Siorek Bitten by Bad Luck, Competitors in Bark River
September 2, 2015
Matt Siorek and his #827 Hammer Nutrition / Star Tool and Die / Starmont Manufacturing Chevrolet Super Stock Truck made their second of two trips to Bark River, MI for Rounds 7 and 8 of the 2015 Sportsman Off-Road Series, August 15 and 16.
After a prosperous weekend in Bark River four weeks earlier, Matt entered the weekend in second place in points, trailing only Mitch Dorr by 33 points—a tall, but not insurmountable, margin.
In Saturday’s Round 7 race, Matt displayed more of the deft driving which had led to his high points standing—despite a fifth-row start, he had pressed into fourth place before the end of lap one, and was engaged in a battle with Tom Graff. Eventually, Graff yielded; on the fourth lap, Siorek was able to overtake Mike Funk and slip into second, behind Jay Schaefer.
In the race’s second half, Siorek was relegated to once again following Schaefer. Meanwhile, regular contenders Dorr and Nick Byng, along with speedy sophomore Joe Maciosek, were mounting a charge behind Matt. As the group crossed the line to take the white flag, Dorr’s truck made contact with Siorek’s, sending Matt into a spin and dropping him to fifth, where he would ultimately finish. Despite his role in Matt’s mishap, Dorr went on to win the race.
“There was contact,” Matt said, “and I took the fall for it. It’s frustrating. I try to avoid these situations, but they happen, especially in this class.”
Unfortunately, Matt’s weekend would get no better in Sunday’s Round 8 race: despite an impressive early charge from ninth to fourth, on the second lap an axle failed, and Matt’s day was done. He was scored fifteenth.
“I’m disappointed. I wanted to make a run at Mitch, make a run at the championship. This weekend ended that for me.” Matt continued, “I’m still second in points. I’ll do everything I can to hold on to that spot, and pick up a win in Crandon. Star Tool and Die, Hammer Nutrition, and BFGoodrich deserve the best I can give them.”
Matt will try to earn a World Championship at Crandon, September 4-6, at MORR’s final event of 2014. For more information about Siorek Racing, visit Siorek Racing on Facebook and follow Matt on Instagram. For more information about all MORR Sportsmen, visit Cheynesaw Social Media on Facebook and Instagram.
Gatlin Keehner Returns to Contend for World Championship
September 2, 2015
In 2014, Gatlin Keehner debuted a freshly fabricated 1947 Ford pickup in Super Stock Truck. Sure, the truck garnered attention even when parked—but then Gatlin drove it to a win in that season’s seventh round, proving that truck and driver were both legitimate contenders.
In the off-season leading into 2015, Gatlin—facing his high school graduation and the decisions that come along with it—and Justin decided to temporarily suspend racing operations. Throughout the 2015 Sportsman Off-Road Series season, competitors and fans alike have eagerly questioned when the Keehners would return.
Now, they’re coming back. Justin hinted at the return on his Facebook page on Sunday by posting a picture of the team’s hauler accompanied by the caption “Prepping for the Daytona of off-road.”
“It’s been a relaxing break, but we’re ready to jump back in,” Justin commented. “Gatlin had more important things than racing to focus on, but now we’re ready to come back.”
Gatlin’s enthusiasm hasn’t waned during his absence: “I’m excited to mix it up with all those guys again. A lot of the drivers in Super Stock are my friends, even the guys who fight me the hardest on the track. I’ve missed it and I can’t wait to get behind the wheel again.”
Justin added, “we’ll be back more often next year. We’re not sure exactly how much, because there’s a lot at play there.” As a smile grew, he added, “we’re never too far away, and we’ll show up when they don’t expect us.”
Gatlin will make his third attempt at a World Championship at Crandon, September 4-6, at MORR’s final event of 2015. For more information about Keehner Motorsports, visit Keehner Motorsports on Facebook. For more information about all MORR Sportsmen, visit Cheynesaw Social Media on Facebook and Instagram.
Podium Productions Produces Podiums in Triplicate at Bark River
August 31, 2015
Jay Schaefer and Mike and Dillon Mischler traveled to Bark River, MI with their #806 Brew Pub Pizza Super Stock Truck and #687 Cooper Tires Classix, respectively, for Rounds 7 and 8 of the 2015 Sportsman Off-Road Series season, August 15 and 16.
