Anvelink rules Plymouth Dirt Kings, season titles go to Sorce, Schmidt
Thiel, Kafka, Brass bank A-main victories
(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) August 23, 2024 – Two weeks after claiming a 106.5 The Buzz Seubert Calf Ranches Super Six Late Model Series A-main victory with a late-race pass, it was a case of déjà vu as six-time WABAM Dirt Kings Late Model Tour champion and current point leader Nick Anvelink of Bonduel pulled off another winning move in the closing laps en route to victory in the 30-lap 106.5 The Buzz Dirt Kings Tour Late Model A-main at The Plymouth Dirt Track in Plymouth, Wis. on Friday, Aug. 23.
Scotty Thiel of Sheboygan made a rare appearance behind the wheel of Randy Sippel’s 39s car pay off as he rolled to victory in the 25-lap Akright Auto Plymouth Dirt Track Racing – Midwest Sprint Car Association 360 Sprint Car main event.
Scott Kafka of Cleveland led wire to wire en route to his first career 25-lap Oostburg Automotive Grand National A-main victory. Will Sorce of Franklin secured his second career PDTR Grand National season championship with a sixth-place finish.
PDTR rookie Logan Brass of Howards Grove captured his first career 25-lap Sheboygan Falls B Mod A-main win. At the same time, Travis Schmidt of Waldo wrapped up his initial PDTR B Mod season title.
Outside front row starter Troy Springborn of Shawano used the high groove to outpower six-time PDTR Late Model and two-time Seubert Calf Ranches Super Six Late Model Series champion, who started on the pole, into the lead on the opening lap of the 30-lap Dirt Kings Late Model main event.
The two accomplished veteran drivers dueled side-by-side in the initial laps, while Nick Anvelink, who started fourth, moved into third on lap 3. Anvelink then charged into pressure Mueller for second on lap 6 and quickly closed the gap on Springborn on lap 7 before the first of five caution flags was displayed on lap 8 when five-time PDTR Late Model champion Justin Schmidt of Cleveland slowed in turn one.
Mueller used a strong restart to slip past Anvelink into second on lap 9 before pressuring the high-riding Springborn for the lead along the low groove on lap 10.
Two laps later, 2020 Dirt Kings Tour champion Justin Ritchie of New London spun in turn four to bring out the second caution. After one lap of green flag action, Charlie Schmidt spun in turn four to bring out the third yellow flag of the race.
Another strong restart from Mueller pushed the familiar blue and red No. 89 into the lead along the low groove on lap 14. Three laps later, Anvelink dove past Springborn with a slide job in turn four to advance into second.
The leaders were approaching slower traffic when the fourth and final caution flag was displayed for Shawn Miller of Gillett, who spun in turn four, on lap 26. Two laps later, Taylor Scheffler of Waukesha spun along the front stretch to draw the fifth and final caution flag of the event.
Anvelink hounded Mueller following the final restart and used an outside-in move in turns three and four to cut off Mueller’s inside line and sweep into the top spot on the second to last lap on the way to his 28th career Dirt Kings Late Model Tour A-main victory, fourth career PDTR Late Model A-main win and second consecutive A-main triumph of the 2024 season at The Plymouth Dirt Track.
After losing the lead twice to Anvelink in the closing laps over the course of the last two Late Model A-mains at The Plymouth Dirt Track, Mueller had to settle for second. 2014 PDTR Late Model champ Mitch McGrath of Waukesha moved up to place fourth and Mike Mullen of Seymour started and finished fifth.
Inside third row starter T.J. Smith of Greenville bolted in to challenge polesitter Scotty Thiel for the lead along the low line on the opening lap of the 25-lap PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Car A-main.
Smith had surged into the lead on lap 2 just as a red flag was displayed when Katelyn Krebsbach of Cascade flipped hard along the back stretch. Following the restart, 2011 PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Car champion Ben Schmidt of Plymouth rode the cushion to swing into fifth on lap 3 from his eighth starting position.
The hard-charging Schmidt then bolted around fifth starter Brandon Berth of Cascade and second starter Alex Pokorski of West Bend to assume third on lap 8.
Thiel, who is the current Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series points leader, caught the rear of the field on lap 9, which allowed Smith to cut the lead gap a bit.
A yellow flag appeared on lap 11 when Spyder Akright rolled to a stop in turn four. The ensuing restart saw Schmidt dive low to sneak past Smith into the runner-up spot on lap 12.
