(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) May 17, 2022 – After forgoing last week’s 2022 season opener to attend to his college master’s degree program obligations at Concordia University of Wisconsin, third-year 360 Sprint Car driver Alex Pokorski spent the majority of a Midwest Sprint Car Association doubleheader weekend of action at The Plymouth Dirt Track in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, May 14 and Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wis. on Sunday, May 15 searching for comfort and consistency behind the wheel of his new No. 4 Akright Auto Racing Team machine.
After his father, Paul, steered Alex’s Akright Auto Racing Team car to a 10th-place showing in the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car A main at The Plymouth Dirt Track on Saturday, May 7, it was Alex’s turn to make his debut in the Spyder Akright-owned No. 4 ride with stellar field of 33 PDTR 360 Sprint Cars signed in at The Plymouth Dirt Track on Saturday, May 14.
In PDTR 360 Sprint Car group qualifying, Pokorski turned in the 27th fastest time with a lap of 13.935 seconds. After lining up eighth in the second 10-lap 360 Sprint Car heat race, Pokorski moved past Dylan Winkel to take over seventh on the opening lap. Pokorski maintained the position over the remaining nine laps to secure a seventh-place heat race finish.
Needing to finish in the top six to earn a transfer spot to the 25-lap PDTR 360 Sprint Car A main, Pokorski started sixth in the 15-lap PDTR 360 Sprint Car B Main and found himself running fifth following a yellow flag restart on lap 5.
After dueling with Chris Larson two laps, Pokorski maintained fifth in the running order until lap 10 when Larson and Blake Wondra worked past Pokorski, who slipped to seventh, one spot out of an A-main transfer spot.
Pokorski maintained his composure and battled back to work underneath Wondra to steal the sixth and final A-main transfer spot with a nifty move in turn one on the 15th and final circuit. Pokorski held on to place sixth and advance to his first PDTR 360 Sprint Car A main of the 2022 season.
After starting 22nd in the 25-lap main event, Pokorski worked the low groove in the first portion of the race. However, he found passing to be difficult along the inside line. On lap 20, Pokorski ventured up to the high groove to work his way around Preston Ruh into the 21st position, which is where he finished the non-stop race, which was won by Travis Arenz.
“On Saturday at Plymouth, we started pretty far away from what we want the car to do and we got a lot closer as the night went along,” Pokorski said. “The B main was a fun race back and forth for the last few transfer spots. In the A main, starting in the back is always tough. I think I spent too long trying to make the bottom work, but when I moved to the top, I was able to keep pace with the leaders.”
On Sunday, May 16, Pokorski and the Akright Auto Racing Team ventured to Angell Park in Sun Prairie, Wis. for an Akright Auto Parts Midwest Sprint Car Association event, which attracted a 16-car field to the historic venue.
Pokorski started fifth in the first 10-lap MSA heat race before dropping back to seventh on lap 2 when Jack Vanderboom and Travis Arenz slipped past. On lap 5, Pokorski advanced to fifth when Travis Arenz dropped out with a broken axle and race leader Katelyn Krebsbach retired to the pit area with motor issues.
Pokorski went on to finish fifth on the narrow, undulating third-mile clay oval racing surface.
The West Bend driver rolled off ninth in the 25-lap MSA A main and found himself running 11th at the half-way mark of the race. With passing at a premium on the tricky track surface, Pokorski advanced to 10th after ducking underneath Tyler Davis in turn two on lap 19.
However, on the next circuit, Pokorski drifted high in turn four and hit the front stretch wall, which forced him to stop on the track to bring out the race’s lone caution flag. The damage was too extensive for Pokorski to return to the race as he was scored 15th in a race won by Kurt Davis.
“Like Plymouth, I think we had a similar adjustment period at Angell Park, but the car felt good for the feature,” Pokorski said. “That was the roughest track I’ve raced on and it eventually got the better of me when I got out of shape off the cushion in turn four and slapped the wall. We tweaked the Jacob's ladder and bent the front axle as well.”
Pokorski and the Akright Auto Racing Team will return to action with the Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Cars this Saturday, May 21, as part of the fifth-ever appearance of the Tezos All Star Circuit of Champions 410 Sprint Car Series at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. in conjunction with the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series.
Spectator gates open at 3:30 p.m. with on-track action slated to begin at 5:30 p.m. for the all-Sprint Car event, which will be streamed live on FloRacing.
“This week the goal is to keep our nose clean and hopefully finish a little better using what we learned this past weekend on how to set this car up,” Pokorski said.
Sponsors and supporters for Alex Pokorski and the 2022 Akright Auto Racing Team include Akright Auto, Petersen Septic Systems, Goeden Auto Body, Novak's Service Center, Wisconsin Bank and Trust, RC Custom Design and Pedal Down Promotions.
Alex Pokorski-Akright Auto Racing Team Sponsor Showcase – Akright Auto
Located at 106 North Bluebird Lane in Sheboygan Falls, Wis. Akright Auto has served as a reliable source for auto parts since 1940.
With a highly-trained staff of auto parts professionals, Akright Auto is well prepared to assist customers with vehicle repair needs with a wide assortment of affordable, high-quality auto parts available on site. If a part is not available, Akright Auto offers next-day delivery services.
In addition, Akright Auto provides full auto salvage services, along with a 90-day standard warranty on all parts purchases.
Contact Akright Auto by phone at 920-467-4201, toll free at 800-400-4201, via email at dakright12@gmail.com or visit www.akrightauto.com.
For more information on Alex Pokorski and the No. 4 Akright Auto Racing Team, check out Pokorski Motorsports on Facebook at https://facebook.com/pokorskimotorsports or visit www.pedaldownpromo.com.
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For more information on Pedal Down Promotions, email pedaldownpromotions@gmail.com, visit www.pedaldownpromo.com or call 920-323-7970.
Alex Pokorski
Akright Auto Racing Team
2022 Season
By The Numbers
Total Events – 3
A Main Victories – 0
B Main Victories – 0
Top Five A Main Finishes – 0
Top 10 A Main Finishes – 1
Top 15 A Main Finishes – 2
Heat Race Victories – 0
Alex Pokorski
Akright Auto Racing Team
2022 Upcoming Races
Saturday, May 21 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.
Saturday, May 28 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.
Saturday, June 4 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.
- Jeff Pederson on May 17, 2022
- Article Date: 5/17/2022 by Jeff Pederson - Pedal Down Promotions