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RYAN WATT EXCITES THE LOCAL CROWD WITH POPULAR BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY FEATURE VICTORY; 2007 TRACK CHAMPIONS ARE OFFICIALLY CROWNED…By Gary Lileck
Forestville, PA-August 24, 2007-Ryan Watt hails out of Boyertown PA and may not be considered a local driver at Big Diamond Raceway. His ride, however, is a popular area team. Watt drove the Fran Purcell Sr. owned #6 to his first 358 Modified feature win Friday night at the Coal Region based racing facility.
Watt began racing Sportsman in 1997 and has ventured to various speedways during the course of his career. In 2006, Watt joined forces with Purcell and the combination earned an impressive third place finish in ’06 BDR points. This year, the team enjoyed another good season, and capped it off with a feature win.
Car owner Fran Purcell has been a faithful supporter of Big Diamond Raceway throughout the years. He competed as a driver during Diamond’s early days. His son Fran Jr. was also a driver at the track. Fran Sr. became a car owner and has fielded Modifieds for several drivers. On Friday night, Fran Purcell Sr. joined his driver in victory lane and they received a standing ovation from the supportive crowd.
The 358 Modified track championship was actually already decided. Jeff Strunk of Mohnton PA earned the ’07 title. Driving the Glenn Hyneman owned #126, Strunk captured four feature victories, a Cash Dash win on Aug. 10, and a recent victory in the Aug. 17 Pepsi Challenge. Another key to Strunk’s ’07 title consisted of fifteen top five finishes in twenty events.
Strunk’s championship is the fifth of his BDR career. He captured four straight titles during the 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997 seasons.
Craig Whitmoyer won the battle and war during the Sportsman portion of Friday’s card. The Hamburg PA native grabbed his seventh feature win of the season in convincing fashion. He headed into the evening as points leader and went on to score the crown by virtue of his feature triumph. It was Whitmoyer’s third career BDR track championship.
Andy Zvorsky of Orwigsburg PA won his second Roadrunner main event of the season. Racing directly behind Zvorsky at the stripe was the 2007 track champion Tom Hablett of Schuylkill Haven PA. Hablett has been a front runner since he started his career a few years ago, and he captured his first track championship earning five feature wins along the way.
Mike Keppler of Bechtelsville PA continued to dominate the Xcel 600 Modified competition at BDR as he wired the field for another 20-lap feature victory. The evening was sponsored by Halabura Tree Farms and Emerich Trucking.
Bobby Gunther-Walsh started from the pole in the 25-lap 358 Modified feature. Walsh wasted no time in grabbing the early lead. Jamie Schwartz started second and powerfully mastered the high groove. Schwartz executed a pass for the lead on a lap four restart. Schwartz, a former 358 Sprint-car competitor who is a Modified rookie this season, remained in command through the eighth circuit.
Watt, who recently switched to the back-up #6 car, started from the eighth position. Watt had advanced into the second spot on lap five. He tossed his Bicknell chassis to the inside and worked into the lead on the ninth lap. Watt remained in command through the half-way margin, despite a couple of green flag restarts. Terry Meitzler, driving the Dennis Bailey owned #81, started tenth and grabbed the runner-up position on lap fifteen.
With five laps remaining, Watt remained in control with Meitzler in pursuit. Keith Hoffman, in the Pioneer Pole Buildings-1, raced third followed by ’07 feature winners Mike Nicholas (in his self-owned #3) and Duane Howard (driving the MMC-114x). The contest’s final caution flag was unfurled with just three laps remaining, regrouping the field for a restart.
Under green conditions, Watt quickly built a comfortable advantage over Meitzler and Hoffman. Howard passed Nicholas for possession of the fourth spot. Watt held on to become the tenth different 358 Modified feature winner of the season. In the process he set the Shiley Fabrication Fast Time Lap of 17.203.
Meitzler (Kutztown) finished second ahead of former track champion Hoffman (Whitehall). Howard (Oley) ended up fourth and Nicholas (Lebanon) finished fifth. Newly crowned track champion Strunk started fifteenth and climbed to a final result of sixth. Rounding out the top ten were Craig Von Dohren (stormed through the pack after an earlier pit stop), Rick Laubach, Ray Swinehart (in the Dinatale #11D), and Doug Manmiller (driving a second Troy Wink #27).
Although a pair of multi-car crashes plagued the start of the 20-lap Sportsman feature, the race would be completed without any extra stoppages. Andy Fayash Jr. started on the front row and jumped into the early race lead. Craig Whitmoyer started sixteenth and professionally worked through the field. On the ninth lap, Whitmoyer places his Lombardo powered #99 Bicknell into the runner-up position.
