Alex Pokorski closes out ‘most improved’ 2023 Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car campaign
(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) October 3, 2023 – While it may not have featured a perfect ending, Alex Pokorski and the Akright Auto Racing Team put a bow on an impressive season worthy of the 2023 Akright Auto Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car Most Improved Driver Award, during the sixth annual Wisconsin Sprint Car Championships at The Plymouth Dirt Track in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, Sept. 30.
The 2023 campaign came to a close with Pokorski placing fourth in the final PDTR 360 Sprint Car point standings, which marked an improvement of 10 spots over 2022, during which he finished 14th. The fourth-year 360 Sprint Car driver’s head-turning, season-long performance was even more prominent in Akright Auto Midwest Sprint Car Association competition as he vaulted from 15th in the 2022 final point standings to fourth in 2023, while competing in all 24 MSA events during the 2023 season.
The 17th and final PDTR 360 Sprint Car event of the 2023 season saw the West Bend, Wis. driver qualify third overall in a stellar 33-car PDTR-MSA field with a lap of 12.238 seconds.
After starting fourth in the first eight-lap PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Car heat race, Pokorski swept past T.J. Haddy to move into third on the opening lap. Pokorski held the position during the remainder of the race to advance to the 25-lap Fuzzy Fassbender Tribute A main.
Pokorski rolled off second in the PDTR-MSA headliner and held down the runner-up spot in the early going until his car got out of shape along the cushion before contacting the back stretch wall on lap 5. The impact resulted in significant damage to Pokorski’s No. 4 Spyder Akright-owned machine and brought his 2023 season to an early ending with a 21st place A-main finish in a race won by Scotty Thiel.
The race marked the only time Pokorski failed to finish an A-main and his lone time placing outside of the top 15 in MSA 360 Sprint Car main event action during the 2023 campaign.
“The car was solid all night,” Pokorski said. “In the feature, I caught a rut a little wrong and ended up breaking something on the right front corner of the car that sent me into the wall. That incident created plenty of work for us to do. Luckily, we have the off-season to fix it and regroup.”
In 24 events during the 2023 season, Pokorski earned his first career MSA 360 Sprint Car A-main victory at the Dodge County Fairgrounds Speedway in Beaver Dam, Wis. on Friday, June 2, while notching 12 top-five and 21 top-10 and 23 top-15 A-main showings. In addition, Pokorski tallied four heat race victories and two fast qualifier awards during the 2023 campaign.
“The 2023 season was a lot of fun,” Pokorski said. “I feel blessed to have had all the people around me who made it possible. I hope they all enjoyed it as well. We had a big improvement from last year, which got us up to a fourth place finish in MSA points. I will be back racing with Spyder and the Akright Auto Racing Team again next year. I’m really excited to have that opportunity again, and I am looking forward to improving further.”
Paul Pokorski also closed out his 31st season of racing by competing in a portion of the final PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Car event of the season, as he shared the seat of the 53A machine with car owner Spyder Akright throughout the 2023 campaign.
Paul qualified 12th overall among the 33-car field with a lap of 12.484 seconds. After starting on the pole of the third eight-lap PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Car heat race, Paul led the first six laps of the race before Scotty Thiel steered Randy Sippel’s 39s past the 2014 MSA 360 Sprint Car Masters Series champion to bump the West Bend, Wis. driver to a second place showing.
After that, Paul turned the car over to Spyder Akright, who started last in the 15-lap PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Car B main due to the driver change. Akright used a strong start to vault from his 14thstarting spot up to seventh, just one position away from an A-main transfer spot in the early stages of the race.
However, after some slight contact produced handling issues, Akright fell back in the closing laps to cap the 2023 season with a ninth place B main showing.
In 11 PDTR-MSA events during the 2023 campaign, Paul posted one top-five, four top-10 and six top-15 A-main finishes to go along with one B main victory. Co-driving with Spyder Akright, the Akright-Pokorski piloted 53A car finished 14th in the 2023 PDTR and MSA 360 Sprint Car point standings while competing in all 17 PDTR and 21 of 24 MSA events in 2023.
