(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) August 21, 2019 – After a two-week break to recharge their batteries and enjoy some family time, Josh Walter and the Torque Racing team got back on track with the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series during Cornfest at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wis. on Sunday, Aug. 18.
Walter, who was among 23 IRA Sprint Car drivers signed in for the evening, opened the program by recording the ninth fastest overall qualifying time with a lap of 12.563 seconds.
“The car was a little free in hot laps, so we made some changes,” Walter said. “We should have left the car alone. The track would have come to us. We qualified decent even though the car was a tick tight.”
The 14th-year Sprint Car driver started second in the third IRA Sprint Car heat race and wasted no time jumping into the lead on the drop of the green flag along the outside groove on the fast, but tricky racing surface. By lap 4, Walter had opened up a full-straightaway advantage over the second-place car of Scotty Thiel.
On lap 5, the red flag was displayed when Scott Biertzer hit the wall and flipped over in turn two. Walter stayed strong on the restart to hold off the hard-charging Thiel en route to his first IRA heat race victory of the 2019 season and fourth overall heat race win of the year.
"This was my second career 410 heat race win," Walter said. " We won one other heat race during my rookie season racing the 410 in 2015 at ABC Raceway in Ashland."
Following the redraw, Walter lined up eighth in the 30-lap IRA A main. After dropping back to 12th on lap two of the main event, a caution flag was displayed when Bill Balog hit the turn two wall after cutting a tire. Walter restarted 11th and held the spot until lap 13 when Russel Borland flipped in turn two.
Walter restarted 10th before losing the position to Todd Daun on lap 14. The third and final caution appeared on lap 16 when Mike Reinke slowed with a flat tire. As the laps wound down, Walter dropped two more spots after Reinke got by on lap 26 and Borland surged past on lap 28, which pushed Walter back to 12th at the finish in a race won by Scotty Thiel.
“After the heat race, we left the car alone for the A main,” Walter said. “We should have freed the car up slightly. The car was just too tight. After they worked the track and the sun went down, I feel like some moisture came back into the track.”
Walter and the Torque Racing team made the decision last week to forego further Midwest Sprint Car Association 360 Sprint Car action in favor of sticking with the 410 engine package and competing in selected IRA events over the final month of the 2019 campaign.
“We sold our 360 motor this week,” Walter said. “We will now be competing with the 410 for three nights for the remainder of the season and we'll see what next year brings.”
Josh Walter and the Torque Racing team are now scheduled to return to the Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis. with the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series this Saturday, Aug. 24. The Midwest Sprint Car Association 360 Sprint Cars are also on the card. On-track activities begin at 6 p.m. with racing to follow at 6:30 p.m.
“The team and I are really looking forward to Beaver Dam,” Walter said. “We seem to run well there and we think we have a good handle on the direction to take with the setup. Only time will tell, but we're up for the challenge.”
The remainder of the team's 2019 season schedule includes IRA events at Beaver Dam Raceway on Saturday, Sept. 14 and The Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday, Sept. 28.
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 are 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 Services 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.
“Our services are in such high demand that we have three trucks/crews going now,” Roth said. “From its 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.
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.
2019 Josh Walter-Torque Racing Upcoming Schedule
Saturday, Aug. 24 – Beaver Dam Raceway, Beaver Dam, Wis (IRA)
Saturday, Sept. 14 – Beaver Dam Raceway, Beaver Dam, Wis. (IRA)
Saturday, Sept. 28 – The Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis. (IRA)
2019 Josh Walter-Torque Racing By The Numbers
Total Events – 17
MSA events – 14
IRA events – 3
A-Main Victories – 2
B-Main Victories – 1
Top Five A-Main Finishes – 4
Top 10 A-Main Finishes – 8
Heat Race Victories – 4