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ANOTHER FIRST CAREER WINNER GRACES VICTORY LANE; CHAMPIONS CROWNED AT BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY…By Gary Lileck
Forestville, PA – August 22, 2008 – For the second straight Friday evening, a new 358 Modified feature winner stood triumphantly in Big Diamond Raceway’s victory circle. Gary Hager of Stewartsville NJ guided his #44 to a first career 358 Modified main event win. Hager, 35, became the eleventh different winner in eighteen races.
Gary, who is the nephew to famed dirt track Modified star Tom Hager, is a past champion (2000) in the BDR Sportsman division, where he was an 11-time career feature winner. Hager has been competing regularly this season in the Modified class. He drove to a third place feature finish on August 15, and followed that achievement up with a huge victory.
Friday night’s show, which was sponsored by Bartush Signs, was the final point event of 2008. Jeff Strunk of Mohnton PA captured three feature wins this season aboard the Glenn Hyneman owned #126. Strunk finished third in the point finale and captured his second straight (sixth overall) BDR 358 Modified track championship. Ironically, nearly nineteen years ago (August 25, 1989) Strunk captured his first career BDR feature victory.
Daryl Dissinger of Harrisburg PA captured his first career feature victory in the 20-lap Sportsman main event. Dissinger, who drove Sportsman cars at BDR a few years ago, and returned to full-time competition this season, became the ninth different Sportsman winner of the season.
Brad Brightbill of Sinking Springs PA maneuvered into the second position during the event’s closing laps. Brightbill capped off a tremendous ’08 campaign by capturing this year’s Sportsman track championship. Brad joins his father Kenny (1991 Modified) as a Big Diamond track champion.
Kody Sites of Hamburg PA powerfully steered his #95K Monte Carlo to another 15-lap Roadrunner feature win. Sites, a third generation racer, grabbed his fourth win of the season in front of a talented array of competitors.
The Roadrunner track championship battle had been red hot all season long. Five competitors had a shot at the title on the final night. Joe Hendricks of Auburn PA and Kevin Olenick of Forestville PA finished in a tie for the point crown. Each driver earned 1845 points. Hendricks and Olenick are the 2008 co-champions in the Roadrunner class.
The 25-lap 358 Modified feature found Shawn Fitzpatrick leading early from his inside pole starting position. Hager, who began from fifth, quickly advanced into the runner-up position behind Fitzpatrick on the event’s second lap. Ryan Godown, from sixth, followed into the third spot.
The race’s first caution flag was unfurled with three laps showing on the scoreboard. Previous week’s winner Dale Hartz and first year driver Kevin Albert Jr. were left sitting in turn two. The ensuing restart found an all out scramble between the front trio of Fitzpatrick, Hager, and Godown. Hager darted to the inside of Fitzpatrick through turns three and four of lap eight, and Hager gained possession of the race lead.
Hager built a second and a half lead over a good battle between Fitzpatrick, Godown and twelfth starter Strunk. The second caution took place with twelve laps complete and erased the Hager advantage. Under green conditions, Hager continued to lead, while Fitzpatrick drifted out of the top five after contact.
For the second straight week, the 358 Modified feature only contained two cautions. The final thirteen laps were completed caution-free. During most of the closing moments, equal space existed between Hager, Godown, and Strunk. Hager made no mistakes and throttled to his first 358 Modified feature win at Big Diamond Raceway.
Fellow Garden State racer Godown (Ringoes NJ) drove the Johnny Rea #R1 to a runner-up effort and Strunk locked up the ’08 championship with a third place result. Veteran competitor Mike Nicholas (Lebanon) grabbed a second straight top five finish of fourth, driving his self-owned #3 Teo. Craig Von Dohrem (Oley), who won the opening pair of August races, maneuvered into the top five during the event’s waning laps.
Doug Manmiller (Shoemakersville) drove the Wink Motorsports-00 to a sixth place finish while Duane Howard (Oley) finished seventh in the Chad Sinon #4. Meme DeSantis (Temple) drove a new #88D to a final result of eighth over Rick Laubach (Quakertown) and Fitzpatrick (Pottsville).
Kevin Brady led the 24-car Sportsman feature field to the opening green flag. Brady showed the way for a pair of circuits until third place starter Daryl Dissinger took control. Kevin Smith abruptly moved into the second spot and raced closely with Dissinger at times during the 20-lap race’s context.
