5/30/2024
Travis Arenz
Arenz racks up IRA top-five at Wilmot
(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) May 29, 2024 – After missing out on a potential A-main victory when a Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association A-main was called due to curfew six days earlier at Angell Park Speedway, Travis Arenz and the Travis Arenz Motorsports team came back firing to post the team’s second top-five main event showing of the 2024 campaign in IRA Founders’ Night action at Wilmot Raceway in Wilmot, Wis. on Saturday, May 25.
Arenz, who was leading the previous IRA main event at Angell Park Speedway on Sunday, May 19 when the race was canceled short of the half-way point due to the city of Sun Prairie’s 10 p.m. curfew, opened the night by qualifying sixth among the 33 entrants with a lap of 13.021 seconds.
The 17th-year racer earned his second heat race victory of the 2024 season after starting second in the first eight-lap IRA heat race. The 2021 and 2022 Midwest Sprint Car Association and Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car champion started third and wound up fifth in the second four-lap IRA dash to nail down the 10th starting spot in the 30-lap IRA main event.
Following the first of four yellow-red flags, Arenz advanced to sixth in the running order before moving up to pass Blake Nimee for fourth on lap 11. However, Nimee returned the favor on the following lap to push the Sheboygan Falls, Wis. driver back to fifth.
Sprinkled around three more race slow downs/stoppages over the ensuing 19 laps, Arenz engaged in a spirited back-and-forth duel with Mike Reinke for fourth place.
Arenz held on in the closing laps to secure his second top-five A-main finish of the 2024 IRA campaign with a fifth place showing in a race won by Scotty Neitzel.
The team was scheduled to compete in an IRA event at 141 Speedway in Francis Creek, Wis. on Sunday, May 26. However, the event was canceled due to rain.
“I made sure not to over adjust the car and it seemed to help,” Arenz said. “Wilmot is always tricky it seems. From corner to corner, it’s different. I’m happy our qualifying has been more consistent and we have been making more dash appearances this year. Overall, I can’t complain about a top-five finish. It could’ve been better but I just didn’t finish the job.”
Following the Wilmot event, IRA officials engaged in the process of investigating the team’s equipment. As a result, the team’s potential racing plans for the upcoming weekend have not yet been determined.
“As for race plans this weekend, it’s up in the air,” Arenz said. “We are waiting for our MSD box to come back after officials took it to be inspected again after Wilmot. Traction control allegations are back. We are doing everything we can to allow IRA officials to do what they need to do to prove every aspect of our operation is legal.”
Arenz will return to IRA competition just a stone’s throw from his race shop for the fourth annual Road America Challenge at The Plymouth Dirt Track in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, June 8. The PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Cars and PDTR Grand Nationals are also on the card.
Spectator gates open at 4:30 p.m. with on-track action scheduled to commence at 5:30 p.m.
One night later, Arenz will visit Angell Park Speedway for the second time in 2024 for the IRA Norm Nelson Classic on Sunday, June 9.
Spectator gates for the program, which also features the Badger Midgets, open at 4 p.m. with racing scheduled to start at 6 p.m.
All 2024 Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series events will be streamed live on FloRacing.
The 2024 Travis Arenz Motorsports sponsorship partners include Professional Plating Inc., Service One Transportation Inc., Don and Lynn Kiel, Oostburg Concrete, Lakeshore Family Funeral Homes, Schoen’s Wildlife Removal, Premier Insurance Solutions-Craig Ladwig, Carbliss Hand Crafted Cocktails, Pallet Works, Lake Auto Glass and Service, Roth’s Auto Restoration, Hair Fellers Barbershop, Fastenal of Plymouth, Jensen’s Sales and Service, Amy Bruechert Reality, Duehring's Tax Service, Everhope Show Cattle, Sonntag Plumbing Inc., Kriete Truck Center and Arenz Auto Detailing.
The 2024 Travis Arenz Motorsports team consists of pit crew members Jerrod Gamb, Cameron Fritz, Bobby Bonelli, Keith Fellner and Emily Stadler.
Additional information on the Travis Arenz Motorsports team can be found by visiting the team’s Facebook and X (Twitter) pages.
Travis Arenz Motorsports Sponsor Showcase – Schoen’s Wildlife Removal
Travis Arenz Motorsports is pleased to have Schoen’s Wildlife Removal on board as a sponsorship partner for the 2024 season. Schoen’s Wildlife Removal has sponsored Travis since the beginning of his racing career in the Outlaw Compact 4-Cylinder division at The Plymouth Dirt Track in Plymouth, Wis. in 2008.
Located in Sheboygan, Wis., Schoen’s Wildlife Removal goes beyond pest control to employ proven humane animal control methods based on decades of experience, traveling to any area of Wisconsin to handle all wildlife.
Schoen’s is state certified to manage all protected species, including bats, as well as controlling bees, wasps, ants, spiders, snakes, mice and many more.
Schoen’s, which has been in business since 2001, services farms, factories, businesses, schools, houses, apartments, cottages, rentals and just about any other structure that has a wildlife problem.
New homeowners are invited to contact Schoen’s Wildlife Removal for a quick and affordable pests inspection.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Schoen’s Wildlife Removal by phone at 920-331-0583 or 920-912-4205, by email at hotrod00119@yahoo.com or by visiting www.schoenswildliferemoval.com.
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Travis Arenz Motorsports
2024 Upcoming Schedule
Saturday, June 8 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis. (IRA)
Sunday, June 9 – Angell Park Speedway, Sun Prairie, Wis. (IRA)
Saturday, June 15 – Wilmot Raceway, Plymouth, Wis. (IRA)
Travis Arenz Motorsports
2024 Statistics
Total Events – 6
IRA Events – 6
A Main Victories – 0
Top Five A Main Finishes – 2
Top 10 A Main Finishes – 4
Top 15 A Main Finishes – 5
Top 20 A Main Finishes – 5
Heat Race Victories – 2
B Main Victories – 0
Dash Appearances – 6
Dash Victories – 0
Fast Qualifier Awards – 1
Article Credit: Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions
Submitted By: Jeff Pederson