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UPCOMING EVENTS:Friday August 8, 7:45PM – Chad Miller Memorial. 358 Modifieds, Sportsman, Roadrunners.Friday August 15, 7:45PM – 358 Modifieds regular show plus Pepsi Challenge, Sportsman, Roadrunners.Sunday August 17, 5:00PM – Nutty Buddy Enduro Series Race #3.Friday August 22, 7:45PM – 358 Modifieds, Sportsman, Roadrunners.Friday August 29, 7:45PM – Alpine Building and Post Supply Coalcracker 50 for Sportsman. 358 Modifieds non-winner’s race, ARDC Midgets.Sunday August 31 – Alpine Building and Post Supply Coalcracker 100 for 358 Modifieds, Roadrunners.
VON DOHREN REUNITES WITH THE WINNER’S CIRCLE; PHILLIPS, SITES, AND SMITH EACH VICTORIOUS AT BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY…By Gary Lileck Forestville, PA – August 1, 2008 – Craig Von Dohren of Oley reunited with the winner’s circle this past Friday night at Big Diamond Raceway. Von Dohren, the speedway’s all-time win leader, grabbed his first 358 Modified triumph since September 2, 2007 (Coalcracker 100). His victory total has reached a BDR milestone of 62.
Schuylkill Haven Body and Fender & Denny’s Hot Rod Bar and Grill presented an action packed four-division show in front of another sizeable crowd Friday night. Pete Phillips Jr. of Lebanon earned his first career Sportsman 20-lap feature victory, while first year Roadrunner competitor Kody Sites continued his dream season for a third divisional win in their 15-lap main event. Ryan Smith of Kunkletown won the 20-lap wingless ARDC Midget feature.
Twenty-four mighty 358 Modifieds assembled to start their 25-lap feature event. After the green flag dropped, the front five raced beneath a blanket in turn two and blasted down the backstretch, Outside pole starter Dan Hineline (assigned to drive the Dinatale-11D machine this week) drifted into the outside wall of turns three and four. The caution flag was unfurled for a complete restart.
Corey Sechrist placed the John Wertz owned #42 in front of the field when the lights switched over to green. A multi-car tangle ensued in turn two, after a pair of machines turned side-ways and several were left in the scramble. Former feature winners Jeff Strunk, John Willman, and Meme DeSantis were each involved. DeSantis was forced to call it an evening.
Four-time feature winner Duane Howard was in the midst of that tangle, however, kept his machine in motion. His car suffered a flat tire in the accident. Howard elected to enter the pits via the turn two ramp and was not prompted to do so by the track officials. Therefore, Howard was not permitted to return to the speedway for competition. All traffic must exit through the first turn gate, unless prompted otherwise.
Sechrist remained the race leader on the restart. Bobby Gunther-Walsh and seventh starter Ray Swinehart joined Sechrist in a spirited duel for the race lead. The trio aligned three-wide on lap four, with Swinehart grabbing second. One lap later, Swienhart raced into the lead. A three-car tangle ensued in the tail of the pack of the fifth lap, bringing out a caution flag. Colt Harris and Ryan Godown, who were both running in the top ten, pitted under caution.
Swinehart led the field back to a green restart on lap six. Walsh followed in second with tenth place starter Von Dohren advancing into third over earlier leader Sechrist and Ryan Watt, who initially began from twelfth. Walsh and Von Dohren battled for a circuit until Von Dohren gained the runner-up spot via the inside lane of lap seven. The caution waved for Greg Weiland’s machine which suffered a flat tire after seven laps had been scored.
Swinehart and Von Dohren quickly mixed it up for the race lead. Watt advanced into the third spot. Von Dohren trailed the race leader and glanced to the high side. Von Dohren narrowly edged Swinehart at the line to secure the race lead. Strunk, blazing back from the earlier tangle, followed Watt into the fourth spot on the tenth lap. The event’s final pair of cautions took place after ten laps. Gary Hager, who was racing within the top ten, was involved in the latter yellow flag.
Von Dohren led the field back to green with Swinehart and Watt in tow. Strunk sailed into third past Watt on lap twelve. He completed a two-car sweep on the same circuit as he skated ahead of Swinehart for the second spot. Von Dohren continued to school the pack as laps continued green. He held a three second advantage over his competition with ten laps to go and entered lapped traffic a few circuits later.
