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Written by Chris Moore
GEORGETOWN, DE – Return of the Kid’s Kid.
Billy Pauch Jr. returned to Victory Lane at Georgetown Speedway for the first time since October 2021 with Millman’s NAPA Modifieds on Sullivan’s Landscaping & Maintenance night.
The Frenchtown, N.J., native started from the outside of the front row and took the lead on the fifth circuit. From there, Pauch Jr. would never relinquish the top spot.
The win netted Pauch Jr. a $3,500 payday after the start of the feature was delayed nearly an hour-and-a-half due to an unexpected light rain that fell over the speedway.
“I told Mike Mahaney since he won earlier this week, it was my turn to do it,” Pauch Jr. proclaimed with a laugh of his brother-in-law.
After taking the lead on lap five, Pauch Jr. held on after multiple restarts during the midpoint of the race to take the victory.
“All those restarts, I almost messed up going into turn one on one of them,” he explained. “Once I came off turn two and had the lead, I knew we were in good shape.”
Pauch Jr. fired off second with Georgetown, Del.’s Carson Wright occupying the pole position, fresh off his first Modified win at Delaware International Speedway the last time they were in action.
Wright led at the drop of the green flag with Pauch Jr. filing in line in the runner-up spot.
Pipersville, Pa.’s Danny Bouc was the man on the move early, coming from the eighth starting spot and moving into fourth in the early laps.
Up front, Pauch Jr. continued to stalk Wright for the top spot. Pauch Jr. seized his opportunity off the fourth turn as the field completed lap five.
Milford, Del.’s Joseph Watson, meanwhile, was sandwiched between the pair of battles going on.
Behind him, Bouc was under fire, losing fourth to Matt Stangle and fifth to Ryan Krachun on lap 12.
Lap 12 also saw the race’s first yellow come out as Federalsburg, Md.’s Austin Hubbard slowed off the second turn.
Another yellow flag two laps later, this time for a slowing Justin Grosso off turn two.
Branchburg, N.J.’s Ryan Krachun became the driver to watch in the final 11-lap stretch. Krachun climbed from fifth to third on the lap-14 restart after starting the race from seventh.
From there, Krachun applied pressure to Wright for the runner-up spot, while Pauch Jr. was driving away with the victory.
Pauch Jr. took home the $3,500 victory in the ‘Summer Thunder’ event.
Krachun took the runner-up spot on the final lap and Wright followed up his Delaware win with a podium run at Georgetown.
Milford, Del.’s H.J. Bunting grabbed a hard-fought fourth-place finish after starting 11th and Joseph Watson rounded out the top five.
Finishing sixth through 10th, respectively, were Danny Bouc aboard the Craig and Leslie Pondish owned BDR Speed No. 6; Milford, Del.’s Jordan Watson in his family-owned No. 1J; Neshanic Station, N.J.’s Matt Stangle, who faded to the eighth position; Oley, Pa.’s Louden Reimert in the Don Grebe owned No. 33 machine; and Ringoes, N.J.’s Ryan Godown.
York, Pa.’s Rick Eckert won the Stockley Speed & Supply Super Late Model victory, also worth $3,500.
The man affectionately known as ‘Scrub’ took the lead on a lap-13 restart when the seas parted for him and led the rest of the way for the win.
“That was really a gift to get the lead there,” Eckert explained. “I witnessed it (what happened on the front row) and turned under it.”
The gift came in two parts for the lead for Eckert.
First, Millsboro, Del.’s Donald Lingo Jr. – who had set sail and appeared well on his way to the win – tangled with a lap car on lap 13, sending him around and effectively ending his chance at victory.
The ensuing restart, with Dover, Pa.’s Coleby Frye and Stephens City, Va.’s Kyle Hardy on the front row, Frye washed up the racetrack, taking him and Hardy both up the racetrack.
The bottom groove opened, and Eckert drove underneath the pair of the lead.
“The leader chose the bottom and evidently didn’t want the bottom,” Eckert said of the front row entanglement.
From there, Eckert led the rest of the way to take home his own $3,500 paycheck.
Georgetown, Del.’s Ross Robinson charged from the 11th starting spot to claim the runner-up spot and Kyle Hardy rounded out the podium finishers. Frye held on for fourth and Seaford, Del.’s Trevor Collins rounded out the top five.
In Blue Hen Dispose-All Crate 602 Sportsman action, Upper Makefield, Pa.’s Joe Toth won a thrilling feature over Frankford, Del.’s Scott Hitchens.
After Hitchens led much of the race, Toth raced from fourth to second on a late race restart and began applying pressure to Hitchens for the lead.
Hitchens held off all of Toth’s challenges until the final lap, when Toth threw a slide job at Hitchens and the pair came off the fourth turn side-by-side at the line.
Toth crossed the start-finish line just .024 seconds ahead of Hitchens for the victory, his second of the season at Georgetown.
Hitchens was second and Harrington, Del.’s Brandon Watkins rounded out the podium finishers. Chalfont, Pa.’s Greg Humlhanz and Carneys Point, N.J.’s Eric Kormann were the top five.
Georgetown, Del.’s Matt Hill put on a dominant performance in the First State Chevrolet RUSH Late Model Feature. Hill led from green-to-checkered in the non-stop 20-lap affair.
