Peace,” which features a collection of poems inspired by her late son, Dillon, who passed away at age 18 following an undiagnosed bee sting allergic reaction in 2014. – Photo by Paula E. Schoeffel

After engaging in various forms of writing as a hobby throughout her life,  “Wheels Up – Grief to Peace” serves as a launching pad for what Mueller hopes will be a lengthy career as an author.

“I have written a little poetry prior to this mostly in the form of children’s stories to tell my kids at bedtime,” Mueller said. “I was always good at language arts and spelling, calling myself the ‘word girl’ before it was a real character. Telling made-up stories to our boys when they were small is a fond memory I will cherish forever.”

Mueller says the process of transforming her very raw and personal poems into a professional published book for public consumption included a substantial learning curve.

“The process leading to publication of these poems into book form was not an easy one for me,” she said. “For a few years, I had been daydreaming about turning these poems into a book, or even music. Sharing my poetry on Facebook and word-of-mouth lead me to Pedal Down Promotions. With their guidance, I took the steps necessary to convert my hurried writing, which looked like chicken scratch, into typed material. From there, I needed to proofread them several times, not so much to correct spelling errors, but to add necessary punctuation to ensure the reader feels the exact same emotion I was feeling at that moment. Revisiting these writings stirred up emotions with a peaceful intensity and a tear here and there, but I soon realized I am still Dillon’s mom and I still love and miss him every day.

“I also wanted to add pictures throughout the book to depict Dillon’s personality,” Mueller said. “These photos and Dillon deserve an honorable caption. This was grueling for me as I struggled with ‘self-imposed’ responsibility to make the ‘essence’ of Dillon palatable.  I was reassured, through prayer, that it would all be ‘just right.’”

Mueller’s ultimate goal in releasing “Wheels Up – Grief to Peace” is to provide inspiration and renewed purpose to those that may be dealing with pain, grief and any form of loss in their lives.

“My main goal in publishing this book first and foremost is to offer hope to those who may feel there is no way out,” Mueller said. “Losing a child in the prime of their life to such an extraordinary event can throw anyone into a deep dark place with no life preserver available. This book of heartfelt, spiritually intuitive poetry is a life preserver I’m throwing to those who feel there is no way out of that dark place, no matter what circumstances put them there.

“The second goal in publishing this book is to open the eyes of every reader and their family and friends to the fact that allergies are real,” she said. “Allergies can be fatal. There is a common sense solution, easily delivered, at little cost, that has already been proven to save lives. Dillon’s Law NEEDS to be nationwide. Get trained. Carry epinephrine. Save a life. Let’s do it for Dillon.”

Through her drive, determination and talent for public speaking, Mueller is aiming to share her book with the public without rest until her mission is complete.

“Looking ahead I hope to promote this book across the state and the nation,” Mueller said. “Book signings and personal presentations are my goal.  I hope to see this story offered in churches, libraries, clubs and support groups of all kinds. This is a story which needs to be told. My hope is that this topic of death, grief and healing and by divine intervention will open the flood gates to legislation across the country. The Amber Alert was our template. That was birthed from tragedy. This too can do the same. ‘Something good from something bad, it’s the only dream I ever had.’”

Mueller will hold a book launch party for “Wheels Up – Grief to Peace” on Saturday, May 22 at Port Sandy Bay, located at 6421 County Road O in Two Rivers from noon to 3:30 p.m. Mueller will be signing copies of the book, which will be available for purchase during the drop-in event.

“Wheels Up – Grief to Peace” is now available for purchase for $17 at Amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, or by contacting Angel Mueller directly at brothersracing@live.com.

Additional information on Dillon’s Law can be found by visiting www.epifordilly.com.

For more information, contact Pedal Down Promotions via email at pedaldownpromotions@gmail.com, by phone at 920-323-7970 or by visiting www.pedaldownpromo.com.

April 21, 2021 / by Jeff Pederson

Mechanical gremlin cuts short promising opener for Pokorski Motorsports

Paul Pokorski (4) passes Al Schlafer (26) during the 2021 season-opening Midwest Sprint Car Association Jim Wipperfurth Memorial at Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis. on Saturday, April 17. – RC Custom Design photo

By Jeff Pederson – Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) April 20, 2021 – After showing plenty of speed in the early stages of the first night of the 29th season of competition for the Pokorski Motorsports team, a mechanical malady spelled an early ending to the main event for veteran driver Paul Pokorski during the 2021 Midwest Sprint Car Association season-opening Jim Wipperfurth Memorial at Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis. on Saturday, April 17.

Pokorski was among 34 drivers to sign in for the 2021 MSA season opener at the Beaver Dam Raceway facility, which served as the birthplace of the Winged 360 Sprint Car division in Southeastern Wisconsin in 1996.

The 2014 MSA Masters Series champion opened the night behind the wheel of the team’s newly acquired 2020 Maxim by drawing the third starting spot in the first 10-lap heat race. Pokorski used a strong start to bolt underneath outside front row starter Bill Taylor to secure the second spot in the first turn of the opening lap.

Pokorski quickly settled into the runner-up spot behind race leader Tyler Davis, while Davis’ father, Kurt, moved into to briefly pressure Pokorski for second on lap 2. Pokorski maintained the second spot until the yellow flag appeared on lap 7 for the spinning car of Scott Conger in turn two.

On the restart, Pokorski pulled away from Kurt Davis and reeled in Tyler Davis in the closing laps before settling for second to secure a spot in the 25-lap A main.