On the half-way lap (10), Whitmoyer darted to the high side of Fayash. Whitmoyer grabbed control of the top spot as the duo raced out of the second turn. For all intents and purposes, the race for victory had been completed. Whitmoyer placed some distance between himself and his competition and drove to his twenty-third career BDR victory. Whitmoyer matched his career season high win total of seven from the 2002 season.
Earl Paules (Palmerton), who competes on both dirt and pavement, moved into the runner-up spot on lap fourteen and remained there at the finish. Rounding out the top five were ’07 feature winners Chris James Jr., (Mohrsville), Jordan Umbenhauer (Richland), and Brad Brightbill (Sinking Springs).
Mark Paine led the opening tour of the 18-lap Roadrunner main event. Rob Pyle, now driving the Derek Bender owned Nova bodied car, moved into the lead on lap two. Pyle paced the field until a caution period with five laps complete, when he headed pitside. Twelfth place starter Andy Zvorsky became the new race leader on the sixth lap.
Positions changed continuously throughout the top five as they raced trough lapped traffic. Tom Hablett (started fourteenth) took control of second on lap seventeen. He chased down the leader but had to settle for a runner-up finish. Following Zvorsky and the new track champion Hablett were 8/17 winner Jeremy Becker (Pottsville), Kevin Olenick (Pottsville), and Ricky Bender (Joliett).
Mike Keppler started inside pole and led all 20-laps of the Xcel 600 Modified feature. Keppler, a former Micro Sprint racer, has been the dominant 600 car at BDR this season. Rounding out the top five were Kyle Gardner, George Loux, Richie Everett, and second-generation driver Ryan Higgs.
Big Diamond Raceway is preparing for their annual Labor Day Weekend Classic, the prestigious and lucrative Coalcracker races. For the second straight year, Pioneer Pole Buildings (Schuylkill Haven PA) presents Coalcracker Weekend with race dates on Friday August 31 and Sunday September 2.
The Sportsman division was born at Big Diamond back in 1997. Since that time, the class has increased in popularity and a season ending championship race was developed in 2003. Tradition continues as the big night for Sportsman is Friday Aug. 31. They are competing in the annual PPB Coalcracker 50. The main event will feature 50 green flag laps and pays $1500 and a set of Penske Racing Shocks to the winner plus lap money and a half-way leading bonus of $250.
A non-winners race for the 358 Modifieds will also take place on the Friday card. This event is open to all Modifieds that have competed in more than five regular BDR events. The race pays $250 and a set of Penske Racing Shocks to win as well as paying for other finishing positions. The victorious racer will become a guaranteed starter to draw in Sunday’s Coalcracker 100. There will also be a Modified practice session on Friday evening.
The Wingless ARDC Midgets will round out the Friday evening card. Gates open at 5:00PM with warm-ups scheduled for 7:00PM. The first qualifying heat goes green at 7:30PM. Adult admission is a fan friendly $12, Students, Seniors, and Military $10, Children 10 and under are Free, Pit admission is $25 with no pit license required. Fans attending Friday night's event will save $2 on admission for the Coalcracker 100 by presenting their rain-check from the Coalcracker 50.
Sunday September 2 is the twenty-seventh version of the famed Coalcracker race for 358 Modifieds. PPB and the new Big Diamond promotional team presented their first Labor Day Weekend Classic in 2006. Duane Howard became the only four-time winner of the event last year and is expected to defend his crown in the ’07 race.
This year’s event will go a distance of 100 green flag laps. There will be a fuel stop at or close to the half-way point. The Coalcracker 100 pays $10,000 for first, $5000 for second, and $3000 for third, $2000 for fourth and $1000 for fifth and $300 to take the green. There will be a $1000 bonus for the leader at half-way and lap money will also be paid.
The Roadrunner division is scheduled for competition on Sunday Sept. 2. They will be participating in a 20-lap feature paying $250 to win. Selinsgrove (PA) Speedway Roadrunners are welcome to attend. BDR cars must follow BDR rules, and Selinsgrove machines must follow their rules.
The Sunday program, which begins at 7:30PM (gates open at 3:30PM and warm-ups at 7:00PM), will carry a Monday Sept. 3 rain-date and starting time of 6:00PM. Adult admission is $25, Students, Seniors, and Military $20, Children 10 and under are Free, Pit admission is $30 with no pit license required. Gates will open at 3:30PM for the Coalcracker 100 event.