Trevor Collins, Matt Glanden, Derek Magee, and Matt Adams were the top five.
Delmar, Del.’s David Smith went from third to first to get the Southern Delaware Vintage Stock Car Club Modified victory while Cale Pettyjohn made a last lap pass of Nathan Austin for the Sportsman win.
David Smith was victorious once again with the Delaware Super Trucks, leading all 12 laps for the victory. Jerry Hill and T.J. Williams were the top three.
Jay Lowman put up an impressive performance from the seventh starting spot. Lowman was second by the end of the first circuit and took the lead by the end of lap two and led the rest of the way.
Next up for Georgetown Speedway is the inaugural event for Reigel Promotions, as the ‘Tidal Wave’ takes place at the Sussex County half-mile oval. The Blue Hen Dispose-All Crate 602 Sportsman headline the affair with a 30-lap, $3,000-to-win affair. The Mid-Atlantic Sprint Series 305 Sprint Cars also tag along for their first event of the season at Georgetown Speedway.
The Southern Delaware Vintage Stock Cars, Little Lincolns, Delaware Super Trucks and Delmarva Chargers join the program as well.
Grandstand admission is just $10.
All Georgetown Speedway events will again be streamed live on FloRacing (www.floracing.tv) produced by the Dirt Track Digest TV production team.
Georgetown Speedway, originally constructed by Melvin L. Joseph in 1949, is located at the intersection of Route 113 and Speedway Road in Georgetown, Del., just miles from the Delaware beaches and less than a 40-minute drive from Ocean City, Md.
A website is live for the speedway at www.thegeorgetownspeedway.com. Like Georgetown Speedway on Facebook, follow @thegtownspdwy on Twitter, e-mail georgetownspeedway@gmail.com or contact the speedway hotline at 302.563.GTWN (4896).
‘SULLIVAN’S LANDSCAPING & MAINTENANCE SUMMER THUNDER TWIN 25s’ RESULTS SUMMARY – GEORGETOWN SPEEDWAY THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 2023
Millman’s NAPA Auto Parts Modified Feature Finish (25 laps): BILLY PAUCH JR., Ryan Krachun, Carson Wright, HJ Bunting, Joseph Watson, Danny Bouc, Jordan Watson, Matt Stangle, Louden Reimert, Ryan Godown, Cale Ross, Alex Yankowski, Danny Hieber, John Willman, Tom Solderich, Tim Millman, Justin Grosso, Rick Laubach, Austin Hubbard, Billy Osman, Sean Metz.
Did Not Start: Ryan Riddle, Tracy Gauger, Norman Short Jr.
Ad-Art Sign Company Top Spec Small-Block Bonus ($250): John Willman
Stockley Speed & Supply Super Late Model Feature Finish (25 laps): RICK ECKERT, Ross Robinson, Kyle Hardy, Coleby Frye, Trevor Collins, Cory Lawler, Danny Snyder, Amanda Robinson, Donald Lingo Jr., Nick Davis, Robert Paczowski, Bryan Bernheisel.
Did Not Start: Mark Pettyjohn, Rob Schirmer
Blue Hen Dispose-All Crate 602 Sportsman Feature Finish (20 laps): JOE TOTH, Scott Hitchens, Brandon Watkins, Greg Humlhanz, Eric Kormann, Ryan Simmons, Thomas Sherby, Adam White, James Hill, Jacob King, Jordn Justice, Michael White, Jax Yohn, Luke Bunting, Matt Smith, Jarod Millman, Chris Martinez, Jeff Marker, Richie Walls Jr., Brian Rogers, John Stevenson, Zac Weller, Ryan McKinney, Jason Musser, Greg Reed.
Did Not Start: Robert Dutton, Devin Dodson
First State Chevrolet RUSH Late Model Feature Finish (20 laps): MATT HILL, Trevor Collins, Matt Glanden, Derek Magee, Matt Adams, Nick Davis, Jerry Barker, Mike Walls, Mason Booze.
Did Not Start: Ben Scott
Southern Delaware Vintage Modified Feature Finish (12 laps): DAVID SMITH, Jamie Eichholz, Allan Austin, Terry Chaney, Ed Collins, Dave Schamp.
Southern Delaware Vintage Sportsman Feature Finish (12 laps): CALE PETTYJOHN, Nathan Austin, Garrit Reagan, Michael Patchett, Glenn Lyon, Matt Martin, John Gladman, Mike Harman, Jr., Donald Porter, Luke Dill, Roscoe Clough, Jason Cahall, Maddy Jefferson, Hunter Bensel, Jamie Schirmer.
Delaware Super Truck Feature Finish (12 laps): DAVID SMITH, Jerry Hill, TJ Williams, J.R. Bergman, Tony Guinta, Steve Portillo, Dale Elliott, Scott Trice, Michelle Jackson, Thomas Jackson, Trent Marine, Tim Williams, Bruce Cornelius, L.J. Walbert.
Did Not Start: Mackenzie Williams, Troy Hopkins, Rick Short
Delmarva Charger Feature Finish (12 laps): JAY LOWMAN, Ron Falkner, Josh Dahling, Craig Kelly, Robbie Strain, Randy Merritt, Ashley Merritt, Billy Cummings, Garren Morris, Dennis Nelson, Tyler Hottle, Wyatt Cummings, Randy Gallaway.
