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The annual Speedway Entertainment banquet officially closed the 2019 season on January 11, 2020 at Bear Creek Mountain Resort in Macungie, Pa.
BILLY PAUCH JR & MIKE HEFFNER HONORED AS SPEEDSTR CHAMPIONS
Billy Pauch Jr. claimed his second Speedstr championship by continuing his success in the Mike Heffner owned car at the Action Track USA. Behind three victories in 2019, Pauch Jr. used a season of strong runs to clinch the honors on Saturday night. Pauch Jr. credited his crew for their hard work in a season in which the team never finished out of the top ten.
Tim Buckwalter and Tj Mayberry were also honored as top three finishers along with Pauch Jr. Alex Yankowski and Trevor Kobylarz rounded out the top five in the point standings.
DYLAN HOCH WORLD CHAMPION
Dylan Hoch regained the title as World Champion after his campaign in 2019. Hoch, now a three-time World Champion, used a consistent weekend at the World Championship Weekend at Linda’s Speedway in November along with the points totaled during his championship run at the Action Track USA to walk into 2020 as the driver to beat.
Teammates Scott Neary and Jared Silfee rounded out the podium finishers in the World Championship standings. Brett Bieber and Dave Carraghan were the top five finishers.
The rest of the “Elite 11” were Justin Thompson, Kyle Herve, Shelby McLaughlin, Bryan Preville, Tyler Hoch, and James Benz.
HERVE, STREHLOW, ULSH REGIONAL SERIES WINNERS
Kyle Herve used two wins and six top three finishes to lock up the 2019 NorthEast touring series championship.
Lillie Strehlow made a trip from Florida to represent the Sunshine Series that competes in the Florida/Alabama region of the country. Strehlow’s consistency in 2019 paid off on her quest to the championship.
Tyler Ulsh celebrated many accomplishments at the 2019 banquet including winning the Junior Slingshot NorthEast Series championship. Ulsh rode the success of three victories and never finishing outside of the top three in any event he competed in during the year in the series.
TYLER ULSH JUNIOR SLINGSHOT WORLD CHAMPION
Slingshot creator and Speedway Entertainment president Rich Tobias commended Tyler Ulsh on his poise in a tough situation on the weekend of the World Champinship. Ulsh was in the point lead going into the final event of the year for the Junior Slingshots when he was involved in a late race tangle that sent him to the rear of the field. Ulsh recovered and raced his way back to the front to claim the title. Ulsh is the World Champion, NorthEast Series Champion, and Shellhammer Dirt Track Champion.
SPEEDWEEK CHAMPION KYLE HERVE
“It’s a lot of fun to race that many times in a short period of time, but it’s also trying”
That was Kyle Herve’s review of his 2019 Speedweek championship. Herve’s accolades in 2019 were many, but he held the Speedweek championship close noting that it was just him and his father, Bruce, that were on the road for the journey. A journey that included Herve finishing just high enough in the final race to avoid sharing the Speedweek crown in a tie.
Action Track Champions were honored at the Banquet as well. Billy Pauch Jr. (Speedstr), Dylan Hoch (Slingshots), Kasey Hufcut (Junior Slingshots), and Kenny Miller III (600 Micro Sprints) were presented the honors. Nash Ely was awarded a Hyper Chassis from Hyper Racing in the perfect attendance drawing.
At the conclusion of the banquet Rich Tobias addressed the crowd crediting the champions for their hard work and dedication.
Tobias told the crowd that in 2020 the Speedstr Car Owner point fund will grow to $10,000 bring the grand total of award money handed out at the banquet well over $30,000.
Slingshot teams were told that Bridgeport Speedway will offer a matinée program for Slingshots before the racing on a Saturday night.
The 2020 Northeast tour series will open April 22 at Shellhammer Dirt Track with the full schedule to be released soon.
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For information regarding the Slingshots and Speedstr you can call Speedway Entertainment at 717-866-7450.