“The car was pretty amazing for having never turned a lap in it until hot laps,” Pokorski said. “I was very happy with it in the heat race.”

Pokorski lined up ninth in the 22-car A-main field and fell back to 13th in the running order along the inside groove in the early going. On lap 4, Pokorski moved up to the high groove and quickly worked his way into the top 10.

On lap 12, Adam Miller pulled off a slide job to take 10th away from Pokorski in turn two. Second later, Pokorski fell off the pace and pulled into the infield with an apparent mechanical issue. Pokorski was credited with a 20th place finish in the final running order in a race won by Ben Schmidt.

“In the A main, the engine began to stumble,” Pokorski said. “I’m reasonably sure it was just the main fuel shut off valve vibrating shut. It’s a  minor gremlin and an easy fix, so we should be good to go this Saturday at Gravity Park.”

Paul Pokorski is set to return to action behind the wheel of the familiar No. 4 Pokorski Motorsports 360 Sprint Car for an MSA event at Gravity Park Speedway in Chilton on Saturday, April 24. Sport Mods, 4-Cylinders and Street Stocks are also on the card.

Pit gates open at 3 p.m., the grandstand opens at 4:30 p.m. with hot laps at 5:30 p.m. and racing starting at 6 p.m.

Sponsors and supporters for the 2021 Pokorski Motorsports team are Petersen Septic Systems, Goeden Auto Body, Goodwin Racing Engines, Hopf Farms, Kettle Moraine Landscaping, Novak’s Service Center, Tisler Salvage Inc., Allied Bearing Corporation, RC Custom Design and Pedal Down Promotions.

Pokorski Motorsports Sponsor Showcase – Petersen Septic Systems

Pokorski Motorsports is pleased to have Petersen Septic Systems step into the role of primary sponsor for the 2021 racing season.

Since opening its doors in Valders, Wis. in 2012, Petersen Septic Systems LLC has provided premier septic tank service and the most reliable septic system installation and repair in Manitowoc and Two Rivers and the surrounding Lakeshore area.

“We offer our services to industrial, institutional, residential, new construction, commercial and municipal accounts,” Petersen Septic Systems Owner David Petersen said. “Customer service is our utmost priority. We do every job as it was in our own homes. Our experience is second to none in the area. Prior to opening the business, I worked for Tuschl Septic Systems from 2004 until owner Chuck Tuschl retired.”

The list of regular services Petersen Septic Systems offers includes septic pump repairs, test drilling/test boring, sewage treatment systems, septic tank removal, septic tank installation, water line repair, oil testing and perc testing.

“We provide all of these services in Manitowoc County and the surrounding areas,” Petersen said. “We are OSHA certified and are licensed MPRS/CST966051.”

Petersen Septic Systems is located at 7334 Nagel Road in Valders, Wis. For more information, call 920-323-2640, email petersenseptic@gmail.com or visit www.petersensepticsystems.com.

For more information on Pokorski Motorsports, check out Pokorski Motorsports on Facebook or visit www.pedaldownpromo.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.pedaldownpromo.com or call 920-323-7970.

2021 Pokorski Motorsports By The Numbers

Total Events – 1

MSA events – 1

IRA events – 0

A Main Victories – 0

B Main Victories – 0

Top Five A Main Finishes – 0

Top 10 A Main Finishes – 0

Heat Race Victories – 0

2021 Pokorski Motorsports Upcoming Schedule

Saturday, April 24 – Gravity Park Speedway, Chilton, Wis.

Saturday, May 1 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

Friday, May 7 – Beaver Dam Raceway, Beaver Dam, Wis.

Saturday, May 8 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

Saturday, May 15 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.

April 20, 2021 / by Jeff Pederson

Last-corner pass nets Schmidt MSA Jim Wipperfurth Memorial victory

2011 Midwest Sprint Car Association champion Ben Schmidt of Howards Grove earned his 27th career MSA A-main victory in the 2021 season-opening Jim Wipperfurth Memorial main event at Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis. on Saturday, April 17. – RC Custom Design photo

By Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) April 17, 2021 – Former Midwest Sprint Car Association champion Ben Schmidt of Howards Grove pulled off a thrilling last corner pass to outduel hard-charging Sheboygan competitor Travis Arenz and secure a 2021 season-opening victory in the 25-lap Akright Auto Parts of Sheboygan Falls Midwest Sprint Car Association Jim Wipperfurth Memorial A-main at Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis. on Saturday, April 17.

The first event of the 23rd season of MSA series competition drew 34 entrants to Beaver Dam Raceway, which served as the birthplace of Winged 360 Sprint Car racing in Southeastern Wisconsin in 1996.

Polesitter Tim Haddy of Mayville, who has been racing Winged 360 Sprint Cars since the division’s inception at Beaver Dam Raceway in 1996, jumped into the lead on the drop of the green flag as fourth starter Ben Schmidt, who captured the 2011 MSA title, bolted into second and Travis Arenz moved up from his sixth starting spot to slide into third on the opening circuit.

On lap 3, Schmidt moved in to pressure Haddy for the top spot. Two laps later, Schmidt pulled off a slide job in turn two to briefly seize the lead before Haddy battled back along the fast middle groove to regain the top spot in turn four.

