PAUCH JR. TAKES TOP HONORS AT NEW EGYPT SPEEDWAY’S GARDEN STATE GUNFIGHT

PAUCH JR. TAKES TOP HONORS AT NEW EGYPT SPEEDWAY’S GARDEN STATE GUNFIGHT

Story By: Mike Wisniewski/New Egypt Speedway

Photos By: Dave Kovacs & John John Lane/RacersGuide.com

New Egypt, NJ (June 26, 2019) – At New Egypt Speedway’s Garden State Gunfight 3, Billy Pauch Jr. took top honors in the Modified race. In the Crate vs. Open Sportsman main event, Will Dupree was declared the winner. The Mike’s Performance 4-Cylinder contest was taken by Jimmy Avery.

As the 60-lap Modified feature got underway, polesitter Brandon Grosso hopped to the front with Jeff Strunk, Billy Pauch Jr. and David VanHorn in tow. With five revolutions recorded, Grosso was beginning to edge away from Strunk, VanHorn and Pauch Jr. Grosso’s margin over the field was a full straightaway when the yellow lights illuminated for the first time on lap twelve for a tangle between John Pakenham and Chris Grbac. When action returned, Grosso was still setting the pace with Strunk, David VanHorn and Pauch Jr. dicing for second. After a pair of caution periods on lap fifteen and seventeen, Grosso remained in control with Strunk, Pauch Jr., Van Horn and Duane Howard filling out the top five. By lap twenty-one, Grosso was pulling away from the pack but the activity behind him was heating up as Strunk was still riding in second and trying to fend off the third place running Howard and fourth place running VanHorn. Two tours later, Howard advanced into the runner-up position past Strunk. On lap twenty-six, Jimmy Horton slowed on the dirt oval and the caution flag waved one more time. On the ensuing restart, Grosso fended off his rivals to maintain the lead with Howard in second, Pauch Jr. returning to third and Strunk dropping back to fourth. Over the next few circuits with Grosso increasing his lead, the battle for second place saw Pauch Jr. acquire the spot from Howard on lap twenty-eight before Howard retook the position on lap thirty-one. At the fuel stop on lap thirty-five, Grosso, Howard, Pauch Jr, Strunk and VanHorn were recorded as the top five. During the brief break in the action, Howard relinquished second place to Pauch Jr. with a visit to the pits to replace a flat right rear tire.

When the green flag waved to resume the contest, Grosso was on top with Pauch Jr. in second, Strunk in third, VanHorn in fourth and Mike Butler in fifth. With twenty laps remaining, Grosso had a several car length margin over Pauch Jr, VanHorn, Strunk and Danny Bouc. By lap forty-five, Grosso’s advantage had narrowed as Pauch Jr. began to use the lower groove in turns one and two to close in on the leader. On lap forty-eight, a multi-circuit duel for the lead began between Grosso and Pauch Jr. After a clean side-by-side battle, Pauch Jr. surged past Grosso to gain the lead with nine laps to go. Grosso tried in vain to return to the top on lap fifty-two but was repelled by Pauch Jr. With five to go, Pauch Jr. was approaching slower traffic when Cale Ross’s spin took place just in front of the leader and the yellow flag waved for the final time. On the single file restart, Pauch Jr. held off Grosso to remain on top. Over the last circuits, Pauch Jr. went unchallenged to claim his twenty-fourth Modified feature win. Behind the winner and second place finishing Grosso, late surges allowed Danny Bouc to finish in third and fifteenth place starting Frank Cozze to come home in fourth. VanHorn completed the event in fifth. The Modified heats were taken by Danny Bouc, Duane Howard and Davey Sammons.

In the 30-lap Crate vs. Open Sportsman feature, twelfth place starting Will Dupree was pronounced the victor. Ryan Heim, who had seized the lead on the fifth circuit and crossed the finish line in first, was unfortunately disqualified for failing to make the post-race minimum weight. The win was the fourth of Dupree’s career. The runner-up position was taken by Jeremy Martino. Bob Lineman Jr. was third. Fourth went to Jim Housworth while Ryan Simmons was fifth. Joseph Brown and Eric Palmer won the qualifying events.

In the Mike’s Performance 4-Cylinders feature, Jimmy Avery grabbed the top spot from TJ Graves on the twelfth circuit and held on to win the originally scheduled 20-lap event which was shortened by five tours due to the time limit. The victory was the first of the year for Avery. With Graves taking second, Justin Dunn came home in third. Joe Garey Jr. and Joe Garey Sr. rounded out the top five.

