by Jeff Pederson
Pedal Down Promotions
(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) July 10, 2021 – As the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing season eclipsed the half-way point, three drivers added to their 2021 A-main victory tallies, while another visited victory lane for the first time this year in main-event competition at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, July 10.
In the PDTR 360 Sprint Car A main, Waupun’s Will Gerrits earned his first 25-lap Kristine Hartmann Pleasantview Realty 360 Sprint Car A-main victory of the 2021 campaign.
Three-time and defending PDTR Late Model champion Justin Schmidt of Cleveland notched his third 25-lap Sheboygan’s County 93.7 Late Model A-main victory of 2021.
2018 PDTR Grand National champion Matt Loehr of Dotyville claimed his second 25-lap Oostburg Automotive Grand National main-event win of the 2021 season, while Jonathan Hitsman of Sheboygan rolled to his second Cellcom B Mod A-main triumph of the year.
On the drop of the green flag of the 25-lap 360 Sprint Car A main, 2008 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champ Lance Fassbender of Burnett jumped into the lead from the pole position.
On lap 2, lone caution flag of the race appeared when PDTR 360 Sprint Car rookie Matt Rechek of Beaver Dam spun on the backstretch after making contact with Alex Pokorski of West Bend. Rechek was done for the night, while Pokorski went to the work area for repairs before returning to restart at the rear of the field.
Fassbender controlled the restart as Will Gerrits worked the high line to move up to second from his sixth starting spot on lap 3. Meanwhile, ninth starter Travis Arenz of Sheboygan Falls also rode the high groove of the smooth and slick track surface to seize third on lap 4.
On lap 6, Gerrits powered around Fassbender to take over the top spot exiting turn four, while Arenz slipped into second one lap later. As Arenz tested the high, middle and low lines in an attempt to close the gap on Gerrits, the leaders caught the rear of the field on lap 15.
Three laps later, Arenz moved in to challenge Gerrits for the lead with a daring low move in turn two. However, Gerrits successfully fended off Arenz’s spirited charge to maintain the top spot.
On lap 20, Arenz nearly lost control as his car spun sideways along the outside groove in turn four, which allowed the low-riding Fassbender to regain second. Meanwhile, out in front of the field, Gerrits skillfully maneuvered through lapped traffic to nail down his third career PDTR and Midwest Sprint Car Association 360 Sprint Car A-main victory.
Fassbender held on to finish second, Arenz was third, fourth starter Jack Vanderboom of Dousman took fourth and second starter Tyler Tischendorf of Waupaca rounded out the top five.
Justin Schmidt used his outside front row starting spot to outpower Late Model rookie Justin Green of Sheboygan Falls, who started on the pole, to grab the lead in turn one of the opening lap of the 25-lap PDTR Late Model A main.
The first of two caution flags appeared on lap 2 when 2016 PDTR Late Model champ Tim Buhler of Greenbush made contract with the turn four wall.
Schmidt bolted out into the lead on the restarter with Green and seventh starter Justin Ritchie of New London in tow. The second and final caution flag flew on lap 10 when Jayme Zidar of Greenfield spun in turn one.
On the restart, Schmidt bolted away again while Ritchie moved past Green into second and fifth starter Charlie Schmidt of Cedar Grove claimed third in the running order.
Justin Schmidt held firm control of the lead along the extreme inside groove of the third-mile clay oval until he got hung up behind a slower car for several laps, which allowed Ritchie to cut the gap significantly.
Ritchie closed to within striking distance on lap 22 before Schmidt maneuvered around the lapped car and extended his lead over the final three laps en route to his 16th career PDTR Late Model A-main win.
Ritchie had to settle for second, Green posted a career-best third place showing, Charlie Schmidt placed fourth and Turk Letizia of Milwaukee, who started eighth, finished fifth.
Polesitter Steven Weber of Plymouth grabbed the lead on the opening lap of the 25-lap PDTR B Mod A main, while second starter Dick Hed of Plymouth and Matt Loehr, who started sixth, dueled for second in the early going.