Four laps later, the cushion-pounding Thiel was enjoying a half-straightaway advantage when he caught up to the back of the pack again. Brady Portschy then brought out the final caution flag of the event when he slowed in turn four on lap 19.
Thiel commanded the restart and cruised away from Schmidt over the final six laps on the way to his fourth career PDTR 360 Sprint Car main event win and 14th career MSA 360 Sprint A-main victory in his first PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Car start of the 2024 season.
With the win, Thiel became the sixth different driver to claim an A-main victory in the eight PDTR-MSA A-mains conducted at The Plymouth Dirt Track in 2024.
Schmidt came home second to maintain his PDTR and MSA points lead, Berth finished third, Pokorski placed fourth, while two-time PDTR and five-time MSA 360 Sprint Car champion Kurt Davis of South Milwaukee moved up from the seventh starting spot to finish fifth.
Scott Kafka seized the lead on the opening lap of the 25-lap Grand National main event from the pole position and third starter Chad Espen of West Bend followed in second.
By lap 6, Kapka held a solid quarter-straightaway lead on Espen before 2022 PDTR Grand National champion Luke Scholten of Oostburg passed second starter Jason Juech of Plymouth to take over third.
On lap 10, Espen cut into Kapka’s gap before the lone caution flag of the race came out on lap 16 when Derek Kaat of Plymouth spun in turn four. Scholten attempted to use the outside lane to pressure Espen for second place following the restart.
However, Espen fended off the challenge, while Scholten dropped back to fourth on lap 18. Kafka continued to hold down the lead over the final seven laps on the way to his first career PDTR Grand National A-main triumph.
Espen finished second, 2018 PDTR Grand National champion Tyler Kulow of Plymouth finished third, after starting seventh, two-time PDTR Grand National champ and seven-time division champion at The Plymouth Dirt Track Brian Gilles of Plymouth placed fourth after starting 10th and Scholten rounded out the top five.
Polesitter Tim Thrun of Horicon surged into the lead on the drop of the green flag of the 25-lap B Mod main event with third starter Ryan Pafford of Kiel in tow. From there, Thrun proceeded to build up an impressive full-straightaway cushion over Pafford by lap 10.
Thrun maintained a stranglehold on the lead, while first-year PDTR B Mod competitor Logan Brass advanced into second lap 17. The first of three caution flags appeared on lap 18 when Barrett Hummelmeier of Beaver Dam spun in turn two.
Sixth starter Geoff Zdroik of Rubicon charged into third before a pair of caution flags were displayed in rapid succession for the spinning cars of Barrett Hummelmeier on lap 18 and Jonathon Baumann on lap 22.
Brass utilized the ensuing single-file restart to his advantage to duck underneath Thrun and gain the top spot on lap 23. The third and final caution flag came out on lap 24 when Hummelmeier spun in turn two.
Following a single-file green-white-checkered flag, Brass proved to be too much for his closest pursuers as he bolted away to nail down his first career PDTR B Mod main event win.
Geoff Zdroik placed third, Thrun wound up third, seventh starter Spencer Long of Sheboygan Falls finished fourth and eighth starter Brandon Knepprath rounded out the top five.
Bill Taylor Boltonville won the 12-lap PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Car B-main.
Austin Zdroik of Ashippun collected the victory in the 12-lap B Mod B-main.
Brad Mueller claimed fast qualifier honors in Super Six Late Model Series qualifying with a lap of 13.479 seconds.
Ben Schmidt earned the overall PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Car fast qualifier award with a top lap of 12.645 seconds.
The 11th event of the 2024 PDTR campaign, which was sponsored by Kriete Truck Centers, drew a season-high 94 total entries, including 29 PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Cars, 26 B Mods, 21 Dirt Kings Late Models and 18 Grand Nationals.
The next PDTR racing program will take place during the 2024 Sheboygan County Fair on Saturday, Aug. 31, featuring the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Cars, along with the PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Cars.
The event will include an early start time with on-track action commencing at 5 p.m.
The 2024 Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Awards Ceremony is set to take place Saturday, Oct. 12 at Racers Hall in Plymouth at 7 p.m.
