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…By Gary Lileck
Forestville, PA – September 16, 2007 –Big Diamond Raceway presented the Little Car Nationals on Sunday night and each of the three features contained plenty of excitement. Mike Keppler of Bechtelsville, Rodney Kistler of Kempton and Leroy Long of Womelsdorf shared victory lane laurels.
The Hoosier Tires Xcel 600 Modified series made another visit to Big Diamond, and their main event was contested first. A strong field of 29 cars assembled for the opening green of the event. Kyle Gardner jumped into the early race lead behind the wheel of his #G1. Area racer Dillon Stein, making a rare 600 Modified appearance, followed in the runner-up spot.
Mike Keppler, enjoying a very successful season at BDR, advanced into the top three by the race’s third circuit. He was joined by 600 Modified newcomer Jeff Paulson, driving the division’s rental ‘X’ car. Paulson, a former weekly regular at BDR in the Sportsman-Modified division, locked horns with Keppler in a good battle.
Keppler and Paulson both sprinted ahead of Stein on lap six. Stein raced in fourth until lap nine when his #55 lost a left rear wheel. On a lap ten restart, Keppler stormed to the inside of Gardner and grabbed possession of the lead. Paulson maneuvered past Gardner on the twelfth lap to gain the runner-up spot. The battle for victory would go right down to the wire between Keppler and Paulson.
Paulson glanced to the inside as the pair exited turn four to grab the white flag. Paulson switched lanes and tried the outside as the pair raced through the first and second corners. They fought side-by-side into turn three, however, Keppler remained in command and pulled in front out of the fourth corner.
Keppler captured his fifth BDR victory of the season with Paulson (Honeybrook) racing closely behind in second. Gardner (Wind Gap), always a consistent competitor, ended up third and he was followed by ninth place starter Scotty Washburn (Emmaus). Eric Witbe (Emmaus) began from fifth and ended up in the exact same position.
Thirty 600 Modifieds were broken down into a trio of heats. Wins were awarded to Gardner, Paulson, and Stein.
The Central PA Legends presented by Glick Fire Equipment Company made their third BDR appearance of the season. Twenty-three machines aligned for a start in the 20-lap feature. Steve Nederostek grabbed the early lead. Tim Henry moved into the runner-up spot on lap three and worked ahead of Nederostek for the lead on the fourth circuit. Jason Rochelle (started eleventh) moved into third at the exact same time of the Henry lead pass.
On a lap five restart, Henry continued to set the pace and Rochelle passed Nederostek for the second position. By the contest’s half-way mark, Henry and Rochelle raced closely for the top spot. Rochelle, on the inside, grabbed the lead on lap twelve. Henry reclaimed the front spot one lap later as the pair entertained the crowd in a spirited duel.
The event’s third and final caution flag waved just four laps from the finish. On the ensuing restart, Rochelle looked to the inside of Henry and contact was made in turns one and two. Rochelle darted into the lead and remained in front throughout the race’s duration. Rochelle was called on the contact by officials and set behind Henry in the final running order.
Rodney Kistler certainly grabbed the headlines in this event. He pitted on the first lap and returned. Kistler restarting from dead last, and impressively sliced through the field. After the contact between the leaders on lap 17, Kistler maneuvered into the second spot. He mirrored Rochelle across the start-finish line to grab the checkered flag.
Kistler would grab the victory, his first of the season at BDR. Nederostek (Walnutport) finished second ahead of Henry (Orefield) and Rochelle (Schnecksville). Josh Morrow (Hamburg) rounded out the top five. Earlier in the evening a pair of heat wins were awarded to Rochelle and Henry.
The Four Cylinders made their first appearance of the season and competed in a 20-lap feature. Grant Adams powered into the early race lead with Leroy Long racing second. Long, who is a weekly Sportsman-Modified competitor at BDR, pressured the race leader for numerous circuits.
On lap eight, Long pulled to the inside of Adams and grabbed the lead. The final caution flag took place with twelve laps in the books. Long continued to show the way, while Adams fell back through the field. Jasen Geesaman moved into the runner-up spot on lap fifteen. Long worked past lapped traffic and put some distance between himself and the field.
