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By Gary Lileck
Forestville, PA – May 25, 2007 – Doug Manmiller powered his self-owned #00 Teo Chassis 358 Modified to the winner’s circle on Friday evening at Big Diamond Raceway. Manmiller’s victory lane celebration was held at the end of the evening as the apparent winner Ray Swinehart was subsequently disqualified (carburetor) in post race inspection.
Manmiller, who races out of Shoemakersville PA, started eleventh and powerfully made his way through the field. Manmiller had charged into the runner-up spot, and was slightly gaining on the leader Swinehart (who led from wire-to-wire) through lapped traffic. It was Manmiller’s first victory of the season.
Another good crowd turned out for a beautiful evening of dirt track racing. Yuengling Brewery and Jones & Co. presented a three division show. Craig Whitmoyer of Hamburg became the first repeat main event winner in the Sportsman 20-lap feature, while Geremey Sheaffer (Ickeysburg) won a non-stop Glick Fire Equipment Co. Central PA Legends 20-lap main event.
The headlining 358 Modified feature was a fast paced affair. Swinehart started third and grabbed the lead on the event’s opening circuit. The Bechtelsville PA based racer had built a full straightaway lead by lap six, and a half speedway advantage at the lap eleven juncture. Manmiller blasted into the top five on the fifth circuit and grabbed the runner-up spot with ten laps showing on the scoreboard.
The race’s first and only yellow flag took place with eleven laps complete. Troy Wink’s car sat sideways in the fourth corner. The event’s final fourteen laps would go without a caution.
Swinehart chose the outside lane for his starting position and wasted no time in continuing to lead. Manmiller raced second with twelfth place starter Rick Laubach in third. Craig Von Dohren was racing on the high side and maneuvered into fourth on the restart. Local racer Doug Hendricks raced in the fifth position.
During the closing moments, Swinehart began to catch lapped traffic, and Manmiller tried to reel in the leader. Swinehart remained in control and powered to the apparent victory. After post race tech, however, Manmiller became the race winner.
“It’s a little after the fact” mentioned Manmiller about his triumph, “but I’ll take it”. Manmiller turned his season around, which carried some struggling and tough luck along the way. “We had some trouble at the beginning of the season and the guys on the crew really worked hard to get us here.”
“I was hoping that the lapped cars would slow (Swinehart) up enough, Ray was really fast”, noted Manmiller. “I’m just glad nothing happened to me in the middle of the lapped traffic”. Manmiller also extended thanks to fellow 358 Modified competitor Rick Laubach and Sportsman driver Tom Brennan for their help during the season.
Von Dohren (Oley) moved up a position on lap fourteen. The speedway’s all-time feature win leader settled for a runner-up result. Von Dohren, driving Mike Harvey’s #1c, won the event’s Shiley Fabrication Fast Time award with a 17.350. Laubach (Quakertown) throttled Dick Biever’s #14 to a third place effort. Hendicks (Orwigsburg), in the PPB #8, ended up fourth and points leader Jeff Strunk (Mohnton) made another charge through the pack from fifteenth to fifth.
Duane Howard (Oley) returned after a week off and advanced from thirteenth to sixth. Keith Hoffman (Whitehall) started fourteenth and crossed the line in seventh. The remainder of the top ten consisted of Jimmy Reppert (Hamburg), Meme DeSantis (Temple), and Ryan Watt (Boyertown).
The Modified main was completed in a quick time of nine minutes and 54 seconds. The checker fell at approximately 9:40PM.
Qualifying heat winners for the 33 cars in attendance were: Laubach, Swinehart, and Ryan Grim. Jason Hamilton won the B-main.
Second generation sophomore racer Patrick Cozze led the opening five laps on the Sportsman feature. On a lap six restart, accomplished veteran racer Luke Wagner powered into the number one spot. Whitmoyer had started from fourteenth. On lap nine, the former track champion advanced into second behind race leader Wagner. Cozze’s fine run ended under caution of lap nine when his machine lost power.
Wagner and Whitmoyer staged a fine battle for the lead. Whitmoyer glanced to the inside for several laps, while attempting a passing bid. The duo raced side-by-side down the backstretch of lap fifteen, and Whitmoyer gained possession of the lead as they raced into the third corner. Despite a caution restart with two laps remaining, Whitmoyer continued to lead and held on for the victory, his second of the season.
Noted Whitmoyer in victory lane, “This track was beautiful tonight. I have to thank the promoters Buddy (Biever), Barry (Bashore), and Dave (Dissinger). They did an excellent job. This was an excellent surface and speedway tonight”. Whitmoyer is the track’s all-time winner in Sportsman and stretch his tally to eighteen wins. He also set the Shiley Fabrication fast time of the race, 18.262.
Wagner (Grantville) has been racing a limited schedule this season and grabbed a 2007 best of second. Ebby Ridge (Milford NJ) earned a season high of third. Billy Moyer Jr. (Pine Grove) ran within the top six through most of the race and ended up fourth. Points leader Josh Biever (Orwigsburg) finished fifth ahead of Jordan Umbenhauer (Richland), Kevin Beach (Llewellyn), Richard Stankiewicz (Reading), Leroy Long (Womelsdorf), and Mike Taylor (Milford NJ).
