Falls’ Schueffner wins Late Model crown

PLYMOUTH – Plymouth Dirt Track Racing’s Championship Night concluded the 2009 season at Sheboygan County Fair Park Saturday.

Perfect weather and a packed grandstand greeted the many drivers. The Sprint Car battle came down to the final race with Troy Wondra (Lomira) winning the A-main race and track championship.

The Grand National Division saw the top-two drivers just two points apart at the start of the night, and Tim Thompson (Campbellsport) clinching the championship by finishing second in the A-main. Luke Scholten (Oostburg) won the A-main – leading all 25 laps.

In the Late Model Division, Craig Schueffner (Sheboygan Falls) had a 65-point lead over Jim Schmidt (Cleveland) entering the night and wrapped up his first PDT championship. Bret Sievert (Mukwanago) won the thrilling A-main.

Tim Simon (Fond du Lac) claimed the Outlaw Compact title over James Pagel (St. Cloud) while Aaron Stolp (West Allis) won the A-main.

Wondra's win came in a race shortened to 19 laps after a lengthy delay. The race was stopped after Robbie Pribnow (Mayville) was injured after his car flipped off the track in turn two and crashed hard against the outside fence and wall.

Pribnow was Med-Flighted from the track to a hospital in Neenah for treatment. After the delay, the others drivers agreed that the race should not be restarted.

Wondra, who started sixth, passed Brian Johnson (Kewaskum) on the third lap and stayed in front to the finish. Wayne Modjeski (Oak Creek) and Jason Johnson (Allenton), who were chasing Wondra for the championship, finished second and third, respectively.

Jim Melis (Glenbeulah) took fourth and T.J. Luedke (Plymouth), fifth.

The first Sprint B-main was won by Tony Wondra (Campbellsport), and Lance Fassbender (Burnett) won the second. Heat race winners were Terry Marten (Sheboygan Falls), Kevin Karnitz (West Bend), Jason Johnson and Josh Walter (Plymouth).

Scott Conger (Eagle) escaped injury in a wild flip at the end of the first heat race and Brian Kristan was not injured when his car flipped in the second heat.

Sievert's Late Model win came after a hard-fought race that saw several drivers lead. Randy Markwardt (Sheboygan) led the first five laps with Tim Buhler (Glenbeulah) running along side.

Buhler took the lead running the outside line. Sievert passed Markwardt for second on lap nine and quickly went after the leader.

Buhler's car went high off turn two on lap 12, allowing Sievert and Markwardt to get by. On lap 18, Tom Naeyaert (Shawano) moved into third and chased Sievert and Buhler to the end. Markwardt stayed in fourth ahead of Turk Letizia (Milwaukee).

The B-main was won by Bill Rezutek (Big Bend). Heat race winners were Sievert, Buhler, and Naeyaert

Scholten started on the pole in the Grand National A-main and paced the field every lap. Thompson, who led Loren Lubach (Sheboygan) by a mere two points going into the race, started outside the front row with Lubach in the third row.

Early on, Lubach raced hard with Thompson but could not get by. Late in the race, Lubach's car spun after making contact with another car – ending his hopes as he was towed back to the pits.

Jestin Danes (New Holstein), after starting 11th, worked his way into third ahead of Tim Warner (Malone). Mark Fieber (Cascade) finished fifth in a race highlighted by a lot of close racing.

The B-main was won by Brian Goetsch (Sheboygan). Heat winners were Scholten, Thompson, Fieber and John Dirks (Kiel).

Stolp won the Outlaw Compact A-main after he passed Eric Casper (Kiel) on lap eight. The field was bunched close together every lap with Justin Green (Sheboygan Falls) finishing third ahead of Adam Broehm (Stockbridge), who was fourth, and Shawn Goetsch (Sheboygan), fifth.

Heat race winners were Casper, Broehm and Tammy Dickmann-Flunker (Cascade).

More results are available at: www.plymouthdtr.com. (George’s Corner). On Sept. 26, the IRA sprint cars, MSA sprint cars and Mini-Sprints will take to the track for the final racing action of the season on the Fair Park Oval.