Paul Pokorski notches top-10 MSA showing at Beaver Dam Raceway
(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) Sept. 1, 2020 – For the second time in his limited appearances behind the wheel of the No. 4 Pokorski Motorsports 360 Sprint Car during the 2020 campaign, 28-year veteran Paul Pokorski turned in a top-10 showing in Midwest Sprint Car Association A-main action at Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis. on Saturday, Aug. 29.
Pokorski, who is sharing seat time in the Pokorski Motorsports car this year with his 21-year-old son Alex, made his fifth and sixth starts of the 2020 season during the rain-shorted Russ Scheffler Tribute Night Plymouth Dirt Track Racing program on Thursday, Aug. 27 and the Jim Wipperfurth Memorial Night at Beaver Dam Raceway on Aug. 29.
On Aug. 27 at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. 29 PDTR 360 Sprint Cars checked in for the special Thursday night racing program.
Pokorski opened the evening by starting fifth in the second 10-lap PDTR 360 Sprint Car heat race. The 2014 MSA Masters Series champion led to sixth on the opening lap before battling back to pass rookie Austin Hartmann for fifth place on lap 3. Pokorski held on over the final seven laps to finish fifth in the race.
Pokorski then lined up third in the 15-lap PDTR 360 Sprint Car B main and fell to sixth on lap 2 where he ran until a yellow flag was displayed on lap 11 for a spin involving Jack Vanderboom of Dousman.
Following the restart, Pokorski worked past Shane Wenninger to take fifth on lap 13, which is where he finished to earn the 21st starting spot in the 25-lap A main, which was later washed out by rain.
“Thursday night at Plymouth went okay,” Pokorski said. “We made smart changes and the car was surprisingly good in the B even though the result wasn’t great. I was looking forward to running the feature and was disappointed when mother nature got the best of us.”
Alex Pokorski was scheduled to drive the Pokorski Motorsports car in a special Friday night PDTR program on Friday, Aug. 28, which was rained out.
On Saturday, Aug. 29, Paul Pokorski was among 31 MSA 360 Sprint Car drivers to check into the pit area for the second MSA event of the season at Beaver Dam Raceway.
Pokorski turned a lap of 14.499 seconds to place 20th in MSA group qualifying to earn an outside front row starting spot in the second 10-lap MSA heat race.
Polesitter Bill Taylor got the jump on the drop of the green flag, while Pokorski settled into second on the opening lap. Pokorski held on to second through a caution flag on lap 4 to advance to the 25-lap A main.
Pokorski started 12th in the 22-car MSA field and rode the low groove to ninth when the first of three red flags appeared on lap three for a three-car incident involving Adam Miller, Chris Clayton and Justin Miller, who flipped his machine in turn three.
After the restart, Pokorski dropped to 10th when the second red flag appeared for a flip in turn two involving Kurt Davis. On lap later, the third red flag of the race was displayed when Shane Wenninger flipped after contact with Justin Erickson in turn four.
As the track began to take rubber in the closing laps, Pokorski was among the first drivers to find the fast way around and he used the rubbered-up lane in the closing laps to record a solid 10th-place finish in a race won by MSA point leader Travis Arenz to tally the team’s second top-10 A-main showing of the 2020 season.
“I screwed up in qualifying and being in the third of four qualifying sessions already has it a little bit of a disadvantage due to the track conditions,” Pokorski said. “My mistake just made it that much worse. Nonetheless, that put us in a good starting spot for our heat race. The heat went okay and the car was pretty good.
“In the A main things were busy,” he said. “I ran the middle for a few laps and it wasn’t working. I moved to the extreme outside and gained some momentum, but a caution came out and started us on the bottom. I lost a few spots trying to get going and get back to the top. By then, the rubber was coming in and I should have been running the middle. After the last caution, I found the rubber and passed a car or two. All together it wasn’t a memorable result, but not terrible either.”
This weekend the Pokorski Motorsports team is set to take part in an MSA doubleheader starting with the fourth annual Harry Neitzel Tribute race at the Dodge County Fairgrounds in Beaver Dam, Wis. on Friday, Sept. 4.
Also on the card will be the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series, along with the Modified division. Pit gates open at 3 p.m., spectator gates are set to open at 5 p.m. with warm ups at 6 p.m. and hot laps, qualifying and racing to follow.
On the following night, the team will return to The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. with the PDTR 360 supporting the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series.
Spectator gates open at 4:30 p.m. with hot laps and qualifying scheduled for 5:30 p.m. with racing to follow.
Paul Pokorski is expected to be behind the wheel for both nights.
“I’m looking forward to the upcoming two-day weekend,” Pokorski said. “Hopefully, mother nature will cooperate.
Sponsors for the 2020 Pokorski Motorsports team are Hopf Farms, Petersen Septic Systems, Quest Engineering Inc., Goeden’s Auto Body, Goodwin Racing Engines, Lakeshore Family Funeral Homes, Kettle Moraine Landscaping, Novak’s Service Center, Pedal Down Promotions, Tisler Salvage Inc., Allied Bearing Corporation and The Cawley Company.
Pokorski Motorsports Sponsor Showcase – Novak’s Service Center
Pokorski Motorsports would like to acknowledge the support of long-time sponsor Novak’s Service Center of Manitowoc, which is celebrating its 48th year in business in 2020.
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, call 920-684-5737 or visit www.novaks1320.com.
For more information on Pokorski Motorsports, check out Pokorski Motorsports on Facebook or visit www.pedaldownpromo.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, email pedaldownpromotions@gmail.com, visit www.pedaldownpromo.com or call 920-323-7970.
2020 Pokorski Motorsports Remaining Schedule.
Friday, Sept. 4 – Dodge County Fairgrounds, Beaver Dam, Wis.
Saturday, Sept. 5 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.
Saturday, Sept. 12 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.
Friday, Sept. 25 – Dodge County Fairgrounds, Beaver Dam, Wis
Saturday, Sept. 26 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.
2020 Pokorski Motorsports By The Numbers
Total Events – 13
MSA events – 12
IRA events – 0
A Main Victories – 1
B Main Victories – 1
Top Five A Main Finishes – 1
Top 10 A Main Finishes – 2
Heat Race Victories – 0
