STRUNK SNEAKS PAST VON DOHREN ON FINAL RESTART TO WIN AT BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY

(Track Press Release by Gary Lileck) Forestville, PA – May 21, 2010 – Six-time track champion Jeff Strunk relied on a crafty late race restart maneuver to pass Big Diamond Raceway’s all-time win leader Craig Von Dohren, and won Friday’s 25-lap 358 Modified feature. The victory, Strunk’s second of the season, was contested in front of a near capacity crowd on T102/House Doctors Pack the House Night.

May 21, 2010 Video Highlights

Order the complete race night DVD at the GSP Shop or get it at the track!

358 Modifieds Feature Highlights

Sportsman Feature Highlights

Roadrunners Feature Highlights

After triumphantly pulling his car into the winner’s circle Strunk, of Mohnton PA, dedicated the win to his crew member Gary Gamler who passed away last Sunday. Strunk likewise expressed his sympathies to the passing of Joe Adams’ father earlier this week. Big Diamond Raceway also wishes to extend its condolences to the Gamler and Adams families at this time.

Lehighton’s Kevin Smith had struggled with a variety of hard luck moments during the course of this season. Smith rebounded with force on Friday night as he captured a victory in the 20-lap Sportsman feature. Smith was the seventh different winner in seven events held thus far in 2010.

Joey Hendricks of Auburn became the first repeat winner in the Wooden Keg Tavern Roadrunner division. After being involved in a hard crash the previous week, Hendricks and crew repaied the car for a Friday night feature victory, the 12th of his BDR career.

Strunk started the 358 Modified feature from the eighth position. He was slightly involved in an opening lap backstretch tangle, but received very little damage and continued on. By lap four, Strunk rested in the fourth spot with 14th place starter Von Dohren holding fifth. Von Dohren powered past Strunk on lap five and later grabbed the lead from 21 year old racer Kevin Albert Jr. on lap 11. After a highly contested battle between several combatants, Strunk advanced into the runner-up spot on lap 16.

On a lap 19 restart, Strunk looked for passing room on the high side, but Von Dohren denied the challenge. The event’s final caution flag was unfurled with just a pair of circuits remaining. A single file restart would determine the event’s dramatic conclusion.

Strunk powered to the outside of Von Dohren in turn one. As the pair entered turn two, Strunk changed lanes and placed the Vince Gagliardo Sr. owned #41 to the inside. The 41-year old racing veteran gained command of the lead as they raced down the backstretch. Strunk led the remaining moments and cruised to his 41st career BDR triumph in front of a supportive grandstand. Von Dohren (Boyertown), a winner back on April 2, settled for the runner-up spot.

Current points leader Doug Manmiller (Shoemakersville) started 12th and cruised into the third spot on lap 17. Ninth place starter Rick Laubach (Hellertown) advanced a position on the event’s final restart, while third generation racer Billy Pauch Jr. (Frenchtown NJ) captured a third straight top five finish of fifth.

Albert (Lebanon) matched a season’s best finish of sixth after leading laps six through ten. Meme DeSantis (Temple) was involved in a lap five yellow flag period, and passed his way back through the pack, finishing seventh. Mike Nicholas (Lebanon) was battling for sixth with two laps remaining and settled in eighth. John Willman (Birdsboro) and Tommy Scheetz III (Boyertown) likewise recovered from an ealier tangle to finish ninth and tenth respectively.

Earlier in the evening, a trio of 10-lap qualifying heats were contested. Winners were: Doug Manmiller, Ricky Yetter, and Kyle Follweiler. Tommy Scheetz III was the consolation winner.

Ray Woodall Jr., who is racing a part-time schedule this year, grabbed the Sportsman feature lead from rookie competitor John Kovatch IV on lap four. Woodall continued to set the pace for numerous laps, while a tenth starting Kevin Smith methodically worked his way to the front.

Smith moved into second on lap 14 and passed Woodall through turns three and four of the 15th lap. The race for victory, however, was far from over. Woodall pressed Smith for several laps, pulling alongside of the third year racer on occassion. With less than two laps remaining, Smith was able to place a few car lengths between himself and Woodall.

