(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) July 17, 2019 – After enduring a roller coaster first half of the 2019 season, Josh Walter and the Torque Racing team kicked off the second half in sterling fashion with a pair of top five showings, including an A-main victory, during a Midwest Sprint Car Association twinbill at Outagamie Speedway Powered By EWSC Racing at Seymour, Wis. on Friday, July 12 and The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, July 13.
With 31 MSA Sprint Cars signed in at Outagamie Speedway, Walter drew the pole position in the second MSA heat race. Utilizing a backup car after his primary car suffered extensive damage in an accident at the Dodge County Fairgrounds in Beaver Dam. Wis. on Wednesday, July 3, Walter had his way in the heat race jumping out to a big lead and never looking back en rout to his second heat race triumph of the 2019 season.
After the heat race passing points invert, Walter started sixth in the 25-lap A main. Walter moved up to fourth place in the early going before 2018 Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car champion Justin Miller moved past to push Walter back to fifth on lap 12. Walter lost another spot to four-time MSA champion and 2010 PDTR 360 Sprint Car champ Kurt Davis to stand sixth on lap 13.
In the closing laps, the leaders had to work through slower traffic, which allowed Walter to sneak past Justin Miller into fifth as the laps wound down. Walter maintained fifth at the finish line in the race, which was won by Travis Arenz.
Walter was pleased with the result utilizing the team's backup car, which had previously been raced a handful of nights, including the 2017 Knoxville Nationals.
“We started with a great pill draw and were able to capitalize on the heat race win at Outagamie Speedway on Friday,” Walter said. “I wasn't really sure what to expect since we hadn't run this car yet after getting it put together. We were definitely happy with the top-five result in the A main. We knew the car was working good after the heat race, but there were still some unknowns as far as how the car was going to react to adjustments.
“The car was good, but I was slightly tentative,” he said. “I didn't want to over drive the car and it took about half the feature to settle in and get comfortable. The last thing I wanted to do was take myself out of the race or wreck another car.”
On Saturday night, Walter was among 36 PDTR 360 Sprint Car entries signed in to do battle on Remembering Randy Tracy Mid-Season Championship Night at The Plymouth Dirt Track. The evening honored Tracy, a highly popular and respected 24-year racing veteran at Plymouth, who recently passed away.
After starting third in the fourth PDTR 360 Sprint Car heat race, Walter passed rookie Justin Erickson for second on the opening lap. The 14th-year driver held on the rest of the way to secure a spot in the A main.
“We started the night off with a decent pill draw and made some moves to second in the heat race,” Walter said. “I was still slightly hesitant about overdriving the car. Even though we shook the car down the night before at Outagamie, Plymouth is a different track with a slightly different setup on the car. I should have explored the track more in the heat race, but it was a situation where we moved forward and we were going to make the show, so it's more important to not make mistakes.”
Following a highly favorable passing points invert, Walter started the extended 30-lap A main on the pole. Walter outpowered outside front row starter Tony Wondra to lead the opening circuit. Walter wasted no time extending the lead to a full straightaway over Jim Melis on lap14.
In the second-half of the race, Walter began to encounter large groups of slower cars, which slightly impeded his progress. On lap 22, Walter found himself pinned behind Anthony Knierim and Bill Taylor, who were racing side by side for position toward the rear of the field. Walter eventually worked past both lapped cars, but not without Travis Arenz hot on his tail for the win.
On lap 29, Arenz got a run on Walter to pull even for the lead in turn two. However, Walter was too strong as he fended off Arenz’s spirited challenge en route to this sixth career PDTR 360 Sprint Car A-main triumph and his second main event win of the 2019 season.
“Starting on the pole of the A is always a great starting spot,” Walter said. “I was more comfortable in the car and knew that I had to trust it if we were going to win. It's never easy winning any of these features, but it never hurts to start up front. The car handled great in the A and it was a fast track, which is always fun.
“I must have been really comfortable, because the 30 laps went really fast for me, which is usually not the case when I am out front,” he said. “Lapped traffic was a bit of a struggle and being patient isn't easy, but the last thing you want to do in that situation is give the win away by making a poor decision.”
