Forum: Northern California Sprint Car (go)
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Photo by http://www.stevesracingphotos.com

Tyler Walker breaks single-season GSC win record to lock up first King of California title at Placerville Speedway

By Gary Thomas

Placerville, CA – August 22, 2009… Putting an emphatic conclusion to the 2009 Golden State Challenge 410 Sprint Car Series season Los Angeles, CA's Tyler Walker charged to his ninth victory of the year and wrapped up his first career King of California championship on Saturday night at the Placerville Speedway.

The victory for Walker set a new all-time single-season win record with the Golden State Challenge Series and came in exciting fashion aboard his SC Motorsports, NMI Industrial Contractors No. 24 sprint car. "I just can't thank my car owners Scott & Kathy Chastain and my whole team enough and this is the most awesome feeling in the world to win this title," Walker said after leaping from the car and giving a number of hugs and high-fives in a joyous celebration. "We have a lot of people here watching us tonight so to be able to win our ninth feature of the season in front of all of them is pretty amazing."

The final 30 lap main event of the Golden State Challenge King of California Sprint Car Series season started out with fast-timer and dash winner Kyle Hirst of Loomis charging out into the front. Hirst has been one of the hottest drivers over the past month in California and looked strong out front during the early stages aboard the GP Development No. 6. Two-time King of California Jonathan Allard also began to show his muscle early on as he rode the high-scary side of the high-banked bullring to charge around Walker and claim second on lap six.

Allard remained committed to the high line and put intense pressure on Hirst as the pair put on a great fight for the top spot, until disaster struck for Hirst on lap 12 when a spun lapped car left him with nowhere to go in turn two, which resulted in Hirst hitting him and getting upside down to put a disappointing end to the night. Following the red flag another big log jam occurred in turn one on the restart when third running Andy Forsberg of Auburn spun the car completely around and collected Placerville's Andy Gregg, Australia's Robbie Farr and San Martin's Wes Gutierrez. Of the four Farr was the only driver able to continue on.

With a number of drivers being eliminated as the laps went on it set up a classic showdown between Allard and Walker, two of California's finest sprint car drivers and the pair certainly didn't disappoint the packed crowd on hand. With traffic coming into play the two competitors ran nose-to-tail for much of the remaining half of the main event and put on a show for the fans, as has been the story for much of the season.

Walker tried everything he had as Allard ran nearly mistake free being able to put his car anywhere on the speedway, but with just three laps remaining the Chico driver appeared to get into the corner a bit tight and it's all Walker needed to take advantage. "T-dub" shot to the bottom off the exit of turn two and sliced into the lead that he would never relinquish as he drove off to cross under the checkered flag for his record ninth GSC win of the season. "We've been fast every night and getting this many wins in a season is a great feeling," said Walker. "I'm just happy to be back in sprint car racing because I'm having so much fun out here racing with these guys. I have to give huge thanks to all our sponsors and everyone who supports this team."

Allard finished the main event in second to mark his sixth runner-up result to Walker this season and also solidified the second spot in the Golden State Challenge Series standings. Allard also ends the season having finished among the top-10 in every single race and also lead the series with 17 top-fives in 21 starts. "I have to congratulate Tyler and his guys because this was a great championship battle right down to the end," said the driver of the Williams Motorsports, K&N Filters No. 0. "I want to thank Morrie & Katie Williams and my whole team for giving me great stuff all year. We came up a bit short of the title, but we gave it a great shot and had a lot of fun running with all these guys this year with Golden State."

Ending the main event in the third position was the Al's Roofing Supply, High Five Pizza No. 69 of Brent Kaeding. "We had a good time this year just having fun rather than focusing on points and I gotta congratulate Tyler and Jonathan on a great season," said Kaeding, who also ends the year third in the GSC point race with four main event wins on the season. "I think it definitely shows who the top three cars were this year with all of us here on the front stretch and we'll just go on from here and look forward to running next season as much as possible with the series."

Elk Grove's Greg Decaires brought home his best finish of the GSC season by scoring fourth in the feature aboard the Remund's Racing No. 39 sprinter and Grass Valley's Jason Statler rounded out of the top five by charging his DF Rios Construction No. 00 from the 14^th starting position. Rounding out the top 10 were Farr, Scotts Valley's Evan Suggs, Chico's Brad Bumgarner, Australian Trevor Green and Merced's Mark Barroso.

Shingle Springs Justin Johnson was the winner of the evening's 12 lap b-main event. Hirst was the winner of the dash. The three 10 lap heats were picked off by Keith Bloom Jr, Decaires and Kyle Larson. Hirst's lap of 10.015 was good enough to give him his second fast time of the GSC season.

Full results are available at http://www.goldenstatechallengeseries.com

www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com

Great photo of the champion, great read and congratulations to TW and team.

"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza"  -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS

Tyler Walker and team in victory lane after winning their 9th main event of the Golden State Challenge Series season and securing their first King of California title. Photo by http://www.graphxdesigns.com

www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com

Congratulations Tyler, the crew, and Scott & Cathy Chastain for an awesome year!


1996: Tyler Walker (17yrs old) & Kyle Larson (4 yrs old)

Really sucks what happened to the 6 car. If that purple car stayed up on top of the turn instead of rolling down he would have been fine. If the 6 didn't get collected in that accident I'm not sure the rest of the field had a chance. That car was FAST.

Wow that pictures is pretty neat about how far apart in age they are and then to be racing together years later! I think Tyler and I were born the same year, 1979?

Looking forward to the new Golden State King of the 
West series schedule! 

Winged sprintcars = the fastest and most exciting 
racecars on dirt!