(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) September 24, 2022 – 2011 Midwest Sprint Car Association and Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car champion Ben Schmidt of Plymouth earned his second A-main victory of the 2022 season in the 30-lap Wisconsin Sprint Car Championships season finale A-main at The Plymouth Dirt Track in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, Sept. 24.
With a fourth-place showing in the final MSA and PDTR 360 Sprint Car main event of the 2022 racing season, Travis Arenz of Sheboygan Falls wrapped up his second straight double championship season in both the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing and Midwest Sprint Car Association 360 Sprint Car divisions.
The 25-lap PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Car A main got off to a rocky start when a red flag appeared on lap one when Katelyn Krebsbach of Cascade flipped hard along the front stretch.
Following a complete restart, two-time PDTR and four-time MSA 360 Sprint Car champ Brandon McMullen of Oshkosh, who started second, bolted past polesitter Shane Wenninger of Kewaskum to take the lead on the opening lap.
By lap five, McMullen caught the rear of the field with Wenninger in pursuit and 2021 PDTR and MSA champion Travis Arenz of Sheboygan Falls following in third, after starting fourth.
The caution was displayed on lap 8 when Brandon Berth of Cascade stopped in turn one. On the restart, Ben Schmidt powered in from his sixth starting spot to bolt past Arenz into third.
Schmidt then reeled in Wenninger to take over second on lap 22 just before the red flag appeared on lap 22 from a flip involving Brandon Berth in turn three. Another caution flag was displayed when Anthony Knierim of Caledonia stopped along the back stretch on the ensuing restart.
Following a single-file restart, Schmidt moved to steal the lead away from McMullen with a well-executed low move in turn three on lap 24. Schmidt then held on to wrap up his 15th career PDTR 360 Sprint Car A-main victory, 32nd career Midwest Sprint Car Association triumph and second 360 Sprint Car A-main victory of the 2022 season.
Schmidt, who came into the night trailing Travis Arenz by 19 points in the PDTR 360 Sprint Car title chase, stated in victory lane that he went into the final A main of the season with a winning mindset.
“We really had nothing to lose tonight, so that was kind of my approach sitting second in points with one night left,” Schmidt said. “Running second to Travis [Arenz] two races in a row at Dodge County frustrated me a bit, so that also lit a fire under me. This race was kind of a replay of opening night with Brandon [McMullen] and I going for the lead in turn three. That incident on opening night proved to be the difference in the points race as I had my only DNF [did not finish] of the season that night. It was almost exactly the same tonight, but I made it through and made the pass this time and it feels great to end the season in victory lane.”
Ben Schmidt earned PDTR 360 Sprint Car overall fast qualifier honors with a lap of 12.200 seconds.
The 14th official and 13th full PDTR racing program of the 2022 season, which was sponsored by JosFO Electric, drew 24 PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Cars.
The 2022 book “Racing Recollections – Plymouth Racetrack Fans & Drivers 1950-2021” by Dennis Darovich of Sheboygan, George Baumann of Waupun and Verla Peichl of Sheboygan Falls, as well as the 2021 book “70 Years of Plymouth Dirt Track Racing” by Dennis Darovich and George Baumann, remain available for purchase at the Sheboygan County Fair office at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. during regular business hours throughout the off season and online at www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com.
The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds is located at 229 Fairview Drive in Plymouth, Wis. For more information, visit www.plymouthdtr.com or check out Plymouth Dirt Track Racing on Facebook.
KRISTINE HARTMANN PLEASANT VIEW REALTY 360 SPRINT CARS
QUALIFYING
1, Ben Schmidt 12.200 2, Lance Fassbender 12.216 3, Anthony Knierim 12.344 4, Shane Wenninger 12.384 5, Katelyn Krebsbach 12.397 6, Brandon McMullen 12.424 7, Travis Arenz 12.494 8, Brandon Berth 12.500 9, Justin Erickson 12.518 10, Tony Wondra 12.548 11, Tyler Davis 12.594 12, Chris Larson 12.606 13, Blake Wondra 12.621 14, Will Gerrits 12.623 15, Tim Haddy 12.665 16, J.J. Pagel 12.716 17, Bill Taylor 12.734 18, Doug Wondra 12.835 19, Nick Daywalt 12.896 20, Justin Miller 12.902 21, Chris Clayton 12.911 22, Kevin Seidler 13.163 23, Alex Pokorski 13.179 24, Randy Post 13.328.
HEAT 1
1, Travis Arenz 2, Katelyn Krebsbach 3, Shane Wenninger 4, Lance Fassbender 5, Tyler Davis 6, Bill Taylor 7, Tim Haddy 8, Kevin Seidler.
HEAT 2
1, Brandon Berth 2, Anthony Knierim 3, Brandon McMullen 4, Chris Larson 5, Justin Miller 6, Nick Daywalt 7, Alex Pokorski 8, Chris Clayton.
HEAT 3
1, Tony Wondra 2, Ben Schmidt 3, Blake Wondra 4, Justin Erickson 5, Will Gerrits 6, J.J. Pagel 7, Doug Wondra 8, Randy Post.
A MAIN
1, Ben Schmidt 2, Brandon McMullen 3, Shane Wenninger 4, Travis Arenz 5, Blake Wondra 6, Lance Fassbender 7, Tony Wondra 8, Will Gerrits 9, Doug Wondra 10, Alex Pokorski 11, Bill Taylor 12, Tyler Davis 13, Chris Larson 14, Nick Daywalt 15, Chris Clayton 16, J.J. Pagel 17, Kevin Seidler 18, Anthony Knierim 19, Justin Miller 20, Justin Erickson 21, Brandon Berth 22, Tim Haddy 23, Randy Post 24, Katelyn Krebsbach.