Brightbill started fourteenth and wanted to end his championship run with a feature victory. He entered the top five on lap twelve. Brightbill followed Dissinger and Smith into the third spot with five laps remaining. The caution lights flashed after 17 circuits had been scored, which placed the front runners in tight formation.
Dissinger remained the race leader and Brightbill stormed to the inside of Smith on lap nineteen. Brightbill chased down Dissinger on the final lap. He raced two car length’s behind Dissinger as they erupted down the backstretch. Racing out of turn four, Brightbill closed to the rear deck of Dissinger. At the checkers it was Dissinger recording his first career Sportsman feature win with the ’08 champion Brightbill finishing a close second.
Smith, an impressive rookie from Lehighton, nailed down a third place finish. Third year driver Kevin Beach (Llewellyn) ended up fourth ahead of former feature winner Pete Phillips Jr. (Lebanon). Rounding out the top ten were point runner-up Kyle Weiss (Hamburg), ’06 champion Gary Wagner (Womelsdorf), Josh Biever (Orwigsburg), Tom Brennan (Pottsville) and Mike Loney (Taylor).
Danny Mazy led the opening two laps of the Roadrunner main event. Jeremy Becker darted to the inside of Mazy down the backstretch of lap three and Becker briefly held the lead. Sites started eighth and wasted no time in working to the front. He began passing from the outside and then switched lanes to the lower groove. Sites passed Becker on the fourth circuit.
At half-way Sites was the race leader over title contenders Becker, Joe Hendricks, Kevin Olenick, and Tom Hablett. A few late race cautions brought the field together, however, Sites ran his own race up front. Sites powered to his fourth win of the season. The final running order remained Sites over Becker, Hendricks, K. Olenick, and Hablett.
Heading into the evening, K. Olenick held a slim five point margin over Hendricks. Hendricks gained five points in the final rundown, thus we have co-champions for the first time in Big Diamond history.
Local radio personalities from T102, WAVT in Pottsville, competed in a 5-lap match race driving Enduro Cars. Dave Smith, steering Chuck Detweiler’s #666, passed Courtney Roberts, in the TJ Fitzptrick 102, during the race’s closing moments. ‘D-Mike’ finished third after crashing the Sam Detweiler #911 on the event’s final lap.
Another good crowd assembled on a beautiful evening for racing. The show was completed quickly and the final checkered flag fell just past 10:30PM.
Big Diamond Raceway will hold two big races this upcoming Labor Day Weekend. On Friday August 29, Alpine Building & Post Supply presents the fifth annual Coalcracker 50 for Sportsman, paying $2000 to win. The Wingless ARDC Midgets will share the card along with the Penske Racing Shocks 358 Modified 2008 Non-Winners Race.
Sunday August 31 is the 28th annual Alpine Building & Post Supply Coalcracker 100 for 358 Modifieds paying $10000 to the winning driver. Craig Von Dohren is the defending race winner. The Roadrunners will compete in an extra distance 20-lap feature. Racing begins at 6:30PM.
For more information such as upcoming events and directions, visit the track’s website at www.bigdiamondraceway.com
BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY – FRIDAY AUGUST 22, 2008 – COMPLETE RESULTS
358 MODIFIEDS
First Heat (8-laps): 1) Doug Manmiller, 2) Duane Howard, 3) Rick Laubach, 4) John Willman, 5) Shawn Fitzpatrick, 6) Kenny Brightbill.
Second Heat (8-laps): 1) Jeff Strunk, 2) Troy Wink, 3) Craig Von Dohren, 4) Gary Hager, 5) Jimmy Horton, 6) Dale Hartz.
Third Heat (8-laps): 1) Ryan Godown, 2) Meme DeSantis, 3) Mike Nicholas, 4) Billy Pauch Sr., 5) Ryan Watt, 6) Kevin Albert Jr.
Consolation (8-laps): 1) Craig Whitmoyer, 2) Colt Harris, 3) Bobby Gunther-Walsh, 4) AJ DeSantis, 5) Ryan Grim, 6) Greg Weiland. Did Not Qualify: Eric Kocher, Chris Gambler, Neil Huber, Ray Swinehart.