Fourteenth place starter Ed Hollenbach was racing through the field and passed Geesaman on the sixteenth lap. Meanwhile, Long drove his #84 to the winner’s circle for his first career BDR win. Ed Hollenbach (Fredericksburg) finished about a half straightaway behind in the runner-up position. Geesaman (Lebanon) ended up third ahead of Eric Hollenbach (Fredericksburg) and Ronny Garlock.
Seventeen cars were present with heat wins going to Leroy Long and Eric Hollenbach.
The evening concluded with a series of test and tune sessions. Various divisions were represented including: 358 Modifieds, Sportsman, Roadrunners, Tobias Speedsters, Enduro Cars, Super Sportsman, and Pro Stock.
The Diamond Nationals take place on Saturday September 29 and Sunday September 30. Open Competition 358 Modifieds, Super Sportsman, Pro Stocks, and Roadrunners/Xtreme Stocks will race on the 29th. Big Block Modifieds, Limited Late Models, and Sportsman compete on the 30th. Just a reminder that there is no racing scheduled on September 22.
Big Diamond Raceway Complete Results – Sunday September 16, 2007
XCEL 600 MODIFIED FEATURE (20-LAPS): 1) #14K-Mike Keppler, 2) #X-Jeff Paulson, 3) #G1-Kyle Gardner, 4) #119-Scotty Washburn, 5) #12E-Eric Witbe, 6) #2-Bryan Mady, 7) #46-JJ Newman, 8) #16-Ryan Higgs, 9) #22-Joe Fanelli, 10) #17-Matt Groover, 11) #44-Chris Stockham, 12) #3c-Chuck Miller, 13) #13-Jon Landis, 14) #19-Gary Suchy Sr., 15) #39-Rich McGeady, 16) #7-Bill Moffett, 17) #38-Curt Amey, 18) #03, 19) #72-Nate Dibble, 20) #9-John Lakatos, 21) #00-Bucky Buczafusca, 22) #48G-George Loux, 23) #4JR-Mike Pychinka, 24) #15-Dave Baldwin Sr., 25) #01-Bruce Kindberg, 26) #55-Dillon Stein, 27) #04-Jeremy Guistwite, 28) #61-Mark Schaffer, 29) #91-Bob Skoniecki. DNS: Matt Greene.
CENTRAL PA LEGENDS FEATURE (20-LAPS): 1) #99-Rodney Kistler, 2) #769-Steve Nederostek, 3) #98-Tim Henry, 4) #17R-Jason Rochelle, 5) #39-Josh Morrow, 6) #94-Rob Sobieski, 7) #48-Randy Kissinger, 8) #37-Brian Weitzel, 9) #R1-Craig Rochelle, 10) #89-Tim Bauer, 11) #HHH-Howard Hunter, 12) #611-Justin Grim, 13) #12J-Clint Penkauskas, 14) #2-Kenny Keyton, 15) #48x-Shawn Benzelski, 16) #26-Reed Saloney, 17) #88-Andy Lupfer, 18) #57-Phil Auerbach, 19) #17T-Scott Peters, 20) #27R-Tom Mayberry, 21) #Z-James Black, 22) #5-Scott Houdeshell, 23) #7-Geremy Sheaffer. DNS: #5K-Brian Levan.
FOUR CYLINDERS FEATURE (20-LAPS): 1) #84-Leroy Long, 2) #13-Ed Hollenbach, 3) #81-Jasen Geesaman, 4) #12-Eric Hollenbach, 5) #40-Ronny Garlock, 6) #888-Brian Wentzel, 7) #64-Grant Adams, 8) #39-Wayne Kocher, 9) #32-Dennis Christ Jr., 10) #88-John Henry, 11) #99-Mike Buckley, 12) #0-Gary Newell, 13) #114-TJ Kennedy, 14) #71-Henry Lesher, 15) #01-Charles Kimmel, 16) #7-Dale Reightler, 17) #23-Troy Hostetter. |
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