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…By Gary Lileck
Forestville, PA-August 3, 2007- Doug Manmiller, known to his supportive fan base as ‘the handler’, powered to his second 358 Modified feature victory of the season Friday night at Big Diamond Raceway.
Once the Shoemakersville PA native took command of the field, the race for victory was quickly over. Manmiller put together a dominant performance.
Second generation racer, Jordan Umbenhauer of Richland PA survived a wild 20-lap Sportsman main event and won his second feature of the season. It was the teen-ager’s third career BDR victory. Derek Bender of Tremont PA won the 15-lap Roadrunner feature, his first career triumph. Twin Wingless ARDC Midget features were held with wins going to Randy Monroe Jr. and Drew Heistand. The night was sponsored by Schuylkill Haven Body and Fender.
Twenty-three cars powered to the opening green flag in Friday’s Modified main event. Kenny Eckert Jr. powered into the early race lead. Eckert led the pack until mechanical problems settled in after four laps had been completed. Shawn Fitzpatrick became the new pace setter on the fifth circuit.
Fitzpatrick, driving his Billy Schinkel replica #714 for the second straight week, held John Willman in tow. Manmiller, who originally started twelfth, hauled into the third position on the eighth lap. With fifteen laps remaining the top three cars of Fitzpatrick, Willman, and Manmiller raced in tight formation. Willman’s fine run ended on lap eleven as his Saracino-91 broke and made contact with the backstretch tire wall and brought out a caution.
The ensuing restart found Manmiller drifting to the outside of Fitzpatrick. Manmiller gained command of the top spot while racing down the backstretch. After a caution period with thirteen laps on the board, Manmiller enjoyed some comfortable green flag racing. By the twenty-first lap, Manmiller held a full straightaway lead over his competition.
A minor scare would take place for Manmiller, as the event’s final caution flag was unfurled with just three circuits remaining. The field was regrouped for one last restart. Under green conditions, Manmiller wasted no time in pacing the pack.
Manmiller, driver and owner of the #00 Teo Pro Car powered by a Lombardo Racing Engine, stormed to the winner’s circle for his second triumph of 2007. It was Manmiller’s sixth career BDR main event victory.
While Manmiller captured the win, Fitzpatrick certainly had his hands full for the second spot. Fitzpatrick (Pottsville) survived for a season’s best of second. Ninth place starter Ray Swinehart (Bechtelsville) worked into third by the event’s twelfth tour, and remained there at the finish. Three-time winner Craig Von Dohren (Oley) started fourteenth and ended up fourth. Jeff Strunk (Mohnton) started twenty-second and grabbed fifth on the twenty-third lap. Strunk rounded out the front five.
Keith Hoffman (Whitehall) drove a PPB #1 showing a new look this week and finished sixth. Billy Pauch Jr. (Frenchtown NJ) drove double duty (a Modified and Midget) and ended up seventh. Rounding out the top ten were Rick Laubach (Quakertown), Ryan Watt (Boyertown), and Gary Wagner Jr. (Womelsdorf).
In the 20-lap Sportsman feature, a red flag tangle took place on the race’s opening lap. After a collision on the second try, racing would go green. Kevin Brady led the opening moments. Umbenhauer, who started twelfth, advanced into second on lap three.
Umbenhauer passed Brady for the lead at the conclusion of lap seven. Points leader Craig Whitmoyer started fourteenth and later moved into the runner-up spot on a lap eight restart. While working on lap ten, Whitmoyer actually moved to the outside of Umbenahuer for the lead, however, the caution was waved before the lap could be scored. Umbenhauer remained the leader.
Umbenhauer made no mistakes during the event’s second half and kept Whitmoyer in his rear view. With just one lap remaining, the red flag was thrown. Legend Car racer Rodney Kistler (driving the Bashore #07 BDR Rental Car) made contact with the turn three wall and rolled over. Kistler was not injured in the accident. Another crash took place on the restart involving several cars.
A one lap shootout would be the order of business. Whitmoyer looked for passing room, however, Umbenhauer denied the challenge. Umbenhauer held off Whitmoyer (Hamburg) for the hard fought victory. Second generation driver Codie Berk (Shoemakersville) finished third and former track champion Tom Brennan (Pottsville) ended up fourth. Andy Fayash Jr. (Mary-D) finished a season’s best of fifth.
The 15-lap Roadrunner main event struggled through some opening lap nightmarish moments. Four cautions and one red took place before one lap could be scored. The most serious of the incidents saw Joe Hendricks flip violently between turns three and four. The Hendricks machine leaped out over the wall, clearing it, and landing on all four tires. In an unbelievable feat, the Hendricks team was able to repair the car and Joe returned to race.
Former pavement racer, Mark Paine, led the opening four circuits. Ricky Bender took command on lap five. Sixteenth place starter Tom Hablett battled with R. Bender for several laps. After some close side-by-side racing, Hablett worked into the lead on the thirteenth lap. Racing through the second corner, contact was made and Hablett’s machine went around. As it turned out, R. Bender would be called on a rough riding charge and was placed to the rear of the finishing field.