On Saturday, June 29, Pakenham Motorsports Bike Night rides into New Egypt Speedway with half price general admission for all motorcyclists and bike giveaways for the kids. On the track, the Vahlco Modifieds, Larry’s Hot Rods & Harley’s Northeast Wingless Sprint Cars, Hammer Sportsman and Street Stocks will be in action. The pit gates swing open at 4:00 p.m. and the grandstand ticket window opens at 5:00 p.m. Hot laps start at 6:00 p.m. with the first green flag waving at 7:00 p.m. Admission to the grandstand is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors 65 and older, $10 for teens 12-15, $10 for military personal and their spouses with ID, and Kids 11 & under are FREE. Pit admission is $30 with a New Egypt Speedway license and $40 without.

“New Jersey’s Premier Dirt Track Facility”, New Egypt Speedway is located on Route 539 just minutes from Six Flags Great Adventure and the New Jersey Turnpike. A racy 7/16-mile D-shaped dirt oval, New Egypt Speedway serves Garden State race fans with some of the best competition in the country. New Egypt’s state-of-the-art facilities feature daylight-quality lighting and excellent sightlines from any seat in the house. The grandstands are fully wheelchair accessible with wide, clear, and well-groomed walkways. Concession facilities serve up everything from Jersey Burgers to ice cream treats at family-friendly prices.

For more information, visit online: www.newegyptspeedway.net, “Like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/newegyptspeedwayofficial, or follow us on Twitter @nesspeedway.

NEW EGYPT SPEEDWAY RESULTS – TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2019 – GARDEN STATE GUNFIGHT 3

Modifieds

Heat 1 – 1. Danny Bouc 2. Mike Butler 3. Matt Stangle 4. TJ Lilly 5. Jimmy Horton 6. JR Fulper

Heat 2 – 1. Duane Howard 2. Billy Pauch Jr. 3. David VanHorn 4. Brandon Grosso 5. Jimmy Blewett 6. Rick Laubach

Heat 3 – 1. Davey Sammons 2. Wade Hendrickson 3. Rich Rutski 4. Jeff Strunk 5. Frank Cozze 6. Brian Papiez

MODIFIEDS – 60 LAP FEATURE

1. BILLY PAUCH JR. 2. Brandon Grosso 3. Danny Bouc 4. Frank Cozze 5. David VanHorn 6. Mike Butler 7. Ryan Krachun 8. Jeff Strunk 9. Corey Cormier 10. Jordan Watson 11. Jimmy Blewett 12. Davey Sammons 13. Duane Howard 14. Kevin Vaclavicek 15. Rich Rutski 16. TJ Lilly 17. Brian Papiez 18. Cale Ross 19. Chris Grbac 20. Jimmy Horton 21. Matt Stangle 22. JR Fulper 23. Wade Hendrickson 24. John Pakenham

DNS: Rick Laubach

Crate Modifieds vs Open Sportsman

Heat 1 – 1. Joseph Brown 2. Jim Housworth 3. Joe Toth 4. JT Trstensky 5. Jeremy Martino 6. John Criscione

Heat 2 – 1. Eric Palmer 2. Will Dupree 3. Ryan Heim 4. Jon Meyer 5. Bob Lineman Jr. 6. Steve Hicks

CRATE MODIFIEDS VS OPEN SPORTSMAN – 30 LAP FEATURE

1. WILL DUPREE 2. Jeremy Martino 3. Bob Lineman Jr. 4. Jim Housworth 5. Ryan Simmons 6. JT Trstensky 7. Darren Cox 8. Dan Fleming 9. Will Trstensky 10. Steve Hicks 11. Howie Finch 12. DJ Hunt 13. Jon Meyer 14. Steve Davis 15. Eric Palmer 16. Joe Toth 17. Tom Princiotta 18. Joseph Brown 19. John Criscione 20. Johnny Bangs 21. Aaron Weaver

DQ: Ryan Heim

MIKE’S PERFORMANCE 4-CYLINDERS – 15 LAP FEATURE

1. JIMMY AVERY 2. TJ Graves 3. Justin Dunn 4. Joe Garey Jr. 5. Joe Garey Sr. 6. Paul Hartwig 7. John Ciallella 8. Robby Dunn 9. Dom Antonelli 10. Nichole Razzano 11. Scott Dunn 12. Mike Fox 13. Spider Ensinger