12/1/2023
Travis Arenz
Arenz makes his mark in rookie IRA 410 Sprint Car campaign
(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) November 30, 2023 – After claiming back-to-back Midwest Sprint Car Association and Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car titles in 2021 and 2022, Travis Arenz and the Travis Arenz Motorsports team made a successful leap to 410 Sprint Car competition as a full-time entrant with the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series during the 2023 season.
Arenz’s first full season in the 410 Sprint Car ranks turned heads as he earned his first career IRA A-main victory at The Plymouth Dirt Track in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, July 1 to go along with a total of 12 top-five and 15 top-10 A-main showings, as well as three heat race victories, seven dash appearances and two dash victories in 28 410 Sprint Car events in 2023.
On the strength of his impressive third place showing in the final 2023 Bumper to Bumper IRA 410 Sprint Car Series point standings, Arenz claimed the Sage Fruit-Hepfner Racing Products Apple Cup Award for finishing as the second-highest point-earning rookie driver in the final 2023 IRA point standings.
The 16th-year racer opened the 2023 IRA campaign with a doubleheader weekend at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa, during which he missed an A-main transfer spot by one position with a third place finish in the first B main on Friday, April 7 before placing fifth in the second B main on Saturday, April 8.
On April 15, Arenz returned to more familiar territory as he charged from his 15th starting spot to place fifth in IRA A-main action at Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis.
After starting sixth in a non-sanctioned 410 Sprint Car A-main event at Wilmot Raceway in Wilmot, Wis. on May 6, the Sheboygan Falls, Wis. driver finished in the runner-up spot behind race winner Bill Balog. The second place showing equaled Arenz’s previous career-best 410 Sprint Car finish, which also came at Wilmot Raceway in a Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series event on Aug. 27, 2022.
In his Tezos All Star Circuit of Champions 410 Sprint Car Series debut, Arenz placed 14th in A-main action at Wilmot Raceway on May 13.
After suffering a blown motor in hot laps, Arenz switched to a backup car for the remainder of an IRA event at The Plymouth Dirt Track in Plymouth, Wis. on May 20. However, contact in heat race competition resulted in a flip, which relegated Arenz to the B main where he ended his night with an eighth-place finish. Arenz rebounded the following night to finish seventh in A-main action at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wis. on May 21.
During an IRA doubleheader weekend at Wilmot Raceway on May 27 and 141 Speedway in Francis Creek, Wis. on May 28, Arenz posted eighth place and fifth place A-main showings respectively.
Arenz, who began his racing career in the Outlaw Compact 4-cylinder division at The Plymouth Dirt Track in 2008, entered a pair of All Star-IRA events at the Dodge County Fairgrounds Speedway in Beaver Dam, Wis. on June 1 and The Plymouth Dirt Track for the annual Rayce Rudeen Foundation race on June 2, during which he finished fifth in the B main to just miss out on an A-main transfer spot at Dodge County and placed 20th in A-main action at Plymouth.
In his Sycamore Speedway debut on June 10, Arenz won the second IRA dash to start second and equal his career-best IRA finish with a second place A-main showing at the Maple Grove, Ill. facility before placing fifth in A-main action at Angell Park Speedway on June 11.
Arenz then earned a fourth place finish in IRA A-main competition in his first appearance at Fairbury American Legion Speedway in Fairbury, Ill. on June 24.
The highlight of Arenz’s 2023 season came on July 1 when he advanced from the sixth starting spot to claim his first career IRA 410 Sprint Car Series A-main victory in the 30-lap Scott Semmelmann Memorial event at The Plymouth Dirt Track. The win marked Arenz’s 37th overall career A-main victory at The Plymouth Dirt Track in four different divisions (Outlaw Compact 4-Cylinder, B Mod (Sport Mod), 360 Sprint Car and 410 Sprint Car), as well as his 71st career A-main triumph.
After starting 14th in an IRA-NOSA main event at I-94 emr Speedway in Fergus Falls, Minn. on July 13, Arenz retired from the race with a broken throttle linkage and was scored 23rd. During an IRA-NOSA doubleheader at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D. on July 14-15, Arenz posted 12th and 11th place A-main finishes respectively.
An IRA doubleheader weekend at The Plymouth Dirt Track and Wilmot Raceway on July 28 and July 29, netted Arenz a pair of fifth place A-main showings.
After turning in a 22nd to 11th place A-main charge during the annual Kenosha County Fair race at Wilmot Raceway on Aug. 19, Arenz posted a second place showing during the IRA Corn Fest event at Angel Park Speedway on Aug. 20.