Through the first three weekends—a cumulative eleven races (with a Schaefer scratch accounting for the twelfth possible entry)—the trio had scored only a solitary podium finish; the younger Mischler earned a third place finish in Round 3. Since then, mishaps ranging from mechanical failures to downright sour luck had kept both vehicles’ efforts stifled.
In Saturday’s Round 7 Classix race, Dillon Mischler in the #687 Cooper Tires car slipped into second early behind Paul Posbrig; a lap later, after a shuffle in the running order, Dillon remained second—this time behind class up-and-comer Tyler Plamann. Before the third lap, Mischler was forced to pull off due to catastrophic mechanical failure.
Later that day, Jay Schaefer took the line for Super Stock Truck’s Round 7 race in his Schaefer’s Food Mart Chevrolet, recently rebranded as #806 to honor the late Kevin Pence. At the drop of the green flag, Jay—utilizing his pole starting position—burst forth ahead of the pack. This writer is left without further comment on the race’s first half—Schaefer ran alone in first place without real competition all the way through the halfway caution.
In the second half, Jay picked up where he left off, leaving behind an intense battle for second between Matt Siorek, Nick Byng and Mitch Dorr. At the onset of the race’s final lap, Dorr pushed his way into second place. With four corners remaining, Dorr overtook Schaefer, spoiling what would’ve been Jay’s first win; Jay held off a similar charge from Byng and held on to second place.
Jay’s elation was evident on the podium. “Seven years,” he gasped. “This is my best finish in seven years of racing in this class,” Jay remarked as fans near the podium applauded.
Classix led off the action again on Sunday; per usual, driving duties of the #687 changed hands and Mike took control for Round 8. Mike assumed the lead immediately, pacing Posbrig and company as the field disappeared over the hill toward Cemetery Turn for the first time. Eventually, the field shuffled behind Mischler, and Dale Chestnut (whose #613 had won all but one of the seven races leading up to Round 8) had slid into second. In the final lap before the halfway caution, Chestnut overtook the lead, and would not relinquish it.
In the race’s second half, Mischler ran mostly unchallenged and cruised to a second place finish. Where Jay had been elated, Mike was relieved: “It feels great to be up here again,” he commented, continuing wryly, “I’m just glad my kid lets me drive this thing anymore.”
After two consecutive podiums for the two-truck team, that streak was on the line in Super Stock Truck’s Round 8 battle. Jay and the #806 Brew Pub Pizza Chevrolet emerged from Bark River’s first turn in fifth place, engaged in battle with Joey Maciosek, who would escape to later lead the race. Briefly, Jay battled Matt Siorek for fifth, until the latter was forced aside with mechanical issues.
In the race’s second half, Schaefer had settled into fourth behind race leader Maciosek, Byng, and points leader Dorr; Jay would remain in fourth until Maciosek came to a stop a few feet after receiving the white flag. Maciosek’s bad luck allowed Jay to earn a podium spot, as he held on for third.
For the second day, Jay was the most animated of the class’ podium finishers. “Two podiums in one weekend!” he exclaimed. “I’ve never had two podium finishes in one season before!” Jay continued, “I owe this to the hard work of the Mischlers, and Ted, and everyone else who’s helped me this year. I always say it’s the crew’s job to prep a winning truck, and it’s the driver’s job to not lose—this weekend they gave me a winning truck and I did my best.”
Looming ahead for Podium Productions are the final rounds of the 2015 season, and a chance at the most important podium finish in all of off-road racing at Crandon International Off-Road Raceway’s World Championship Weekend. For more information about Podium Productions, visit Podium Productions on Facebook. For more information about all MORR Sportsmen, visit Cheynesaw Social Media on Facebook and Instagram.
Sharkey Leaps Toward Bright Future Despite Two Bark River DNFs
August 31, 2015
Dylan Sharkey and ZR Motorsports, along with their #541 Buffalo Wild Wings / Londerville Steel Stock Truck returned to Bark River, MI for Rounds 7 and 8 of the 2015 Sportsman Off-Road Series, August 15 and 16.
In the fourth weekend of Dylan’s first full season in Stock Truck, he failed to finish in either round; he was credited with seventh and ninth for the weekend’s two rounds.
But this story is not a recounting of two failures.
Instead, Dylan’s brief appearance on the track marked a drastic step toward a career in his sport, and a valuable experience for the seventeen-year old (note that he’s since celebrated his eighteenth birthday).