Driving Mike Harvey’s #1c, Von Dohren powered to the winnner’s circle, becoming the ninth different 358 Modified feature winner of the season. Von Dohren debuted a different car this week. The team converted his Big Block Modified into a 358 and the results proved to be highly successful. “We brought a different car this week” mentioned Von Dohren in victory lane. “We needed a change of pace and hopefully we can keep it rolling now”.
Strunk (Mohnton), a three-time feature winner this season, steered Glenn Hyneman’s #126 to a runner-up finish safely ahead of earlier leader Swinehart (Bechtelsville), sitting behind the wheel of his self-owned #33. Watt (Boyertown), steering the Franny Purcell #6, drove to a final finish of fourth. Doug Manmiller (Shoemakersville) qualified through the consolation and started twenty-first. Manmiller attained fifth on lap twelve and remained there for the finish.
Sixteenth place starter Craig Whitmoyer (Hamburg) landed a sixth place finish. Billy Pauch Jr. (Frenchtown NJ) began from seventeenth and closely followed Whitmoyer across the line to end up seventh. Sean Merkel (Gilbertsville) continued his strong ’08 effort with an eighth place result. Rick Laubach (Quakertown) who is waiting on a motor repair ,drove the Umbenhauer Racing #19 to ninth and local talent Shawn Fitzpatrick (Pottsville) rounded out the top ten.
Heat wins for the 29 cars in attendance went to rookie Kevin Albert Jr., Swinehart, and Sechrist. Laubach won the consolation.
Twenty-six cars took the green flag in the Sportsman feature. Pete Phillips Jr. led a lap before the amber lights flashed for a four-car tangle. Racing went green for a lap, and five-time winner Earl Paules turned sideways in the middle of the second corner. A few cars collided a few feet back from Paules. Another crash developed on the restart in turn four. Kyle Weiss, points leader heading into the night, was involved and towed from the scene.
Phillips remained the race leader over Tim Fitzpatrick and Rich Stankiewicz until the fourth and final caution was displayed with three laps scored. Phillips stayed in front with Fitzpatrick racing second. Four-time feature winner Brad Brightbill began his journey through the field from the fifteenth spot. He entered the front five at the half-way portion of the contest. One lap later, Brightbill gained the fourth spot and pressured Stankiewicz for the third position as the event drew to a close.
Phillips had built a healthy lead and was aiming to rebound from a tough situation the previous week. On July 25, Phillips had a left rear tire go flat while leading. This week he survived a near scare when negotiating a lapped car with a few laps to go. Fitzpatrick actually closed the gap on the final lap, however, Phillips remained in control at the finish.
Phillips, who is a 2008 rookie driver in the Sportsman class, powered to his first career victory. Phillips became the sixth different winner of the season. T. Fitzpatrick (Branchdale), a veteran competitor who returned to full-time competition this year, finished in the second spot. Brightbill (Sinking Springs) passed Stankiewicz (Reading) for third on the nineteenth lap. Kevin Beach (Llewellyn) started ninth and rounded out the top five.
Mike Loney (Taylor) rebounded from a DNQ the previous Friday to finish sixth. Two-time feature winner Tom Brennan (Pottsville) crossed the line in seventh. In only his second ’08 start, BDR legend Roy Wiest (Elizabethville) grabbed his second top ten of eighth. Josh Biever (Orwigsburg) continued his solid ’08 with a ninth and second generation racer Brad Force (Sellersville) rounded out the second five.
33 Sportsman were in competition for the evening. Heat winners were rookie competitor Kevin Smith, Phillips, Fitzpatrick, and Force. Wiest won the consi.
The Roadrunner division saw 23 cars take their feature green flag. The first ten laps were completed without any stoppages, which allowed for some exciting and competitive racing throughout the field. Sophomore racer Danny Mazy placed his letter “X” in front of the pack. Sites began his victory quest from the seventh position. He quickly joined Mazy and Neil Bressler in a good battle for the lead.
Sites passed Bressler for the runner-up position on lap six and quickly battled with Mazy for the lead. The pair raced side-by-side out of turn four to score the seventh lap, and Sites grabbed the lead. A few circuits later, Mazy spun with ten laps complete and Bressler was called on the spin infraction. Both cars were forced to restart from the rear of the field.
