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JASON HAMILTON BECOMES ANOTHER FIRST TIME WINNER AT BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY…By Gary Lileck
Forestville, PA – May 30, 2008 – Jason Hamilton captured his first ever Big Diamond Raceway 358 Modified feature win this past Friday night. Hamilton, who races out of Erwinna PA, became the second straight driver (following John Willman on 5-23) to do so.
T102 and House Doctors presented Pack the House night, offering $8 general admission to the grandstands. A large group of auto racing enthusiasts gathered for the event and remained until the final checkered flag fell. Earl Paules of Palmerton PA won his third straight 20-lap Sportsman feature while Joe Hendricks of Auburn PA captured his second 15-lap Roadrunner main event victory of 2008.
“Hopefully this is our turnaround point” mentioned Hamilton of his 25-lap 358 Modified feature victory. “I was searching around a little bit in turns three and four, then I was able to find my line and got comfortable.” Hamilton has returned to BDR aboard the Doug Flurer owned #16 Teo Chassis.
Hamilton is a former five-time feature winner in the Sportsman division. Although he has won a 358 Modified feature at another speedway, it was his first Modified win ever at the Coal Region based facility.
Rookie competitor Kevin Albert Jr. led the 26-car field to chief starter Ray Kemp’s green flag. Albert and second place starter Hamilton paced the field until a lap four caution. After a pair of negated restart attempts, Albert, Hamilton, and Sean Merkel remained within the top three positions.
A lap eight restart would find a major shake-up in the front running order. After cars made contact in turn two, Albert and Bobby Gunther-Walsh stopped near the backstretch, while Jeff Strunk and Terry Meitzler were left sitting in turn two. Craig Von Dohren’s machine limped to the pit area with front end suspension damage.
Hamilton became the new race leader with Merkel in pursuit. Despite caution flag periods on laps 13 and 15, Hamilton remained in command of the field. He set the Shiley Fabrication Fast Time of the race – 17.268. Hamilton turned his season around with an impressive victory, becoming the sixth different 358 Modified winner in as many races held.
Merkel (Gilbertsville) enjoyed his finest ’08 performance with a finish of second. Rick Laubach (Quakertown) just held off a high flying Duane Howard (Oley) to take the third position. Howard had qualified from the consolation and started from twenty-first. Billy Pauch Jr. (Frenchtown NJ) started fifteenth and entered the top five on lap fifteen. He ended up finishing in fifth.
Four qualifying heats were held for the 31 cars in attendance. Winners included: Ray Swinehart, Rick Laubach, Jason Hamilton, and Mike Nicholas. Duane Howard won the consi.
Pete Phillips Jr., making only his sixth career BDR start, led the early moments of the Sportsman feature. A multi-car tangle erased Phillips’ early race advantage with six laps in the books. Phillips continued to lead on the restart, while Earl Paules executed a passing clinic through the field from his fourteenth place starting spot.
Paules utilized the high groove and worked into the runner-up spot by the eleventh circuit. One lap later, Paules switched to the inside lane and nipped Phillips at the line to complete the lap. Paules extended his advantage over the field, however, his #4 began to break up during the closing moments. A green restart took place with just two laps remaining, and the Paules machine held its ground.
Paules surged on to capture his third straight feature victory, and the fourth of his BDR dirt career. Phillips (Lebanon) registered a career best result of second and Kyle Weiss (Hamburg), who started fifteenth, raced to a third place finish. Sixteenth place starter, Brad Brightbill (Sinking Springs) annexed his sixth top ten of the year of fourth. Chris James Jr. (Mohrsville) ran within the top five for the event’s entire 20-laps and finished fifth.
Heat winners for the 33 car field were Tim Fitzpatrick, Billy Moyer Jr., Kyle Weiss, and Kevin Beach. Corey Renninger, making his second start of the season, won the consi.
First year racer, Ed Kuperavage, led the opening two laps of the Roadrunner feature until his machine spun in turns three and four. Ryan Olenick became the new race leader on lap three. Previous week’s winner, Kody Sites, darted between two cars racing into turn three and Sites moved into the runner-up spot.
By the twelfth lap, the top seven cars literally ran under a blanket in close formation. Joe Hendricks (who started sixth) passed Sites on the fourteenth circuit. With the white flag waving, Sites went around in turn 2, bringing out a caution and one lap shootout. Olenick and Hendricks raced side-by-side into turns one and two. Hendricks, on the inside, nosed in front as they raced through the final pair of corners.
Hendricks went on to take the close victory, the fifth of his BDR career. Looking back in the BDR Roadrunner history book, Joe Hendicks and his older racing brothers Rick and Doug have accounted for a total of 47 career RR wins. R. Olenick (Forestville) just held off Elvin Brennan (Pottsville) to finish second. Kevin Olenick (Forestville) finished fourth and opening day winner Kevin Holland (Pine Grove) rounded out the top five.
