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JORDAN UMBENHAUER CAPTURES LARGEST WIN OF HIS CAREER;MEME DESANTIS JOINS THIS YEAR’S WIN CLUB…By Gary Lileck
Forestville, PA-August 31, 2007-Jordan Umbenhauer, a young second generation racing talent from Richland PA, captured the largest win of his Sportsman career Friday night at Big Diamond Raceway. Umbenhauer won the Pioneer Pole Buildings Coalcracker 50, worth over $1500. It was Umbenhauer’s third overall victory of the season.
Meme DeSantis of Temple PA emerged victorious in the 20-lap 2007 non-winners feature for 358 Modifieds. DeSantis received a set of Penske Racing Shocks, $250, and a guaranteed starting spot in Sunday’s Coalcracker 100. Eric Heydenreich of Bloomsburg PA won the 20-lap ARDC Wingless Midget main event.
Thirty-five Sportsman machines started the Coalcracker 50. Billy Moyer Jr. began from the pole position and grabbed the early race lead. Kyle Weiss followed closely from the second position. 2007 point champion Craig Whitmoyer moved into third by the fifth circuit, and the top trio raced in tight formation for the race lead.
On a lap six restart, Weiss placed his #16K into the top spot via the inside groove. Whitmoyer followed into the runner-up position on the seventh lap. Weiss continued to hold the lead with Whitmoyer racing second. Eighth starter Jordan Umbenhauer maneuvered into third on the ninth tour. A nice string of green flag circuits between laps ten and thirty-five produced fast paced racing through lapped traffic.
Whitmoyer glanced to the inside of Weiss and made the pass stick at the completion of lap twenty-two. Whitmoyer remained in command of the field until the thirty-first lap. Whitmoyer’s machine literally went up in smoke and he headed pitside . Weiss grabbed possession of the race lead with Umbenhauer racing second.
During a caution flag period with just ten laps remaining, Weiss (while leading) dramatically headed to the pits. He would return to race, however, his front running performance had concluded. Umbenhauer became the new pace setter with invaders Gary Butler and Gene Stravinsky giving chase.
After forty-seven laps had been completed, Butler’s #00 poured smoke and he was force to relinquish the second position to Stravinsky. The contest’s final caution flag was thrown and Umbenhauer was just three laps away from the huge victory. Umbenhauer, in his third year of Sportsman competition, led the closing moments unchallenged and powered to the winner’s circle in front of a supportive crowd.
Stravinsky (New Egypt NJ) made his first ’07 BDR start a successful one as he finished in the second spot. Brad Brightbill (Sinking Springs) rebounded from an earlier race incident and stormed to a third place finish. Lou Farina III (Philadelphia) also made his first ’07 start and ended up fourth. Danny Creeden (Middletown NY) pitted earlier and returned for a fifth place result.
Long haul of the race went to thirty-fifth (last) place starter Ray Woodall Jr., who finished sixth in the Mike Bent #88. Early race leader Moyer ended up seventh, while Earl Paules raced from twenty-seventh to eighth. Invader Clay Butler nailed down a ninth place finish and Weiss drove to tenth at the checkers.
Forty-seven cars entered Friday’s Coalcracker 50. Six qualifying heats were contested with wins going to David Van Horn Jr., Mark Forte Jr., Tom Brennan, Kevin Beach, Moyer, and Umbenhauer. Split consolations went to C. Butler and Farina.
Fifteen cars started the 358 Modified ’07 non-winner’s race. Shawn Fitzpatrick just arrived at the speedway after calling a high school football game on a local radio station. Fitzpatrick suited up and led the opening five laps of the contest. Meme DeSantis, showing a new look on the Hiester #11 car this week, started eighth and worked past Fitzpatrick for the race lead on the sixth lap.
2007 rookie Gary Wagner Jr. placed his #47 into the runner-up spot on the seventh lap. Jason Hamilton had started from fourteenth and was working his way through the pack. Hamilton grabbed third on the ninth lap. With the five-to-go signal showing on the field, Hamilton passed Wagner for the runner-up spot. Meanwhile DeSantis was enjoying a healthy lead up front.
Known as the “Temple Tornado” to his numerous fans, DeSantis stretched his advantage to nearly a full straightaway. DeSantis headed to the winner’s circle with Hamilton (Erwinna) and Wagner (Womelsdorf) rounding out the top three. Jeff Sechrist (Wernersville) worked from eleventh to fourth and Colt Harris (Gordon) drove from fifteenth (last) to fifth.
