Balog, Fassbender claim Plymouth Dirt Track Road America Challenge Sprint Car A-main triumphs
(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) June 30, 2022 – With the cars and stars of NASCAR Cup Series set to compete just a few miles down the road during the Fourth of July holiday weekend, the largest crowd of the season packed the grandstands and a solid field of Sprint Cars filled the pit area for the second Road America Challenge event presented by Kunes RV featuring the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series and the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing – Akright Auto Midwest Sprint Car Association 360 Sprint Car Series Thursday, June 30 at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis.
Current Tezos All Star Circuit of Champions regular and 10-time Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series champion Bill Balog of Hartland continued his dominance at The Plymouth Dirt Track by claiming his sixth consecutive victory at the third-mile clay oval in his last six starts in All Stars and IRA competition dating back to the 2020 season by topping the $5,000-to-win 30-lap IRA A main.
In the 25-lap Kristine Hartmann Pleasant View Realty PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Car A-main, 2008 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Lance Fassbender of Burnett rolled to his first MSA main event victory since the 2019 season, following a spirited race-long duel with two-time PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Kurt Davis of South Milwaukee.
Outside front row started Jake Neuman of New Berlin, Ill. jumped into the lead on the drop of the green field of the 30-lap IRA Road America Challenge headliner with fourth starter Blake Nimee of Oswego, Ill. sliding into second and third starter Scotty Thiel of Sheboygan settled into third on the opening lap.
By lap 5, Neuman caught the back of the field, which allowed Nimee to close the gap. Just as Nimee moved within striking distance in thick lapped traffic, the first of six caution flags flew on lap 8 when Scott Biertzer of West Bend spun in turn two.
On the restart, Bill Balog, who started fifth, began to flex his muscle has he pulled off consecutive slide jobs to move past eighth starter Danny Schlafer of Sussex and two-time and defending IRA champion Jack Blackhurst of Hanna City, Ill., who started on the pole, to move into fourth in the running order on the restart.
The second caution flag was displayed on lap 11 when former IRA champ Jeremy Schultz of Beaver Dam slowed in turn three after losing a right rear tire. Shortly after the ensuing restart, the red flag was displayed when two-time IRA champion Scotty Neitzel of Beaver Dam made contact with the turn two wall and flipped.
Neuman controlled the lead with Nimee running second on the following restart until the fourth caution flag was shown after Hunter Custer of Chippewa Falls spun to a stop in turn four on lap 15.
On the next restart, Thiel, who had been running third, spun into the turn four infield after contact with Balog coming to the green flag, which brought out the fifth caution of the race.
When the race resumed, Balog bolted past Nimee to assume second and quickly set his sights on the lead before the sixth and final caution flag was displayed on lap 17 when Scott Biertzer and Jack Routson of Waterman, Ill. spun in turn four.
On the race, Blackhurst charged up to exchange slide jobs with Balog for second place before Balog secured the spot on lap 19. Three laps later, Neuman encountered heavy lapped traffic, which allowed Balog to move into striking range. On lap 24, Balog swept past Neuman in turn two and wasted no time in opening up a sizable lead as he weaved his way skillfully through dense slower traffic.
Balog cruised over the final six laps to secure his 134th career IRA A-main victory and his second A-main victory at The Plymouth Dirt Track of the 2022 season after collecting a combined Tezos All Star Circuit of Champions and Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association A-main triumph at The Plymouth Dirt Track on May 21.
“This win means a lot,” Balog said. “I have to thank Road America, the IRA and The Plymouth Dirt Track for putting this deal on. We weren’t real good at the start. I think we just needed some green flag laps to get going. I feel terrible about Scotty [Thiel]. I don’t know if maybe I jumped on it a little too soon or he got sideways and I clipped him on that restart. That wasn’t good at all.
“It is good to race close to home here at Plymouth,” he said. “I love Plymouth. Even though I’m from Alaska, I’ve called Wisconsin home for a long time now. It feels good to be back in victory lane here.”
Neuman had to settle for second, Blackhurst hung on to place third, Schlafer, who is a two-time PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion, placed fourth and Nimee rounded out the top five.
“Bill [Balog] was the best of the All Stars a few weeks ago,” Neuman said. “He’s run a lot of laps in a Sprint Car and a lot of laps here as well. We were fast early and at the end, I was too nice to the lapped cars and you can’t do that.”
“Our car was really good tonight, but my restarts were so awful that I’d get gapped right off the bat,” Blackhurst said. “Bill [Balog] threw a few sliders at me. He’s just so smart and drove a great race. We just need to be better on the restarts. It’s disappointing to fall back when you start on the pole, but we will get better and come back stronger.”
