After losing the $10,000 division championship in a late-race spin last week, Modified kingpin Billy Pauch came back to New Egypt Speedway with a vengeance on Saturday, taking his 11th win of the season on Opdyke Lumber Night.
"The track’s been slick and smooth the last few weeks. We made quite a few changes to the car to get it right," Pauch admitted in victory lane. "I’ve really got to thank my sponsors and crew for giving me something good to get out there and race with."
As on Sept. 22, the 30-lap Modified race was between Pauch and Tim Tanner Jr. Tanner dominated the first third of the fray until Pauch got within striking distance on lap 11. Running dead even around the track, with Tanner hugging the bottom and Pauch on top, the duo snaked through lapped traffic. Neither gave an inch.
Pauch edged Tanner for the point on lap 22, but Tanner doggedly took it back the next tour. The thrilling lead swapping continued until lap 26 when Pauch took the lead for good. The Frenchtown flyer inked No. 11 on the year over Tanner, 2001 track champ Keith Hoffman, Gary Velenger and Eddie Bohn.
Donnie Kline of Hamilton Square had lots to crow about after the Sportsman main. Kline held off the hard-core press of two-time winner Matt Papiez to score his first career victory in the 20-lap event. Papiez was second with Jack Swain third, Scott Butler fourth and Rich Scagliotta fifth.
Former Modified driver Gary Butler of Phillipsburg cruised to his second win of the year in the Street Stock division. The potent Page brothers, Mario and Rich II, shadowed Butler to the stripe. Jeff Carpenter and George Quinlan completed the top five.
The Herman’s Trucking Lightning Lap Awards for fastest lap in a feature event were won by Pauch (Mods, 19.556), Kline (Sportsman, 20.695) and Butler (Street Stock, 21.156).
It was also Crew’s Cruise Night at New Egypt Saturday with 77 mechanics taking the wheel in four special Crew Chief Challenge events that were won by Rich Miller, Mickey Wasitowski, Don Farreny and Tom Wyckoff. Sponsor Opdyke Lumber awarded trophies to the winners and purse money to the top three in the four races.
New Egypt Speedway will be dark next Saturday, Oct. 6 to gear up for its big season-end finale — the two-day Legends of the Fall weekend, sponsored by Advanced Wireless and Sprint PCS Oct. 13-14. The weekend will feature big-bucks races for URC Sprints and Sportsman on Saturday, and Modifieds and Street Stocks on Sunday. Track champions of past eras will be honored both days and vintage stock cars will be on display. In addition, Advantage Financial Mortgage Bankers is offering a $5,000 bonus to any driver who can sweep both the Sportsman and Modified events. Gates open at noon both days, with racing at 2:30 p.m. For more information, call the speedway at (609) 758-1900.