In the pre-2014 offseason, Dylan (then a junior in high school) was hands-on from the beginning, helping his father Zane Roberts build the truck from scratch. Later that year, in Round 10, the duo’s masterpiece in metal found the top of the podium.
Dylan’s development as a driver continued into the 2015 season, which saw the recent high school grad string together three podium finishes in Rounds 3 through 5. An engine failure derailed his podium streak, but ignited a new goal in Dylan.
In Round 7, Dylan took the green flag powered by an engine built by solely himself. Zane Roberts shared his elation with Dylan’s accomplishment: “he put that engine together completely by himself,” Zane offered. “He put in the hours in the machine shop, he spent his own time doing his homework. It’s an incredible accomplishment and we’re extremely proud.”
Dylan recognizes that his pursuit of expertise will yield great returns: “I want to go as far as I can in off-road. If I’m going to achieve my goals, I have to be an expert and be able to support myself as much as possible.”
Dylan will return to Crandon, WI September 4-6 for Rounds 9 and 10 and World Championship Weekend—interestingly, Dylan has won both his previous starts in the prior two seasons’ final rounds. For more information about ZR Motorsports, visit ZR Motorsports on Facebook. For more information about all MORR Sportsmen, visit Cheynesaw Social Media on Facebook and Instagram.
Siorek Second with Four Rounds Remaining, Eyes Points Lead
August 13, 2015
With six of ten rounds completed in the 2015 Sportsman Off-Road Series, Matt Siorek can lay claim to a title he hasn’t held this late into the season in his previous two years: championship contender.
Currently, Matt sits second in the Super Stock Truck points championship hunt; his Hammer Nutrition / Star Tool and Die Chevrolet trails Mitch Dorr by 33 points as Rounds 7 and 8 in Bark River lie ahead. Rebounding nicely from his frustrating 2014 campaign, Matt has finished fifth or better in all six rounds thus far—the only other driver who’s done that is Dorr, who hasn’t finished worse than second place.
Matt knows that a steep climb separates him from a championship: “Mitch has had a great year, no doubt about it,” Matt remarked. “But I’ve been doing what I set out to do, finish every race near the front.”
Another milestone still unclaimed by Matt—one that’ll likely need to be reached if there’s a championship in store this year—is his first career win. “This class is so extremely competitive. It’s hard to consistently be up front, but I’ve been in podium contention in every single round. I’ve led a couple times; I know I can win in this class.”
To make his championship hopes reality, Matt needs to finish (on average, unofficially) three spots ahead of Dorr in each of the final four rounds—tall odds indeed, when Dorr’s hot streak is considered.
“All I can do is keep trying to run up front. Four rounds is a long time, a lot of laps. Anything can happen,” Matt commented.
Bark River International Raceway hosts Rounds 7 and 8 August 14-16, with the Series’ closing rounds held on World Championship Weekend at Crandon International Off-Road Raceway Labor Day Weekend.
Super Stock Truck Standings
1. Mitch Dorr 146
2. Matt Siorek 113
3. Danny Beauchamp 98
4. Jeff Fannin 88
For more information about Siorek Racing, visit Siorek Racing on Facebook and follow Matt on Instagram.
Siorek Overcomes Hardships in Bark River, Jumps to Second in Points
July 28, 2015
Matt Siorek and his #827 Hammer Nutrition / Star Tool and Die / Starmont Manufacturing Chevrolet Super Stock Truck set a northern course for Bark River, Michigan for Rounds 5 and 6 of the 2015 Sportsman Off-Road Series, July 18 and 19.
Previously, Matt had solidified a third-place spot in the Super Stock Truck championship standings with three top-five finishes at Crandon in late June; approaching Bark River, Matt trailed Danny Beauchamp and points leader Mitch Dorr.
Saturday’s Round 5 race was only two corners old when one of the most bizarre incidents in recent memory unfolded: a chain reaction sent Danny Beauchamp’s truck onto two wheels and across Siorek’s path, and the resulting contact caused Roger Schaden to spin directly in front of Matt. With no time to react and no alternate course, Matt’s truck did its best to climb over Schaden’s now-rolling truck altogether, but wound up parked atop it, with Schaden’s truck lying on its side. Beauchamp also rolled as a result of the contact. (Fortunately, none of the drivers involved were injured.)