Rounding out the top ten were: Fitzpatrick, Dale Hartz, Troy Wink, Ray Swinehart, and Kenny Eckert Jr.
Eric Heydenreich simply dominated the 20-lap ARDC Midget feature. Heydenreich blasted from his third starting spot and into the race lead on lap one. Heydenreich continued to lead every lap of the feature and powered to his first Big Diamond Raceway victory.
Eric’s uncle Johnny Heydenreich actually raced Big Diamond on a weekly basis back in the early 80s (358 Modified division). Eric is a former star in Micro Sprints and has adapted well to ARDC.
Tracy Readinger (Oley), a former Small Block Modified competitor at BDR, moved into second on lap thirteen and remained there at the finish. Second generation racer Bruce Buckwalter Jr. (Royersford) finished third ahead of Frank Polimeda (Ft. Lee NJ) and Greg Robinson II (Harrisburg).
This Sunday September 2 is the 27th annual Coalcracker 100 for 358 Modifieds. 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.
BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY COMPLETE RESULTS – FRIDAY AUGUST 31, 2007
SPORTSMAN FEATURE (50-LAPS): 1) #19-Jordan Umbenhauer, 2) #7A-Gene Stravinsky, 3) #19B-Brad Brightbill, 4) #044-Lou Farina III, 5) #16x-Danny Creeden, 6) #88-Ray Woodall Jr., 7) #17-Billy Moyer Jr., 8) #33E-Earl Paules, 9) #4-Clay Butler, 10) #16K-Kyle Weiss, 11) #64-Andy Miller, 12) #6JR-Kevin Beach, 13) #61s-John Scarborough, 14) #94-Ricky Beavers, 15) #14x-Rick Raisner, 16) #KT3-Corey Renninger, 17) #RC5-Bobby Butler, 18) #71-Mike Mammana, 19) #00-Gary Butler, 20) #84-Leroy Long, 21) #46-Josh Biever, 22) #88x-Andy Fayash Jr., 23) #17R-Kevin Nolf, 24) #44-Frank Cozze Jr., 25) #6R-Ryan Moyer, 26) #99-Craig Whitmoyer, 27) #8-Brad Force, 28) #123-Roy Wiest, 29) #61-Patrick Cozze, 30) #2T-Mike Taylor, 31) #85-Mark Forte Jr., 32) #26-Tom Brennan, 33) #1-Chris James Jr., 34) #75-James Morris, 35) #6V-David Van Horn Jr.
Did Not Qualify: Codie Berk, Marc Herman, Steve Davis, Jordan Dreher, Harry Landis, Kevin Brady, Danny Bouc, Jim Rossell, Jason Neidlinger, Shane Moser, Doug Stepanchuk, Rocco Infante.
358 MODIFIED NON-WINNERS RACE (20-LAPS): 1) #11-Meme DeSantis, 2) #16-Jason Hamilton, 3) #47-Gary Wagner Jr., 4) #318-Jeff Sechrist, 5) #54-Colt Harris, 6) #714-Shawn Fitzpatrick, 7) #F15-Dale Hartz, 8) #27-Troy Wink, 9) #33-Ray Swinehart, 10) #29-Kenny Eckert Jr., 11) #S1-Bobby Gunther-Walsh, 12) #42-Corey Sechrist, 13) #1450-Greg Weiland, 14) #901-Jamie Schwartz, 15) #114-Carroll Hine III.
ARDC MIDGET FEATURE (20-LAPS): 1) #11-Eric Heydenreich, 2) #2T-Tracy Readinger, 3) #83-Bruce Buckwalter Jr., 4) #44-Frank Polimeda, 5) #00-Greg Robinson II, 6) #21-Andy Martin, 7) #54-Ryan Smith, 8) #46-Brett Arndt, 9) #6-Eddie Stimely Jr., 10) #75-Ryan Watt, 11) #9-Steve Lenig, 12) #27-Randy Monroe Jr., 13) #19-Phil Meisner, 14) #29-Zach Martini, 15) #26-Stephanie Stevens, 16) #33-Lew Blair, 17) #64-Brett Conkling, 18) #95-Mark Lawshe, 19) #25-Chris Zrinski, 20) #96-Jim Jackson, 21) #78-Nick Wean, 22) #38-Bobby Goerner, 23) #51-PJ Gargiulo, 24) #16-Dave Shirk, 25) #61-PJ Pavlick, 26) #14-AJ Ernesto. DNS: Drew Heistand. |
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