top of page
Rich Tobias

Silfee Shines in Ronnie Tobias Memorial; Steve Buckwalter also returns to Victory Lane

Twin 20’s are run each year on the Ronnie Tobias Memorial night for the USAC All Pro Speedstrs. The event often is a showcase for different drivers at the front of the field. 2020 again provided a thrilling race that saw former Slingshot World Champion Jared Silfee hold off former Speedstr champions Tim Buckwalter and Billy Pauch Jr. Silfee led from the drop of the green, but never held more than a couple car length advantage over the field. Briggs Danner ran second until lap 15 when Buckwalter moved to the runner up spot to begin to pressure Silfee. A restart with two to go put Buckwalter on the rear bumper of the race leader along with Pauch Jr. Silfee remained steadfast to the inside line of the speedway pacing to the checkered flag in his third Speedstr start at Action Track USA.



In victory lane Barry Angstadt asked Silfee if he knew who was behind him. “I knew,” said Silfee with a large smile. “I knew who was there, but I knew if I could just stay in my line I could do it”.


Silfee, Buckwalter, Pauch Jr., Alex Yankowski, and Mike Bednar were the top five finishers.

The invert pill drawn in victory lane by Silfee turned the pole position over to Tj Mayberry for the second of the two twin races. Mayberry led the field until last weeks winner, Mike Bednar, threw a huge slider on Mayberry into the race lead. Bednar showed the way when on lap ten he spun out of the race lead. Steve Buckwalter inherited the race lead. Buckwalter had just wrestled the lead away from Mayberry. Mayberry would nose to the top spot before Buckwalter took it back for good. Buckwalter too had to survive a late race restart with Billy Pauch Jr. in his tire tracks.


“I know what line Billy likes to run, so I ran my line accordingly,” said Buckwalter in victory lane. Buckwalter added that he thinks they can still get better in the coming weeks using what he learned in the features on Thursday night.


Buckwalter, Pauch Jr., Tim Buckwalter, Alex Yankowski, and TJ Mayberry rounded out the top five finishers.


Steve Buckwalter, Billy Pauch Jr., and Tyler Brehm won Speedstr heat races. Gary Wagner took the night’s B Main.

90 views0 comments

Comments


bottom of page