Heat winners in the 35 car field were: Wagner, Moyer, P. Cozze, and Louie Mitchalk. Taylor won the B-main.
Geremey Sheaffer started inside pole in the 24-car Central PA Legends feature. Former tour champion Butch Brough began from fourth and gained second on the opening lap. The event contained not a single caution. Lapped traffic became a role, especially during the final moments.
Sheaffer raced through the traffic with Brough in pursuit. Ronnie Dunstan, who has been involved in motorsports for over 40 years, started twelfth and occupied third on lap sixteen. With less than a pair of circuits remaining, the top three of Sheaffer, Brough, and Dunstan raced closely. Dunstan darted to the inside and passed Brough on lap 19. He pulled to the rear deck of Sheaffer as they crossed the start-finish line to grab the checkered flag.
Sheaffer held on for his second overall win of the season followed by Dunstan (Coplay) and Brough (Newville). Accomplished racing veteran Tim Henry (Orefield) finished fourth ahead of Stephen Nederostek (Walnutport). Rounding out the top ten were: former Micro Sprint racer Rodney Kistler (Kempton), Brian Levan (Leesport), Jason Rochelle (Hackettstown NJ), Mark Schaeffer (Emmaus), and Scott Houdeschell (Marysville).
A four division card is on tap for Friday June 1. Halabura Farms/Emerich Trucking presents 358 Modifieds, Sportsman, Roadrunners, and Xcel 600 Modifieds. Gates open at 5:00PM with warm-ups at 7:00PM and hot laps at 7:30PM.
Thursday Night Thunder takes place on June 7. A double header of wingless open wheel racing will take center stage. The USAC Sprints and ARDC Midgets share the bill. Time trials are set for 6:30PM with racing at 7:30PM.
FRIDAY MAY 25, 2007 – COMPLETE RESULTS
358 MODIFIEDS
Feature (25-laps): 1) #00-Doug Manmiller, 2) #1c-Craig Von Dohren, 3) #14-Rick Laubach, 4) #8-Doug Hendricks, 5) #126-Jeff Strunk, 6) #4-Duane Howard, 7) #1-Keith Hoffman, 8) #97-Jimmy Reppert, 9) #11-Meme DeSantis, 10) #6-Ryan Watt, 11) #91-John Willman, 12) #47-Gary Wagner Jr., 13) #16-Jason Hamilton, 14) #22-Steve Swinehart, 15) #15-Dale Hartz, 16) #102-Shawn Fitzpatrick, 17) #17-Ryan Grim, 18) #S1-Bobby Gunther-Walsh, 19) #318-Jeff Sechrist, 20) #42-Corey Sechrist (alt.), 21) #27-Troy Wink, 22) #118-Sean Merkel, 23) #221-Ryan Beltz. DNS: #81-Terry Meitzler. DQ: #33-Ray Swinehart.
Did not qualify: Kenny Eckert Jr., Carroll Hine III, Jamie Schwartz, Kurt Spotts, Danny Nicholas, Scott Frack, Mark Kratz, Mike Nicholas.
Current unofficial points: 1) Jeff Strunk-810, 2) Meme DeSantis-610, 3) Doug Manmiller-590, 4) Rick Laubach-580, 5) Duane Howard-510, 6) Terry Meitzler-510, 7) Doug Hendricks-470, 8) John Willman-435, 9) Danny Erb-430, 10) Gary Wagner Jr.-410.
SPORTSMAN
Feature (20-laps): 1) #99-Craig Whitmoyer, 2) #3-Luke Wagner, 3) #35-Ebby Ridge, 4) #17-Billy Moyer Jr., 5) #46-Josh Biever, 6) #19-Jordan Umbenhauer, 7) #6JR-Kevin Beach, 8) #2-Richard Stankiewicz, 9) #84-Leroy Long, 10) #2T-Mike Taylor, 11) #07-Mark Forte Jr., 12) #14x-Mike Mammana, 13) #8-Rob Gibson, 14) #64-Andy Miller, 15) #19B-Brad Brightbill, 16) #0-Kevin Brady, 17) #43-Joe Masiado, 18) #917-Jarrad Miller, 19) #26-Tom Brennan, 20) #04-Steven Hughes, 21) #14-Louie Mitchalk, 22) #61-Patrick Cozze, 23) #44-Frank Cozze Jr., 24) #75-James Morris, 25) #72-Ray Woodall Jr., 26) #8-Rich Scagliotta.
Did not qualify: Earl Paules, Kyle Somers, Heath Metzger, Shane Moser, Jim Somers Jr., Mike Bent, Chris James Jr., Willard Knecht, Harry Landis.
Current unofficial points: 1) Josh Biever-660, 2) Craig Whitmoyer-655, 3) Jordan Umbenahuer-605, 4) Tom Brennan-580, 5) Kevin Beach-560, 6) Leroy Long-535, 7) Rob Gibson-495, 8) Brad Brightbill-455, 9) Andy Miller-425, 10) Billy Moyer Jr.-415.
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