PLYMOUTH, Wis. — While the air temperature was leaning on the cold side, the on-track action was anything but, as Plymouth Dirt Track Racing kicked off the 2023 season with a full slate of hotly contested feature events on Saturday night.
In the debut event of the Super Six Late Model Series, four-time PDTR Late Model champion Brad Mueller out dueled Taylor Scheffler in the closing laps to notch a thrilling season-opening victory in the 30-lap Sheboygan’s Country B93 Late Model headliner.
The PDTR 360 Sprint Car feature included a heated battle among three former track champions as 2011 champ Ben Schmidt out-battled 2008 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champion Lance Fassbender in the early going and fended off a spirited late charge from two-time track champ Brandon McMullen on the final lap to secure a hard-earned victory in the 25-lap Akright Auto 360 Sprint Car A main.
In the 25-lap Oostburg Automotive Grand National feature, Chad Espen outclassed the field on the way to victory lane, while two-time PDTR B Mod champion Tim Warner opened the 2023 PDTR campaign on a strong note by claiming victory in the 25-lap Next Step Insurance B Mod main event.
Super Six Late Model
Scheffler used his pole position starting spot to seize the lead on the drop of the green flag of the 30-lap Super Six Late Model Series main event. By lap 5, Scheffler had built up a half straight away cushion over third starter Justin Ritchie and on lap 10 his lead grew to a full straightaway.
One lap later, Scheffler began to negotiate lapped traffic, which allowed Ritchie to gradually reel in the leader. As the laps wound down, Ritchie cut the gap to a quarter straightaway on lap 23.
Scheffler then found himself boxed in behind a lapped car along the low groove starting on lap 25, which allowed Ritchie and fourth starter Mueller to pull in to challenge for the lead. On lap 28, Mueller ventured up to the high groove to bolt past Ritchie into second place before powering past Scheffler for the lead exiting turn four on the white flag lap.
Mueller went on to nail down his 24th career PDTR Late Model A-main victory and claim the $1,500 winner’s check in the non-stop event.
Ritchie snuck past Scheffler on the final lap to take second, Scheffler wound up third, Jim Schmidt, who started seventh, placed fourth and Late Model rookie Jayden Schmidt of Seymour, who started 10th, moved up to finish fifth in his debut appearance in a Late Model at The Plymouth Dirt Track.
“What a way to start the year!” Mueller exclaimed in victory lane. “I tried running the outside a little bit during the race in turns one and two, but the groove was way out there in turns three and four. I wasn’t too sure how it was going to go out there, but I had to try it. I got it to work just enough to get by Taylor at the end. I want to thank the fans for coming out to watch us. I know it’s probably not a lot of fun when it’s this cold, but we appreciate the support.”
Feature Finish (30 Laps)
1. 89-Brad Mueller [4]; 2. 70-Justin Ritchie [3]; 3. 10S-Taylor Scheffler [1]; 4. 79-Jim Schmidt [7]; 5. 24S-Jayden Schmidt [10]; 6. 9Z-Jayme Zidar [2]; 7. 97-Justin Schmidt [8]; 8. 19J-Justin Green [5]; 9. 77-Bill Edler [6]; 10. 22-Charlie Schmidt [12]; 11. 74-Mitch McGrath [11]; 12. 55B-Joe Bongiorno [13]; 13. 24-Turk Letizia [14]; 14. 87-Adam Janke [9]; 15. 57M-Eric Michaels [15]; 16. 99M-Mike Mullen [16]; 17. (DNS) 5X-Chad Ludwigson; 18. (DNS) 99-Sawyer Specht