Sites stayed in command, while fifth starter Jeremy Becker and four-time winner Joe Hendricks, from tenth, fought for the runner-up spot. Sites stretched out an advantage until the event’s final lap when Phillip May’s machine brought out the second and final caution. The situation turned to red as May’s overheating machine developed a slight fire under the car. May (who was making his first ever BDR start) escaped from his car, uninjured.
The one lap shootout found Sites in command of the field. Kody, a third generation racer, drove to his third win of the season in his Monte Carlo bodied #95K. Hendricks (Auburn) passed Becker (Pottsville) in the one lap dash and the pair finished second and third respectively. Marc Berzowski (Branchdale) marched from eleventh to fourth and defending track champion Tom Hablett (Schuylkill Haven) finished fifth.
A wild tangle took place on the homestretch of the final lap, which eventually disqualified four cars in the running order. The reshuffled finish found Kevin Olenick (Forestville) in sixth ahead of Gary Renninger (Pottsville), Toby Chase (Bernville), Jim Kost (Pottsville), and Davey Nester (Bernville).
A pair of heats were held for the 24-cars on hand. Winners were Sites and Hendricks, who both just happened to finish one, two in the A-main.
The wingless ARDC Midgets made their second ’08 appearance and drew a good field of 34 cars. ARDC held three heat races with wins going to Brett Arndt, Ryan Smith, and Andy Martin. The qualifying heats were completed without a caution. Drew Heistand won the B-main, and the feature field was scaled down to 26-cars.
Second generation racer, Ryan Smith, started from the pole position. Smith, a young versatile racer from Kunkletown PA, drives just about any type of race car. In ARDC, he sits behind the wheel of Shawn Burke’s #54. Ryan’s father Randy Smith is a former Modified racer.
Smith led all 20-laps and withstood a restart with only one lap remaining. He captured his first career ARDC Midget feature victory. Former tour champion, Andy Martin, moved into the runner-up spot on lap three and finished in the spot. Brett Arndt, a former Micro Sprint competitor, finished third. Driving double duty on the evening, Billy Pauch Jr., leaped from eighteenth to fourth. Frank Polimeda ran within the front five during the entire contest and finished fifth. The next ARDC Midget show at Big Diamond is scheduled for Friday August 29.
The second Chad Miller Memorial takes place on Friday August 8. This event honors a young man who tragically lost his life in an automobile accident last summer. Chad was a crew member on the Glenn Hyneman owned #126 modified. Extra cash and events are on the line for 358 Modifieds and Sportsman. The Roadrunners complete the three-division card. Gates open at 5:00PM with a special pre race party hosted by BDR co-track announcer Pete Knappenberger. Hot laps take place at 7:15PM and qualifying goes green at 7:45PM.
BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY RESULTS –FRIDAY AUGUST 1, 2008 358 MODIFIEDS
