Larry Wight, Billy Pauch Both Fast On First Night Of DIRTcar Nationals; Finish Off Podium

Story By: JOE GRABIANOWSKI / DIRTCAR – BARBERSVILLE, FL – Larry Wight fell just short of passing his Gypsum Racing teammate, Billy Decker, Wednesday night at Volusia.  However, he believes he had the car to beat.

“We were just a little bit too tight. We tightened the car up with the track bar expecting the track to go away. It just didn’t go away fast enough. It needed just a few minor adjustments to get it to turn a little better. I feel we definitely had the fastest car,” Wight said confidently.

Wight praised the DIRTcar Nationals track crew: “I think the track’s been pretty consistent all week. The track crew, Larry and Eric, have been doing an incredible job. They really know how to do a track, whether it’s New York or Florida.”

Third place finisher Billy The Kid Pauch, a three-time champion of the Florida Tour for the Big-Block Modifieds dating back to 1985, is as ageless as his knick-name. It’s obvious he came to the 2019 DIRTcar Nationals on a mission. Pauch battled some adversity to keep his podium position, but knows he had a shot at the win.

“I was trying the bottom, the middle, here, there, everywhere, and I just feel more comfortable up top there. I thought we had a shot at it. I got up to Decker and he was misting oil or something. I couldn’t see, or maybe it was me, I’m running a little hot [gesturing to the steam escaping from under the hood]. Maybe it was my car. I was getting mist in my face and it was hard to hit my marks. That made it tough, but we were in the hunt,” said Pauch.

Before round two Pauch’s team will work on making some changes to the good for round two. “We need to get our car freer. I kept freeing it up during the race with the rear panhard, and it got better and better. I couldn’t get the car free enough. I had to back it into the turn to get it to turn. I had to drive extra hard to get it to turn.”

You can still catch three more nights of DIRTcar Nationals action at Volusia Speedway Park featuring the Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modifieds and the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models Thursday through Sunday.

DIRTcar Nationals Feb. 13 30-lap quick results: Feature (30 laps) – 1. 91-Billy Decker [1]; 2. 99l-Larry Wight [2]; 3. 1-Billy Pauch [3]; 4. 18-Anthony Perrego [6]; 5. 42p-Pat Ward [14]; 6. 25-Erick Rudolph [5]; 7. 9s-Matt Sheppard [4]; 8. 20-Brett Hearn [23]; 9. 7-Rick Laubach [8]; 10. 88-Mat Williamson [10]; 11. 5-Ryan Godown [21]; 12. 21a-Peter Britten [9]; 13. 111-Demetrios Drellos [17]; 14. 118-Kim Britt [19]; 15. 44-Stewart Friesen [7]; 16. 27j-Danny Johnson [20]; 17. 19m-Jessey Mueller [12]; 18. 23-Kyle Coffey [26]; 19. 9t-Will Thomas [11]; 20. 2L-Jack Lehner [24]; 21. 35c-Mario Clair [25]; 22. 46-Jeremy Smith [15]; 23. 19-Tim Fuller [13]; 24. 3-Justin Haers [22}; 25. 21-Yan Bussiere [18]; DNS: 5st Tyler Siri [16]

Contingency Sponsor Bonuses:

Brett Hearn – VP Fuels – $50
Stewart Friesen – Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux Fast-Time Award – Stewart Friesen
Billy Decker – Bicknell Racing Products – $100 in product
Peter Britten – Cometic Gasket – $50
Mat Williamson – Comp Cams – $50
Billy Decker – Comp Cams – $50 in product
Erick Rudolph – Drydene Performance Products
Billy Pauch – Fox Racing Shox – $50
Pat Ward – JE Pistons – $50
Stewart Friesen – JE Pistons – Product
Jack Lehner – JE Pistons – Product
Ryan Godown – KSE Racing Products – $50 Product
Billy Decker – MSD Ignition – $50
Justin Haers – MSD Ignition – $25
Anthony Perrego – NGK Spark Plugs – $50
Jim Britt – NGK Spark Plugs – Product
Billy Decker – Wrisco Aluminum – Product
Matt Sheppard- ASI Racewear – $50
Danny Johnson – Drydene Performance Products – $50 Product
Will Thomas – Dart – $100 Product
Rich Laubach – Dart – $50
Larry Wight – Dart – $100 Product