California Kid tops East Coast's best at New Egypt

New Egypt, NJ (June 14) -- Los Angeles, CA's Tyler Walker, piloting the Apple Chevrolet #12 for the first time, pulled out all the stops to top some of the best in Sprint car racing in Wednesday night's Thunder In The Pines special for 410 Sprints at New Egypt Speedway.

"Three thousand dollars, two beautiful girls -- it doesn't get much better than this," said the 23-year-old Walker, cozying up with a crystal loving cup filled with cash and a pair of trophy queens after performing his famous victory lane back-flip.

Defending race winner Billy Pauch turned in a showstopping performance, swapping the early lead with Fast Freddy Rahmer and ultimately finishing second. "We're happy -- we're lucky to get the race in with the weather but the track was perfect. The car was tight at the end and I was pulling wheelies down the straightaways," Pauch remarked.

Rahmer got the jump from his outside front row starting spot and was lapping traffic with three in the books. Pauch quickly bested Walker for second and took up the chase on Rahmer. The two Sprint hotshoes raced the inside and outside lanes through traffic. Pauch's inside charge in the fourth turn put him out front on lap 10 and he opened up a lead on Rahmer. Rahmer, however, had ideas of his own, as he pressed on to regain the lead on lap 18 with an inside run between turns 3 and 4. Pauch dogged Rahmer in and around the backmarkers with Walker suddenly surprising the leaders with a full hardcourt press. Walker made up a straightaway in just five laps to overtake Pauch for second on lap 24. The California Kid then dispatched Rahmer on the next tour and it was all his. Walker raced home the big winner with Pauch and Rahmer claiming second and third. P.J. Chesson and Sean Michael, piloting the Zemco #1, completed the top five.

It was a big-bucks night for Walker as he also picked up $250 for fast time, courtesy of Mid-State Communications, and $1,000 in the Haldeman Ford Pole Scramble. Energy Kinetics presented $200 checks to the three heat winners -- Billy Pauch, P.J. Chesson and Lance Dewease. Those drivers and Walker each received an American Racer tire from Lias Tire of Indiana, PA for their efforts in the preliminary runs. Bill Brian Jr. claimed the $200 360 c.i.d. bonus.

This Saturday, June 17, is Dad's Appreciation Night at New Egypt with a big gift for Father's Day: double features for the Modifieds at no extra charge. Sportsman and Street Stocks complete the three-division card. Gates open at 4 p.m. and the first heat takes the green at 6:30. For more information, call (609) 758-1900. <pre> 6/14/00 410 SPRINT RESULTS

Time Trials: 1.Tyler Walker (11.914)* (New Track Record) ($250) 2.Sean Michael (11.915) 3.Lance Dewease (11.955) 4.Billy Pauch (12.041) 5.Fred Rahmer (12.042) 6.P.J. Chesson (12.131) 7.Skip Jackson (12.315) 8.Keith Kauffman (12.315) 9.James Chesson (12.357) 10.Len Thompson (12.557) 11.Pat Cooper (12.573) 12.Brian Gobrecht (12.741) 13.Judi Bates (13.160) 14.Jim Walters (13.524) 15.Mike Haggenbottom (13.740) 16.Bill Brian Jr. (13.758) 17.Ian Borden (14.200) 18.Mike Kostic (14.505) 19.Jamie Bodo (14.546)

1st Heat: (Time: 2:11.324) 1.Pauch ($200) 2.Jackson 3.Walker 4.Thompson 5.Bates 6.Brian Jr. 7.Bodo 2nd Heat: (Time: 2:09.255) 1.P.J. Chesson ($200) 2.Michael 3.Kauffman 4.Cooper 5.Walters 6.Borden 3rd Heat: (Time: 2:07.649) 1.Dewease ($200) 2.Rahmer 3.J. Chesson 4.Gobrecht 5.Haggenbottom 6.Kostic

Pole Scramble Elimination Runs: 1.Walker ($1000)

Feature (30 laps): (Time: 6:50.043--New Track Record) 1.Tyler Walker ($3000) 2.Billy Pauch 3.Fred Rahmer 4.P.J. Chesson 5.Sean Michael 6.Lance Dewease 7.Keith Kauffman 8.Len Thompson 9.Skip Jackson 10.James Chesson 11.Brian Gobrecht 12.Bill Brian Jr. 13.Pat Cooper 14.Mike Haggenbottom 15.Judi Bates 16.Jim Walters 17.Ian Borden 18.Mike Kostic 19.Jamie Bodo