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SCHMIDT SIZZLES IN EAGLE RIVER MSA SPRINT CAR GO
Posted on: Sunday July 30, 2023
Ben Schmidt scored his 40th career Midwest Sprint Car Association A main victory in the MSA’s debut appearance at Eagle River Speedway. (RC Custom Design photo)
ATTENTION SPORTS/MOTORSPORTS – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SCHMIDT SIZZLES IN EAGLE RIVER MSA SPRINT CAR GO (submitted by Pedal Down Promotions)
(EAGLE RIVER, WI) July 29 – A dream season filled with a flurry of victory lane visits rolled on for 2011 Midwest Sprint Car Association champion Ben Schmidt of Plymouth as he cruised to his eighth MSA A-main victory of the 2023 campaign before a packed house of enthusiastic fans in the first-ever full-sized Sprint Car race in the history of Eagle River Speedway in Eagle River, Wis. on Saturday, July 29.
The 16th MSA event of the 2023 season produced a swift 25-lap headliner completed in non-stop flag-to-flag fashion with one of the series’ most successful drivers assuming the top step of the podium.
Four-time MSA champion and current point leader Brandon McMullen of Oshkosh jumped into the initial lead of the 25-lap main event from the pole position as Ben Schmidt used the preferred outside groove to blast his way from the sixth starting spot into second by turn three of the opening lap.
Over the next five laps, Schmidt gradually reeled in McMullen along the cushion of the well-manicured D-shaped third-mile clay oval. Schmidt moved to within striking distance on lap 6 just before the leaders caught up to slower traffic one lap later.
After sizing up McMullen by testing the middle groove over the next two laps, Schmidt fired off a slide job to power past McMullen into the lead in turn four on lap 9.
McMullen stayed in sight of the top spot for the remainder of the event as the leaders wound their way through voluminous lapped traffic during the final 16 circuits.
Over the final two laps McMullen moved down to the low line in an attempt to mount a late challenge. However, Schmidt held strong on the cushion to edge McMullen by three car lengths at the finish line to claim the $1,000 first place check courtesy of race sponsor Rob Eisentraut of RC Custom Design.
The win marked Schmidt’s 40th career MSA A-main triumph, which moves him one behind Brandon McMullen for third place on the all-time MSA A-main victory list.
“With Brandon McMullen starting on the pole, I knew I had to get a good start to have a chance at tracking him down,” Schmidt said. “I tried some different lines around the middle of the track to try to get by him before deciding to pull the trigger on a slider. This is the first time I’ve raced here. It’s an awesome facility.”
After starting on the pole and leading the first eight laps of the race, McMullen was disappointed with finishing one spot short of victory.
“I was too cautious and should have been more aggressive in traffic,” McMullen said. “It sucks being second, but it was a hell of a crowd that came out tonight. I hope they enjoyed that race.”
MSA rookie T.J. Smith of Greenville, who started third, turned in an MSA 360 Sprint Car career-best third place showing.
“This is the best finish I’ve had so far in a Sprint Car,” Smith said. “I’m just happy to be on the podium with Ben Schmidt and Brandon McMullen. Those guys are great Sprint Car racers.”
Alex Pokorski of West Bend started and finished fourth and rookie Logan Julien of Oconomowoc, who is a former regular Micro Sprint competitor at Eagle River Speedway, placed fifth after starting fifth.
MSA heat race victories went to Logan Julien, Ben Schmidt and T.J. Smith.
Brandon McMullen earned fast qualifier honors by topping the 17-car field with a fast lap of 12.538 seconds.
McMullen stayed in sight of the top spot for the remainder of the event as the leaders wound their way through voluminous lapped traffic during the final 16 circuits.
Over the final two laps McMullen moved down to the low line in an attempt to mount a late challenge. However, Schmidt held strong on the cushion to edge McMullen by three car lengths at the finish line to claim the $1,000 first place check courtesy of race sponsor Rob Eisentraut of RC Custom Design.
Hometown driver Jason Zdroik survived multiple wrecks and spins and held on to the B mod feature.
The race was littered with numerous crashes and spins and only 11 of the 20 cars that started the contest were running at the end.
Zdroik, who started seventh, inherited the lead after race leader Jesse Aho collided with a lapped car just before the midway part of the race. Zdroik fought off his cousin Austin Zdroik and uncle Jim Zdroik who placed second and third, respectively. Michigan visitor Jesse Denome and Eagle River’s Tad Schoonover rounded out the top five finishers.
Florida visitor Noah Carpenter made the long haul to Eagle River Speedway worthwhile. Carpenter executed a three wide pass for the lead on the final circuit and went on to win the caution free, 600 micro sprint feature.
Tommie Jo Springer and Ty Springer finished second and third, respectively.
Cornell, Michigan’s Ethan Manninen scored a last lap win in the visiting 500 outlaw micro sprint car series.
Elijah Sharp-Nevoraski was awarded the feature win in the 300-micro sprint division.
The 2nd 300 micro sprint heat was red flagged when Escanaba’s Bentley Richer barrel rolled his machine twice on the frontstretch. Richer was unhurt and drove his machine back into the pit area under his own power once he was back on all four wheels.
Drivers from four states took part in the Saturday night special event.
Weekly racing will resume on Tuesday, Aug 1. The first green flag flies at 7:30 p.m. For further information fans are advised to check the track’s Facebook page.