Weather information for all Plymouth Dirt Track Racing events will be posted on the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Facebook, X (Twitter) and Instagram pages, as well as the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing website – www.plymouthdtr.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.comor check out Plymouth Dirt Track Racing on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
106.5 THE BUZZ WABAM DIRT KINGS TOUR LATE MODELS
WABAM 30 (30 Laps): 1. 15-Nick Anvelink [4]; 2. 89-Brad Mueller [1]; 3. 74-Mitch McGrath [8]; 4. 81-Troy Springborn [2]; 5. 99M-Mike Mullen [5]; 6. 3-Brett Swedberg [6]; 7. 9Z-Jayme Zidar [9]; 8. 24S-Jayden Schmidt [20]; 9. 5-Lukas Postl [14]; 10. 77-Bill Edler [12]; 11. 51-Chris Oertel [16]; 12. 89R-Kolton Roehl [18]; 13. 55-Joe Bongiorno [17]; 14. 99-Sawyer Specht [21]; 15. 21M-Shawn Miller [15]; 16. D1-Turk Letizia [13]; 17. (DNF) 10S-Taylor Scheffler [7]; 18. (DNF) 22-Charlie Schmidt [3]; 19. (DNF) 70-Justin Ritchie [10]; 20. (DNF) 79-Jim Schmidt [11]; 21. (DNF) 97-Justin Schmidt [19]
Autoworx Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 81-Troy Springborn [1]; 2. 99M-Mike Mullen [2]; 3. 10S-Taylor Scheffler [3]; 4. 70-Justin Ritchie [5]; 5. D1-Turk Letizia [4]; 6. 51-Chris Oertel [6]; 7. (DNF) 97-Justin Schmidt [7]
Klink Equipment Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 22-Charlie Schmidt [1]; 2. 3-Brett Swedberg [2]; 3. 74-Mitch McGrath [3]; 4. 79-Jim Schmidt [4]; 5. 5-Lukas Postl [5]; 6. 55-Joe Bongiorno [6]; 7. 24S-Jayden Schmidt [7]
Ken’s Sports Inc. Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 89-Brad Mueller [1]; 2. 15-Nick Anvelink [3]; 3. 9Z-Jayme Zidar [2]; 4. 77-Bill Edler [4]; 5. 21M-Shawn Miller [6]; 6. 89R-Kolton Roehl [7]; 7. 99-Sawyer Specht [5]
Autoworx Qualifying 1: 1. 81-Troy Springborn, 13.755 [6]; 2. 99M-Mike Mullen, 13.902 [7]; 3. 10S-Taylor Scheffler, 13.910 [2]; 4. D1-Turk Letizia, 13.920 [4]; 5. 70-Justin Ritchie, 13.932 [5]; 6. 51-Chris Oertel, 14.111 [1]; 7. 97-Justin Schmidt, 14.162 [3]
Klink Equipment Qualifying 2: 1. 22-Charlie Schmidt, 13.612 [2]; 2. 3-Brett Swedberg, 13.659 [4]; 3. 74-Mitch McGrath, 13.699 [3]; 4. 79-Jim Schmidt, 13.865 [5]; 5. 5-Lukas Postl, 13.984 [6]; 6. 55-Joe Bongiorno, 14.156 [1]; 7. 24S-Jayden Schmidt, 14.181 [7]
Ken’s Sports Inc Qualifying 3: 1. 89-Brad Mueller, 13.479 [6]; 2. 9Z-Jayme Zidar, 13.581 [1]; 3. 15-Nick Anvelink, 13.730 [3]; 4. 77-Bill Edler, 13.766 [5]; 5. 99-Sawyer Specht, 14.194 [4]; 6. 21M-Shawn Miller, 14.839 [2]; 7. (DNS) 89R-Kolton Roehl, 14.194
AKRIGHT AUTO PLYMOUTH DIRT TRACK RACING 360 SPRINT CARS
