Midwest Sprint Car Association point leader Travis Arenz of Sheboygan Falls earned his fifth Kristine Hartmann Pleasantview Realty Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car A-main victory of the 2021 season in dominating fashion in the 25-lap main event held during the Sheboygan County Fair at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, Sept. 4.
2011 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Ben Schmidt of Howards Grove grabbed the lead on the drop of the green flag of the 25-lap 360 Sprint Car A main from the pole.
Throughout the early going, the low-riding Schmidt felt heavy pressure from outside frow row starter Tyler Tischendorf of Waupaca, who was running the cushion. By lap six, Travis Arenz, moved into the top five from his seventh starting spot.
The lone caution flag of the race appeared on lap 7 for debris along the front stretch. On the restart, Schmidt again bolted into the lead while Tischendorf fell back along the cushion, which allowed third starter Jack Vanderboom of Dousman to take over the runner-up spot, while Arenz moved into third.
On lap 10, Arenz worked the high groove to move around Vanderboom into second as he quickly closed in on Schmidt for the lead. On lap 12, Arenz utilized the cushion to shoot around Schmidt into the top spot and he quickly proceeded to pull away from the field.
Arenz hit lapped traffic on lap 16, but it didn’t slow him down a bit as he extended his lead over the closing nine laps en route to his ninth career PDTR 360 Sprint Car A-main victory, 20th career Midwest Sprint Car Association A-main triumph and ninth MSA main-event win of the 2021 season.
“It was kind of tough going to begin the race, but then during the caution I pulled the wing back and the car was phenomenal in clean and dirty air the rest of the way,” Arenz said. “I have to thank all my crew members and everyone that supports me. Everyone has done a great job this year.”
Schmidt had to settle for second, Vanderboom was third, two-time PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Kurt Davis of South Milwaukee placed fourth after starting fifth and 2008 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champ Lance Fassbender of Burnett rounded out the top five after starting sixth.
In addition to the victory, Arenz also took over the PDTR 360 Sprint Car division point lead with just two points races remaining in the 2021 campaign.
Adam Miller of Plymouth won the 15-lap Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car B Main.
The 16th PDTR program of the 2021 season, which was sponsored by Hopf Farms, drew 61 total cars, drew 30 PDTR 360 Sprint Cars.
The final regular PDTR program of the 2021 season will take place on Saturday, Sept. 11 with the season championship points programs on tap for the PDTR Grand National and B Mods, a full points show for the PDTR 360 Sprint Cars and a special appearance by the Badger Midget Auto Racing Association.
Spectator gates open at 4:30 p.m. with hot laps at 5:30 p.m. and racing at 6 p.m.
KRISTINE HARTMANN PLEASANTVIEW REALTY 360 SPRINT CARS
HEAT 1
1, Jack Vanderboom 2, Travis Arenz 3, Ben Schmidt 4, Bill Taylor 5, Tony Wondra 6, Katelyn Krebsbach 7, Dylan Winkel 8, Matt Rechek.
HEAT 2
1, Tyler Tischendorf 2, Blake Wondra 3, Tyler Brabant 4, Anthony Knierim 5, Nick Daywalt 6, Adam Miller 7, Brandon McMullen 8, Brandon Berth.
HEAT
1, Kurt Davis 2, Lance Fassbender 3, Paul Pokorski 4, Will Gerrits 5, Justin Miller 6, Chris Larson 7, Chris Clayton.
HEAT 4
1, Justin Erickson 2, Kevin Karnitz 3, Tim Haddy 4, Doug Wondra 5, Jason Johnson 6, Josh Teunissen 7, Scott Conger.
B MAIN
1, Adam Miller 2, Brandon McMullen 3, Tony Wondra 4, Anthony Knierim 5, Scott Conger 6, Nick Daywalt 7, Dylan Winkel 8, Matt Rechek 9, Jason Johnson 10, Josh Teunissen 11, Brandon Berth 12, Katelyn Krebsbach 13, Chris Clayton 14, Chris Larson.
A MAIN
1, Travis Arenz 2, Ben Schmidt 3, Jack Vanderboom 4, Kurt Davis 5, Lance Fassbender 6, Justin Erickson 7, Kevin Karnitz 8, Brandon McMullen 9, Blake Wondra 10, Justin Miller 11, Tyler Tischendorf 12, Paul Pokorski 13, Tyler Brabant 14, Bill Taylor 15, Adam Miller 16, Will Gerrits 17, Tim Haddy 18, Nick Daywalt 19, Scott Conger 20, Tony Wondra 21, Anthony Knierim 22, Doug Wondra.