The Roadrunners pulled 27 cars this week (a season high) and heat wins were awarded to Joe Hendricks and Elvin Brennan.
The USAC National Sprint-car tour makes their eastern swing next week, and the popular wingless-style open wheel division invades Big Diamond Raceway on Thursday June 5. Drivers from nine different states are expected to appear. The ARDC Midgets join the sprint cars in an exciting double header program which begins with practice at 7:00PM and qualifying at 7:30PM. Advance ticket grandstands open at 3:00PM and regular gates will admit at 4:00PM. Advance ticket sales are available for this event. Please visit www.bigdiamondraceway.com for more details.
This past Wednesday evening, Billy Pauch tested the Zemaitis #1 of Tower City PA wingless sprint car. Pauch is set to defend the home turf in the USAC portion of the program.
The Xcel 600 Modifieds joins the 358 Modifieds, Sportsman, and Roadrunners for a four division program on Friday June 6. Gates open at 5:00PM with warm-ups at 7:15PM, and the first heat goes green at 7:45PM.
COMPLETE RACE SUMMARY – BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY – MAY 30, 2008
358 MODIFIEDS
FEATURE (25-LAPS): 1) #16-Jason Hamilton, 2) #118-Sean Merkel, 3) #14-Rick Laubach, 4) #4-Duane Howard, 5) #8-Billy Pauch Jr., 6) #R1-Ryan Godown, 7) #117-Kevin Hirthler, 8) #88D-Meme DeSantis, 9) #6-Ryan Watt, 10) #126-Jeff Strunk, 11) #33-Ray Swinehart, 12) #53-Mike Gular, 13) #00-Doug Manmiller, 14) #44H-Gary Hager, 15) #T102-Shawn Fitzpatrick, 16) #178-Dale Hartz, 17) #11D-Mark Forte Jr., 18) #74W-John Willman, 19) #99-Craig Whitmoyer, 20) #333-Kevin Albert Jr., 21) #1c-Craig Von Dohren, 22) #SQ1-Bobby Gunther-Walsh, 23) #81-Terry Meitzler, 24) #27-Troy Wink, 25) #3-Mike Nicholas, 26) #3D-Danny Nicholas. Did Not Qualify: Greg Weiland, Shawn Reimert, Colt Harris, Corey Sechrist, Ryan Grim.
SPORTSMAN
FEATURE (20-LAPS): 1) #4-Earl Paules, 2) #27-Pete Phillips Jr., 3) #21K-Kyle Weiss, 4) #19B-Brad Brightbill, 5) #ONE-Chris James Jr., 6) #35-Ebby Ridge, 7) #2-Rich Stankiewicz, 8) #T102-Tim Fitzpatrick, 9) #46-Josh Biever, 10) #71-Mike Mammana, 11) #26-Tom Brennan, 12) #19-Jordan Umbenhauer, 13) #61-Patrick Cozze, 14) #7s-Kevin Smith, 15) #33JR-Gary Wagner, 16) #17-Billy Moyer Jr., 17) #32s-Jarad Umbenhauer, 18) #6JR-Kevin Beach, 19) #31-Harry Landis, 20) #33JY-Steve Yankowski Jr., 21) #15-Mike Lisowski, 22) #3-Corey Renninger, 23) #723-Mike Loney, 24) #8-Brad Force, 25) #72-Ray Woodall Jr., 26) #32-Conrad Fitch. Did Not Qualify: Jason Neidlinger, James Morris, Kevin Brady, Ryan Moyer, Kermit Horning, Shane Moser, Earl Mace.
ROADRUNNERS
FEATURE (15-LAPS): 1) #11x-Joe Hendricks, 2) #45-Ryan Olenick, 3) #555-Elvin Brennan, 4) #450-Kevin Olenick, 5) #66-Kevin Holland, 6) #97-Jeremy Becker, 7) #22-Tom Hablett, 8) #101-Gary Renninger, 9) #8-Davey Nester, 10) #TWO-Hunter James, 11) #777-Brian Close, 12) #13-James Szoke, 13) #32-Cory Swartz, 14) #66K-Ed Kuperavage, 15) #95K-Kody Sites, 16) #29B-Ricky Bender, 17) #X-Danny Mazy, 18) #2-Gary Willard Jr., 19) #8c-Chris Holland, 20) #72-Mark Paine, 21) #17-Bud Vidal, 22) #7-Butch Lesher. Did Not Start: Neil Bressler, Byrd Klinger, Rob Pyle, Mark Paine, Joe Brennan. |
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