The race was red-flagged, and it appeared that all three trucks involved were unlikely to return: Schaden’s driveshaft was bent into a right angle and protruding from the underside of his truck, and Beauchamp’s truck needed assistance to pull off the track. A tow truck and a loader teamed up to completely suspend Siorek’s truck in the air while Schaden’s was tugged aside, and finally the #827 Hammer Nutrition truck came to rest with four wheels on dirt.
After a once-over, Matt climbed back into the truck; remarkably, it fired immediately and he sped to the hotpit to repair body damage. With help from his competitors’ crew members and other bystanders, Matt’s hood was pounded flat enough to fasten down, and a front fender and the grill were ripped from their mounts. With that, Matt was on his way and free to take his spot back for the race’s full restart.
Fortunately for Matt, the remainder of the race was less eventful and he piloted the half-naked #827 Starmont Manufacturing / Star Tool and Die to a fourth place finish, much to the crowd’s delight.
“It all happened so fast on that start,” Matt commented. “I think Dan got hit, then he hit me, then we both hit Roger and then I saw sky. I thought for sure there would be significant damage. This is a rare lucky break for me.”
Matt also tipped his hat to his makeshift pit crew: “I had guys from three or four different teams helping get the loose parts ripped off or bolted down, and get me in the truck. Guys were scrambling, grabbing tools, and I was really grateful for the help. It’s amazing to be respected by competitors that way.”
Sunday’s race followed Saturday’s lead for Matt—an early race push had him battling with Mitch Dorr, and the two remained locked in battle until the halfway caution. On the race’s restart, incidental contact between Siorek and Dorr sent Matt spinning off course. Matt recovered quickly and responded deftly, and clawed his way into third—at race’s end he was battling Fannin for second but was unable to make a pass.
Matt’s trademark smile was perhaps wider than normal at the weekend’s end: “what a crazy weekend. I caught bad breaks, and still came out with two top four finishes! If we can start winning, we’ll be right in the mix for the championship at the end of the year.”
After six of ten rounds, Matt is currently second with 113 points, trailing Dorr’s 146, while Beauchamp sits third with 98.
Matt will make a return trip to Bark River for Rounds 7 and 8, August 15 and 16. For more information about Siorek Racing, visit Siorek Racing on Facebook and follow Matt on Instagram. For more information about all MORR Sportsmen, visit Cheynesaw Social Media on Facebook and Instagram.
Podium Productions Bitten by Mechanical Gremlins in Rounds 2 Through 4
July 17, 2015
Jay Schaefer and the father-son team of Mike and Dillon Mischler brought their Super Stock Truck and Classix car, respectively, to Crandon International Off-Road Raceway in Crandon, WI for Rounds 2, 3 and 4 of the 2015 Sportsman Off-Road Series, June 26-28.
Leading off the weekend for Podium Productions would be Mike Mischler, in the #687 Cooper Tires Classix. During the heart of the race, Mischler battled with eventual race winner Bill Wilson for first place, including a two-lap confrontation which saw the cars bumper-to-bumper and corner-to-corner for extended periods.
In Round 2’s closing laps, however, Mischler’s oil cooler failed and he was forced to retire from the race. The #687 Lotters BP car was credited with a fourth place finish.
Later that afternoon, Super Stock Truck took to the track. In Round 1, Jay Schaefer and the #887 Brew Pub Pizza truck fought from an undesirable starting position to seventh by race’s end.
In Round 2, Jay again found a difficult start, and came through Turn One outside the top ten. In the race’s middle laps, Jay battled with Joey Maciosek, who eventually surpassed Jay. Later, Jay fought with Scot Heikkila for tenth place; the two were inseparable for two laps before Heikkila, too, wrestled the spot from Schaefer. At the checkered flag, Jay was scored eleventh.
Saturday’s Round 3 race brought transmission gremlins for both Dillon Mischler—making his first start of 2015 in the #687 Cooper Tires car—and Schaefer.
In Round 3’s Classix installment, Dillon was forced to enter the hotpit mid-race after transmission linkage failed. Left without a better choice, a crew member forced the transmission into third gear—where it would remain for the remainder of the race—and sent Dillon on his way.
Remarkably, Dillon was able to regain speed, and passed Stanley Wood for fourth; in the closing laps, Dillon surpassed Tyler Plamann for third and remained there until the checkered flag.
Dillon’s father and teammate Mike offered praise for Dillon’s effort later that day: “That’s a heck of a job driving with only one gear. I’m impressed with Dillon’s ability to stay calm and make the adjustments that he did.”
