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(Photo courtesy Steve LaMothe www.stevesracingphotos.com)

Tyler Walker Wins Fall Nationals Prelim; Finishes 4^th in Finale

By Gary Costa

Chico, CA (October 1-3, 2009) – Newly crowned "King of California" champion, Tyler Walker and the SC Motorsports team competed in the Fall Nationals at Silver Dollar Speedway. The event would mark only their third 360 event of the year, and it would turn out to be a stellar one as Walker won Friday night's preliminary event and then charged from the back of the pack to finish fourth after being forced to change a tire during the 40-lap feature event.

Friday, Walker would charge around the ¼-mile clay oval in Scott & Kathy Chastain's SC Motorsports, NMI Industrial Contractors No. 24, timing in with an 11.884 lap, which would be good enough for fourth quick out of the 37 cars that took time. Walker would then turn in a brilliant charge in his heat race by winning the event from his sixth starting spot. Momentum would continue in the dash with Walker pounding the surface in the Lee Lindgren wrenched machine chasing Scott Russell to the checkered flag.

"Lee and the guys really had the car working good. The car was just getting better and better," Walker said. "I knew that we had a good car for the main event – no doubt about it!"

Walker started fourth in the feature and when the green lights flashed on around the speedway, he was immediately moving forward and seeking the top-spot by moving around Mike Monahan and Russell in the early laps of the event. Walker and Jonathan Allard would lock themselves into a duel trading positions back and forth. Walker would eventually wrestle the lead from Allard for good and headed to his 11^th victory of the season.

"I love racing with Jonathan. I know that he's going to race me hard, but clean," he said. "I was having a blast out there. I want to thank Scott, Kathy, and my whole team. Without them, I wouldn't be here."

Walker would go into Saturday's race as the high-point man with 544 points accumulated from his strong Friday performance. Sean Becker would join Walker on the front row for the 40-lap feature finale. When the green came out, Walker rocketed into the lead and immediately showed that he was going to be the car to beat even with tricky track conditions coming into play. The red flag would fly on lap-23 to assess tire wear and fuel. It was then that the team noticed that the right rear tire was in bad shape and elected to change it, relinquishing the lead to Becker.

Walker would restart the race in the 12^th position. Never one to give up, Walker would pounce, moving forward as quickly as he could. With laps running out, Walker began to let it hang out, getting all that he could from the new rubber. He would eventually finish his 2009 Fall Nationals in the fourth position.

"I'm frustrated, but that's racing. We obviously had a good car, but it just wasn't meant to be," a dejected Walker said. "We can still walk out of here with our heads held high – the team worked hard and I think that they're the best in the business. We'll just go onto the next one."

The SC Motorsports team and Tyler Walker ask that you please keep Travis Rutz and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Be sure to catch the feature article on Tyler Walker and the SC Motorsports team in the current issue of FlatOut Magazine.

SC Motorsports appreciates support from: A Better Valley Crane, DREM Web Designs. Stainless Distributors, NIEMANN'S Auto Touch, Inc., VMAC Racing, YAK Graphics, Impact racing, Racing Optics, BR Motorsports, Snap On, Izzie's Body Shop, TriCo Welding Supplies, Weld Racing, TP Wings, ButlerBuilt, JEI and Shark Racing Engines.

Take a peek at our website www.tylerwalker24.com