McMullen moves to second in Sprint Car wins

As the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing campaign took a turn down the home stretch, the action was hot and heavy with point championships hanging in the balance in all four divisions at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth on Saturday.

Two-time PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion and current points leader Brandon McMullen of Oshkosh used a late-race charge in densely lapped traffic to notch his fourth A-main victory of the season in the 25-lap Kristine Hartmann Pleasantview Realty 360 Sprint Car main event.

Polesitter Kevin Karnitz of West Bend jumped into the lead on the drop of the green flag with outside front-row starter Tyler Tischendorf of Waupaca taking second.

On lap three, Travis Arenz of Sheboygan Falls, who started fifth, seized second.

Two laps later, Arenz slipped past Karnitz to take over the top spot in turn four. Meanwhile, McMullen, who started 10th, charged his way into third on lap nine just before the lone caution of the race appeared when Adam Miller of Plymouth spun in turn four.

On the restart, Karnitz used a big move to slide in front of Arenz and regain the lead in turn two with Tischendorf and McMullen in tow. On lap 14, McMullen worked the high groove to move past Tischendorf and move into second.

As the laps wound down, Karnitz caught the rear of the field on lap 21 with McMullen trailing close behind. On lap 24, Karnitz bobbled along the cushion in heavy lapped traffic, which allowed McMullen to take over the lead in turn four.

Arenz rebounded in the closing laps to assume second, while McMullen held on to secure his 24th career PDTR 360 Sprint Car A-main victory and 34th career Midwest Sprint Car Association main event win.

Arenz rallied to finish second, Tischendorf placed a career-best third, 13th-starter Tim Haddy of Waupun charged up through the field to finish fourth and Karnitz rounded out the top five.

The victory pushed McMullen past two-time PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Danny Schlafer of Sussex into second place on the all-time PDTR 360 Sprint Car A-main victory list and moved him just one win behind two-time PDTR 360

Sprint champ Kurt Davis of South Milwaukee, who sits atop the main event victory list with 25.

In other races:
• Four-time PDTR Late Model champion Brad Mueller of Random Lake made a triumphant return from a wicked accident in his last PDTR appearance on June 25 to notch his first victory of the season in the 25-lap Sheboygan Country B93.7 late model A main.

Turk Letizia of Milwaukee took second. Three-time and defending champion and late model points leader Justin Schmidt of Cleveland finished third after starting fifth. Ninth-starter Jim Schmidt of Cleveland wound up fourth and rookie

Justin Green of Sheboygan Falls moved up from his 11th starting spot to place fifth.

Justin Schmidt heads into the final late model points event of the season on Saturday, Aug. 21, with a 26-point lead over Letizia and a 46-point cushion over Charlie Schmidt in his quest for a fourth consecutive division points title.
• Luke Scholten of Oostburg posted a commanding flag-to-flag victory in the 25-lap Oostburg Automotive Grand National A main for his second main event triumph of the season.

Tyler Kulow of Plymouth, who started eighth, finished second. Steven Weber of Plymouth was third. Don Sorce Jr. of West Allis was fourth, and Dick Hed of Plymouth was fifth.
• Sheboygan’s Trevor Frank notched his first career A-main victory in the 25-lap Cellcom B Mod A main.

Justin Bauer of Sheboygan Falls wound up second. Shane Long of Sheboygan Falls placed third, seventh-starter Barry Maas of Cascade was fourth in his first PDTR appearance of the season and ninth-starter Spencer Long of

Sheboygan Falls rounded out the top five.
• Kurt Davis of South Milwaukee won the 15-lap PDTR 360 Sprint B main.

Racing resumes on Saturday with Autograph Night. The first 200 youngsters will receive free checkered flags and backpacks, and Kids Night will be held, featuring a candy drop and glow stick giveaways.

Gates open at 4:30 p.m. with hot laps at 5:30 p.m. and racing at 6 p.m.