Arenz penalized but wins anyway

Another hot and humid evening for racing produced some even steamier action on the track as Plymouth Dirt Track Racing staged its fifth racing program of the Covid-19-shortened season at the

Sheboygan County Fairgrounds third-mile clay oval in Plymouth last Saturday.

Points leader Travis Arenz of Sheboygan claimed his first A-main victory of the season in the 25-lap Kristine Hartmann Pleasant View Realty 360 Sprint Car A main.

Polesitter Brandon Berth of Cascade grabbed the lead on the drop of the green flag, while 2018 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Justin Miller of Plymouth worked the low groove to pass outside front-row starter Shane Wenninger of Kewaskum for second on lap two.

Berth held a solid cushion over Miller before the first of two caution flags appeared on lap five when Waldo’s Chris Clayton spun in turn three. On the restart, 2011 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champ Ben

Schmidt of Howards Grove, who started fourth, used the high groove to challenge the low-riding Miller for second on lap six.

One lap later, Tim Haddy of Waupun spun in turn two to bring out the second and final caution flag of the race. When the race resumed, Schmidt again worked the high groove to pass Miller for second on lap seven, while two-time PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Kurt Davis of South Milwaukee, who started fifth, also pounded the high line to move into third on lap eight.

By lap 12, Berth had built up a half-straightaway cushion over Schmidt. Two laps later, 11th starter Travis Arenz used the preferred low line to work underneath Miller into third before quickly setting his sights on the leaders.

Berth began to encounter slower traffic on lap 16, which allowed Schmidt and Arenz to close the gap significantly. On lap 18, Arenz dove under Schmidt for second before using another low move in turn one on lap 19 to wrestle the lead away from Berth in heavy lapped traffic.

Arenz then pulled away over the final six laps to secure his second career PDTR 360 Sprint Car A-main victory and eighth career Midwest Sprint Car Association main event win by a half-straightaway margin.

After the race, Arenz was penalized for passing below the infield track tires, which resulted in the loss of points and pay. Despite the penalty, he was still credited with the victory.

“I was told by an MSA/PDTR official that I was the race winner, but I am getting third-place pay and points because I advanced a spot earlier in the race with the left front over the tires,” Arenz said.

“The reason they gave me the win was because there were a lot of other cars passing below the tires tonight and not just me. It’s not how I want to win. I really wish we had a two-lane track like last week. Unfortunately, the bottom was so fast, it made it difficult to pass.”

Berth came home second to record a career-best 360 Sprint Car A main showing, Schmidt finished third, Miller wound up fourth and 2017 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Brandon McMullen of

Oshkosh worked his way up from the 10th starting spot to round out the top five.
In other races:
• Four-time PDTR Late Model track champion Brad Mueller of Random Lake racked up his A-main first victory of the season in the 25-lap Gasroots Project Late Model main event.
Mitch McGrath of Waukesha took second. Mark Rose or Dorchester placed third, fourth-starter Turk Letizia of Milwaukee finished fourth and New London’s Justin Ritchie charged from his 16th starting spot to place fifth.
• Outside front-row starter Aaron Stolp of Milwaukee outpowered 2008 PDTR Grand National champ Matt Yancey of Sheboygan, who started on the pole, to pace the opening lap of the 25-lap Grand National main event.
Stolp went on to secure his second career and second consecutive PDTR Grand National A main victory by a half-straightaway margin over Luke Scholten of Oostburg. Don Sorce Jr. of West Allis was third, Yancey placed fourth and Derek Kaat of Plymouth completed the top five.
• Polesitter Steve Lorier of Sheboygan outpowered outside front row starter Jason Schilling of Greenfield to lead the opening lap of the B Mod A main before fourth starter Jesse Cullen of Chilton seized second on lap two.
Lorier went on to secure his second career PDTR B Mod A-main victory with Elijah Koenig of Beaver Dam finishing second and Tim Warner of Fond du Lac in third. Schilling ended the race in fourth, but was disqualified after failing to meet the minimum weight requirement following the race. Rookie Trevor Frank of Sheboygan, who started third, earned a career-best fourth-place finish and Cullen was fifth.
• Preston Ruh of Elkhart Lake won the PDTR 360 Sprint Car B main.

The fifth PDTR racing program of the season drew 86 cars, including 31 360 Sprint Cars, 17 Late Models, 15 Grand Nationals and 23 B Mods.

Track to host two races this week

This week will feature two events in three days at PDTR as the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions joins with the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car

Series for the second annual Rayce Rudeen Foundation event on Thursday, July 30, and the regular PDTR program presented by Pedal Down Promotions is set to take place Saturday, Aug. 1.

The July 30 event, which was rescheduled from May 26, will feature the highest-paying Winged 410 Sprint Car race in Wisconsin history as $26,000 will go to the winner. The large purse is expected to attract a stellar field featuring many of the country’s top Sprint Car drivers.

Last season Australian standout James McFadden captured the victory aboard retired NASCAR star Kasey Kahne’s No. 9 machine in the first All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car A-main at the

Plymouth facility since 1995. The July 30 all-Sprint Car event will also feature the PDTR 360 Sprint Cars.

Among the drivers expected to compete are retired All Star Series owner and three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart of Columbus, Ohio, who won last year’s Rayce Rudeen event at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa, as well as an IRA event at PDTR last Aug. 31.

Other drivers include two-time defending All Star Series point champ Aaron Reutzel of Clute, Texas, two-time All Star Series champion Greg Wilson of Benton Ridge, Ohio, and nine-time IRA champ Bill Balog of Hartland, along with All Star and IRA series regulars Cory Eliason of Visalia, Calif., Jeb Wise of Angola, Ind., Paul McMahan of Nashville, Tenn., two-time IRA champion Scotty Neitzel of Beaver Dam, former IRA champ Jeremy Schultz of Beaver Dam, former IRA champ Jake Blackhurst of Hanna City, Ill., and Russel Borland of Kewaskum.

Grandstand gates are scheduled to open at 4:30 p.m. with hot laps at 5:30 p.m. and qualifying and racing to follow.

The PDTR 360 Sprint Car, Late Model, Grand National and B Mod divisions will be in action on Saturday, Aug. 1. Grandstand gates open at 4:30 p.m. with qualifying at 5:30 p.m. and racing at 6 p.m.