Five days later, Arenz notched a ninth place finish in IRA’s return visit to 34 Raceway on Aug. 25. On Sept. 1 at the Dodge County Fairgrounds Speedway, Arenz turned to a backup car for the A main, after his primary car suffered engine issues in heat race action. In the main event, Arenz came home 15th.
Arenz returned to his home track – The Plymouth Dirt Track – during the Sheboygan County Fair on Sept. 2, during which he won the first IRA dash and led the first four laps of the A main from the pole before settling for a fourth place finish.
In his debut at Gondik Law Speedway in Superior, Wis. on Sept. 8, Arenz placed fourth in the main event. However, a serious motor issue was discovered prior to the Jerry Richert Memorial IRA race at Cedar Lake Speedway on Sept. 9, which forced the team to scratch from the event and left it without a 410 motor for the remainder of the 2023 season.
With an underpowered 360 motor bolted in for the 2023 lid-sealing IRA Wisconsin Sprint Car Championships at The Plymouth Dirt Track on Sept. 30, Arenz started 18th and advanced to seventh in the B main to fall three spots short of earning an A-main transfer spot.
“I learned a lot in my rookie season with the IRA,” Arenz said. “I’m also proud of what we accomplished with the small budget we had this year compared to others that we race with. I want to thank all of our great sponsors, especially those who have stuck with us over all these years. They are very much appreciated. I also want to thank our many, many fans and, of course, all my crew members. Plans for 2024 are uncertain at the moment. Regardless, we will still have a 410 car in the shop.”
The 2023 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, Pallet Works, DW Fence, Little Bears Tree Service LLC, Lake Auto Glass and Service, Myhre Construction LLC, Roth’s Auto Restoration, Hair Fellers Barbershop, Fastenal of Plymouth, Jensen Sales and Service, Humphrey’s Turner Hall Bar & Grill, Carbliss Hand Crafted Cocktails, Amy Bruechert Reality, Cornwell Tools-Paul Epping, Advanced Engine Concepts, Inc., Duehring’s Tax Service, Everhope Show Cattle, HRP Wings and Behling Racing Equipment.
The 2023 Travis Arenz Motorsports team consists of pit crew members Greg Piedot, Jerrod Gamb, Emily Stadler, Cameron Fritz, Bobby Bonelli and Trevor Hittman (public relations).
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 – Duehring’s Tax Service
Travis Arenz Motorsports would like to acknowledge Duehring’s Tax Service for its support during the team’s rookie season of competition with the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series in 2023.
Located at 615 South Eighth St., Suite 110-6 in Sheboygan, Wis., Duehring’s Tax Service is a local, family-owned business specializing in tax preparation services.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Duehring’s Tax Service via email at bneils09@gmail.com or by calling 920-452-8665.
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For more information on Pedal Down Promotions, email pedaldownpromotions@gmail.com, visit www.pedaldownpromo.com or call 920-323-7970.
Travis Arenz Motorsports
410 Sprint Car
Final 2023 Statistics
Total Events – 28
IRA Events – 27
All Star Events – 3
A Main Victories – 1
Top Five A Main Finishes – 12
Top 10 A Main Finishes – 15
Top 15 A Main Finishes – 20
Top 20 A Main Finishes – 21
Heat Race Victories – 3
B Main Victories – 0
Dash Appearances – 7
Dash Victories – 2
Fast Qualifier Awards – 0
Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association Final Points Finish – 3rd
Travis Arenz Motorsports
360 Sprint Car
Final 2023 Statistics
Total MSA-PDTR Events – 2
A Main Victories – 0
Top Five A Main Finishes – 0
Top 10 A Main Finishes – 0
Heat Race Victories – 0
B Main Victories – 1
Fast Qualifier Awards – 0
Travis Arenz Motorsports
Career Highlights
2008-2023
Total Career A Main Victories – 71
Outlaw Compact 4-Cylinder A Main Victories – 20
IMCA Northern Sport Mod/B Mod A Main Victories – 20
MSA/PDTR 360 Sprint Car A Main Victories – 30
IRA 410 Sprint Car A Main Victories – 1
2013 Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Outlaw Compact 4-Cylinder Champion
2016 141 Speedway Northern Sport Mod Champion
2021 Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car Champion
2021 Midwest Sprint Car Association 360 Sprint Car Champion
2022 Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car Champion
2022 Midwest Sprint Car Association 360 Sprint Car Champion
2023 Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Apple Cup Rookie Award
Article Credit: Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions
Submitted By: Jeff Pederson