Lance Fassbender bolted into the lead on the opening lap of the PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Car 25-lap A main from the pole with outside front row starter Kurt Davis sliding into second and sixth starter Tim Haddy of Waupun moving into third in the early going.
On lap five, Davis closed the gap on the low-riding Fassbender along the outside groove of the increasingly black-slick racing surface. One lap later, Davis pulled off a slide job to take over the top spot in turn four.
Fassbender battled back as the two veteran drivers dueled side by side over the next lap before Davis surged ahead and began to open up a measurable lead as the leaders caught the back of the field on lap 9.
On lap 14, Fassbender stuck to the low line to briefly gain the lead before Davis battled back to secure the top spot and pull away once again.
The first of two caution flags appeared on lap 19 when Will Gerrits of Waupun spun in turn four. Due to the track conditions, a single-file restart was utilized, which allowed Fassbender to dive underneath Davis to regain the top spot with a low move in turn four following the ensuing restart.
The second and final caution flag was thrown on lap 23 when Anthony Knierim of Franksville rolled to a stop in turn two. After another single-file restart, Fassbender held firm to the lead along the bottom groove and pulled away to notch his seventh career PDTR 360 Sprint Car A-main victory, 21st career MSA main event triumph and first A-main victory in three years.
Fassbender was elated with the win as his family-based pit crew joined him in a jubilant victory lane celebration.
“This win is a result of a lot of hard work from everyone on the crew,” Fassbender said. “Everyone on this team makes sacrifices to do this and we are a family team that has stuck together through everything over the years. This win feels really good.”
Davis placed second, defending PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion and current point leader Travis Arenz of Sheboygan Falls, who had come into the night as the winner of four of the first five PDTR 360 Sprint Car A-main events of the 2022 season, placed third after starting 10th, two-time PDTR 360 Sprint Car champ Brandon McMullen of Oshkosh finished fourth after starting seventh and 2011 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Ben Schmidt of Plymouth wound up fifth after being forced to start 21st when a flat left rear tire on the parade lap prompted a tire change before the start of the race.
Steve Meyer of Sheboygan Falls won the 12-lap IRA B main. Bill Taylor of Boltonville won the 12-lap PDTR 360 Sprint Car B main.
In IRA qualifying, Jake Blackhurst recorded the fastest lap of 11.622 second.
Ben Schmidt earned overall fast qualifier honors in the PDTR 360 Sprint Car division with a lap of 12.550 seconds.
The sixth PDTR program of the 2022 campaign, which was sponsored by Road America, drew a total field of 57 Sprints, including 28 IRA 410 Sprint Cars and 29 PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Cars.
The next PDTR racing program on Saturday, July 9 is Fan Appreciation Night with all spectators receiving $5 off the regular adult and student admission price.
The trophy sponsor for the racing program on Saturday, July 9 will be Butch and Blondie Hafemann with Vintage Modifieds joining the PDTR 360 Sprint Car, Late Model, Grand National and B Mod divisions.
Spectator gates open at 4:30 p.m. with 360 Sprint Car hot laps/group qualifying at 5:30 p.m. and racing to begin at 6 p.m.
The new book “Racing Recollections – Plymouth Racetrack Fans & Drivers 1950-2021” by Dennis Darovich of Sheboygan, George Baumann of Waupun and Verla Peichl of Sheboygan Falls will be available for purchase at every race during the 2022 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.
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.
BUMPER TO BUMPER INTERSTATE RACING ASSOCIATION 410 SPRINT CARS
QUALIFYING
1, Jake Blackhurst 11.622 2, Blake Nimee 11.655 3, Jordan Goldesberry 11.669 4, Scotty Thiel 11.684 5, Kyle Schuett 11.775 6, Bill Balog 11.808 7, Jake Neuman 11.867 8, Chase Briscoe 11.969 9, Danny Schlafer 11.988 10, Riley Goodno 12.012 11, Travis Arenz 12.038 12, Todd Daun 12.038 13, Tyler Tischendorf 12.065 14, Hunter Custer 12.124 15, Jack Routson 12.183 16, Jack Vanderboom 12.188 17, Scotty Neitzel 12.240 18, Jeremy Schultz 12.289 19, Russel Borland 12.318 20, Josh Schneiderman 12.350 21, Austin Hartmann 12.457 22, Kris Spitz 12.470 23, Steve Meyer 12.489 24, Scott Biertzer 12.549 25, Scott Conger 12.577 26, Jereme Schroeder 12.616 27, Andy Rein 12.635 28, Dave Uttech no time.
HEAT 1
1, Riley Goodno 2, Scotty Thiel 3, Jake Neuman 4, Jake Blackhurst 5, Russel Borland 6, Tyler Tischendorf 7, Scott Conger 8, Kris Spitz 9, Jack Vanderboom 10, Dave Uttech (DNS).
