By Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions
(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) September 4, 2019 – A last-minute addition to the team’s 2019 schedule found Josh Walter and Torque Racing making the short trip down the road to The Plymouth Dirt Track to compete with the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series during the 2019 Sheboygan County Fair at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, Aug. 31.
Walter was one of 26 IRA drivers to enter the IRA’s annual event at the Sheboygan County Fair as he ripped off the 14th fastest time in IRA qualifying with a lap of 12.041 seconds on the third-mile clay oval.
“In qualifying, I messed up the second lap, but I was still content for now with where we ended up,” Walter said.
After lining up fifth in the second IRA 10-lap heat race, Walter jumped the cushion in turn three on lap one, which allowed Johnny Fahl and Wayne Modjeski to surge past and drop the Plymouth driver back to seventh in the running order.
On lap 4, Walter rebounded to duck under Fahl and secure sixth in turn one. Walter held the top spot for the final six laps en route to a sixth-place finish behind heat race winner Jeremy Schultz.
Walter rolled off from the 16th starting spot in the 30-lap IRA main event before a red flag was displayed on the initial start when Scotty Thiel flipped in turn two ad collected Scotty Neitzel. After Thiel exited the race and three other cars were regulated to the rear of the field, Walter restarted 12th.
After another caution on lap four for a spin involving Steve Meyer, Walter restarted 11th and moved to the high groove on lap 6 before running down Russel Borland. On lap 10, Walter swept past Borland to break into the top 10. However, Borland battled back to regain 10th on lap 13.
The third and final caution flag appeared on lap 22 when Joey Moughan spun, which set up an eight-lap dash to the finish with Walter sitting 11th.
However, Walter struggled to find speed over in the closing laps as Kris Spitz, Wayne Modjeski and Scotty Neitzel moved past to drop Walter to 14th when the checkered flag fell on the race, which was won by retired three-time NASCAR Cup champion Tony Stewart.
“In the A, we had a good car and the car was coming to us in the late stages under green,” Walter said. “I haven’t raced with tire bleeders in a while. I lost some tire pressure that bled off under the final caution with eight laps to go. I tried running the bottom of the track, but just lacked mechanical grip. Then I went back to the top too late.
“My crew did a great job,” he said. “There’s a lot more to racing than what’s in front of people and I feel like I made some mistakes. Still, I had fun and I was really excited to be back in a 410, Overall, we had a decent night. I’m getting more comfortable every time we hit the track.”
After taking the upcoming weekend off, Walter will return to action with the IRA for the Scott Semmelmann Memorial Race on Saturday, Sept. 14 at Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis.
The team will then close out the 2019 season with the IRA at the season-ending event at The Plymouth Dirt at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, Sept. 28.
Torque Racing sponsors for the 2019 season include JDV Lawncare, Brittany’s School of Dance, Sheboygan by Owner, Plymouth Tap, Doug’s Quality Beef, Tiffany’s Wildtree, Cow Pies, Full Throttle Ink, Lakehouse Bar & Grill, Home Transitions, Oostburg Concrete, Kombucha Brothers, Platinum Restoration Services, Ruh Custom Woodworking, RC Custom Design and Pedal Down Promotions.
Torque Racing Sponsor Showcase – Platinum Restoration Services
Josh Walter and the Torque Racing team is pleased to have Platinum Restoration Services, located at 5225 West Electric Ave. in West Allis, Wis., on board as a sponsor for the 2019 season.
Platinum Restoration Services began 10 years ago as a one-man operation founded by owner Jeremy Roth. Over time, the business grew and it built a reputation for high-quality service and careful attention to detail.
“Our services are in such high demand that we have three trucks/crews going now,” Roth said. “From its humble beginnings, the company has grown to expand the services to all of Southeastern Wisconsin with another office in West Allis/Milwaukee. This growth was a natural part of the company’s evolution and the reflects the focus we’ve always placed on people and relationships.”
Platinum Restoration Services offers a wide array of services including carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, synthetic and oriental rug cleaning, air duct cleaning, tile and grout cleaning, water damage restoration, mold remediation, fire and smoke damage restoration and power washing.
Roth says the foundation of the business is centered around a dedication to top-notch customer service and high-quality restoration work.
“At Platinum Restoration Services, each member of our staff is an expert in his or her field-whether handling customer service or restoring a disaster in your home,” Roth said. “All of our people are fully-trained professionals, who have worked hard to make our company what it is today. We believe in forgoing ongoing relationships through quality workmanship and outstanding customer service.
As a race fan, Roth is thrilled to be involved with Josh Walter the Torque Racing team.
“I grew up in Plymouth and been going to the dirt track races in Plymouth for almost 20 years now,” Roth said. “I’ve always had a huge passion for racing. I started out going to drag races, radar runs, snowmobile races, jet ski racing and mountain bike racing. I took some time off to grow my business, but now I’m getting more involved with racing again. I wanted to sponsor Torque Racing because Josh has been a longtime friend and wanted to support his passion for racing.”
To contact Platinum Restoration Services, call 262-228-6166. For more information, visit www.platinumrestorationservice.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.
2019 Josh Walter-Torque Racing Upcoming Schedule
Saturday, Sept. 14 – Beaver Dam Raceway, Beaver Dam, Wis. (IRA)
Saturday, Sept. 28 – The Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis. (IRA)
2019 Josh Walter-Torque Racing By The Numbers
Total Events – 19
MSA events – 14
IRA events – 5
A-Main Victories – 2
B-Main Victories – 1
Top Five A-Main Finishes – 4
Top 10 A-Main Finishes – 8
Heat Race Victories – 4