Loehr moved into second on lap 2 before setting his sights firmly on the lead. On lap 3, Loehr used the high line to shoot past Weber into the lead in turn four.
Five laps later, 2019 PDTR Grand National champ Tyler Kulow of Plymouth moved up from his eighth starting spot to take second.
The first of two caution flags appeared on lap 8 when Derek Kaat of Plymouth spun in turn one. On the restart, two-time PDTR Grand National champ Don Sorce Jr. of West Allis used the high groove to move past Kulow into second from his seventh starting spot.
Kulow battled back to mount a spirited duel with the high-riding Sorce Jr. for the runner-up spot starting on lap 10 before the second and final caution flag appeared on lap 13 for a debris.
Kulow and Sorce Jr. reengaged in their heated duel for second following the restart as the tandem moved in to pressure Loehr for the season over the final 12 circuits.
In the closing laps, Loehr held strong to secure his eighth career PDTR Grand National A-main victory. Sorce Jr. finished second, Tyler Kulow placed third, Donny Kulow of Elkhart Lake, who started fifth, placed fourth and 10th starter Luke Scholten of Oostburg rounded out the top five.
Steve Lorier of Sheboygan Falls jumped into the lead of the 25-lap PDTR B Mod A main from the pole as Boltonville’s Brandon Knepprath, who started second, dueled with Grafton’s Rory Welch, who started third, for the runner-up spot.
Just as sixth starter Jonathan Hitsman was making his presence felt at the front of the field, the first of seven caution flags appeared on lap 4 for debris. Another caution flag was displayed on the ensuing restart for a five-car incident in turn two.
On the restart, Lorier maintained control of the lead as Welch and fifth starter Shane Long of Sheboygan Falls dueled for second starting on lap 4. The third caution flag was thrown on lap 6 for a two-car incident in turn four.
Following the restart, Hitsman made his march to the front primarily utilizing the outside groove. Hitsman worked his way into third on lap 8 before moving into second lap 11 and eventually powering around Lorier and into the lead on lap 14 exiting turn four.
After the fourth caution flag appeared on lap 17 for a two-car incident, Hitsman bolted out to a full-straightaway lead while ninth starter Gary Glander of Sheboygan Falls moved into second.
The fifth caution flag came out on lap 21 for a single-car spin and on the restart it was Spencer Long of Sheboygan Falls, who started 16th, who was turning heads and he seized second on lap 21.
The sixth caution period appeared on lap 22, which set up a battle between Spencer Long and Glander for second in the closing laps.
However, no one had anything for Hitsman as he pulled away to notch his second career PDTR B Mod A-main victory in a race that was flagged as complete following the seventh caution flag of the race for a single-car spin on the 25th and final lap.
Glander finished second, Spencer Long was third, Shane Long placed fourth and eighth starter Rick Kretschmann of Sheboygan Falls placed fifth.
Adam Miller of Plymouth won the 15-lap 360 Sprint Car B main.
The 11th PDTR program of the 2021 season, which was sponsored by Jensen Sales and Service, drew 71 total cars, including 31 360 Sprint Cars, 17 B Mods, 13 Late Models and 10 Grand Nationals.
PDTR action is scheduled to resume on Saturday, July 17 with action in the 360 Sprint Car, Late Model, Grand National and B Mod divisions.
Spectator gates open at 4:30 p.m. with hot laps at 5:30 p.m. and racing at 6 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, Travis Arenz 2, Tyler Tischendorf 3, Kevin Karnitz 4, Kurt Davis 5, Chris Clayton 6, Austin Hartmann 7, Chris Larson 8, Nick Daywalt (DNS).
HEAT 2
1, Matt Rechek 2, Justin Miller 3, Will Gerrits 4, Josh Teunissen 5, Tim Haddy 6, Ben Schmidt 7, Tyler Brabant 8, Cole Possi.
