4/30/2025
Travis Arenz
Arenz rockets to IRA runner-up at Beaver Dam Raceway
(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) April 30, 2025 – Travis Arenz opened his 18th overall season of competition and third full-time campaign with the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association 410 Sprint Car Series in stellar fashion by guiding his 25T Travis Arenz Motorsports team entry to an impressive second place showing in the Glenn Hepfner Memorial at Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis. on Saturday, April 26.
The Sheboygan Falls, Wis. driver turned in a strong seventh-place qualifying run in the 29-car field with a lap of 11.812 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 turned an outside front row starting position in the first 8-lap IRA heat race into his first heat race victory of the 2025 campaign.
Arenz then started on the pole in the second 4-lap IRA dash before coming home second to gain the fourth starting spot in the 30-lap headliner.
A wide, slick, multi-groove racing surface proved to be right in Arenz’s wheelhouse as he battled among the lead group of Jake Neuman, Blake Nimee and Scotty Thiel throughout the race. After dueling back and forth with Nimee and Thiel inside the top 10, Arenz finally seized control of the runner-up spot in the closing laps and held on to nail down a second place showing behind race winner Jake Neuman.
“Overall, I’m pleased with how the night went,” Arenz said. “I qualified decent, won my heat race and drew the pole for the dash. That’s pretty much my ideal night. I was happy with how the track progressed throughout the night. It made for good multi-lane racing for the feature. I felt like the car was really good. I can definitely see the 25T being in victory lane this season. To do that, I think I need to be a little more aggressive in traffic than I was on Saturday night.”
Next up for the Travis Arenz Motorsports team is the IRA Dick Colburn Classic Open Wheel Spectacular at Wilmot Raceway in Wilmot, Wis. on Saturday, May 3.
Non-Wing Crate Sprint Cars, Winged Crate Sprint Cars and Lightning Sprints are also on the card.
Pit gates open at 2 p.m., and spectator gates open at 4 p.m. Hot laps will begin at 5:45 p.m., and racing will begin at 6:45 p.m.
In the event of rain, Sunday, May 4 is the listed rain date.
The 2025 Travis Arenz Motorsports sponsorship partners include Professional Plating Inc., Service One Transportation Inc., Don and Lynn Kiel, Oostburg Concrete, Wittkopp Funeral and Cremation Services, Pfeffer Trucking, Carbliss, Oostburg State Bank, Pallett Works, Jensen Sales and Service, Roth’s Auto Restoration, Sonntag Plumbing Inc., Amy Bruechert Realty, Lake Auto Glass, Fastenal, Hair Fellers Barbershop, Arenz Auto Detailing and Duehring’s Tax Service.
All 2025 IRA events are streamed live on floracing.com
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 – Don and Lynn Kiel
Don and Lynn Kiel’s first date came when they attended a race at The Plymouth Dirt Track in Plymouth, Wis. in June 1998 and they have been together ever since, marrying on Feb. 14, 2005. Lynn spent her working career in the banking industry retiring after 39 years in 2017 as an assistant vice-president at a local Manitowoc bank.
Lynn's interest in racing started when she attended the races at the 141 Speedway as a child with her dad, Andy Endries. RIP ANDY!
Don's interest in racing started when he bought Dean Divine's Modified in the early 1970s. Don's driving experience involved Modifieds and Mini Sprints, as well as 360 Sprint Cars at Manitowoc Expo Speedway in 2011 and 2012.
Don spent four years in the United States Air Force, enlisting the night of his graduation party. He was honorably discharged after four years in 1967 as an Airman First Class. Don was a Minuteman Missile electrician serving as team chief his last year and got to take part in the test firing of four Minuteman Missiles at Vandenburg Air Force Base in Lompoc, Calif. Don was based at F. E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyo. for 41 months.
Don started flying in Cheyenne at the age of 19, secured his first flying job three days after his honorable discharge from the U.S. Air Force at age 22 and retired at age 60. He retired as Senior Captain on the 300-passenger Airbus A 330-300 flying to London, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam and Frankfurt. He has logged over 30,000 hours of flying time with a lot of stories to tell.
For a glimpse of Don's career, Google Don Kiel Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame. For a view of his favorite aircraft that he owned for four years, check out the Warbird Takeoff by looking up Beech 18 Takeoff Great Radial Engine Sound on YouTube. Click on the 32-second video. Don and Lynn continue to fly his 1952 Cessna 170B, both on wheels and skis in the winter.
Don loves to say, “It's pretty cool when your vocation and avocation are one and the same!”
“We started out sponsoring Travis Arenz by buying him a set of rear tires five years ago and the rest is history,” Don Kiel said. “Travis is a very talented racer from the tiniest detail to the actual racing. I love to watch Travis feel the track out and then work his magic. I sponsor Travis as I feel he is one of the best!”
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Travis Arenz Motorsports
2025 Upcoming Schedule
Saturday, May 3 – Wilmot Raceway, Wilmot, Wis. (IRA)
Saturday, May 10 – Sycamore Speedway, Sycamore, Ill. (IRA)
Friday, May 16 – Dodge County Fairgrounds Speedway, Beaver Dam, Wis. (IRA)
Saturday, May 17 – Plymouth Dirt Track, Plymouth, Wis. (IRA)
Sunday, May 18 – Angell Park Speedway, Sun Prairie, Wis. (IRA)
Saturday, May 24 – Wilmot Raceway, Wis. (IRA)
Sunday, May 25 – 141 Speedway, Francis Creek, Wis. (IRA)
Travis Arenz Motorsports
2025 Statistics
Total Events – 1
IRA Events – 1
A-Main Victories – 0
Podium Finishes – 1
Top Five A-Main Finishes – 1
Top 10 A-Main Finishes – 1
Top 15 A-Main Finishes – 1
Top 20 A-Main Finishes – 1
Heat Race Victories – 1
B-Main Victories – 0
Dash Appearances – 1
Dash Victories – 0
Fast Qualifier Awards – 0
Article Credit: Jeff Pederson-Pedal Down Promotions
Submitted By: Jeff Pederson