A Main (25 Laps): 1. 39S-Scotty Thiel [1]; 2. 35-Ben Schmidt [8]; 3. 22B-Brandon Berth [5]; 4. 4-Alex Pokorski [2]; 5. 39K-Kurt Davis [7]; 6. 3-Justin Erickson [4]; 7. 69S-TJ Smith [3]; 8. 63K-Kevin Karnitz [11]; 9. 0-Robbie Pribnow [9]; 10. 14J-Joseph Hintz [10]; 11. 2-Chris Clayton [15]; 12. 69-Bill Taylor [17]; 13. 11-Tony Wondra [16]; 14. 51-Chris Larson [13]; 15. 3BK-Billy Kreutz [19]; 16. 24-Scott Conger [6]; 17. 24X-Eric Wilke [20]; 18. 55P-Brady Portschy [21]; 19. 09-Clayton Rossmann [14]; 20. 16-Anthony Knierim [18]; 21. 53A-Spyder Akright [22]; 22. 08-Katelyn Krebsbach [12]
B Main (12 Laps): 1. 69-Bill Taylor [2]; 2. 16-Anthony Knierim [3]; 3. 3BK-Billy Kreutz [1]; 4. 24X-Eric Wilke [4]; 5. 55P-Brady Portschy [5]; 6. 53A-Spyder Akright [10]; 7. 46-Kevin Ruh [11]; 8. 52-Cody Schlafer [9]; 9. 7L-Ellie Hensley [8]; 10. 55S-Ryan Sawusch [12]; 11. (DNF) 54-Randy Post [6]; 12. (DNF) 66T-Tristan Koenings [7]; 13. (DNS) 30-Shane Wenninger
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 22B-Brandon Berth [2]; 2. 35-Ben Schmidt [4]; 3. 3-Justin Erickson [1]; 4. 24-Scott Conger [3]; 5. 69-Bill Taylor [6]; 6. 3BK-Billy Kreutz [5]; 7. 54-Randy Post [7]; 8. 55S-Ryan Sawusch [8]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 14J-Joseph Hintz [1]; 2. 39K-Kurt Davis [4]; 3. 4-Alex Pokorski [2]; 4. 69S-TJ Smith [3]; 5. 66T-Tristan Koenings [6]; 6. 53A-Spyder Akright [7]; 7. 24X-Eric Wilke [5]
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 63K-Kevin Karnitz [3]; 2. 51-Chris Larson [1]; 3. 08-Katelyn Krebsbach [2]; 4. 09-Clayton Rossmann [5]; 5. 16-Anthony Knierim [4]; 6. 52-Cody Schlafer [7]; 7. 55P-Brady Portschy [6]
Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. 0-Robbie Pribnow [3]; 2. 39S-Scotty Thiel [4]; 3. 2-Chris Clayton [2]; 4. 11-Tony Wondra [1]; 5. 46-Kevin Ruh [7]; 6. 7L-Ellie Hensley [5]; 7. (DNS) 30-Shane Wenninger
Qualifying 1: 1. 35-Ben Schmidt, 12.645 [6]; 2. 24-Scott Conger, 12.680 [3]; 3. 22B-Brandon Berth, 12.738 [5]; 4. 3-Justin Erickson, 12.767 [4]; 5. 3BK-Billy Kreutz, 12.789 [2]; 6. 69-Bill Taylor, 12.875 [1]; 7. 54-Randy Post, 13.197 [7]; 8. 55S-Ryan Sawusch, 16.366 [8]
Qualifying 2: 1. 39K-Kurt Davis, 12.649 [1]; 2. 69S-TJ Smith, 12.817 [7]; 3. 4-Alex Pokorski, 12.857 [6]; 4. 14J-Joseph Hintz, 12.944 [4]; 5. 24X-Eric Wilke, 13.115 [5]; 6. 66T-Tristan Koenings, 13.203 [3]; 7. 53A-Spyder Akright, 13.641 [2]
Qualifying 3: 1. 16-Anthony Knierim, 12.989 [1]; 2. 63K-Kevin Karnitz, 12.992 [5]; 3. 08-Katelyn Krebsbach, 13.002 [4]; 4. 51-Chris Larson, 13.044 [3]; 5. 09-Clayton Rossmann, 13.137 [2]; 6. 55P-Brady Portschy, 13.161 [6]; 7. 52-Cody Schlafer, 13.482 [7]
Qualifying 4: 1. 39S-Scotty Thiel, 12.912 [1]; 2. 0-Robbie Pribnow, 12.921 [2]; 3. 2-Chris Clayton, 13.196 [3]; 4. 11-Tony Wondra, 13.231 [7]; 5. 7L-Ellie Hensley, 13.325 [5]; 6. 30-Shane Wenninger 13.422 [6]; 7. 46-Kevin Ruh, 13.731 [4]
