The Scoop
SCHEFFLER SHINES IN FARMER CITY SCRUM, WEEKEND WRAPUP, DIRT FEATURE TOTALS & MORE
Posted on: Monday May 1, 2023
Waukesha’s Taylor Scheffler captured the late model feature at Farmer City Raceway in Farmer City, Illinois Friday night. (photo courtesy of Hall Racing Photos)
Mother Nature refuses to release her grip on permitting Wisconsin ovals to get their respective racing seasons started with a few exceptions.
Some teams continue to travel out-of-state to get some racing in and the trip to Farmer City (Il.) Raceway. Waukesha’s Taylor Scheffler traveled to Farmer City (Il.) Raceway Friday night where he picked up the dirt super late model feature win. Scheffler can claim to be batting 100 percent after winning in his maiden voyage of 2023.
Another semi-regular Dirt Kings Tour racer, Hales Corners’ Jayme Zidar, traveled to Brownstown Bullring with the Midwest Auto Racing Series (MARS). Zidar failed to qualify for the A main in a stout 37 car field but managed a sixth place finish in the B main Friday night.
With the Dirt Kings opener weathered out so far at Shawano Speedway, the Spring Thaw has been moved to Saturday, May 27. The season opening race for the series is slate for Friday, May 19 at Red Cedar Speedway in Menominee.
Many of the Dirt Kings regular teams have already gotten a few practice sessions in between Plymouth Dirt Track and Shawano Speedway. One of them was third-generation racer Jayden Schmidt of Seymour. Schmidt has accomplished a great deal of success in IMCA’s northern sportmod and modified divisions. He is a rookie behind the wheel of a late model this year.
Third-generation racer Jayden Schmidt from Seymour will be a rookie on the Dirt Kings tour in 2023. (Turn 2 Photos and Design)
His 2023 plans include chasing the Dirt Kings Tour. His recent shakedown with his late model took place at Shawano. “So far so good I guess,” Schmidt said. “I’m having a blast with it so far. These late models have so much more grip compared to anything I’ve ever driven. It’s almost like driving on concrete.”Schmidt said he plans on racing his modified “whenever the schedule” allows.
A LUCKY HORSESHOE? – If you’re into gambling and casinos you might want to consider having Bob Schneider tag along with you. Schneider, the promoter of Gravity Park USA in Chilton, so far has dodged Mother Nature and gotten all three of his Friday night shows in at his quarter-mile bullring.
Greenville’s T.J. Smith won his second grand national feature of the year at Gravity Park USA in Chilton on Friday. (photo courtesy of T.J. Smith racing)
In last Friday night’s events Gravity Park drew 131 cars in their six-division show, with Greenville’s T.J. Smith and Green Bay’s Jake Carpenter capturing their second feature flags of the year at Gravity in the grand national and sportmod divisions, respectively.
The division with the highest car counts all year at Gravity Park USA remains the four cylinders. 32 contestants showed up to do battle in the division, which saw Luxemburg’s Brian Watzka Jr. capturing the Lion’s share of the purse Friday night in the fours.
PDTR – The first of the six race “Super Six” late model series at Plymouth Dirt Track is set to kick off Saturday, May 6. The division no longer will compete weekly at the Sheboygan County Fair Park, but instead will run a more limited schedule with boosted payout at those six events. Other Saturday night shows eager to get their first shows of the year in this Saturday include both 141 Speedway of Francis Creek and Shawano Speedway.
OUTAGAMIE OPENER – Outagamie Speedway in Seymour will kick off it’s 2023 season Friday night, May 5. A practice session is tentatively set for Wednesday, May 3 at 3 p.m. until dusk.
The season opening race is set to commence at 6:30 p.m. at the third-mile, clay oval at the Outagamie County Fairgrounds in Seymour. Defending track champions in the respective divisions include hometown driver Jayden Schmidt (IMCA modified), Oconto Falls Kyle Frederick (IMCA stock car), Beaver Dam’s James Fletcher (Unified street stock), Hortonville’s Ryan Schmidt (IMCA northern sportmod) and Kaukauna’s Thomas Schulte (IMCA sport compact).
LUXEMBURG UPDATE – Rain canceled the planned practice session at The ‘Burg Speedway in Luxemburg last weekend. The new “test and tune” date is set for Sunday, May 7. Opening night at the third-mile, clay oval is set for Sunday, May 14 at the Kewaunee County Fairgrounds.
THE HILL ‘TEST-AND-TUNE’ – The Hill Raceway in Sturgeon Bay has plans to host its annual car show and ‘test-and-tune’ beginning at 11 a.m. at John Miles Park. The car show is scheduled to run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with the shakedown session to follow. Fans and race teams are advised to check the track’s Facebook page for any updates or changes with regards to weather during the week.
PAVEMENT PONDERINGS – The Joe Shear Classic will take place Sunday, May 7 at Madison International Speedway in Oregon, Wisconsin. The show is part of the ASA Stars National Tour with a 200 lap super late model feature on tap. The Midwest Truck Series will also be part of the card. Qualifying is set for 12:45 p.m. with the first green flag set to fly at 2 p.m. As of last Thursday, 38 drivers representing 13 different states comprise the diverse SLM field.
Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna will host it’s annual Tech and Practice Day Saturday, May 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The season opening oval race at WIR will be the TUNDRA super late model series “The Bear 66” Saturday, May 13. Joining the super late models will be the Mid-American series, WIR ¼ mile late models and Wisconsin sport trucks. The event will mark the Mid-American series first time back at WIR since 2014. Racing gets underway at 2 p.m.
2O23 NORTHEAST WISCONSIN DIRT TRACK FEATURE WINNERS (after April 28, 2023)
(Divisions include late model, modified, sportmod, stock car, grand national and four cylinder. Tracks included will be Seymour, Chilton, Francis Creek, Shawano, Sturgeon Bay, Luxemburg, Plymouth and Beaver Dam. It will include IMCA sanctioned and non-sanctioned classes)
LATE MODEL
Taylor Scheffler 1 (Farmer City)
MODIFIED
Mike Mullen 1
Steve Schneider 1
Steve Mueller 1
Brandon Schmitt 1
Jesse Cullen 1
STOCK CAR
Mitch Meier 2
Jeremy Christians 1
Eric Mahlik 1
Tim Warner 1
SPORTMOD
Jake Carpenter 2
Jimmy Berkevich 1
Doug Maurer 1
Skylar Woods 1
STREET STOCK
Cody Potter 2
Jesse Krahn 1
Nick Wunrow 1
Paul Diefenthaler 1
Mike Zitzer 1
GRAND NATIONAL
T.J. Smith 2
Aaron Streblow 1
FOUR CYLINDER
James Riske 1
Trevor Cronick 1
Brian Watzka Jr. 1