Haddy and Schmidt continued their side-by-side duel until Schmidt finally gained control of the lead exiting turn four on lap 7. Four laps later, Arenz made his presence felt as he worked the high groove to surge ahead of the low riding Haddy before the first of two caution flags was displayed for a spin involving Josh Teunissen in turn four on lap 12.

On the restart, five-time MSA champion Kurt Davis of South Milwaukee spun in turn two and collected Justin Miller of Plymouth, Jason Johnson of Campbellsport, Waupun’s Will Gerrits and MSA rookie Matt Rechek of Beaver Dam. Davis, Miller, Johnson and Rechek were able to continue, but Gerrits was done for the night.

When the race resumed, Arenz went to the cushion to challenge Schmidt, who was stuck to the middle line of the multi-groove third-mile facility. On lap 19, Arenz finally pounced as he bolted around Schmidt with a high move in turn two.

Two laps later, Arenz began to encounter heavy lapped traffic, which allowed Schmidt to cut the gap considerably. As Arenz was forced to deal with a pair of slower cars racing side-by-side just ahead of him, Schmidt moved to within striking distance on the white flag lap.

Schmidt used a huge run down the backstretch on the final lap to pull even with Arenz along the inside groove in turn three and sweep into the lead in turn four en route to his 27th career MSA A-main victory.

Arenz had to settle for second, Haddy took third, two-time MSA champion Danny Schlafer of Sussex took third after starting eighth and 2005 MSA champ Lance Fassbender of Burnett charged up from the 15th starting spot to finish fifth.

Heat race victories went to Tyler Davis of South Milwaukee, Tim Haddy, Kevin Karnitz of West Bend and Danny Schlafer.

Austin Hartmann of Plymouth claimed his first career MSA race victory in the 15-lap B main.

The next race on the 2021 Akright Auto Parts of Sheboygan Midwest Sprint Car Association schedule is Saturday, April 24 at Gravity Park Speedway in Chilton. The program will also feature Sport Mods, 4-Cylinders and Street Stocks.

Pedal Down Promotions is a full-service public relations and media services company devoted to helping clients effectively communicate with targeted audiences through a diverse array of promotional strategies and methods, including press releases, newsletters, profile and feature articles, website and social media content development, printed media, editing and layout, graphic design and book publishing services.

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

 

Midwest Sprint Car Association

Beaver Dam Raceway

Beaver Dam, Wis.

April 17, 2021

HEAT 1

1, Tyler Davis 2, Paul Pokorski 3, Kurt Davis 4, Al Schlafer 5, Matt Rechek 6, Scott Conger 7, Preston Ruh 8, Bill Taylor 9, Tyler Tischendorf.

 

HEAT 2

1, Tim Haddy 2, Ben Schmidt 3, Nick Daywalt 4, Blake Wondra 5, Lance Fassbender 6, Spyder Akright 7, Ken Schmick 8, Justin Erickson (DNS) 9, Tom Kreutz (DNS).

 

HEAT 3

1, Kevin Karnitz 2, Will Gerrits 3, Jack Vanderboom 4, Josh Teunissen 5, Austin Hartmann 6, Chris Larson 7, Doug Wondra 8, Tommy Colburn.

 

HEAT 4

1, Danny Schlafer 2, Travis Arenz 3, Justin Miller 4, Jason Johnson 5, Tyler Brabant 6, Katelyn Krebsbach 7. Adam Miller 8, Mike Yurmanovich.

 

B MAIN

1, Austin Hartmann 2, Blake Wondra 3, Preston Ruh 4, Adam Miller 5, Tyler Brabant 6, Jason Johnson 7, Scott Conger 8, Chris Larson 9. Mike Yurmanovich 10, Spyder Akright 11, Tom Kreutz 12, Katelyn Krebsbach 13, Ken Schmick.

 

A MAIN

1, Ben Schmidt 2, Travis Arenz 3, Tim Haddy 4, Danny Schlafer 5, Lance Fassbender 6, Adam Miller 7, Jack Vanderboom 8, Kevin Karnitz 9, Matt Rechek 10, Kurt Davis 11, Justin Miller 12, Austin Hartmann 13, Blake Wondra 14, Tyler Davis 15. Jason Johnson 16, Josh Teunissen 17, Al Schlafer 18, Nick Daywalt 19, Will Gerrits 20, Paul Pokorski 21, Preston Ruh 22, Tyler Brabant.

 

April 18, 2021 / by Jeff Pederson

New book brings history of Plymouth Dirt Track Racing to life

The new book “70 Years of Plymouth Dirt Track Racing” by Dennis Darovich and George Baumann covers every season of racing action at the dirt track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. from 1950 through the 2020 season.

By Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) April 14, 2021 – Boasting a rich, colorful and sometimes even controversial history, the sport of dirt track racing is ripe for remembering fondly and treasuring thoroughly.

Drawing off the close competition, big personalities and heated rivalries that have formed the firm foundation the grassroots sport of dirt track racing, a new book titled “70 Years of Plymouth Dirt Track Racing – Covering the 1950 through 2020 Seasons” traces all the twists and turns of every season of racing action to date at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds dirt track facility in Plymouth, Wis.

Eastern Wisconsin Stock Car Racing Historian Dennis Darovich of Sheboygan, Wis. and Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Historian George Baumann of Waupun, Wis. have teamed up to chronicle all of the vivid details through a season-by-season account, which features a total of 183 photos, 140 of which appear in color.

