(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) July 30, 2024 – The last scheduled doubleheader weekend of the 2024 Akright Auto Midwest Sprint Car Association 360 Sprint Car Series season produced a garden variety of results while cultivating one top-10 A-main showing apiece for Akright Auto Racing Team drivers Alex and Paul Pokorski in MSA action at Dodge County Fairgrounds Speedway in Beaver Dam, Wis. for the seventh annual Harry Neitzel Tribute Race on Friday, July 26 and The Plymouth Dirt Track in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, July 27.
Returning to the site of his first MSA A-main victory on June 2, 2023, Alex Pokorski timed in ninth out of the 21 entries on hand at Dodge County with a lap of 19.380 seconds on the sprawling “horsepower half-mile” facility.
After starting second in the first MSA eight-lap heat race, Alex raced to his third heat race victory of the 2024 season. Following the dice roll invert, the fifth-year 360 Sprint Car racer started ninth in the 20-lap main event.
The 2023 MSA and Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Most Improved Driver Award winner drove a steady race to rack up a solid seventh-place showing and nail down his sixth top-10 main event finish of the 2024 campaign in a race won by Brandon Berth.
“Racing at Dodge County was fun,” Alex said. “I like racing there. I got a perfect start and was able to set sail in the heat race to get the win. I wish we would've been able to finish a little better in the feature.”
On Saturday, July 27, Alex posted the 13th fastest qualifying lap in the 23-car Plymouth Dirt Track Racing-MSA 360 Sprint Car field in 13.774 seconds.
He then started fifth and placed fourth in the third eight-lap heat race to earn the 13th starting position in the MSA portion of the Harry Neitzel Tribute Race main event. The race got off to a rough start for Pokorski as he collided with the spinning car of Justin Erickson in turn two on lap 3, which resulted in him retreating to the work area. Following some quick crew work, Pokorski returned to the track just in time to restart the race at the rear of the field.
Pokorski then put together an impressive run back to the front over the final 22 laps to secure a 12th-place showing in a race won by Kurt Davis.
“Our night at Plymouth was a bit rocky,” Pokorski said. “Qualifying didn't go our way. The heat race was better against tough competition. The feature did not start well with the wreck. The crew did a great job changing a shock and a radius rod to get me back out. The race after that point was fun. The track was pretty even on the top and bottom. We got back past 10 cars or so, which was good.”
Paul Pokorski made his fifth start of the 2024 season in the seat of Spyder Akright’s 53A car for PDTR-MSA action at The Plymouth Dirt Track on Saturday, July 27.
After earning the fast qualifier award in his most recent outing in the 53A car during the rain-shortened PDTR-MSA program on Saturday, July 13, the 32-year racing veteran qualified ninth overall in the 23-car field with a lap of 13.658 seconds.
Paul then lined up on the outside of the front row in the second eight-lap PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Car heat race. He got a good jump at the start and led every lap en route to his first heat race victory of the 2024 campaign.
Following the dice roll invert, Paul claimed the pole position in the 25-lap PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Car main event.
After a rough start, which saw him fall back to ninth on lap six, Paul used the low groove to power back up to the fifth spot on lap 14. However, the 2024 Midwest Sprint Car Association Masters Series champion lost three spots in the final stretch of the race to register an eighth-place showing, which was his first top-10 main event finish of the 2024 season.
“Qualifying went okay and the result was about what I expected,” Paul said. “We had a red flag during the session that negated what I think might’ve been my best lap, but that’s the way it goes. We made some pretty significant changes before the heat race and they did what I hoped they would do and the car was really good.
“In the feature, I just made the mistake of not committing to the top at the start," he said. "Instead, I decided to sort of run a slide job line into the corner through the middle. It didn’t work! I ended up getting stuck in the middle with cars on both sides through one and two and lost a bunch of spots. I moved up as the race went on, and the car felt pretty good until about the last six laps. So, I started to hunt around, which was a mistake on my part again. I did get going pretty well on the top, but with only two laps or so left, there was only so much to be gained. Overall, it wasn’t too bad of a night. I just hate backing up in a main event.”
With Alex off to attend a wedding, Paul is scheduled to fill in behind the wheel of Alex’s No. 4 Akright Auto Racing Team car for the next PDTR-MSA 360 Sprint Car event this Saturday, Aug. 3 at The Plymouth Dirt Track.
The PDTR Grand Nationals, B Mods, IRA Lightning Sprints and High School Racing Association will also be in action.
The program will feature a kids' coin and candy drop sponsored by VanDerVart Concrete, as well as a coloring contest with prizes for the winners.
Spectator gates open at 4:30 p.m. with qualifying at 5:30 p.m. and racing at 6 p.m.
Sponsors and supporters for the 2024 Alex Pokorski-Akright Auto Racing Team include Akright Auto, Mulch Express of Wisconsin, Lynch Buick GMC West Bend, Countryside Designs, Goeden Auto Body, Petersen Septic Systems, Wisconsin Bank and Trust, Professional Plating, Ace Hardware (Kiel and Sheboygan Falls locations), Cedar Valley Hunt Club, Real Estate Property Shop-Sue Erdmann, Bonafide Security Solutions, Novak’s Service Center, RC Custom Design and Pedal Down Promotions.
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.
Alex Pokorski-Akright Auto Racing Team Sponsor Showcase – Real Estate Property Shop – Sue Erdman
The Alex Pokorski – Akright Auto Racing Team is excited to have Real Estate Property Shop – Sue Erdman as a sponsorship partner for the 2024 season.
Located at 1522 Calumet Drive in Sheboygan, Wis., the Real Estate Property Shop and owner/broker Sue Erdman is dedicated to assisting clients in the process of finding, selecting, purchasing and selling a home, property or business location.
For more information, call 920- 286-2084, email sue@realestatepropertyshop.net or visit realestatepropertyshop.net
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.
Pedal Down Promotions is a full-service public relations and media services company devoted to helping its clients effectively communicate with targeted audiences through press releases, newsletters, profile and feature articles, website and social media content development, printed media, editing and layout, graphic design and book publishing services.
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 4
Upcoming Schedule
Saturday, August 3 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis. (PDTR-MSA 360)
Saturday, August 10 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis. (PDTR-MSA 360)
Saturday, August 17 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis. (PDTR-MSA 360)
Sunday, August 18 – Angell Park Speedway, Sun Prairie, Wis. (IRA 410)
Alex Pokorski
Akright Auto Racing Team 4
360 Sprint Car
2024 Statistics
Total Events – 10
Plymouth Dirt Track Racing Events – 7
Midwest Sprint Car Association Events – 10
A Main Victories – 0
B Main Victories – 0
Top Five A Main Finishes – 2
Top 10 A Main Finishes – 6
Top 15 A Main Finishes – 7
Heat Race Victories – 3
Fast Qualifier Awards – 2
Alex Pokorski
Akright Auto Racing Team 4
410 Sprint Car
2024 Statistics
Total Events – 2
Interstate Racing Association Events – 2
A Main Victories – 0
B Main Victories – 0
Top Five A Main Finishes – 0
Top 10 A Main Finishes – 0
Top 15 A Main Finishes – 0
Top 20 A Main Finishes – 1
Heat Race Victories – 0
Fast Qualifier Awards – 0
Dash Appearances – 0
Dash Victories – 0
Paul Pokorski
Akright Auto 53A
360 Sprint Car
2024 Statistics
Total Events – 5
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 – 1
Fast Qualifier Awards – 1
- Jeff Pederson on Jul 31, 2024
- Article Date: 7/31/2024