Thiel shines in Plymouth MSA guest appearance
- pedaldownpromotion
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Thiel shines in Plymout MSA guest appearance
(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) May 17, 2025 – In a rare appearance with the MMW Industrial Supply Midwest Sprint Car Association, Scotty Thiel of Sheboygan fended off an inspired effort from second-year driver Brady Portschy of Plymouth to claim the victory in the 25-lap MSA-Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car A main at The Plymouth Dirt Track in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, May 17.
Polesitter Bill Taylor of Boltonville grabbed the lead along the low groove on the opening lap of the MSA-PDTR main event. At the same time, outside front row starter and 2024 Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series champ Scotty Thiel worked the cushion in second.
On lap 3, two-time and defending MSA-PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Ben Schmidt of Plymouth stopped along the backstretch to bring out the first of two caution flags. After a trip to the work area, Schmidt returned to restart at the rear of the field.
Following the restart, fourth starter Brady Portschy worked his way into third while Thiel used the high line to pressure Taylor for the top spot. On lap 9, Thiel used the outer groove to surge ahead exiting turn two.
Thiel pulled away from Taylor over the ensuing five laps before the second caution flag flew for the stalled car of 2005 MSA champion Lance Fassbender of Burnett on lap 14.
On the restart, Portschy slipped past Taylor to seize second with five-time MSA champ Kurt Davis, who started ninth, following in third.
Two laps later, Portschy utilized the low groove to pull even with the high-riding Thiel. After catching the rear of the field on lap 17, Thiel skillfully sliced his way through slower traffic to build up a half-straightaway advantage over the final eight laps on the way to his 15th career MSA A-main victory.
Portschy posted a career-best second place finish, Davis wound up third, sixth starter Billy Kreutz of Kiel placed fourth and Fassbender, who started 13th, bounced back after stopping on lap 14 to round out the top five.
“I was committed to the top and Brady [Portschy] ran a good race using the bottom,” Thiel said. “I was waiting for him to get to where I needed to change my line. I got a little nervous, but it worked out. I have to thank Randy Sippel for putting this car together. It ran great.”
Brandon Berth of Cascade captured the 12-lap B main.
Brandon Berth claimed fast qualifier honors with a lap of 12.367.
A total of 27 MSA-PDTR signed in for the third event of the 2025 PDTR campaign, which was sponsored by Jensen Sales & Service.
After taking the Memorial Day weekend off, the MSA will engage on a doubleheader weekend of action kicking off with autograph night at The Plymouth Dirt Track on Saturday, May 31.
Grandstand gates open at 4:30 p.m. with qualifying at 5:30 p.m. and racing to follow.
On Sunday, June 1, MSA competitors will be back in action at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wis.
Spectator gates open at 4 p.m. with hot laps/qualifying at 5 p.m. and opening ceremonies at 6 p.m.
For more information, on the MSA Sprints visit www.msasprints.com or check out MSA Sprints on Facebook, X and Instagram.
AKRIGHT AUTO PLYMOUTH DIRT TRACK RACING 360 SPRINT CARS
A Main (25 Laps): 1. 39S-Scotty Thiel [2]; 2. 55P-Brady Portschy [4]; 3. 6K-Kurt Davis [9]; 4. 3BK-Billy Kreutz [6]; 5. 7-Lance Fassbender [13]; 6. 14J-Joseph Hintz [11]; 7. 69-Bill Taylor [1]; 8. 63K-Kevin Karnitz [12]; 9. 09-Clayton Rossmann [19]; 10. 57-Tristan Furseth [3]; 11. 51-Chris Larson [14]; 12. 3-Justin Erickson [20]; 13. 22B-Brandon Berth [17]; 14. 2-Chris Clayton [21]; 15. 24X-Eric Wilke [10]; 16. 1-Ben Schmidt [15]; 17. 68T-Tyler Davis [7]; 18. 10V-Nathan Crane [22]; 19. 69S-TJ Smith [8]; 20. 46-Steven Ruh [18]; 21. 33M-Josh Bilicki [16]; 22. 08-Katelyn Krebsbach [5]
B Main (12 Laps): 1. 22B-Brandon Berth[2]; 2. 46-Steven Ruh[1]; 3. 09-Clayton Rossmann[3]; 4. 3-Justin Erickson[6]; 5. 2-Christopher Clayton[7]; 6. 10V-Nathan Crane[9]; 7. 11-Tony Wondra[4]; 8. 12P-JJ Pagel[5]; 9. 30-Doug Wondra[8]; 10. 9C-Cole Stella[11]; 11. 7B-Nick Guernsey[10]
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 08-Katelyn Krebsbach[1]; 2. 39S-Scotty Thiel[2]; 3. 14J-Joseph Hintz[3]; 4. 6K-Kurt Davis[6]; 5. 22B-Brandon Berth[4]; 6. 3-Justin Erickson[5]; 7. 2-Chris Clayton[7]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 55P-Brady Portschy[1]; 2. 57-Tristan Furseth[3]; 3. 1-Ben Schmidt[2]; 4. 7-Lance Fassbender[5]; 5. 09-Clayton Rossmann[4]; 6. 11-Tony Wondra[6]; 7. 30-Doug Wondra[7]
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 69S-TJ Smith[2]; 2. 3BK-Billy Kreutz[4]; 3. 63K-Kevin Karnitz[3]; 4. 51-Chris Larson[5]; 5. 10V-Nathan Crane[1]; 6. 9C-Cole Stella[7]; 7. (DNF) 7B-Nick Guernsey[6]
Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. 68T-Tyler Davis[2]; 2. 24X-Eric Wilke[1]; 3. 69-Bill Taylor[4]; 4. 33M-Josh Bilicki[3]; 5. 46-Steven Ruh[5]; 6. 12P-JJ Pagel[6]
Qualifying 1: 1. 22B-Brandon Berth, 12.671[2]; 2. 14J-Joseph Hintz, 12.683[4]; 3. 39S-Scotty Thiel, 12.731[6]; 4. 08-Katelyn Krebsbach, 12.789[5]; 5. 3-Justin Erickson, 12.807[7]; 6. 6K-Kurt Davis, 13.005[1]; 7. 2-Chris Clayton, 13.026 [3]
Qualifying 2: 1. 09-Clayton Rossmann, 12.689[7]; 2. 57-Tristan Furseth, 12.724[1]; 3. 1-Ben Schmidt, 12.821[4]; 4. 55P-Brady Portschy, 12.917[6]; 5. 7-Lance Fassbender, 12.948[2]; 6. 11-Tony Wondra, 12.958[3]; 7. 30-Doug Wondra, 13.062[5]
Qualifying 3: 1. 3BK-Billy Kreutz, 12.705[6]; 2. 63K-Kevin Karnitz, 12.888[3]; 3. 69S-TJ Smith, 13.076[4]; 4. 10V-Nathan Crane, 13.179[1]; 5. 51-Chris Larson, 13.185[2]; 6. 7B-Nick Guernsey, 13.413[5]; 7. 9C-Cole Stella, 13.437[7]
Qualifying 4: 1. 69-Bill Taylor, 12.935[1]; 2. 33M-Josh Bilicki, 13.160[5]; 3. 68T-Tyler Davis, 13.192[4]; 4. 24X-Eric Wilke, 13.238[3]; 5. 46-Steven Ruh, 13.275[2]; 6. 12P-JJ Pagel, 13.548[6]