Additional highlights of the 246-page full-color book, published by Pedal Down Promotions of Manitowoc, Wis., include a chapter devoted to women in racing, final point standings for each season between 1950 to 2020, driver photograph identification pages and human interest stories.

“This book provides the definitive Plymouth dirt track racing history,” Darovich said. “It covers all of the years from 1950 and 2020, which makes it very comprehensive for anyone that has an interest in the history Plymouth track from way back in the beginning years all the way up until the 2020 season. It will be available at the track for purchase throughout the 2021 season. It is a must have for any stock car racing enthusiast.”

Plymouth Dirt Track Racing has thrown their full support behind the “70 Years of Plymouth Dirt Track Racing – Covering the 1950 through 2020 Seasons” book project with additional backing coming from Vintage Modified Stock Car, Partners in Success Networking Group, the family of Tom “T.J.” Ott and Klips & Tips of Plymouth.

“George and Dennis have done an excellent job of covering the history of racing in Plymouth,” Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Marketing and Promotions Director Bill Weinaug said. “I believe the fans will also enjoy the pictorial history as well.”

In addition to being on sale for $25 during 2021 racing events at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis., “70 Years of Plymouth Dirt Track Racing – Covering the 1950 through 2020 Seasons” is also available in e-book and paperback formats on barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com. Premium color paperback editions of the book are available for purchase exclusively on amazon.com.

Additional information on Plymouth Dirt Track Racing and the upcoming 2021 PDTR racing season can be found at www.plymouthdtr.com.

For more information, contact Pedal Down Promotions via email at pedaldownpromotions@gmail.com, by phone at 920-323-7970 or by visiting www.pedaldownpromo.com.

April 14, 2021 / by Jeff Pederson

Father-son driving tandem set to guide Pokorski Motorsports in swan song season

Alex (left) and Paul (right) Pokorski will share the seat of the No. 4 Pokorski Motorsports 360 Sprint Car during the team’s final season of competition in 2021. – Pokorski Motorsports photo

By Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) April 6, 2021 – While the 2020 season was supposed to be the last go-around for the Pokorski Motorsports 360 Sprint Car team, the condensed campaign brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic enticed the team to add one more complete year of action to its extensive racing resume.

For the team’s 29th and last season operating as Pokorski Motorsports, 29-year open wheel racing veteran Paul Pokorski will once again share seat time with his 22-year-old son, Alex, who will be entering his second season of 360 Sprint Car competition.

The highlight of the shortened 2020 came on the opening night of the season at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. when Paul outdueled Tyler Brabant and Travis Arenz to park the familiar blue No. 4 car in victory lane for the 46th time in his career and 11th time behind the wheel of a 360 Sprint Car.

One week later, Alex jumped into the seat for the first time at The Plymouth Dirt Track to begin his rookie campaign in the 360 Sprint Car ranks.

Overall, the team competed in 18 total events in 2020 with one A-main victory, one B-main victory, one top-five A-main finish and three top-10 A-main finishes.

Paul competed in 10 events, racking up one A-main victory, one top-five A-main showing and three-top 10 A-main finishes.

“Overall, the season was fun,” Paul said. “It’s hard getting out of the car because I still have a passion for driving, but it’s also very satisfying to help your kids do something that they enjoy and excel at as well. I look forward to doing it again in 2021.”

Alex ran in eight events while qualifying for three A mains and earning one B-main victory during his rookie season in a 360 Sprint Car in 2020.

“The highlight of the 2020 season was definitely winning the B main at Plymouth,” Alex said. “In my go-karting career, I was used to being fast and contending to win races every week, so it felt good to finally be able to do that in a Sprint Car. The last night of the season would be a night I would re-do if I were able to do so. I think I could’ve been a lot better in the A main and would like to race against my dad again. For the 2021 season, I want to learn to run the cushion, be better on dry slick tracks and make A mains more consistently.”

The Pokorski Motorsports team ended up 24th in the final 2020 Midwest Sprint Car Association (MSA) point standings and 25th in the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing (PDTR) point standings.

“Over the winter we made some changes to a car we had to make it fit Alex better and to give him more head room for safety,” Paul said. “We also acquired 2020 Maxim chassis from another team to use as our primary car. Other than that, we just did the routine of cleaning things up and checking things out before putting them all back together.”

The team intends to race most of the MSA and PDTR 360 Sprint Car schedule in 2021.

“We will run the majority of the MSA events,” Paul said. “However, we’re not really racing for points. We are racing because we want to and because we want to support the MSA and the good things it is doing for Sprint Car racing.”

The 2021 campaign will begin with the Jim Wipperfurth Memorial event for the MSA Sprint Cars at the Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis. on Saturday, April 17 with Paul set to be behind the wheel of the Pokorski Motorsports entry.

“We are planning on being ready for the MSA opener at Beaver Dam Raceway,” Paul said. “We’ve had pretty decent luck there over the years and I’m looking forward to what may be my last race there.

“As far as driving the car between Alex and myself, we plan to do it a lot like last year,” he said. “I’m going to drive the first three or four weeks and then once Alex is done with college finals, he’ll take over for the majority of the summer. If he can’t make it for some work-related reason, then I’ll drive myself. We will probably skip one or two events for family vacation time. Although at this point, we have no plans for that specifically.”

For those wondering if the final year of Pokorski Motorsports will include a pair of blue No. 4 cars on the track on the same night, Paul is generally non-committal at this point, while not ruling out the possibility.