RACE SUMMARY
Akright Auto Midwest Sprint Car Association
A Main (25 Laps): 1. 35-Ben Schmidt [6]; 2. 98-Brandon McMullen [1]; 3. 69S-TJ Smith [3]; 4. 4-Alex Pokorski [4]; 5. 85J-Logan Julien [5]; 6. 51-Chris Larson [2]; 7. 63K-Kevin Karnitz [8]; 8. 7-Lance Fassbender [7]; 9. 6K-Kurt Davis [11]; 10. 20-Robbie Pribnow [12]; 11. 7R-Devan Myers [10]; 12. 69-Bill Taylor [9]; 13. 53-Shane Wenninger [16]; 14. 66T-Tristan Koenings [15]; 15. 11-Tony Wondra [13]; 16. 38-Jeff Neubert [17]; 17. 21H-TJ Haddy [14]
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 85J-Logan Julien[ 2]; 2. 7-Lance Fassbender [1]; 3. 98-Brandon McMullen [4]; 4. 6K-Kurt Davis [3]; 5. 11-Tony Wondra [5]; 6. 53-Shane Wenninger [6]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 35-Ben Schmidt [4]; 2. 51-Chris Larson [2]; 3. 69-Bill Taylor [1]; 4. 20-Robbie Pribnow [3]; 5. 7R-Devan Myers [6]; 6. 38-Jeff Neubert [5]
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 69S-TJ Smith [1]; 2. 4-Alex Pokorski [4]; 3. 63K-Kevin Karnitz [3]; 4. 66T-Tristan Koenings [2]; 5. 21H-TJ Haddy [5]
Qualifying 1: 1. 98-Brandon McMullen, 12.538 [3]; 2. 6K-Kurt Davis, 12.565 [6]; 3. 85J-Logan Julien, 12.576 [2]; 4. 7-Lance Fassbender, 12.846 [5]; 5. 11-Tony Wondra, 12.906 [1]; 6. 53-Shane Wenninger, 12.974 [4]
Qualifying 2: 1. 35-Ben Schmidt, 12.584 [3]; 2. 20-Rob Pribnow, 13.191 [2]; 3. 51-Chris Larson, 13.231 [4]; 4. 69-Bill Taylor, 13.329 [1]; 5. 38-Jeff Neubert, 13.854 [6]; 6. 7R-Devan Myers [5]
Qualifying 3: 1. 4-Alex Pokorski, 12.547 [4]; 2. 63K-Kevin Karnitz, 12.962 [2]; 3. 66T-Tristan Koenings, 13.380 [5]; 4. 69S-TJ Smith, 13.462 [1]; 5. 21H-TJ Haddy, 13.790 [3]
Chef Rene B Mod Feature – Jason Zdroik, Eagle River; Austin Zdroik, Eagle River; Jim Zdroik, Hartford; Jesse Denome, Escanaba, MI; Tad Schoonover, Eagle River; Rodney Hurst, Merrillan; Bradley Viau, Van Dyne; Jordan Nedeau, Rapid River, MI; Beetle Bailey, Argonne; Dan Melton, Rhinelander; Drake Degnan, Escanaba, MI; Mike Kirtland, Mass City, MI; Jesse Aho, Twin Lakes, MI; Judd Skubal, Rhinelander; Sam Walters, Almond; Andy Fink, Minocqua; Ryan Brown, Eagle River; Geoff Zdroik, Rubicon; Jim Moore, Rapid River; Gunner Hurst, Merrillan
Heats 1) Austin Zdroik; Denome 2) Schoonover; Jason Zdroik 3) Jesse Aho; Gunner Hurst
JD Archery and Paintball 600 Micro Feature – Noah Carpenter, Spring Hill, Florida; Tommie Jo Springer, Eagle River; Ty Springer, Eagle River; Jacob Zimmerman, Pewaukee; Austin Berg, Bark River, MI; Chase Richer, Escanaba, MI; Colton Rein, Kewaskum; Scott Richer, Bark River, MI; Kyle Getchell, Escanaba, MI; Mya Towne, Boulder Junction; Kevin Warm, Escanaba, MI; Russell Klein, Eagle River; Logan Getzloff, Wilson, MI; Max Nowak, Woodruff; Michael Hicks, Eagle River; Kaeden Bethel, Tomahawk; Katherine Towne, Boulder Junction; Devan Myers, Delphi, IN (DNS)
Heats 1) Rein; Chase Richer 2) Zimmerman; Tommy Jo Springer 3) Ty Springer; Mya Towne
Halsey Fab/Dan’s Service 300 Micro Features – Elijah Sharp-Nevoraski, Minocqua; Finn Bower, Bark River, MI; Cooper Aho, Twin Lakes, MI; Amelia Hart, Gwinn, MI; Blake Joslin, Rhinelander; Chase Zdroik, Rubicon; Lucas Zdroik, Eagle River; Carter Aho, Twin Lakes, MI
HEATS 1) Bower; Sharp-Nevoraski 2) Cooper Aho; Kaleb Warm
500 micro outlaw feature – Ethan Manninen, Cornell, MI; Braxton Lundquist, Bark River, MI; Griffin Iverson, Escanaba, MI; Macy Degnan, Escanaba, MI; Robert Knight, Bark River, MI; Karl Warm, Escanaba, MI; Jeffrey Latsch, Escanaba, MI; Qwentin Johnson, Bark River, MI; Kristy Karl, Gladstone, MI (DNS)
Heat – Manninen; Iverson