(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) June 19, 2021 – After a two-year absence, Kevin Karnitz of West Bend returned to victory lane in the 25-lap Kristine Hartmann Pleasantview Realty Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car main event at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, June 19.
In the 25-lap 360 Sprint Car A main, a red flag and caution flag flew before the first lap of the race was completed. The red flag appeared on the initial start when Nick Daywalt of Hubertus flipped exiting turn two on the opening lap.
On the ensuing start attempt, 2018 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Justin Miller of Plymouth got sideways while running second in turn four and collected two-time PDTR 360 Sprint Car champ Brandon McMullen of Oshkosh. McMullen retired from the race with heavy front-end damage, while Miller was able to continue.
When the race finally got underway, Kevin Karnitz bolted into the lead from the pole position with Justin Miller, who started second, falling into second in the running order.
By lap 6, Karnitz had built up a full straightaway lead over Miller. Three laps later Karnitz encountered heavy lapped traffic. However, Karnitz dispatched the slower cars in quick order to maintain a solid cushion over the field.
On lap 20, Tyler Tischendorf of Waupaca and Scott Conger of Eagle collided in turn four, which also collected Justin Miller and 2011 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Ben Schmidt, who started sixth and was running fifth. Schmidt was able to continue after going to the work area, while Miller was done for the night.
Following the single-file restart, Karnitz was firmly in control as he pulled away from seventh starter Will Gerrits of Waupun, who was running second.
Karnitz went on to notch his fifth career PDTR 360 Sprint Car A-main victory and seventh Midwest Sprint Car Association main event triumph, while notching his first victory at Plymouth since June 1, 2019.
Gerrits finished second, 16th starter Travis Arenz of Sheboygan Falls charged up to finish third, 13th starter Brandon Berth of Cascade placed fourth and Tyler Brabant of Waupun, who started third, rounded out the top five.
Bill Taylor of Boltonville won the 15-lap 360 Sprint Car B main.
PDTR action is scheduled to resume on Friday, June 25 with the final edition of the Russ Scheffler Tribute Race honoring the winningest driver in PDTR history.
Racing is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. with action in the 360 Sprint Car, Late Model, Grand National and B Mod divisions.
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, Jack Vanderboom 2, Blake Wondra 3, Jordan Paulsen 4, Kevin Karnitz 5, Nick Daywalt 6, Justin Erickson 7, Alex Pokorski 8, Adam Miller.
HEAT 2
1, Tyler Brabant 2, Brandon McMullen 3, Scott Conger 4, Tony Wondra 5, Tim Haddy 6, Chris Clayton 7, Doug Wondra.
HEAT 3
1, Ben Schmidt 2, Lance Fassbender 3, Tyler Tischendorf 4, Brandon Berth 5, Katelyn Krebsbach 6, Josh Teunissen 7, Dylan Winkel.
HEAT 4
1, Justin Miller 2, Will Gerrits 3, Preston Ruh 4, Bill Taylor 5, Travis Arenz 6, Matt Rechek 7, Cole Possi.
B MAIN
1, Bill Taylor 2, Nick Daywalt 3, Chris Clayton 4, Tim Haddy 5, Alex Pokorski 6, Adam Miller 7, Matt Rechek 8, Katelyn Krebsbach 9, Dylan Winkel 10, Cole Possi 11, Justin Erickson 12, Josh Teunissen 13, Doug Wondra.
A MAIN
1, Kevin Karnitz 2, Will Gerrits 3, Travis Arenz 4, Brandon Berth 5, Tyler Brabant 6, Lance Fassbender 7, Jack Vanderboom 8, Jordan Paulsen 9, Bill Taylor 10, Adam Miller 11, Alex Pokorski 12, Ben Schmidt 13, Tony Wondra 14, Tyler Tischendorf 15, Chris Clayton 16, Tim Haddy 17, Preston Ruh 18, Scott Conger 19, Justin Miller 20, Blake Wondra 21, Brandon McMullen 22, Nick Daywalt.