Paul and Alex each competed in the 2020 MSA season finale at The Plymouth Dirt Track with both Pokorski Motorsports drivers qualifying for the A main.

“As far as Alex and myself both racing on the same night this year, if we still have two cars and two motors left coming down to the last two nights, we might try to work something out,” Pokorski said.

Sponsors for the 2021 Pokorski Motorsports team are Petersen Septic Systems, Goeden’s Auto Body, Goodwin Racing Engines, Hopf Farms, Kettle Moraine Landscaping, Novak’s Service Center, Tisler Salvage Inc., Allied Bearing Corporation and Pedal Down Promotions.

“Many of our sponsors are back from last year,” Paul said. “Peterson Septic Systems stepped up big time and would be considered our primary sponsor for 2021.”

As Pokorski Motorsports embarks on its 29th and final campaign, Paul is hoping for an enjoyable season for all involved with the long-running team.

“My hope is that we can make it through the season without any major setbacks, such as crashes or engine problems,” Paul said. “If we can race most of the nights and have fun doing it, I’ll consider that a success. In the fall, we will put everything up for sale and then start figuring out what’s next for 2022.”

Pokorski Motorsports Sponsor Showcase – Petersen Septic Systems

Pokorski Motorsports is pleased to have Petersen Septic Systems step into the role of primary sponsor for the 2021 racing season.

Since opening its doors in Valders, Wis. in 2012, Petersen Septic Systems LLC has provided premier septic tank service and the most reliable septic system installation and repair in Manitowoc and Two Rivers and the surrounding Lakeshore area.

“We offer our services to industrial, institutional, residential, new construction, commercial and municipal accounts,” Petersen Septic Systems Owner David Petersen said. “Customer service is our utmost priority. We do every job as it was in our own homes. Our experience is second to none in the area. Prior to opening the business, I worked for Tuschl Septic Systems from 2004 until owner Chuck Tuschl retired.”

The list of regular services Petersen Septic Systems offers includes septic pump repairs, test drilling/test boring, sewage treatment systems, septic tank removal, septic tank installation, water line repair, oil testing and perc testing.

“We provide all of these services in Manitowoc County and the surrounding areas,” Petersen said. “We are OSHA certified and are licensed MPRS/CST966051.”

Petersen Septic Systems is located at 7334 Nagel Road in Valders, Wis. For more information, call 920-323-2640 or 920-758-2626, email petersenseptic@gmail.com or visit http://www.petersensepticsystems.com.

For more information on Pokorski Motorsports, check out Pokorski Motorsports on Facebook or visit www.pedaldownpromo.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.pedaldownpromo.com or call 920-323-7970.

 

2020 Pokorski Motorsports By The Numbers

Total Events – 18

MSA events – 17

IRA events – 0

A Main Victories – 1

B Main Victories – 1

Top Five A Main Finishes – 1

Top 10 A Main Finishes – 3

Heat Race Victories – 0

MSA points finish – 24th

PDTR points finish – 25th

2021 Pokorski Motorsports Upcoming Schedule

Saturday, April 17 – Beaver Dam Raceway, Beaver Dam, Wis

Saturday, April 24 – Gravity Park Speedway, Chilton, Wis.

Saturday, May 1 – Plymouth Dirt Track Racing, Plymouth, Wis.

Friday, May 7 – Beaver Dam Raceway, Beaver Dam, Wis.

Saturday, May 8 – Plymouth Dirt Track Racing, Plymouth Wis.

April 6, 2021 / by Jeff Pederson

After unusual 2020, Walter looks forward to new season

Josh Walter and the Torque Racing 410 Sprint Car team will open the 2021 season with the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association Series on Saturday, April 24 at Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis. – RC Custom Design photo

By Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) March 17, 2021 – Following a shortened 2020 season, which featured a mix of impressive performances and disappointing mechanical setbacks, Josh Walter and the members of the Torque Racing team have turned their attention toward a promising 2021 season.

The team is currently putting together a tentative schedule of races for 2021, which will kick off with a Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association Sprint Car Series event at Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis. on Saturday, April 24.

In addition to competing in several IRA events near its Plymouth, Wis. home base, the team is also planning to visit a few of dirt track racing’s most legendary tracks during the 2021 campaign.

“Where we decided to race last year was mostly on a whim with a few races set in stone,” Walter said. “That’s what we plan on doing again this year. All the races are on the calendar and we may end up shooting darts at it. We will be racing April 24th at Beaver Dam Raceway, May 8th at Knoxville Raceway, June 11th at Williams Grove Speedway and June 12th at Port Royal Speedway, weather permitting of course.

“We plan on running the local Plymouth shows, Dodge County and Antigo races too,” he said. “The rest of the schedule is up in the air.”

The annual Torque Racing Brat Fry will get things rolling for the season Saturday, March 20 at Lakehouse Bar and Grill, located at W6547 County Road C in Plymouth, Wis. on Crystal Lake, beginning at 11 a.m.

The brat fry will give fans and supporters the first look at the 2021 Josh Walter-Torque Racing 410 Sprint Car.

Due to COVID-19, the brat fry will include two 40 foot by 20 foot tents outside for those who’d like to distance themselves. Drive-thru orders will be accommodated as well.

Although their 2020 schedule turned out to be nothing like originally anticipated, Josh Walter and the Torque Racing team made the most of their limited racing opportunities by stringing together a number of impressive late-season performances in Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series action.

