FONDA, N.Y
By Brian Liskai

All Star Circuit of Champions- Look out…Daryn Pittman is getting very comfortable in his Lelands.com, Mike Heffner owned #27! The Owasso, Ok. native used lapped traffic to pass California’s Tyler Walker and went on to claim the O’Reilly Auto Parts All Star Circuit of Champions victory at Fonda Speedway Thursday night. It was a make-up race, as Wednesday’s event at Fonda was rained out.

The fans were treated to a classic duel from the two experienced drivers as they sliced and diced for the lead while negotiating lapped traffic. And, to make it more interesting, Pittman was chasing the car he had formerly driven with Walker now behind the wheel.

An excerpt:

Local favorite Jessica Zemken started the 30-lap All Star 410 Sprint feature on the pole position and at the drop of the green flag was the race leader with Tyler Walker second at the completion of lap one after starting third. By lap four Zemken was a straightway ahead of Walker and already in lap traffic which created havoc for Zemken allowing Walker to close in.

On lap six Walker made a great move in between turns one and two, going around the outside of both a lap car and Zemken to take the lead. The only caution of the event was out on lap nine for Tim Shaffer who spun on the backstretch while racing for the third position. Shaffer was able to continue on at the rear of the field.

Daryn Pitman started the event in the fifth position and moved past Zemken for the third spot on the restart, quickly catching the leading car of Walker by lap 12. Lap traffic saved the day for Walker this time as he was able to get through lap traffic quicker than Pittman and stretch out his advantage. By lap 22 Pittman was right back on Walker ’s rear bumper and this set up what turned out to be an unbelievable finish between these two great drivers.

FONDA, N.Y. — Daryn Pittman bettered rival Tyler Walker and local heroine Jessica Zemken to capture the previously rain-delayed O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions sprint-car feature Thursday night at Fonda Speedway.

When Zemken won her heat and the dash, then pulled the pole for the 30-lap feature, the partisan crowd expected she’d wax the filed. What they didn’t count on was the heated rivalry between recent ride-swappers Pittman and Walker.

The third-starting Walker shot around Zemken on lap six and appeared victory bound until fast timer Tim Shaffer’s spin on lap nine closed the field up and Pittman, third at the time, disposed of Zemken on the restart.

He trailed Walker until blowing by on lap 23, but the Californian went right back by. From there to the end they wrestled in constant traffic, with Pittman taking control again on lap 27, Walker besting him again as the white flag flew and Pittman retaking the lead with a breathtaking move in the final turn.

“I saw 22 on the lap board but never saw it again and didn’t even know it was over,” said Pittman. “Tyler is a great driver and really tenacious. When two guys can go at it like that in traffic and never touch a wheel, it’s great for us and the fans.”

FONDA - Thursday night Daryn Pittman and Tyler Walker gave race fans a show they will talk about for the rest of the season and beyond.

Making their first appearance at Fonda Speedway and the first run in New York state since 2000, the O'Reilly 410 All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car competitors swapped leads and moved three- and four-wide through lapped traffic over the final 20-laps of the 30-lap feature.

However, Pittman held off Walker in the final quarter mile to pick up the victory Thursday night at Fonda Speedway.

"That had to be a heck of a race to watch," Pittman said in Victory Lane. "To be able to race around here that close and through traffic and never touch a wheel is fantastic."