SELINSGROVE, Pa. — Rick Laubach overcame a second-lap flat tire, which put him at the tail of the field, to win Saturday night’s 50-lap opener of the 2008 Dart Race of Champions dirt-modified series at Selinsgrove Speedway.
The victory was worth $6,900 to the Quakertown, Pa., driver, who started eighth.
Pat Ward finished second after making his own early tire change. Jeff Rudalavage was third, while David Van Horn and Mike Colsten filled the top five.
Billy Pauch, who had scored a top- five finish in the last modified race at Selinsgrove back in 1982, led the first 35 laps while fighting off the challenges of Duane Howard.
Laubach was already up to fourth with Howard’s departure. He took third from Stewart Friesen on the restart and charged past Steve Paine for second on lap 19. Then he stalked Pauch, trying a couple of inside moves, until Pauch slowed on the back straight with a broken axle.
“We were tight in the dash, so I knew it would get better later in the race,” Laubach said. “It was fun racing with Billy, especially when he showed me the bottom.”
The finish:
Rick Laubach, Pat Ward, Jeff Rudalavage, David VanHorn, Mike Colsten, Billy Decker, Butch Tittle, Billy Van Pelt, Michael Storms, Steve Paine, Larry Wight, Stewart Friesen, Billy Pauch, Jimmy Davis, Jimmy Horton, Chad Brachmann, Joey Grammes, Mark Forte, Jr., Duane Howard, Jerry Higby, Doug Manmiller, Rick Hill, Willy Decker, Brian Weaver, Tommy Sheetz, Jr., Ricky Rutt, Jeff Strunk, Brett Hearn, Bruce Kline, Chad Phelps.