Walter originally planned to run several different “bucket list” tracks during the 2020 season, including Eldora Speedway in Ohio and Knoxville Raceway in Iowa, as well as Williams Grove Speedway and Port Royal Speedway in Pennsylvania, to go along with a handful of IRA events in Wisconsin. However, the COVID-19 pandemic derailed those ambitious plans and kept the team racing close to its Plymouth, Wis. home throughout the season.

In all, the team competed in 11 IRA, NOS Energy Drink World of Outlaws and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions 410 Sprint Car Series sanctioned events in 2020, compiling three top-10 A-main finishes, one heat race victory, one dash victory and six dash appearances.

Walter ended up 24th in the final IRA point standings after competing in nine of 20 events.

“Last year was a different year for everyone and it really benefitted our team,” Walter said. “Last year we started a little rough, but we really gathered things together the last half dozen nights or so. The team never gave up, but there was a point that we felt we were going about things a little wrong.

“We rallied at the end with the realization and recognition that if we want to win, we need to look at our team strengths and capitalize on those,” he said. “We took the stress out of our season during the last half, running where we wanted, when we wanted and without any outside bearing on our decisions. If our family had stuff going on, or if we just wanted to watch the races on Flo and have a team cook out and eliminate running a percentage of races or for points, we did that.”

After a nearly two-month delay to the start of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 restrictions, Walter opened the season with a NOS Energy Drink World of Outlaws Series doubleheader at Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis. on Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6.

Although he failed to qualify for the A main on either night, Walter used the two events as a test and tune session for the upcoming IRA season.

Due to some adverse weather conditions, the Torque Racing team was out of action for the next month before opening its 2020 IRA schedule at the 141 Speedway in Francis Creek on Sunday, July 5.

The evening proved to be an eventful one as Walter qualified sixth in the 29-car field and placed second in his heat race to earn a spot in an IRA dash and eventually the eighth starting spot in the 30-lap A main. After getting hit with a rock and contacting the wall and being involved in an incident in turn two in the early going, Walter battled back from the rear of the field to salvage a 15th-place finish.

After turning in a 20th-place finish in an IRA event at the Plymouth Dirt Track on July 18, Walter failed to advance out of the C main in the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions-IRA co-sanctioned Rayce Rudeen Foundation event at The Plymouth Dirt Track on July 30.

The following night, Walter made a late decision to compete with the IRA at the Langlade County Speedway in Antigo, where he qualified seventh and won the first IRA dash to earn the pole for the A main. However, an electrical issue prevented Walter’s 12W car from firing for the A main.

After nearly a month off, Walter returned to action with the IRA at Beaver Dam Raceway on Aug. 29, where he qualified sixth and finished 17th after a late-race spin.

The highlight of the season came less than a week later, when Walter qualified second and came home a season-best seventh in an IRA A-main at the Dodge County Fairgrounds in Beaver Dam, Wis. on Friday, Sept. 4.

The team had planned to compete the following night in IRA action at The Plymouth Dirt Track, but a faulty push rod in the engine compartment detected during pre-race maintenance sidelined the team for the evening.

Walter then posted his second top-10 finish of the season with a ninth-place showing in an IRA event at the Outagamie Speedway in Seymour, Wis. on Friday, Sept. 11.

After placing 12th in the IRA A-main at the Dodge County Fairgrounds on Friday, Sept. 25, Walter closed out the 2020 campaign with a solid eighth-place A-main finish in the season finale IRA event at The Plymouth Dirt Track on Saturday, Sept. 26.

“The last half of the 2020 season has us excited for 2021,” Walter said. “We had some top-10 finishes and I believe we made the dash in six out of the last seven nights. Our qualifying and speed is there, but I feel I owe it to my team to race better and a little more aggressive.

“If I’m not racing for points, I really have nothing holding me back from being more aggressive,” he said. “However, I still need to drive smart and keep the car in one piece.”

Torque Racing sponsors for the 2020 season included JDV Lawncare, Brittany’s School of Dance, Sheboygan by Owner, Plymouth Tap, SCA Inc., Doug’s Quality Beef, Cow Pies, Full Throttle Ink, Lakehouse Bar & Grill, Home Transitions, Oostburg Concrete Products, RC Custom Design and Pedal Down Promotions.

Additional information about the team’s 2021 tentative schedule and sponsors will be released in the coming weeks and throughout the season on the Torque Racing Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as the Pedal Down Promotions website and social media pages.

Torque Racing Sponsor Showcase – Oostburg Concrete Products

The Torque Racing team is pleased to have Oostburg Concrete Products of Oostburg, Wis. on board as a sponsor.

In 1946, six partners joined hands to form Oostburg Concrete Products. The original owners purchased special equipment to manufacture a wide range of concrete items, which they used during the summer months for construction work.

Oostburg Concrete Products’ recent investment in equipment allows the company to pour concrete through most of the winter months.

One of the original owners, Gordon Veldboom Sr. became the sole owner in 1959. Today, the company is owned and operated by Gordon J. Veldboom Jr., his wife, Helen, and their son, John.

Oostburg Concrete Products offers a complete line of concrete and masonry services, including footings, poured concrete walls, concrete floors, driveways, sidewalks, flatwork, fireplaces and exterior brick in stone.

Oostburg Concrete Products crews cover a large territory, including jobs in Brown, Calumet, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Jefferson, Kenosha, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha and Winnebago counties.

For more information or to inquire about services, call Oostburg Concrete Products at 920-564-3341.

