Stunner! It’s Travis Arenz In Wisconsin High Limit Biggie

MARIBEL, Wis. — It was a night that will long live in Wisconsin sprint car racing lore.

Earning the biggest win of his life on Thursday night, Sheboygan, Wis., native Travis Arenz stunned Kubota High Limit Racing and sent a raucous 141 Speedway crowd into pandemonium.

For good measure, he even enjoyed a post-race swim after cashing $26,000 in the Rayce Rudeen Foundation Race — easily the richest payday of his career.

Arenz put himself in position to strike by qualifying second and transferring through his heat to make the FK Rod Ends Dash. Rolling out in fifth for the 35-lap feature, he fell back as far as seventh before taking advantage of a restart and roaring into third on Lap 10, then quickly into second on Lap 11.

“The Badger State” fans were torn as far as who to cheer for as they watched Arenz chase down fellow Wisconsin resident Bill Balog for the early lead. The winning moment came on Lap 15 as Arenz’s No. 25t rolled underneath Balog’s No.17b, which stayed committed to the outside while Arenz refused to leave the bottom.

Arenz went on to survive several restarts en route to crossing the checkered flag with a 1.028-second margin of victory. He’s the 17th driver to win a High Limit race and the eighth different winner through 18 races this season.

Saying it was “one of the greatest nights of his life” afterward, Arenz was swarmed by his home state fans throughout victory lane, teching procedures, and the post-race party at his pit.

Following Arenz and his $26,000 check was Tanner Thorson with a $10,000 runner-up effort. The Rod Gross Motorsports No. 88 team is on a heater with Kubota High Limit Racing, finishing fourth, third and 16 over their last three shows.

Rounding out the podium was another Wisconsinite in Bill Balog, who led the opening 14 laps aboard his No. 17b machine. He’ll now prepare for a trio of World of Outlaws events in his home state this weekend.

Brent Marks and Scott Thiel completed the top five.

The finish:

Feature (35 Laps): 1. 25T-Travis Arenz[5]; 2. 88-Tanner Thorson[9]; 3. 17B-Bill Balog[1]; 4. 19-Brent Marks[11]; 5. 51-Scotty Thiel[13]; 6. 13-Daison Pursley[7]; 7. 14BC-Corey Day[14]; 8. 19H-Joel Myers Jr[24]; 9. 57-Kyle Larson[21]; 10. 87-Aaron Reutzel[10]; 11. 14-Spencer Bayston[2]; 12. 9R-Chase Randall[20]; 13. 24-Rico Abreu[23]; 14. 5-Brenham Crouch[22]; 15. 24D-Danny Sams III[15]; 16. 26-Justin Peck[3]; 17. 49-Brad Sweet[17]; 18. 3-Ayrton Gennetten[8]; 19. 16C-Max Guilford[12]; 20. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[4]; 21. 9-Kasey Kahne[19]; 22. 39M-Anthony Macri[16]; 23. 42-Sye Lynch[6]; 24. 17GP-Tim Shaffer[18]