Schmidt soars to first 2024 MSA triumph, Go Fund Me set up to help injured Fassbender

Schmi

Fundraiser established for injured racer Lance Fassbender

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) June 15, 2024 – In just the third completed Akright Auto Midwest Sprint Car Association - Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car A-main of the 2024 season, 2011 MSA and PDTR champion Ben Schmidt of Plymouth put on a driving clinic as he cruised to his first main event victory of the 2024 campaign at The Plymouth Dirt Track in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, June 15.

Behind the wheel of Nick Daywalt-owned No. 66 machine, three-time PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Donny Goeden of Kewaskum emerged from semi-retirement to grab the lead on the drop of the green flag of the 25-lap PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Car main event from the pole.

Goeden, who was making just his fourth 360 Sprint Car start since his retirement from full-time racing competition after the 2016 season, proceeded to build a solid lead in the early stages of the event as outside front-row starter T.J. Haddy of Waupun gave chase in the runner-up spot.

Things started to get interesting when Goeden caught up to the rear of the field on lap 9. As the leaders bunched up in slower traffic, Ben Schmidt, who started 12th, flexed his muscle by working both the high and low grooves of the fast and smooth racing surface to slip past sixth starter Brandon Berth of Cascade and secure third on lap 11.

One lap later, Schmidt swiped second from Haddy and gradually reeled in Goeden for the top spot. On lap 17, Schmidt pounced to lift the lead from Goeden’s possession after executing what proved to be the winning move in turn two.

Once out front, Schmidt was not to be denied as he stretched out a full straightaway advantage en route to his 23rd career PDTR 360 Sprint Car main event victory and 43rd career Midwest Sprint Car Association A-main win. Schmidt’s triumph moved him into a tie with Danny Schlafer of Sussex for third place on the all-time PDTR 360 Sprint Car A-main victory list.

Goeden held on to finish second, Alex Pokorski of West Bend stormed up from the eighth starting position to place third, Haddy claimed a career-best fourth-place showing and Berth rounded out the top five in the caution-free, non-stop, green-to-checkered flag race.

Two-time PDTR and five-time MSA champion Kurt Davis of South Milwaukee won the 12-lap PDTR-MSA B-main.

Alex Pokorski claimed the fast time award in PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Car hot-lap-group qualifying with a 12.450-second lap.

During PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Car qualifying, 2005 MSA and 2008 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Lance Fassbender of Burnett was transported to an area medical care center after suffering burns in a methanol fire.

A Go Fund Me fundraiser has been set up to help Lance and his family during his recovery. Donations can be made by visiting https://gofundme.com/f/help-lance-and-his-family-during-his-recovery.

The fourth event of the 2024 PDTR campaign, which was sponsored by Josfo Electric, attracted 27 PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Cars,

Plymouth Dirt Track Racing action continues on Saturday, June 22 with the lone 2024 appearance of the Badger Midgets, which will serve as the evening’s featured guest division. The PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Cars, Grand Nationals and B Mods will also be in action.

Grandstand gates open at 4:30 p.m. with qualifying at 5:30 p.m. and racing at 6 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.com or check out Plymouth Dirt Track Racing on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

AKRIGHT AUTO PLYMOUTH DIRT TRACK RACING 360 SPRINT CARS

A Feature (25 Laps): 1. 35-Ben Schmidt [12]; 2. 66-Donny Goeden [1]; 3. 4-Alex Pokorski [8]; 4. 21H-TJ Haddy [2]; 5. 22B-Brandon Berth [6]; 6. 3-Justin Erickson [4]; 7. 11-Tony Wondra [5]; 8. 69-Bill Taylor [7]; 9. 0-Robbie Pribnow [13]; 10. 39-Kurt Davis [16]; 11. 08-Katelyn Krebsbach [3]; 12. 63K-Kevin Karnitz [17]; 13. 33M-Josh Bilicki [9]; 14. 7L-Ellie Hensley [18]; 15. 69S-TJ Smith [15]; 16. 54-Randy Post [11]; 17. 53A-Paul Pokorski [19]; 18. 51-Chris Larson [14]; 19. 14J-Joseph Hintz [22]; 20. 24-Scott Conger [10]; 21. 30-Doug Wondra [20]; 22. 46-Steven Ruh [21]