OOSTBURG AUTOMOTIVE GRAND NATIONALS
A Main (25 Laps): 1. 23-Scott Kafka [1]; 2. 72E-Chad Espen [3]; 3. 24K-Tyler Kulow [7]; 4. 89-Brian Gilles [10]; 5. 80-Luke Scholten [9]; 6. 14X-Will Sorce [11]; 7. 42-Jason Juech [2]; 8. 14W-Seth Westimayer [12]; 9. 6-Dick Hed [5]; 10. 95-Donny Kulow [4]; 11. 53W-Dustin Weiss [6]; 12. 67-Brad Keith [17]; 13. 17X-Mark Kuhfuss [14]; 14. 34-Steven Weber [8]; 15. 54-Austin Yancey [15]; 16. 35-Jared Weiss [13]; 17. 23B-Trent Bogart [18]; 18. 15-Derek Kaat [16]
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 24K-Tyler Kulow [4]; 2. 89-Brian Gilles [5]; 3. 23-Scott Kafka [2]; 4. 95-Donny Kulow [3]; 5. 35-Jared Weiss [1]; 6. 23B-Trent Bogart [6]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 14X-Will Sorce [5]; 2. 42-Jason Juech [2]; 3. 6-Dick Hed [3]; 4. 34-Steven Weber [4]; 5. 67-Brad Keith [6]; 6. 54-Austin Yancey [1]
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 72E-Chad Espen [2]; 2. 53W-Dustin Weiss [3]; 3. 80-Luke Scholten [4]; 4. 14W-Seth Westimayer [5]; 5. 17X-Mark Kuhfuss [6]; 6. (DNS) 15-Derek Kaat
SHEBOYGAN FLOORING B MODS
A Main (25 Laps): 1. 89-Logan Brass [5]; 2. 18Z-Geoff Zdroik [6]; 3. 12T-Tim Thrun [1]; 4. 59S-Spencer Long [7]; 5. 17-Brandon Knepprath [8]; 6. 2WZ-Aaron Butterbrodt [12]; 7. 66-Steve Lorier [17]; 8. 26-Ryan Pafford [3]; 9. 6Z-Jim Zdroik [13]; 10. 19-Parker Glander [4]; 11. 73-Rory Welch [15]; 12. 67-Vince Jung [14]; 13. 3Z-Austin Zdroik [16]; 14. 27L-Brendan Ostrowski [18]; 15. 11S-Zachary Schmidt [2]; 16. 70-Jonathon Baumann [11]; 17. 117-Jim Juneau [20]; 18. 11B-Brad Buckman [19]; 19. 33H-Barrett Hummelmeier [10]; 20. 3-Travis Schmidt [9]
B Main: 1. 3Z-Austin Zdroik [1]; 2. 66-Steve Lorier [2]; 3. 27L-Brendan Ostrowski [5]; 4. 11B-Brad Buckman [6]; 5. 117-Jim Juneau [3]; 6. XV-Don Marquart [7]; 7. 117B-Tom Barnharst [10]; 8. 18-Miranda Sandholm [4]; 9. (DNS) 25S-Steve Ellis; 10. (DNS) 9-Hunter Larson; 11. (DNS) 31W-Kelan Wolfe
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 12T-Tim Thrun [1]; 2. 19-Parker Glander [5]; 3. 3-Travis Schmidt [8]; 4. 59S-Spencer Long [7]; 5. 6Z-Jim Zdroik [6]; 6. 3Z-Austin Zdroik [4]; 7. 18-Miranda Sandholm [3]; 8. XV-Don Marquart [2]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 18Z-Geoff Zdroik [6]; 2. 11S-Zachary Schmidt [2]; 3. 89-Logan Brass [5]; 4. 33H-Barrett Hummelmeier [8]; 5. 67-Vince Jung [9]; 6. 66-Steve Lorier [7]; 7. 27L-Brendan Ostrowski [3]; 8. 25S-Steve Ellis [1]; 9. 117B-Tom Barnharst [4]
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 26-Ryan Pafford [3]; 2. 70-Jonathon Baumann [8]; 3. 2WZ-Aaron Butterbrodt [9]; 4. 17-Brandon Knepprath [7]; 5. 73-Rory Welch [5]; 6. 117-Jim Juneau [2]; 7. 11B-Brad Buckman [1]; 8. (DNF) 9-Hunter Larson [6]; 9. (DNF) 31W-Kelan Wolfe [4]