In Super Stock Truck’s Round 3 race, Jay battled at the edge of the top five early on, but struggled with transmission linkage issues which slowed his efforts. At race’s end, Jay was thirteenth. Jay commented wryly, “I don’t believe in superstition, but maybe it’s time to start.”
Sunday’s Round 4 Classix race saw Dillon earn a holeshot over reigning class champion Dale Chestnut. After leading briefly, Dillon was shuffled back to second, where he was challenged by Paul Posbrig’s HellCamino car briefly, before Bill Wilson approached and eventually passed Dillon. Mischler continued battling with Wilson—the two swapped positions twice in total—before a water pump failed, which led to catastrophic engine failure and parked Dillon, who was ultimately scored fifth.
After Saturday’s Super Stock Truck race, Jay offered his backup motor to Stock Truck competitor Dylan Sharkey, who had suffered a mechanical failure earlier in the day; the motor was already in Mosinee being bolted into Dylan’s truck when the Podium Productions crew discovered a critical failure in Jay’s primary motor—Jay would be sidelined without his spare motor.
In a tremendous display of gratitude, Sharkey and his stepfather and team owner Zane Roberts offered their #541 Stock Truck for Jay’s Round 4 efforts. Despite being underpowered and displaying a smoke trail for the greater part of the race, Jay drove to a twelfth place finish, earning valuable points which secured him a spot inside the inversion for Round 5.
Next, Podium Productions will compete in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula at Bark River International Raceway, July 18 and 19, for Rounds 5 and 6. For more information about Podium Productions, visit Podium Productions on Facebook. For more information about all MORR Sportsmen, visit Cheynesaw Social Media on Facebook.
Sharkey Earns Two Third-Place Finishes in MORR’s Second Weekend
July 16, 2015
ZR Motorsports and Dylan Sharkey brought the #541 Londerville Steel / Buffalo Wild Wings Stock Truck to Crandon, WI—the second of three trips this year—for Rounds 2, 3 and 4 of the Sportsman Off-Road Series June 26-28.
Earlier in June, in Round 1, Dylan battled near the front of the pack before suffering critical engine failure; he was credited with seventh place out of eight trucks.
Friday’s Round 2 race—a make-up round after a rainout at Crandon’s first weekend—delivered Dylan another DNF: he pulled off the track early with another critical mechanical failure.
In Saturday’s Round 3 race, Dylan exited Turn One in second, trailing only Diesel Shanak. Over the next two laps, Dylan was able to pull up to Shanak’s bumper, eliminating the latter’s lead entirely. A battle ensued, but Dylan was unable to force a mistake from Shanak. As the race wore on, the #541 Buffalo Wild Wings / Parson’s Chevrolet of Crandon truck dropped slightly off pace due to a flat tire, and was overtaken by Lon Jaskie, who would go on to win; Dylan held on for third place—his first podium of the young season.
That evening, Dylan’s stepfather and team owner Zane Roberts discovered that the engine had been rendered inoperable for Sunday’s Round 4 race. Fortunately, Super Stock Truck driver Jay Schaefer offered Zane and Dylan his spare motor; the ZR Motorsports crew hauled the truck home to Mosinee and replaced the motor before returning shortly before sunrise on Sunday morning.
On Sunday, Dylan navigated an under-powered truck to a third place finish in a four-truck field which had been diminished by attrition earlier in the weekend.
Zane expressed happiness in Dylan’s results: “It seems like the worse the circumstances get for Dylan, the better he performs. The kid can do a lot with very little. When we get the truck 100% under him, we should be able to win races.
ZR Motorsports and Jay Schaefer would cross paths again before the weekend’s end, when irony and cruel fate teamed up to deliver bad news to Schaefer—his primary engine was also inoperable for Sunday’s race, but Podium Productions had not realized it until ZR Motorsports was already installing the motor in Dylan’s truck.
To return the favor, Zane offered the #541 truck to Schaefer for Sunday’s Round 4 Super Stock Race. Despite being underpowered and showing smoke for the majority of the race, Schaefer was able to finish twelfth and avoid a zero-points result.
Dylan and ZR Motorsports return to action in Bark River, Michigan July 18-19 for Rounds 5 and 6 of the Sportsman Off-Road Series. For more information about ZR Motorsports, visit ZR Motorsports on Facebook. For more information about all MORR Sportsmen, visit Cheynesaw Social Media on Facebook.
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