Derek Bender was involved in an opening race tangle. He rebounded to guide his #29W Nova to a first ever win. Second year racer Kevin Olenick (Pottsville) finished second after originally starting from fifteenth. Chris Holland (Pine Grove) made a few early pit stops, however, still managed a third place finish. Andy Zvorsky (Orwigsburg) and Hablett (Schuylkill Haven) rounded out the front five.
Randy Monroe Jr. (Hampton VA) led all 20-laps of the rain rescheduled Wingless ARDC Midget main event. The race was completed quickly in a caution-free format. It was Monroe’s first ever victory at Big Diamond behind the wheel of car #27.
Former Micro Sprint racer Dave Shirk (Mohnton) finished second ahead of track regular Billy Pauch Jr. (Frenchtown NJ). Pauch made a miraculous charge through the field after starting last (twenty-first). Pauch finished third without the aid of a caution flag. AJ Ernesto (Reading) finished fourth ahead of former BDR winner Davy Ely (West Lawn).
Drew Heistand (York) passed Stephanie Stevens (Phillipsburg NJ) on lap two of the regularly scheduled feature. Heistand led the remainder of the feature and held off the strong challenges from Frank Polimeda. It was Heistand’s first career triumph in his rookie season with ARDC.
Polimeda (Ft. Lee NJ) had problems in the first feature and was unable to start. He rebounded for a runner-up result over Billy Pauch Jr., Stevens, and Carey Becker (Reading).
Sunday August 5 is race number four of the Naftzinger’s Used Auto Parts Nutty Buddy Enduro series. A 4-cylinder enduro and 6/8 cylinder enduro will be held. Racing begins at 6:00PM, and grandstand Adult General Admission is just $5. For enduro rules and important information, please visit the speedway’s official website located at www.bigdiamondraceway.com
Friday August 10 is a tribute to Chad Miller, a young 17-year old crew member of the Jeff Strunk/Keystone Racing #126 Modified. Sadly, Chad lost his life in an automobile accident a few weeks ago. The race will be presented in his honor by the friends of Chad Miller. The Sportsman and Roadrunners are also on the card.
BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY COMPLETE RESULTS – FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2007
358 MODIFIED FEATURE (25-LAPS): 1) #00-Doug Manmiller, 2) #714-Shawn Fitzpatrick, 3) #33-Ray Swinehart, 4) #1c-Craig Von Dohren, 5) #126-Jeff Strunk, 6) #1-Keith Hoffman, 7) #11D-Billy Pauch Jr., 8) #14-Rick Laubach, 9) #6-Ryan Watt, 10) #47-Gary Wagner Jr., 11) #517-Larry Solomon, 12) #318-Jeff Sechrist, 13) #W9-Colt Harris, 14) #70-Kurt Spotts, 15) #97-Jimmy Reppert, 16) #27-Troy Wink, 17) #91-John Willman, 18) #42-Corey Sechrist, 19) #19-Tom Umbenhauer, 20) #S1-Bobby Gunther-Walsh, 21) #81-Terry Meitzler, 22) #901-Jamie Schwartz, 23) #29-Kenny Eckert Jr., 24) #3-Mike Nicholas. HEAT WINNERS: R. Watt, K. Hoffman, S. Fitzpatrick.
SPORTSMAN FEATURE (20-LAPS): 1) #19-Jordan Umbenhauer, 2) #99-Craig Whitmoyer, 3) #71J-Codie Berk, 4) #26-Tom Brennan, 5) #88x-Andy Fayash Jr., 6) #17R-Kevin Nolf, 7) #8-Brad Force, 8) #33E-Earl Paules, 9) #2T-Mike Taylor, 10) #17-Billy Moyer Jr., 11) #64-Andy Miller, 12) #46-Josh Biever, 13) #72-Ray Woodall Jr., 14) #0-Kevin Brady, 15) #2-Richard Stankiewicz, 16) #19B-Brad Brightbill, 17) #35-Ebby Ridge, 18) #04-Steven Hughes, 19) #07-Rodney Kistler, 20) #6JR-Kevin Beach, 21) #M7-Shane Moser, 22) #84-Leroy Long, 23) #15D-Ray Gara, 24 )#KT3-Corey Renninger. DNS: #1-Chris James Jr. DNQ: #107-Dave Decker, #23JR-Jim Somers Jr., #7-Dave Mace.
ROADRUNNER FEATURE (15-LAPS): 1) #29W-Derek Bender, 2) #450-Kevin Olenick, 3) #66-Chris Holland, 4) #z71-Andy Zvorsky, 5) #22-Tom Hablett, 6) #11x-Joe Hendricks, 7) #14-AJ DeSantis, 8) #1-Dave Miller, 9) #2-Gary Willard Jr., 10) #29B-Ricky Bender, 11) #72-Mark Paine, 12) #11-Dan Strenkoski, 13) #37-Eric Pinkerton, 14) #17-Bud Vidal, 15) #555-Elvin Brennan, 16) #97-Jeremy Becker, 17) #201-Brian Johnson, 18) #8-Davey Nester, 19) Rob Pyle.
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