(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) June 29, 2024 – In the 25-lap Akright Auto 360 Sprint Car main event, Robbie Pribnow of Lomira outdueled 2011 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champ Ben Schmidt of Plymouth in the closing laps to capture his first A-main victory of the 2024 season behind the wheel of Blake Wondra’s No. 0 machine.
Inside second row starter Kevin Karnitz of West Bend used a daring three-wide move to zip past front row starters Bill Taylor Boltonville and Chris Larson of Franksville to grab the lead on the opening lap of the 25-lap PDTR 360 Sprint Car A-main.
With Karnitz holding a comfortable lead, fifth starter Ben Schmidt used the outside groove to vault his way into the top five on the second circuit before the lone caution flag of the race appeared on lap 5. Following the restart, Schmidt bolted past Larson, Taylor, Robbie Pribnow to secure second and move in to challenge Karnitz for the top spot on lap 6.
Three laps later, Schmidt used the high groove to shoot past Karnitz to secure the top spot in turn one on lap 11. Karnitz attempted to battle back over the ensuing lap along the inside lane. However, Schmidt was too strong as he powered away as he weaved his way through slower traffic starting on lap 13.
Schmidt, who captured seven main event victories at Plymouth during the 2023 campaign and has one A-main win in 2024, continued to hold down the top spot over Karnitz over the ensuing 10 laps.
Meanwhile, fourth starter Robbie Pribnow was mounting a spirited charge to the front utilizing the outside lane of the third-mile clay oval to take over third on lap 16. After disposing of Karnitz on lap 18, Pribnow started to reel in the leader.
On lap 23 Pribnow moved in to challenge Schmidt for the top spot before slipping past the 25-year veteran in turn two on lap 24. Pribnow powered away from Schmidt over the final two circuits to secure his fourth career PDTR 360 Sprint Car A-main victory and ninth career Midwest Sprint Car Association 360 Sprint Car main event triumph.
Schmidt placed second, Karnitz placed third, Taylor wound up fourth and rookie Clayton Rossmann of Wadsworth, Ill. rounded out the top five after starting sixth.
AKRIGHT AUTO PLYMOUTH DIRT TRACK RACING 360 SPRINT CARS
A Main: 1. 0-Robbie Pribnow [4]; 2. 35-Ben Schmidt [5]; 3. 63K-Kevin Karnitz [3]; 4. 69-Bill Taylor [1]; 5. 09-Clayton Rossmann [6]; 6. 21H-TJ Haddy [7]; 7. 4-Alex Pokorski [8]; 8. 69S-TJ Smith [15]; 9. 3-Justin Erickson [13]; 10. 51-Chris Larson [2]; 11. 39K-Kurt Davis [9]; 12. 12P-JJ Pagel [10]; 13. 22B-Brandon Berth [11]; 14. 53A-Paul Pokorski [17]; 15. 3BK-Billy Kreutz [12]; 16. 08-Katelyn Krebsbach [20]; 17. 16-Anthony Knierim [23]; 18. 11-Tony Wondra [14]; 19. 54-Randy Post [19]; 20. 24-Scott Conger [18]; 21. 55P-Brady Portschy [24]; 22. 46-Kevin Ruh [22]; 23. 14J-Joseph Hintz [16]; 24. 33-Josh Bilicki [21]
Heat 1: 1. 39K-Kurt Davis [1]; 2. 4-Alex Pokorski [4]; 3. 51-Chris Larson [2]; 4. 22B-Brandon Berth [5]; 5. 3BK-Billy Kreutz [6]; 6. 24-Scott Conger [7]; 7. (DNF) 33-Josh Bilicki [8]; 8. (DNS) 16-Anthony Knierim
Heat 2: 1. 63K-Kevin Karnitz [1]; 2. 09-Clayton Rossmann [3]; 3. 0-Robbie Pribnow [2]; 4. 21H-TJ Haddy [4]; 5. 69-Bill Taylor [5]; 6. 14J-Joseph Hintz [6]; 7. 53A-Paul Pokorski [7]; 8. 46-Kevin Ruh [8]
Heat 3: 1. 3-Justin Erickson [2]; 2. 35-Ben Schmidt [4]; 3. 11-Tony Wondra [1]; 4. 12P-JJ Pagel [3]; 5. 69S-TJ Smith [7]; 6. 08-Katelyn Krebsbach [6]; 7. 54-Randy Post [5]; 8. 55P-Brady Portschy [8]
Qualifying 1: 1. 4-Alex Pokorski, 13.363 [8]; 2. 16-Anthony Knierim, 13.633 [1]; 3. 51-Chris Larson, 13.683 [4]; 4. 39K-Kurt Davis, 13.724 [6]; 5. 22B-Brandon Berth, 13.900 [3]; 6. 3BK-Billy Kreutz, 13.936 [2]; 7. 24-Scott Conger, 14.004 [7]; 8. 33-Josh Bilicki, 14.709 [5]
Qualifying 2: 1. 21H-TJ Haddy, 13.380 [6]; 2. 09-Clayton Rossmann, 13.576 [4]; 3. 0-Robbie Pribnow, 13.635 [3]; 4. 63K-Kevin Karnitz, 13.643 [1]; 5. 69-Bill Taylor, 13.694 [8]; 6. 14J-Joseph Hintz, 13.846 [7]; 7. 53A-Paul Pokorski, 13.986 [5]; 8. 46-Kevin Ruh, 15.160 [2]
Qualifying 3: 1. 35-Ben Schmidt, 13.627 [5]; 2. 12P-JJ Pagel, 13.845 [1]; 3. 3-Justin Erickson, 13.961 [4]; 4. 11-Tony Wondra, 14.096 [7]; 5. 54-Randy Post, 14.288 [3]; 6. 55P-Brady Portschy, 14.313 [8]; 7. 08-Katelyn Krebsbach, 14.356 [2]; 8. (DNS) 69S-TJ Smith, 14.356