Tyler Walker (racing Driver) - Return To Stock Cars and Sprints (2005-2010)

Return To Stock Cars and Sprints (2005-2010)

In 2005, Walker signed a contract to drive the #38 Great Clips entry for Akins, again splitting time with longtime friend and former boss Kasey Kahne. Teamed with crew chief Jon Wolfe, Walker would compete in a total of fifteen races for the operation along with competing part-time for Rookie of the Year honors in the NASCAR Busch Series. He made an additional start for the Jay Robinson Racing team, driving the #28 Deka Batteries Ford Taurus at Dover International Speedway (formerly known as "Dover Downs International Speedway") and finishing 43rd, last in the field after crashing on lap #27 on the front straightaway. With Akins Motorsports, Walker's best finish came at the Carquest Auto Parts 300 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. He qualified tenth and finished fourteenth. He also had identical runs at Kentucky Speedway and New Hampshire International Speedway, where he started ninth and finished nineteenth and completed a minimum of 199 laps in both races. Ultimately, Walker's tenure at the Akins team would be cut short after the Zippo 200 at the famed Watkins Glen International road course in the Finger Lakes region of New York State (not the city). During the race, he became entangled with NASCAR Busch East Series champion Matt Kobyluck and crashed in Turn 4. After this incident, Walker was laid off and relieved of his driving duties with the team. Because Kahne could still not run every race, Walker's replacements would be Mike Wallace and later A. J. Foyt IV, grandson of A. J. Foyt a former four-time Indianapolis 500 winner, who would briefly take on the #38 team full-time in 2006 before being released. Walker spent the reaminder of 2005 competing part-time in the USAC Silver Crown Series, driving Kahne's #19 entry. His favorite race was the Ted Horn 100 at DuQuoin State Fairgrounds, where he won the pole (starting first) and finished in the third position.

Walker's 2006 racing season began in stock cars once again. This time, he attempted another ARCA Stock Car race at Nashville Superspeedway, driving for Vision Racing (not to be confuse with Vision Racing, a separate entity that competes in the Indy Racing League). Unfortunately for Walker, his #37 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo was not fast enough to break into the starting field, and the team was issued a DNQ for the event. Walker spent the remainder of 2006 returning to the World of Outlaws Sprint Car series, driving the #5 Forbrook Motorsports entry. His best finish in the regular series was a third that occurred at Huset's Speedway in Brandon South Dakota. In five All-Star Series events, he had two second-place finishes, both coming at Red River Valley Speedway, where he also had a pole position. In addition to these events, Walker competed in a National Sprint Tour event at the Missouri State Fairgrounds, where he started twelfth and finished seventeenth. He also attempted a 410 Sprint Car competition at the Knoxville Nationals, where he failed to qualify.

In 2007, Walker returned once again to NASCAR competition. This time, he re-joined the Craftsman Truck Series and was slated to drive the #36 360 OTC Toyota Tundra for Bill Davis Racing full-time. His truck was painted in a matter similar to Winston Cup teammate Jeremy Mayfield, who also carried 360 OTC sponsorship. Incidentally 360 OTC was a prior title sponsor of the World of Outlaws where Walker had toiled for so many years. In addition, the World Wrestling Entertainment and the rock band Kiss served as associate sponsors to complement the entertainment package sponsorship. Walker had three top-six qualification efforts, including a career best 2nd-place start Kansas Speedway. His best finish came at the tricky and legendary Martinsville Speedway, where he finished in the ninth position, his only career top-ten finish in NASCAR competition. After 6 races it was announced that Ryan Mathews would drive part-time sharing the ride with him. Walker was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR on May 18, 2007 for violation of the substance abuse policy, and has not competed in NASCAR since.