B Feature (12 Laps): 1. 39-Kurt Davis [6]; 2. 63K-Kevin Karnitz [7]; 3. 7L-Ellie Hensley [4]; 4. 53A-Paul Pokorski [2]; 5. 30-Doug Wondra [8]; 6. 46-Steven Ruh [1]; 7. 14J-Joseph Hintz [9]; 8. 55P-Brady Portschy [10]; 9. 3BK-Billy Kreutz [3]; 10. (DNF) 12P-JJ Pagel [5]; 11. (DNS) 7-Lance Fassbender; 12. (DNS) 09-Clayton Rossmann

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 0-Robbie Pribnow [2]; 2. 66-Donny Goeden [4]; 3. 69S-TJ Smith [6]; 4. 35-Ben Schmidt [3]; 5. 51-Chris Larson [1]; 6. 39-Kurt Davis [5]; 7. 63K-Kevin Karnitz [7]; 8. 30-Doug Wondra [8]; 9. 55P-Brady Portschy [9]

Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 24-Scott Conger [1]; 2. 21H-TJ Haddy [2]; 3. 08-Katelyn Krebsbach [3]; 4. 11-Tony Wondra [4]; 5. 54-Randy Post [5]; 6. 53A-Paul Pokorski [7]; 7. 3BK-Billy Kreutz [8]; 8. 7L-Ellie Hensley [9]; 9. (DNF) 09-Clayton Rossmann [6]

Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 22B-Brandon Berth [2]; 2. 3-Justin Erickson [1]; 3. 69-Bill Taylor [3]; 4. 4-Alex Pokorski [4]; 5. 33M-Josh Bilicki [6]; 6. 14J-Joseph Hintz [8]; 7. 46-Steven Ruh [5]; 8. (DNF) 12P-JJ Pagel [7]; 9. (DNS) 7-Lance Fassbender

Qualifying 1: 1. 66-Donny Goeden, 12.802 [8]; 2. 35-Ben Schmidt, 12.939 [7]; 3. 0-Robbie Pribnow, 13.035 [5]; 4. 51-Chris Larson, 13.038 [9]; 5. 39-Kurt Davis, 13.286 [3]; 6. 69S-TJ Smith, 13.304 [1]; 7. 63K-Kevin Karnitz, 13.411 [2]; 8. 30-Doug Wondra, 13.613 [6]; 9. 55P-Brady Portschy, 14.536 [4]

Qualifying 2: 1. 11-Tony Wondra, 12.639 [7]; 2. 08-Katelyn Krebsbach, 12.749 [8]; 3. 21H-TJ Haddy, 12.777 [2]; 4. 24-Scott Conger, 12.850 [1]; 5. 54-Randy Post, 12.860 [6]; 6. 09-Clayton Rossmann, 12.923 [9]; 7. 53A-Paul Pokorski, 12.943 [5]; 8. 3BK-Billy Kreutz, 13.089 [3]; 9. 7L-Ellie Hensley, 13.154 [4]

Qualifying 3: 1. 4-Alex Pokorski, 12.450 [2]; 2. 7-Lance Fassbender, 12.506 [8]; 3. 69-Bill Taylor, 12.564 [1]; 4. 22B-Brandon Berth, 12.608 [5]; 5. 3-Justin Erickson, 12.659 [4]; 6. 46-Steven Ruh, 12.734 [7]; 7. 14J-Joseph Hintz, 12.798 [9]; 8. 33M-Josh Bilicki, 12.848 [6]; 9. 12P-JJ Pagel, 13.213 [3]