For entry forms, rules, and all race information please visit the speedway’s official track website www.bigdiamondraceway.com and other rule related questions may be directed to 570-385-0744.
Lap sponsorships for both races are also available at $10 a lap and will be available up until the day of the race or by calling 570-385-0744.
BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY – COMPLETE RESULTS – FRIDAY AUGUST 24, 2007
358 MODIFIED FEATURE (25-laps): 1) #6-Ryan Watt, 2) #81-Terry Meitzler, 3) #1-Keith Hoffman, 4) #114x-Duane Howard, 5) #3-Mike Nicholas, 6) #126-Jeff Strunk, 7) #1c-Craig Von Dohren, 8) #14-Rick Laubach, 9) #11D-Ray Swinehart, 10) #27x-Doug Manmiller, 11) #901-Jamie Schwartz, 12) #44-Danny Erb, 13) #w9-Colt Harris, 14) #42-Corey Sechrist, 15) #114-Carroll Hine III, 16) #221-Ryan Beltz, 17) #97-Jimmy Reppert, 18) #17-Ryan Grim, 19) #74W-John Willman, 20) #19-Tom Umbenhauer, 21) #S1-Bobby Gunther-Walsh, 22) #19B-Kenny Brightbill, 23) #27-Troy Wink, 24) #102-Shawn Fitzpatrick. DNQ: #29-Kenny Eckert Jr., #F15-Dale Hartz, #70-Kurt Spotts, #47-Gary Wagner Jr. HEAT WINNERS: D. Erb, K. Hoffman, J. Schwartz. B-MAIN WINNER: K. Brightbill.
FINAL TOP FIVE POINTS: 1) J. Strunk-2075, 2) D. Manmiller-1725, 3) R. Laubach-1595, 4) C. Von Dohren-1580, 5) T. Meitzler-1570.
SPORTSMAN FEATURE (20-laps): 1) #99-Craig Whitmoyer, 2) #33E-Earl Paules, 3) #1-Chris James Jr., 4) #19-Jordan Umbenhauer, 5) #19B-Brad Brightbill, 6) #88x-Andy Fayash Jr., 7) #8-Brad Force, 8) #71J-Codie Berk, 9) #88-Ray Woodall Jr., 10) #14x-Rick Raisner, 11) #26-Tom Brennan, 12) #64-Andy Miller, 13) #44-Frank Cozze Jr., 14) #2T-Mike Taylor, 15) #46-Josh Biever, 16) #17R-Kevin Nolf, 17) #56-Shawn Hiestand, 18) #84-Leroy Long, 19) #47-Jack Amundson, 20) #01-Jim Rossell, 21) #74-Pete Marburger, 22) #6R-Ryan Moyer, 23) #39-Tom Cremer, 24) #KT3-Corey Renninger, 25) #61-Patrick Cozze, 26) #17-Billy Moyer Jr., 27) #71-Mike Mammana, 28) #6JR-Kevin Beach. DNQ: #42-Doug Stepanchuk, #23JR-Jim Somers Jr., #BIG1-Jason Neidlinger, #M7-Shane Moser, #0-Kevin Brady, #32-Conrad Fitch, #121-Jordan Dreher, #15D-Ray Gara. HEAT WINNERS: P. Cozze, B. Force, R. Woodall Jr., E. Paules. B-MAIN WINNER: K. Nolf.
FINAL TOP FIVE POINTS: 1) C. Whitmoyer-1925, 2) T. Brennan-1855, 3) B. Brightbill-1770, 4) J. Umbenhauer-1670, 5) J. Biever-1525.
ROADRUNNER FEATURE (18-laps): 1) 1) #z71-Andy Zvorsky, 2) #22-Tom Hablett, 3) #97-Jeremy Becker, 4) #450-Kevin Olenick, 5) #29B-Ricky Bender, 6) #1-Dave Miller, 7) #66-Chris Holland, 8) #555-Elvin Brennan, 9) #93-Rob Pyle, 10) #37-Eric Pinkerton, 11) #11-Dan Strenkoski, 12) #2-Gary Willard Jr., 13) #93x-Dal Herner, 14) #8-Davey Nester, 15) #X-Dan Mazy, 16) #909-Neil Bressler, 17) #17-Bud Vidal, 18) #72-Mark Paine.
FINAL TOP FIVE POINTS: 1) Tom Hablett-2065, 2) K. Olenick-2020, 3) D. Miller-1950, 4) #z71-A. Zvorsky-1940, 5) #29B-R. Bender-1855. |
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