By Ken Bruce
Defending Big Diamond Speedway Crate Champion Brandon Edgar did not win a race all season long at the Minersville, Pa., dirt track. Edgar did manage a plethora of top-five finishes but just could not close the deal after winning multiple features in 2022. Despite not winning a race and electing to miss some shows due to family commitments, Edgar still managed a fifth-place finish in the season ending points standings. Still not being able to procure a win was on the driver’s mind coming into Sunday’s Coalcracker finale.
“This was huge; we finally got the break we needed,” said Edgar after his big win. “I figured out during the modified race that the track was going to be torched. I don’t know if we had the best car, but starting on the pole tonight was massive. It would’ve been tough to work our way around Joe (Toth) or Kyle (Kania) there, and it sounds like they were all over us there at the end. I started to get a little nervous trying to pass the lapped cars, but it is what it is. I knew I just had to hit my marks there and not get excited or overzealous about getting into the corner.
“I think a lot of people would have loved to have the year we had, but I would’ve traded a lot of the second and thirds for a win or two. But I guess that is the fun part of racing and the frustrating part of racing. I thought at times this year that we were better than last year, but it just didn’t work out. It is really nice to put the exclamation point on the end of the season at Big Diamond, and hopefully we can pick a couple off at the end of the year shows.”
Edgar qualified for the modified portion of Coalcracker night but ended up dropping out after 20 or so laps in the No. 57.
“We ended up pulling in during the modified race after like 20 laps or so with what we think was a voltage issue,” explained Edgar. “I didn’t want to hurt anything in the motor, so it made sense to pull it in and live to fight another day. Running both races didn’t seem like it was too strenuous, especially after it locked down. I talked to Logan (Watt, who ran all laps in both races), and he said he felt fine afterwards, so I guess I would’ve been okay.”
The team has acquired a spec 358 motor, running it in Friday’s night point season finale. Next year, the plan is to run in the 358 modified division at Big Diamond, and Edgar is looking forward to the challenge ahead.
“That is our plan; we had a sponsor, Ted Snyder, step up big time and get an engine for us,” cited Edgar. “I really appreciate the opportunity he is giving us, and we look to build up a program that is respectable and that can compete in the future. I felt really good on Friday night with the modified; with the one restart, we just really went backwards big time. I had one car in front of us that I guess I wasted too much time on, and in this division, you just cannot waste time, or they are by you. It is an adjustment I have to make and have to make in a hurry to compete in the modifieds.”
Coalcracker 72 Notes:
There were 39 modifieds in the pits for Sunday’s Coalcracker, with heat wins going to Duane Howard, Nick Rochinski, Louden Reimert, and Jack Butler. The two modified consi’s were won by Ken Eckert Jr. and Ryan Krachun.
Notable DNQ’s included Ryan Watt, Mike Lisowski, Timmy Buckwalter, and invaders Corey Cormier, DJ Hunt, Eddie Strada, Eric Kormann, Frank Cozze, and Ray Swinehart.
It was heartbreak for Mike Lisowski. Lisowski drew the No. 1 chip in the pre-race draw, putting him starting first in heat one. Lisowski was running away with his heat when a flat tire ruined the team’s day. Lisowski failed to qualify in the consi.
Jordan Watson and the No. 51 Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz team made a rare visit to Big Diamond at the Coalcracker. Watson qualified easily and was steady in the feature, coming home with a seventh-place finish.
Prelude to the Coalcracker winner Anthony Perrego failed to get a redraw spot in his heat, relegating him to starting deep in the field for the feature. Perrego was only able to work his way to a 12th-place finish at night’s end.
Jeff Strunk ended a nightmarish year at Big Diamond with an 11th-place finish. The Strunk-Hyneman combination had nothing but bad luck at Big Diamond in 2023. The team showed speed but was never able to pick up a much-needed win.
It was nice to have Jimmy Horton make a rare visit to Big Diamond on Sunday. Horton qualified for the main event and ended up with a 17th place result.
Pre-race favorite Craig Von Dohren, who has shown a lot of speed as of late, was unexpectedly not a factor on Sunday. Von Dohren ended up being the last car on the lead lap, with winner Louden Reimert right behind at the end.
Crate 602 Sportsman drivers Logan Watt and Brandon Edgar both modified their 358 modifieds into the Coalcracker 72. Watt ended the night, finishing in 15th with Edgar dropping out due to electrical issues.
Former Money in the Mountains winner Ryan Krachun was on hand. Unfortunately, Krachun was an early race DNF.
The “Hook” Craig Whitmoyer was back at Big Diamond for Sunday’s Coalcracker 72. Whitmoyer made the main event in his No. 99 but was the first car out of the race.
ERK Steering owner Eric Kormann was on hand with a brand-new No. 36 modified. Kormann was happy with the car’s speed and just missed qualifying for the main event. Crate Sportsman driver Tom Moore was on hand with his son crewing for Kormann on Sunday. Moore, who suffered a very hard crash at Georgetown the past Tuesday, said that he feels good, but the car is a total write-off, and he is done racing in 2023.
I can be reached for any comments or questions via email at dirtracefan25@hotmail.com or on Twitter (X) @dirtracefan25.