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.pedaldownpromo.com or call 920-323-7970.

 

Final 2020 Josh Walter-Torque Racing

By The Numbers

Total Events – 11

IRA events – 9

World of Outlaws events – 2

A-Main Victories – 0

B-Main Victories – 0

Top Five A-Main Finishes – 0

Top 10 A-Main Finishes – 3

Heat Race Victories – 1

Dash Victories – 1

Dash Appearances – 6

IRA points finish – 24th

2021 Josh Walter-Torque Racing

Tentative Upcoming Schedule

(Additional dates to be announced)

Saturday, April 24 – Beaver Dam Raceway, Beaver Dam, Wis. (IRA)

Saturday, May 8 – Knoxville Raceway, Knoxville, Iowa (Weekly)

March 17, 2021 / by Jeff Pederson

Pedal Down Promotions to publish Verdegan’s ‘5-10-32’ book on McBride, Parker & Anvelink

Author Verdegan’s seventh book featuring Wisconsin Dirt Late Model Legends McBride, Parker and Anvelink to be released in December 2021

(Dunbar, Wis.) Jan. 21, 2021 – Motorsports author and Green Bay native Joe Verdegan has announced he’ll begin working on his seventh book titled “5-10-32 – McBride, Parker & Anvelink” which will feature the trio of northeastern Wisconsin dirt late model icons.

The book, hot on the heels of Verdegan’s 2020 best-selling book “The Reformatory – Tales From Green Bay’s Maximum-Security Prison” is set to be wrapped up and ready for release in December 2021. The book will be published by Pedal Down Promotions of Manitowoc, Wisconsin.  This book will be the fourth that Verdegan has had published with Pedal Down Promotions.

All three drivers earned extremely popular fan followings beginning with McBride. The Shawano (Wisconsin) Speedster’s career began in 1965 at his home track Shawano Speedway. McBride would go on to battle in USAC stock car competition in the early 1970s and eventually would wind up dominating at his hometown half-mile, bagging five straight track titles in the 1980s and still winning frequently into the ’90s and into the 2000s era. McBride, who would wind up winning 13 track championships in all, was ushered into Shawano Speedway’s Hall of Fame in 2007.

Parker, from Kaukauna, Wisconsin began his career in drag racing after a stint in the military. It didn’t take long for the Eagle River native to explode onto the dirt late model scene. Parker began winning features and track titles frequently in the late 1970s and for the next few decades. Parker spread his wings in the 1980s chasing big-money specials throughout the United States, including the long-defunct National Dirt Racing Association (NDRA) circuit. After an estimated 450 feature wins at both the local and regional level and a pair of WISSOTA late model national crowns, Parker was inducted into the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame in 2006.

Anvelink, from the small town of Navarino, Wisconsin, won his first late model feature in 1977 and wasted little time becoming a consistent frontrunner and fan favorite in the years ahead at Shawano Speedway as well as nearby Seymour Speedway.

The “Navarino Nightmare” as he’s affectionately known has scored multiple feature wins and 13 track championships. Anvelink has also won some big races along the way, including the $5,000-to-win Legendary 100 at Cedar Lake Speedway in western Wisconsin and the $4,000-to-win Mid-Summer Classic at Shawano.  Anvelink was a 2009 inductee into the Shawano Speedway Hall of Fame.

An exact date and location of this book launch is expected to be released sometime in November 2021.

For more details on “5-10-32 – McBride, Parker & Anvelink,” email Verdegan at jverdegan2@gmail.com  or follow his website joeverdegan.com.

For more information on Pedal Down Promotions contact publisher Jeff Pederson at pedaldownpromotions@gmail.com or visit pedaldownpromo.com.

VERDEGAN’S PRIOR TITLES

2015  “Life In The Past Lane – a history of stock car racing in Northeast Wisconsin from 1950-1980”

Publisher – M and B Global Solutions

2016 “Wisconsin International Raceway – Where The Big Ones Run”

Publisher – M and B Global Solutions

2017  “Life In The Past Lane – The Next Generation”

Publisher – M and B Global Solutions

2018  “The Bird & The Bear”

Publisher – Pedal Down Promotions

2019  “Racing In The 906”

Publisher – Pedal Down Promotions

2020 “The Reformatory – Tales From Green Bay’s Maximum-Security prison”

Publisher – Pedal Down Promotions

January 21, 2021 / by Jeff Pederson

Veteran coach Strusz shares lessons learned in ‘Essays on Coaching Athletes’ book

Gene Strusz, who coached for 32 years and served as an athletic administrator for 39 years at Fox Valley Lutheran High School in Appleton Wis., is sharing many of the lessons he learned during his tenure in a new book titled “Essays on Coaching Athletes – Advice for Athletic Administrator and Coaches of All Sports.”

By Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) January 14, 2021 – During a career that spanned 39 years, former athletic administrator and coach Gene Strusz experienced firsthand the bountiful rewards and accompanying challenges of leading student-athletes and a staff of coaches in a high school setting.

After four decades of intense involvement in high school athletics at Fox Valley Lutheran High School in Appleton, Wis., Strusz is sharing the many lessons he learned along the way in his new book “Essays on Coaching Athletes – Advice for Athletic Administrators and Coaches of All Sports.”

Published by Pedal Down Promotions of Manitowoc, Wis, Strusz’s second book is designed to serve as a reference tool for coaches and school athletic administrators.

