(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) April 24, 2024 – After completing his first full season of competition with the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series as a top-three points performer and a night-in and night-out contender for race victories and podium finishes in 2023, Travis Arenz picked up right where he left off a year ago in the 2024 IRA season opener contested on a chilly spring evening at Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis. on Saturday, April 20.
Arenz, who placed third in the 2023 IRA point standings in his rookie campaign with the series, opened his second full season of IRA action by ripping off his first career 410 Sprint Car fast qualifier award, as he topped the 30-car field with a fast lap of 13.650 seconds on the high-banked, third-mile clay oval.
The 2021 and 2022 Midwest Sprint Car Association and Plymouth Dirt Track Racing 360 Sprint Car champion rolled off fourth in the first 10-tap IRA heat race before recording a fifth-place showing to secure a spot in a second four-lap IRA dash.
The Sheboygan Falls, Wis. driver started second and finished second to earn the right to start fourth in the 30-lap IRA headliner. Arenz used a good start to settle into third behind the second-place car of two-time IRA champion Jake Blackhurst and leader Scotty Thiel in the early going.
Arenz stuck tight to the preferred inside lane of the delicate track surface throughout the majority of the race. After eventual race winner Tim Estenson, Mike Reinke and Danny Schlafer slipped past during the second half of the main event, Arenz held strong to secure a solid sixth-place A-main finish to open up the 2024 IRA campaign.
“The track was very technical and we were one of the last cars to qualify, so I wasn’t sure how far to tighten the car,” Arenz said. “To our surprise when I came back from the scales we were second quick. Then my crew kept receiving texts congratulating us on quick time. We were confused and found out there was a disqualification, which granted us quick time. This was definitely how we wanted to start our season, after struggling a lot in qualifying last year. Hopefully, we can keep the momentum going.
“The track was difficult to read all night,” he said. “It was one of those tracks you throw the kitchen sink at and hope it’s not too much. You have to be mindful of your surroundings and make adjustments to your driving style as the race progresses. We did end up going backwards in the A-main, but for the first night of the season and getting back in the swing of things with some new equipment, I don’t have too many complaints.”
The Travis Arenz Motorsports Team was slated to open the 2024 IRA campaign at Mississippi Thunder Speedway in Fountain City, Wis. on Friday, April 19. However, cold and wet weather forced the event to be postponed and rescheduled for Friday, Sept. 27.
The team is scheduled to take the upcoming weekend off before resuming the 2024 IRA scheduled with the series’ debut appearance at Ogilvie Speedway in Ogilvie, Minn. on Friday, May 3, which will include support from the WISSOTA Midwest Mods and WISSOTA Mod Four divisions.
On Saturday, May 4, the team will head to Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis. for the Sprint Open Wheel Spectacular, which will also include UMSS Traditional Sprint Car and UMSS Limited Winged Sprint Car divisions.
Hot laps will begin at 5:30 p.m. with racing listed as starting at 6 p.m.
The 2024 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, Carbliss Hand Crafted Cocktails, Pallet Works, Lake Auto Glass and Service, Roth’s Auto Restoration, Hair Fellers Barbershop, Fastenal of Plymouth, Jensen’s Sales and Service, Amy Bruechert Reality, Duehring's Tax Service, Everhope Show Cattle, Sonntag Plumbing Inc., Kriete Truck Center and Arenz Auto Detailing.
The 2024 Travis Arenz Motorsports team consists of pit crew members Jerrod Gamb, Cameron Fritz, Bobby Bonelli, Jake Van Engen, Keith Fellner and Emily Stadler.
All 2024 Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series events will be streamed live on FloRacing.
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 – Professional Plating
Located at 705 Northway Drive in Brillion, Wis., Professional Plating Inc. was established in 1979 when Bob and Pat Endries, founders of Endries International, were looking for a dependable source of plating for the fasteners supplied to their customers. In May 1979, the zinc plating operation began with the barrel line being Professional Plating's sole production area. In June 1983, the company expanded its zinc plating capabilities with the purchase of a Cyclemaster rack line.
Over the past 44 years, Professional Plating has grown into one of the largest electroplaters in the Midwest, in addition to a large powder coating operation and an electrocoat facility.
Today, Professional Plating offers a wide range of services, including coating and plating, quality systems, trucking, shipping and packaging.
In addition, Professional Plating has been a five-time Products Finishing Top Shops Benchmarking Survey Award winner for both plating and powder coating, taking home the prestigious award each year that it has been offered.
For more information on the top-of-the-line services Professional Plating has to offer, call 920-756-2153, email larry.dietz@proplating.com or visit https://www.proplating.com.
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Travis Arenz Motorsports
2024 Upcoming Schedule
Friday, May 3 – Ogilvie Raceway, Ogilvie, Minn. (IRA)
Saturday, May 4 – Cedar Lake Speedway, New Richmond, Wis. (IRA)
Saturday, May 11 – Sycamore Speedway, Sycamore, Ill. (IRA)
Travis Arenz Motorsports
2024 Statistics
Total Events – 1
IRA Events – 1
A Main Victories – 0
Top Five A Main Finishes – 0
Top 10 A Main Finishes – 1
Top 15 A Main Finishes – 1
Top 20 A Main Finishes – 1
Heat Race Victories – 0
B Main Victories – 0
Dash Appearances – 1
Dash Victories – 0
Fast Qualifier Awards – 1