Considering the extra money, prestige and special memories associated with the Remembering Randy Tracy event, Walter ranks the win at the top of his career accomplishments so far.
“Winning the Remembering Randy Tracy night has to be the highlight of my career,” Walter said. “It felt bigger than my first win. I think it had to do with the atmosphere, the honor involved in being part of something so wonderful for one man and his family, the caliber of the field and the track conditions made it more rewarding as well. It was a multi-groove track that was that fast and had a lot of passing through the field.
“I feel like the features I have won in the past were on single-lane tracks,” he said. “It also meant a lot to me to win in front of many of the people that I used to watch growing up who where there in support of Randy's family. Lastly, it was the biggest purse I'd ever won and it was amazing to have so many people get involved in going above and beyond to raise the extra money. This was all done by the fans. It just goes to show that the fans support and appreciate us racers as much as we appreciate them being there week in and week out.”
The Torque Racing team will next compete on Saturday, July 20 at The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. for autograph night. Hot laps start at 5:30 p.m. with racing at 6 p.m.
Torque Racing sponsors for the 2019 season include JDV Lawncare, Brittany's School of Dance, Sheboygan by Owner, Plymouth Tap, Doug's Quality Beef, Tiffany's Wildtree, Cow Pies, Full Throttle Ink, Lakehouse Bar & Grill, Home Transitions, Oostburg Concrete, Kombucha Brothers, Platinum Restoration Services, Ruh Custom Woodworking, RC Custom Design and Pedal Down Promotions.
Torque Racing Sponsor Showcase – Platinum Restoration Services
Josh Walter and the Torque Racing team is pleased to have Platinum Restoration Services, located at 5225 West Electric Ave. in West Allis, Wis., on board as a sponsor for the 2019 season.
Platinum Restoration Service's began 10 years ago as a one-man operation founded by owner Jeremy Roth. Over time, the business grew and it built a reputation for high-quality service and careful attention to detail grew.
“Our services are in such high demand that we have three trucks/crews going now,” Roth said. “From it's humble beginnings, the company has grown to expand the services to all of Southeastern Wisconsin with another office in West Allis/Milwaukee. This growth was a natural part of the company's evolution and the reflects the focus we've always placed on people and relationships.”
Platinum Restoration Services offers a wide array of services including carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, synthetic and oriental rug cleaning, air duct cleaning, tile and grout cleaning, water damage restoration, mold remediation, fire and smoke damage restoration and power washing.
Roth says the foundation of the business is centered around a dedication to top-notch customer service and high-quality restoration work.
“At Platinum Restoration Services, each member of our staff is an expert in his or her field-whether handling customer service or restoring a disaster in your home,” Roth said. “All of our people are fully-trained professionals, who have worked hard to make our company what it is today. We believe in forgoing ongoing relationships through quality workmanship and outstanding customer service.
As a race fan, Roth is thrilled to be involved with Josh Walter the Torque Racing team.
“I grew up in Plymouth and been going to the dirt track races in Plymouth for almost 20 years now,” Roth said. “I've always had a huge passion for racing. I started out going to drag races, radar runs, snowmobile races, jet ski racing and mountain bike racing. I took some time off to grow my business, but now I'm getting more involved with racing again. I wanted to sponsor Torque Racing because Josh has been a longtime friend and wanted to support his passion for racing.”
To contact Platinum Restoration Services, call 262-228-6166. For more information, visit www.platinumrestorationservice.com.
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2019 Josh Walter-Torque Racing Upcoming Schedule
Saturday, July 20 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.
Thursday, July 25 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.
Friday, August 2 – Outagamie Speedway, Seymour, Wis.
Saturday, August 3 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.
Saturday, August 10 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis.
2019 Josh Walter-Torque Racing By The Numbers
Total Events – 14
MSA events – 13
IRA events – 1
A-Main Victories – 2
B-Main Victories – 1
Top Five A-Main Finishes – 4
Top 10 A-Main Finishes – 7
Heat Race Victories – 3
- Jeff Pederson on Jul 17, 2019
- Article Date: 7/17/2019 by Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions