Billy Pauch Jr. Ready To Return To Thunder Mountain Speedway After 10 Years
CENTER LISLE, NY – It has been more than 10 years since Billy Pauch Jr. climbed the hillside driveway to Thunder Mountain Speedway.
But he will do it again on Sunday, June 28.
Pauch Jr., of Frenchtown, N.J., will participate in the Olum’s ‘Lightning on the Mountain’ presented by VP Racing Fuels and Town Mechanical at the three-eighths-mile oval. The huge night of racing is headlined by the Short Track Super Series Fueled By Hi-Tek big-block/small-block Modifieds in a 50-lap event offering $5,000 to win, $1,000 for 10th and $400 to start and the Speedway Entertainment SpeedSTRs, typically featured at Pa.’s Action Track USA, in a 30-lap, $3,000-to-win main.
The 28-year-old Pauch Jr. will participate in both Modified and SpeedSTR competition. He will drive Rick Holsten’s No. 96, the 358-Modified he pilots at N.J.’s New Egypt Speedway on Saturday nights, for the STSS Modified portion and the Bob Lesko-owned Wayne Subaru No. 1 for the SpeedSTR portion. Pauch Jr. has won in both cars already in 2015.
Thanks to event backer Olum’s, a driver sweeping the Modified and SpeedSTR features will win no less than $10,000 per the “Double Down” Challenge!
Pauch Jr. raced at Thunder Mountain only once, very early in his career, when he earned a top-five finish in the track’s 2004 ‘King of the Mountain’ year-end special. He’s anxious to get back!
“I’m looking forward to running there again, it’s been a while,” exclaimed Pauch Jr., a versatile and successful third-generation driver. “I’ve heard a lot of good things about the place. The combination of the Modifieds and SpeedSTRs together will bring another level of excitement.”
Pauch Jr. believes the SpeedSTR field will be strong at the first-time event.
“There is a lot of buzz right now,” he said. “A lot of people are talking about it.”
Also on the program: Doug Borger’s traveling XCel 600 Modifieds in a tour race competing for $1,000 to win; Street Stocks battling for a $700 minimum payday thanks to the support of Zimmer Logging; and FWD Four Cylinders.
For Thunder Mountain Speedway regulars, 50 show-up points will be offered for the Modifieds, Street Stocks and FWD Four Cylinders. Track and tour points will be distributed to the XCel 600 Modified competitors.
A complete program is planned for Thunder Mountain on Saturday night (June 27). Camping, free of charge, is permitted on the speedway grounds.
The Modified portion serves as Race No. 4 of the STSS Bob Hilbert Sportswear North Region. The North Region championship battle is heating up as it reaches the midway point. Tommy Meier of Waldwick, N.J., leads the standings by just a single point with his Jeff Behrent-fielded race team. The top-four competitors are separated by only seven markers.
STSS North Region races have been contested thus far in 2015 at Orange County Fair Speedway and Accord Speedway in New York and Big Diamond Speedway in Pennsylvania.
For the ‘Lightning on the Mountain’ special, pit and gates will open at 3 p.m. A drivers’ meeting is planned for 5:40 p.m., with hot laps at 6 p.m. and racing promptly at 7 p.m.
Adult grandstand admission is $20. Seniors (ages 65 and up) and Students (ages 10-17) pay $18. Kids 9 and under are FREE. Pit admission is $35, with no license required.
To learn more about the Short Track Super Series or BD Motorsports Media LLC, visitwww.shortttracksuperseries.com or www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com, call 845.728.2781or e-mail bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com. “Like” Short Track Super Series on Facebook or follow @ShortTrackSS on Twitter.
For Thunder Mountain Speedway general information and a complete schedule, visitwww.thundermtnspeedway.com. The speedway office number is 607.657.8202. On race day, call 607.849.7899. The speedway e-mail is thundermtnspeedway@gmail.com. “Like” Thunder Mountain Speedway on Facebook or follow @thundermtnspeed on Twitter.
Thunder Mountain Speedway is located at 91 Hunts Corners Road Center Lisle, NY 13797, approximately 25 miles north of Binghamton. The three-eighths-mile clay oval features hillside concrete seating, free parking and camping, a variety of concession items and novelties, a family environment and more.
The Short Track Super Series is presented by Hi-Tek Race Fuel, American Racer/Lias Tire, Bob Hilbert Sportswear, Pioneer Pole Buildings Inc., Scotty’s Speed & Diesel, East Coast Speed/ECS Auto, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, Allstar Performance, ATL Fuel Cells, Bicknell Racing Products, COMP Performance Group (COMP Cams, Driven Racing Oil & Quarter Master), Crane Ignition, Dirt Track Digest, Fast Axle, Fox Racing Shocks, Henry’s Stainless Steel Exhaust, Hig Fab Chassis, Hyperco, Kirkey Racing Fabrication, Lineman Racing, Pilat Graphic Design, Race Pro Weekly, Racers Guide, S&D Bodyline, S&W Awards, Shiley Fabrication, Simplicity Design, Teo-Pro Car, Vahlco Wheels & VP Racing Fuel.
Short Track Super Series Fueled By Hi-Tek 2015 Schedule
Bob Hilbert Sportswear North Region
Saturday, April 11 – Orange County Fair Speedway/Middletown, NY: Hard Clay Open – WINNER: STEWART FRIESEN
Tuesday, May 5 – Big Diamond Speedway/Minersville, PA (Combo): Anthracite Assault – WINNER: RICK LAUBACH
Tuesday, May 19 – Accord Speedway/Accord, NY: Battle of the Bullring 3 – WINNER: JACKIE BROWN JR.
Sunday, June 28 (Rain Date: June 29) – Thunder Mountain Speedway/Center Lisle, NY:Lightning on the Mountain
Wednesday, July 22 (Rain Date: July 23) – I-88 Speedway/Afton, NY: Crazy 8s Special
Tuesday, August 11 (Rain Date: Aug. 12) – Woodhull Raceway/Woodhull, NY: Hustlin’ the High Banks 51
Sunday, September 13 (Rain Date: Sept. 20) – Thunder Mountain Speedway/Center Lisle, NY: Wade Decker Memorial
Friday–Saturday October 9-10 (Rain Date: Oct. 11) – I-88 Speedway/Afton, NY: Short Track SuperNationals 8 – Championship Points