25-Lap Feature: 1) #44H-Gary Hager, 2) #R1-Ryan Godown, 3) #126-Jeff Strunk, 4) #3-Mike Nicholas, 5) #1c-Craig Von Dohren, 6) #00-Doug Manmiller, 7) #4-Duane Howard, 8) #88D-Meme DeSantis, 9) #14-Rick Laubach, 10) #T102-Shawn Fitzpatrick, 11) #357-Jimmy Horton, 12) #8P-Billy Pauch Sr., 13) #6-Ryan Watt, 14) #19-Kenny Brightbill, 15) #11-John Willman, 16) #CR7-Colt Harris, 17) #17-Ryan Grim, 18) #27-Troy Wink, 19) #99-Craig Whitmoyer, 20) #SQ1-Bobby Gunther-Walsh, 21) #88-AJ DeSantis, 22) #1450-Greg Weiland, 23) #178-Dale Hartz, 24) #333-Kevin Albert Jr.
Final Point Standings: 1) Jeff Strunk-1960, 2) Duane Howard-1795, 3) Doug Manmiller-1620, 4) Rick Laubach-1545, 5) Meme DeSantis-1520.
SPORTSMAN
First Heat (8-laps): 1) Kyle Weiss, 2) Josh Biever, 3) Kevin Brady, 4) Kevin Smith, 5) Billy Moyer Jr., 6) Mike Lisowski.
Second Heat (8-laps): 1) Daryl Dissinger, 2) Kevin Beach, 3) Brad Brightbill, 4) Pete Phillips Jr., 5) Tom Brennan, 6) Jonathan Kumernitsky.
Third Heat (8-laps): 1) Earl Paules, 2) Chris James Jr., 3) Mike Loney, 4) Gary Wagner, 5) Brad Force, 6) Jordan Dreher.
Did Not Qualify: Corey Renninger, Lenny Hoffert Jr., Jason James, Andy Fayash Jr., Bill Nahodil.
20-Lap Feature: 1) #x5-Daryl Dissinger, 2) #19B-Brad Brightbill, 3) #7s-Kevin Smith, 4) #6JR-Kevin Beach, 5) #27-Pete Phillips Jr., 6) #21K-Kyle Weiss, 7) #33JR-Gary Wagner, 8) #46-Josh Biever, 9) #26-Tom Brennan, 10) #723-Mike Loney, 11) #123-Roy Wiest, 12) #19-Tom Umbenhauer, 13) #8-Brad Force, 14) #36-Jonathan Kumernitsky, 15) #5D-Darren Dreher, 16) #0-Kevin Brady, 17) #14x-Willard Knecht, 18) #4-Earl Paules, 19) #15-Mike Lisowski, 20) #ONE-Chris James Jr., 21) #17-Billy Moyer Jr., 22) #M7-Shane Moser, 23) #47-Jack Amundsen.
Final Points: 1) Brad Brightbill-1815, 2) Kyle Weiss-1640, 3) Josh Biever-1595, 4) Mike Loney-1505, 5) Gary Wagner-1395.
ROADRUNNERS
First Heat (6-laps): 1) Danny Mazy, 2) Marc Berzowski, 3) Jim Kost, 4) Kevin Olenick, 5) Neil Bressler, 6) Gary Renninger, 7) Gary Willard Jr., 8) Butch Lesher, 9) Davey Nester, 10) Jeff Werner, 11) Mark Paine.
Second Heat (6-laps): 1) Joe Hendricks, 2) Kody Sites, 3) Jeremy Becker, 4) Chris Holland, 5) Tom Hablett, 6) Bud Vidal, 7) Byrd Klinger, 8) Joe Brennan, 9) Toby Chase, 10) Chip Kennedy, 11) Brian Close.
15-Lap Feature: 1) #95K-Kody Sites, 2) #97-Jeremy Becker, 3) #11x-Joe Hendricks, 4) #450-Kevin Olenick, 5) #22-Tom Hablett, 6) #66K-Marc Berzowski, 7) #555-Jim Kost, 8) #909-Neil Bressler, 9) #66-Chris Holland, 10) #777-Brian Close, 11) #88-Toby Chase, 12) #8-Davey Nester, 13) #105-Joe Brennan, 14) #X-Danny Mazy, 15) #48-Byrd Klinger, 16) #98-Chip Kennedy, 17) #72-Mark Paine, 18) #55-Jeff Werner, 19) #2-Gary Willard Jr., 20) #CR7-Butch Lesher, 21) #101-Gary Renninger, 22) #17-Bud Vidal.
Final Points: 1) Joe Hendricks & Kevin Olenick-1845, 3) Jeremy Becker-1785, 4) Tom Hablett-1760, 5) Kody Sites-1735. |
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