“During my 39 years as athletic administrator and 32 years of coaching, certain topics, concerns, or buzz words entered the world of athletics,” Strusz said. “I often was called upon to make presentations to coaches, parents, athletes, booster clubs and others connected to school or community athletics. From time to time, I would write an essay to myself so I could digest and clarify my views concerning the issues surrounding athletics. These essays to myself allowed me to be a better coach, administrator and public speaker.

Gene Strusz, who served 39 years as an athletic administrator and coached for 32 years at Fox Valley Lutheran High School in Appleton, Wis., has published his second book “Essays on Coaching Athletes – Advice for Athletic Administrators and Coaches of All Sports” through Pedal Down Promotions of Manitowoc, Wis.

“Being retired and staying home and safe during the COVID-19 restrictions of 2020 allowed me to do something I had wished to do but never had or took the time to do,” he said. “After completing my first book in 2020, ‘Morning Prayers for a Christian School,’ I knew my second book would center on athletics, the world in which I lived my entire life.”

Strusz, whose first book “Morning Prayers for a Christian School” was published in July 2020, says the process of writing a book on his experience as a coach and athletic administrator produced a wealth of ideas and concepts to share.

“Having written many essays to myself and having them stored on my computer, it was easy to create more essays on athletics,” Strusz said. “Within three minutes, I wrote a list of over 30 more topics on which I had experience, views, and/or opinions. Having worked with other athletic administrators, overseen coaches, presented to parent groups, coached athletes and received athletic administration certification, I found that there was almost no limit to the number of essays I could write from experience.”

Strusz wrote “Essays on Coaching Athletes” with the goal of helping the next generation of coaches and athletic administrators navigate the sometimes tricky path to success that lies before them on a daily basis.

“I have witnessed many coaches who improved the longer they coached,” Strusz said. “I passionately believe experience is the best teacher.  As I wrote my essays, I realized how helpful my essays could be to athletic administrators and coaches. It is often said there is nothing new in athletics, we just borrow or steal ideas from others who do the same job as us. I hope readers can steal from me and not need to learn through failure. With too many failures, some coaches do not attain longevity in coaching.”

Beyond the realm of high school athletics, Strusz says the themes of the book are also designed to be of value to parents and coaches of all youth sports, as well as leaders in a variety of different professions.

“Even though my main target audience are coaches and athletic administrators, parents of athletes will also gain insights into the hows and whys of athletics,” Strusz said. “My experience came through my connection to high school athletics, but these essays apply to all levels of athletics, even t-ball and other youth sports. Some of my essays apply to any instructor, teacher, coach, boss, or administrator regardless of their field of work.”

“Essays on Coaching Athletes-Advice for Athletic Administrators and Coaches of All Sports” is now available for purchase for $15.95 at Amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, or by contacting Gene Strusz directly at gstrusz67@gmail.com.

For more information, contact Pedal Down Promotions via email at pedaldownpromotions@gmail.com, by phone at 920-323-7970 or by visiting www.pedaldownpromo.com.

January 13, 2021 / by Jeff Pederson

Verdegan’s new GBCI prison book to launch Dec. 5 at Lenny’s Tap in Green Bay

“The Reformatory – Tales From Green Bay’s Maximum Security Prison” provides inside look behind the walls

(Green Bay, WI) – Author and Green Bay native Joe Verdegan has announced he’ll host the launch for his newest book “The Reformatory – Tales From Green Bay’s Maximum Security Prison” at a book signing Saturday, Dec. 5 at Lenny’s Tap located on Green Bay’s west side.

Verdegan worked at the 125-year-old Green Bay Correctional Institution for nearly 27 years, retiring in July 2020.

Through his book Verdegan shares tales from his interviews with more than 150 of his former co-workers.

“I’ve known Lenny’s Tap owner Marty Leonhard and it’s a well-respected pub that’s been on Broadway since 1975,” Verdegan said. “It’s a comfy establishment and will offer a great venue for us to launch this book.”

The signing will last from 12 p.m. through 4 p.m.

“We’re extending our hours for this event so we can have folks trickle in steadily all day long and do so in a safe manner,” Verdegan explained. “And for those who aren’t comfortable with that we totally understand and respect that. Folks can pre-order their copy of the book at joeverdegan.com.”

The GPS address for Lenny’s Tap is 431 North Broadway, Green Bay, WI 54303.

The book will be Verdegan’s third he’s authored which will be published through Pedal Down Promotions in Manitowoc, Wis.

This will be Verdegan’s sixth book he has penned. His other five titles all documented local and regional stock car racing history in Wisconsin and Michigan. All Verdegan’s other five titles will be for sale at this signing at the discounted price of just $15 per book.

For more details you can email Verdegan at jverdegan2@gmail.com. For more information on Pedal Down Promotions you can reach publisher Jeff Pederson at pedaldownpromotions@gmail.com.

VERDEGAN’S PRIOR TITLES

2015    “Life In The Past Lane – a history of stock car racing in Northeast Wisconsin from 1950-1980”

Publisher – M and B Global Solutions

2016    “Wisconsin International Raceway – Where The Big Ones Run”

Publisher – M and B Global Solutions

2017    “Life In The Past Lane – The Next Generation”

Publisher – M and B Global Solutions

2018    “The Bird & The Bear”

Publisher – Pedal Down Promotions

2019    “Racing In The 906”

Publisher – Pedal Down Promotions

November 13, 2020 / by Jeff Pederson