“I was a bit tight in qualifying and pretty good in the heat race,” Paul said. “Knowing I was going to be turning over the reins to Spyder [Akright] in the next race, and I needed to keep the car in one piece. As a result, I got a little conservative in turns one and two, which cost us a heat race win. Overall, it was a good night from my perspective. The season was also a lot of fun. We all had a good time. Spyder keeps reminding us that’s the point…to have fun and not take it too seriously. The entire Akright Auto Racing and Pokorski Motorsports team is looking forward to 2024 already.”
Alex Pokorski and the members of the Akright Auto Racing Team will be recognized with the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car Most Improved Driver Award at the 2023 Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Awards Ceremony set to take place Saturday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. at Racer’s Hall in Plymouth, Wis.
Sponsors and supporters for Alex Pokorski and the 2023 Akright Auto Racing Team include Akright Auto, Petersen Septic Systems, Goeden Auto Body, Novak’s Service Center, Mulch Express of Wisconsin, Countryside Designs, Wisconsin Bank and Trust, Homestead Auto, Cedar Valley Hunt Club, Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts, RC Custom Design and Pedal Down Promotions.
For more information on Alex Pokorski and the No. 4 Akright Auto Racing Team, check out Pokorski Motorsports on Facebook at https://facebook.com/pokorskimotorsports or visit www.pedaldownpromo.com.
Alex Pokorski-Akright Auto Racing Team Sponsor Showcase –
Novak’s Service Center
Alex Pokorski and the Akright Auto Racing Team would like to acknowledge the support of long-time sponsor Novak’s Service Center of Manitowoc, which is celebrating its 51st year in business in 2023.
Novak’s Service Center is a locally owned, second-generation, family-owned, five-bay auto repair center, which has been serving customers in the Lakeshore area since 1972.
Novak’s Service Center offers comprehensive auto repair services, including 4 x 4 services, brakes, car and truck care, domestic cars and trucks, electrical services, electronic services, engine and transmission, engine maintenance, expired warranty care, general service, heating and cooling services, import cars and trucks, quick lube services, tires, towing, transmission and undercar services.
Located at 1320 Washington St. in Manitowoc, Novak’s Service Center is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
To schedule an appointment, call920-684-5737 or visit www.novaks1320.com.
Alex Pokorski-Akright Auto Racing Team Sponsor Showcase – Akright Auto
Located at 106 North Bluebird Lane in Sheboygan Falls, Wis. Akright Auto has served as a reliable source for auto parts since 1940.
With a highly trained staff of auto parts professionals, Akright Auto is well prepared to assist customers with vehicle repair needs with a wide assortment of affordable, high-quality auto parts available on site. If a part is not available, Akright Auto offers next-day delivery services.
In addition, Akright Auto provides full auto salvage services, along with a 90-day standard warranty on all parts purchases.
Contact Akright Auto by phone at 920-467-4201, toll free at 800-400-4201, via email at dakright12@gmail.com or visit www.akrightauto.com.
Pedal Down Promotions is a full-service public relations and media services company devoted to helping its clients effectively communicate with targeted audiences through press releases, newsletters, profile and feature articles, website and social media content development, printed media, editing and layout, graphic design and book publishing services.
For more information on Pedal Down Promotions, emailpedaldownpromotions@gmail.com, visit www.pedaldownpromo.com or call920-323-7970.
Alex Pokorski
Akright Auto Racing Team 4
Final 2023 Statistics
Total Events – 24
A Main Victories – 1
B Main Victories – 0
Top Five A Main Finishes – 12
Top 10 A Main Finishes – 21
Top 15 A Main Finishes – 23
Heat Race Victories – 4
Fast Qualifier Awards – 2
Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car Points Finish – 4th
Midwest Sprint Car Association Points Finish – 4th
Paul Pokorski
Akright Auto 53A
2023 Season
By The Numbers
Total Events – 11
A Main Victories – 0
B Main Victories – 1
Top Five A Main Finishes – 1
Top 10 A Main Finishes – 4
Top 15 A Main Finishes – 6
Heat Race Victories – 0
Fast Qualifier Awards – 0
PDTR 360 Sprint Car Points Finish co-driving with Spyder Akright – 14th
MSA 360 Sprint Car Points Finish co-driving with Spyder Akright – 14th