HEAT 3
1, Brandon McMullen 2, Lance Fassbender 3, Tony Wondra 4, Justin Erickson 5, Blake Wondra 6, Tom Kreutz 7, Katelyn Krebsbach 8, Dylan Winkel.
HEAT 4
1, Alex Pokorski 2, Jack Vanderboom 3, Doug Wondra 4, Bill Taylor 5, Adam Miller 6, Tyler Davis 7, Preston Ruh.
B MAIN
1, Adam Miller 2, Ben Schmidt 3, Tyler Davis 4, Justin Erickson 5, Josh Teunissen 6, Chris Clayton 7, Austin Hartmann 8, Tyler Brabant 9, Preston Ruh 10, Katelyn Krebsbach 11, Tom Kreutz 12, Chris Larson 13, Dylan Winkel 14, Cole Possi 15, Nick Daywalt (DNS).
A MAIN
1, Will Gerrits 2, Lance Fassbender 3, Travis Arenz 4, Jack Vanderboom 5, Tyler Tischendorf 6, Kevin Karnitz 7, Brandon McMullen 8, Kurt Davis 9, Justin Miller 10, Adam Miller 11, Tony Wondra 12, Doug Wondra 13, Bill Taylor 14, Chris Clayton 15, Blake Wondra 16, Justin Erickson 17, Ben Schmidt 18, Tyler Davis 19, Josh Teunissen 20, Alex Pokorski 21, Tim Haddy 22, Matt Rechek.
SHEBOYGAN’S COUNTY B93.7 LATE MODELS
HEAT 1
1, Turk Letizia 2, Justin Ritchie 3, Justin Green 4, Ron Stroika 5, Jayme Zidar 6, Chad Ludwigson 7, Donny Singer.
HEAT 2
1, Jim Schimdt 2, Charlie Schmidt 3, Tim Buhler 4, Justin Schmidt 5, Sawyer Specht 6, Jake Van Engen.
A MAIN
1, Justin Schmidt 2, Justin Ritchie 3, Justin Green 4, Charlie Schmidt 5, Turk Letizia 6, Ron Stroika 7, Jim Schmidt 8, Jake Van Engen 9, Chad Ludwigson 10, Sawyer Specht 11, Donny Singer 12, Jayme Zidar 13, Tim Buhler.
OOSTBURG AUTOMOTIVE GRAND NATIONALS
HEAT 1’
1, Tyler Kulow 2, Donny Kulow 3, Derek Kaat 4, Dylan Struve 5, Mavrick Ruh.
HEAT 2
1, Don Sorce Jr. 2, Matt Loehr 3, Dick Hed 4, Steven Weber 5, Luke Scholten.
A MAIN
1, Matt Loehr 2, Don Sorce Jr. 3, Tyler Kulow 4, Donny Kulow 5, Luke Scholten 6, Steven Weber 7, Derek Kaat 8, Dick Hed 9, Mavrick Ruh 10, Dylan Struve.
CELLCOM B MOD
HEAT 1
1, Jonathan Hitsman 2, Trevor Frank 3, Steve Lorier 4, Donny Singer 5, Brandon Knepprath 6, Jim Fischer 7, Patrick Hanson 8, Craig Gessner 9, Phil Campanella.
HEAT 2
1, Rick Kretschmann 2, Justin Bauer 3, Shane Long 4, Rory Welch 5, Gary Glander 6, Matthew Roehl 7, Glen Blanke 8, Spencer Long.
A MAIN
1, Jonathan Hitsman 2, Gary Glander 3, Spencer Long 4, Shane Long 5, Rick Kretschmann 6, Trevor Frank 7, Rory Welch 8, Justin Bauer 9, Donny Singer 10, Brandon Knepprath 11, Matthew Roehl 12, Steve Lorier 13, Patrick Hanson 14, Craig Gessner 15, Jim Fischer 16, Phil Campanella 17, Glen Blanke.
