ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Billy Pauch Jr. will make his first start in the Indoor Auto Racing Series Fueled By VP for the first time in a few years at the Allentown Ironton Global sponsored Indoor Race at the PPL Center on Jan. 7-8.
Pauch will be driving Jason Simmons’ No. 98 TQ midget usually driven by Tyler Thompson.
“I originally had plans to drive for someone else, and with everything going on in preparation for the Short Track Super Series Elite Tour, I just didn’t think I had the time to do it right,” Pauch said.
“I’m a lot more comfortable to go do it now. Jason called me on Tuesday and asked me if I wanted to drive and I said yes. I can’t wait to get behind the wheel for the first time on Friday night.”
Pauch has a career best finish of sixth in the TQ midget, which came during the 2012 Gambler’s Classic on the concrete floor of Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall.
“I’ve never really raced indoors with a proven car,” Pauch said. “I was always beating my head against the ground and I swore I’d never go back unless it was a good car and Jason’s equipment is top notch.”
Pauch is coming off of a career season this past year of 16 victories driving a dirt modified, SpeedSTR and micro sprint. He will now take on a field of 45 in hopes of winning his first TQ midget feature next weekend.
The 34-year-old third-generation driver is no stranger to racing indoors. He has competed on both the dirt and the concrete on the Indoor Auto Racing Championship and at the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in Tulsa, Okla.
In fact, he had to turn down a high-profile Chili Bowl ride due to the amount of traveling has planned early in the year in Rick Holsten’s No. 96 dirt modified.
Pauch has a pair of runner-up finishes in the East Coast Indoor Dirt Nationals in Trenton, N.J. which will hopefully return in 2023.
Missy Bootes of Carlisle, Pa. joins Pauch as a teammate in the Simmons-owned No. 97.
TQ Midget entries include Max McLaughlin, who will be making his Indoor Series debut in a TQ owned by Caprara Motorsports. Indoor kart winner Doug Stearly will also be making his TQ debut in a car owned by Ken Sebring.
The biggest Indoor Auto Racing Series PPL Center TQ midget race winner Ryan Flores has entered and team cars entered by Trey Hoddick will be driven by Mike Christopher and past Indoor feature Scott Kreutter.
Doors are set to open at 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan 7, with racing at 7:30 p.m.
On Saturday, Jan. 8, doors open and a fan fest begins at 5 p.m., with racing starting at 7 p.m. sharp. The on-track fan fest is available at no extra charge to ticket holders who chose the option when making their purchase.
For tickets, visit www.pplcenter.com. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the arena box office both days of the event.