New Egypt Speedway, June 22 2005 2005 June 28
On Wednesday June 22 I went to the Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series modified tour’s Garden State Gunfight race at my local track. This was the first of three races for the touring series at New Egypt this year Also on the schedule were the SS Sprints (Super Sportsman for those from PA). The race started about an hour late and the show was not run very good. However, the two features were excellent and more then made up for what was until then a lousy show.
All of the heat races and consis for the DIRT modifieds produced very little passing. The SS Sprints only ran a feature but it was very good. The top two cars, driving by John Snook and Ed Hughes, were running side-by-side for a number of laps until they touched sending Snook to the wall and then into the pits. Hughes then went on to win the race.
The DIRT tour race was the best one I saw in a long time. Billy Pauch started 4′th and took the lead relatively quickly. He then lost the lead to Ryan Godown in traffic. However, he managed to get it back after a restart. Ryan Godown managed to get the lead back when his brother Brian (who was lapped) got into Billy Pauch. I wouldn’t say Brian did it on purpose, but it is suspicious considering he was blocking Billy earlier in the race preventing him from taking the lead back earlier then he did. When Brian sent Billy towards the wall both Ryan Godown and Frank Cozze got by. Billy, however, didn’t give up and took the lead back when Frank Cozze and Ryan Godown tripped each other up. Ryan ran the rest of the race on Pauch’s back bumper but Billy took the checkered with Cozze holding on for third.
If the other two DIRT tour races are just as good, you won’t want to miss them.
My 2005 racing stats after the June 22′nd race at New Egypt:
Races: 20
Tracks: 12 (5 new)
States: 8 (0 new)