First Heat (10-laps): 1) Kevin Albert Jr., 2) Ryan Godown, 3) Ryan Watt, 4) Duane Howard, 5) Bobby Gunther-Walsh, 6) Craig Whitmoyer.Second Heat (10-laps): 1) Ray Swinehart, 2) Craig Von Dohren, 3) Colt Harris, 4) Dan Hineline, 5) Shawn Fitzpatrick, 6) Billy Pauch Jr.Third Heat (10-laps): 1) Corey Sechrist, 2) John Willman, 3) Sean Merkel, 4) Meme DeSantis, 5) Jeff Strunk, 6) Mike Nicholas.Consi (10-laps): 1) Rick Laubach, 2) Ryan Grim, 3) Doug Manmiller, 4) Gary Hager, 5) Dale Hartz, 6) Greg Weiland. Did Not Qualify: Larry Lippincott, Tommy Sheetz, Danny Nicholas, Troy Wink, Eric Kocher. FEATURE (25-LAPS): 1) #1c-Craig Von Dohren, 2) #126-Jeff Strunk, 3) #33-Ray Swinehart, 4) #6-Ryan Watt, 5) #00-Doug Manmiller, 6) #99-Craig Whitmoyer, 7) #8-Billy Pauch Jr., 8) #118-Sean Merkel, 9) #19-Rick Laubach, 10) #T102-Shawn Fitzpatrick, 11) #3-Mike Nicholas, 12) #R1-Ryan Godown, 13) #11-John Willman, 14) #SQ1-Bobby Gunther-Walsh, 15) #42-Corey Sechrist, 16) #CR7-Colt Harris, 17) #17-Ryan Grim, 18) #333-Kevin Albert Jr., 19) #44H-Gary Hager, 20) #178-Dale Hartz, 21) #1450-Greg Weiland, 22) #4-Duane Howard, 23) #88D-Meme DeSantis, 24) #11D-Dan Hineline SPORTSMAN First Heat (8-laps): 1) Pete Phillips Jr., 2) Earl Paules, 3) Mike Loney, 4) Mike Mammana, 5) Corey Renninger.Second Heat (8-laps): 1) Tim Fitzpatrick, 2) Brad Brightbill, 3) Josh Biever, 4) Jonathan Kumernitsky, 5) Mike Lisowski.Third Heat (8-laps): 1) Kevin Smith, 2) Rich Stankiewicz, 3) Tom Brennan, 4) Gary Wagner, 5) Daryl Dissinger.Fourth Heat (8-laps): 1) Brad Force, 2) Kyle Weiss, 3) Billy Moyer Jr., 4) Kevin Beach, 5) Kevin Brady.Consi (8-laps): 1) Roy Wiest, 2) Lenny Hoffert Jr., 3) Chris James Jr., 4) Rick Raisner, 5) Jack Amundsen, 6) Jared Umbenhauer. Did not qualify: Jeff Sterner, Bill Nahodil, Jordan Dreher, Justin Andrews, Bill Shire, Earl Mace, Marc Corcoran. FEATURE (20-LAPS): 1) #27-Pete Phillips Jr., 2) #T102-Tim Fitzpatrick, 3) #19B-Brad Brightbill, 4) #2-Rich Stankiewicz, 5) #6JR-Kevin Beach, 6) #723-Mike Loney, 7) #26-Tom Brennan, 8) #123-Roy Wiest, 9) #46-Josh Biever, 10) #8-Brad Force, 11) #4-Earl Paules, 12) #33JR-Gary Wagner, 13) #ONE-Chris James Jr., 14) #32s-Jared Umbenhauer, 15) #7S-Kevin Smith, 16) #17-Billy Moyer Jr., 17) #71-Mike Mammana, 18) #x5-Daryl Dissinger, 19) #47-Jack Amundsen, 20) #28-Lenny Hoffert Jr., 21) #15-Mike Lisowski, 22) #R14-Rick Raisner, 23) #36-Jonathan Kumernitsky, 24) #3-Corey Renninger, 25) #21K-Kyle Weiss, 26) #0-Kevin Brady. ROADRUNNERS First Heat (6-laps): 1) Kody Sites, 2) Danny Mazy, 3) Jeremy Becker, 4) Neil Bressler, 5) Tom Hablett, 6) Marc Berzowski, 7) Chris Holland, 8) Brian Close, 9) Bud Vidal, 10) Hunter James, 11) Gary Willard Jr., 12) Phillip May.Second Heat (6-laps): 1) Joe Hendricks, 2) Kevin Holland, 3) Kevin Olenick, 4) Toby Chase, 5) Ricky Bender, 6) Rob Pyle, 7) Gary Renninger, 8) Davey Nester, 9) Butch Lesher, 10) Jim Kost, 11) Byrd Klinger, 12) Joe Brennan. FEATURE (15-LAPS): 1) #95K-Kody Sites, 2) #11x-Joe Hendricks, 3) #97-Jeremy Becker, 4) #66K-Marc Berzowski, 5) #22-Tom Hablett, 6) #450-Kevin Olenick, 7) #101-Gary Renninger, 8) #88-Toby Chase, 9) #555-Jim Kost, 10) #8-Davey Nester, 11) #17-Bud Vidal, 12) #CR7-Butch Lesher, 13) #48-Byrd Klinger, 14) #X-Danny Mazy, 15) #909-Neil Bressler, 16) #32-Phillip May, 17) #777-Brian Close, 18) #TWO-Hunter James, 19) #105-Joe Brennan. DNS: Gary Willard Jr. DQ: Chris Holland, Kevin Holland, Rob Pyle, Ricky Bender. |
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