HEAT 2
1, Chase Briscoe 2, Travis Arenz 3, Blake Nimee 4, Kyle Schuett 5, Scotty Neitzel 6, Josh Schneiderman 7, Steve Meyer 8, Hunter Custer 9, Jereme Schroeder (DNS).
HEAT 3
1, Danny Schlafer 2, Bill Balog 3, Todd Daun 4, Jeremy Schultz 5, Jordan Goldesberry 6, Jack Routson 7, Austin Hartmann 8, Scott Biertzer 9, Andy Rein.
Dash 1
1, Jake Blackhurst 2, Scotty Thiel 3, Bill Balog 4, Kyle Schuett 5, Chase Briscoe
Dash 2
1, Jake Neuman 2, Blake Nimee 3, Jordan Goldesberry 4, Danny Schlafer 5, Riley Goodno.
B MAIN
1, Steve Meyer 2, Hunter Custer 3, Scott Biertzer 4, Jack Vanderboom 5, Kris Spitz 6, Austin Hartmann 7, Jeremy Schroeder 8, Andy Rein 9, Scott Conger 10, Dave Uttech (DNS).
A MAIN
1, Bill Balog 2, Jake Neuman 3, Jake Blackhurst 4, Danny Schlafer 5, Blake Nimee 6, Jordan Goldesberry 7, Chase Briscoe 8, Riley Goodno 9, Scotty Thiel 10, Travis Arenz 11, Kyle Schuett 12, Steve Meyer 13, Todd Daun 14, Russel Borland 15, Josh Schneiderman 16, Jeremy Schultz 17, Kris Spitz 18, Jack Vanderboom 19, Austin Hartmann 20, Tyler Tischendorf 21, Hunter Custer 22, Jack Routson 23, Scott Biertzer 24, Scotty Neitzel.
KRISTINE HARTMANN PLEASANT VIEW REALTY 360 SPRINT CARS
QUALIFYING
1, Ben Schmidt 12.550 2, Brandon Berth 12.706 3, Tim Haddy 12.800 4, Brandon McMullen 12.824 5, Travis Arenz 12.843 6, Lance Fassbender 12.892 7, Preston Ruh 12.923 8, Will Gerrits 12.927 9, Doug Wondra 12.944 10, Alex Pokorski 12.999 11, Mike Yurmanovich 12.999 12, Blake Wondra 13.013 13, Tony Wondra 13.029 14, Chris Clayton 13.050 15, Cole Possi 13.091 16, Anthony Knierim 13.100 17, Bill Taylor 13.121 18, Kurt Davis 13.148 19, Shane Wenninger 13.178 20, Tommy Colburn 13.182 21, Justin Erickson 13.203 22, Justin Miller 13.216 23, Chris Larson 13.236 24, Katelyn Krebsbach 13.252 25, Tyler Brabant 13.366 26, Tyler Davis 13.445 27, J.J. Pagel 13.940 28, Randy Post 13.974 29, Andy Rein no time.
HEAT 1
1, Will Gerrits 2, Lance Fassbender 3, Ben Schmidt 4, Doug Wondra 5, Tommy Colburn 6, Brandon Berth 7, Katelyn Krebsbach 8, Randy Post.
HEAT 2
1, Kurt Davis 2, Brandon McMullen 3, Travis Arenz 4, Preston Ruh 5, Shane Wenninger 6, Justin Miller 7, Chris Larson.
HEAT 3
1, Anthony Knierim 2, Justin Erickson 3, Chris Clayton 4, Tony Wondra 5, Tyler Brabant 6, Tyler Davis 7, Alex Pokorski.
HEAT 4
1, Cole Possi 2, Tim Haddy 3, Blake Wondra 4, Mike Yurmanovich 5, Bill Taylor 6, J.J. Pagel 7, Andy Rein (DNS).
B MAIN
1, Bill Taylor 2, Tony Wondra 3, Brandon Berth 4, Tyler Davis 5, Justin Miller 6, Chris Larson 7, Preston Ruh 8, Shane Wenninger 9, Alex Pokorski 10, Katelyn Krebsbach 11, J.J. Pagel 12, Randy Post 13, Andy Rein (DNS).
A MAIN
1, Lance Fassbender 2, Kurt Davis 3, Travis Arenz 4, Brandon McMullen 5, Ben Schmidt 6, Doug Wondra 7, Chris Clayton 8, Justin Erickson 9, Brandon Berth 10, Chris Larson 11, Tony Wondra 12, Bill Taylor 13, Tyler Davis 14, Blake Wondra 15, Mike Yurmanovich 16, Will Gerrits 17, Justin Miller 18, Cole Possi 19, Tim Haddy 20, Anthony Knierim 21, Tommy Colburn 22, Tyler Brabant (DNS).