Under the checkered flag, Smith cruised to his second career win over Woodall (Easton). The always exciting Doug Hendricks (Auburn) started 16th and moved into third on lap 15 where he remained at the finish. Mike Loney (Taylor) began from thirteenth and finished fourth while April 9 winner Mike Mammana (Nazareth) made a power sweep from 23rd to fifth.

In his first start of 2010, Shawn Fitzpatrick (Pottsville) raced from 18th to sixth. Harry Landis (Bethlehem) ran within the top five during the event’s opening half and finished seventh. Kovatch enjoyed a career best of eighth. Young Jordan Dreher likewise raced within the front five during the first 13 laps and settled in ninth at the end. Andy Fayash Jr. (Mary D) suffered through a nightmarish night but still rebounded for tenth in the end.

Three 10-lap heats were held earlier in the night with victories going to Ray Woodall Jr., Ryan Moyer, and Kevin Beach. Daryl Dissinger, in only his second start of the season, won the consolation.

The Roadrunner feature found many early race leaders including rookie Butch Helsel (led lap one until a spin after contact), TJ Fitzpatrick (laps 2-4), Joey Brennan (laps 5-8), and Elvin Brennan, who grabbed the top spot on lap 9. Joey Hendricks started from 13th and executed some impressive moves through the pack, grabbing second on lap 13. On a lap 15 restart, Hendricks worked past E. Brennan to become the new race leader.

J. Hendricks, grandson of legendary BDR racer the Late Drick Hendricks, drove his quick #11x Nova bodied machine to the winner’s circle with E. Brennan in pursuit. Third through seventh place finished in close formation. Ryan Olenick (Forestville) drove to a third place finish followed by points leader Ricky Bender (Joliett). Nate Klinger (Mahanoy City) finished fifth with right front wheel damage.

After pitting for a flat tire earlier, previous week’s winner Ed Kuperavage (Port Carbob) finished sixth. Veteran racer and car owner Jim Kost (Pottsville) crossed in the seventh position and Marc Berzowski (Branchddale) rebounded from an earlier pit stop to take eighth. Earlier leader Fitzpatrick (Branchdale) was ninth and Steve Gromis (Robesonia) rounded out the top ten. Fitzpatrick and J. Brennan were the heat race winners.

Former track regular and current six-time ARCA Daytona winner Bobby Gerhart Jr. of Lebanon PA was on hand along with his Lucas Oil #5 to sign autographs for the fans in attendance. Gerhart was a feature winner at Big Diamond back in 1983 driving that very same car number.

Big Diamond Raceway will operate on a pair of days during the upcoming Holiday Weekend. Friday nigght May 28 is a regular three division program of 358 Modifieds, Sportsman, and Wooden Keg Tavern Roadrunners. Sunday May 30 is the Party in the Parking Lot (drivers autograph session/get your picture taken in victory lane/vintage race car display, music & racing videos and much more) from 12:00PM to 4:00PM followed by an exciting show of racing and Memorial Day Picnic. Gates open at 5:00PM with action getting underway at 7:00PM. The Open Modifieds will battle in a $4000 to win 40-lap main event. Sportsman and Wooden Keg Tavern Roadrunners are competing in a points show for each class.

BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY COMPLETE RESULTS – T102/HOUSE DOCTORS PACK THE HOUSE NIGHT – MAY 21, 2010

358 MODIFIED FEATURE (25-LAPS): 1) 41-Jeff Strunk, 2) 1c-Craig Von Dohren, 3) 14M-Doug Manmiller, 4) R1-Rick Laubach, 5) T102-Billy Pauch Jr., 6) 3A-Kevin Albert Jr., 7) 88D-Meme DeSantis, 8) 3-Mike Nicholas, 9) 74W-John Willman, 10) 37x-Tommy Scheetz III, 11) 39-Danny Nicholas, 12) 112-Eric Kocher, 13) 14D-AJ DeSantis, 14) CR7-Colt Harris, 15) 5-Ricky Yetter, 16) 44-Gary Hager, 17) 47-Gary Wagner Jr., 18) 357-Ryan Godown, 19) 21K-Kyle Weiss, 20) 33-Ray Swinehart, 21) 4-Duane Howard, 22) 107-Danny Hieber, 23) J3-Dale Hartz, 24) 42-Kyle Follweiler. DNS: 71-David Van Horn Jr. LAP LEADERS: R. Yetter (1-2), AJ DeSantis (3-5), K. Albert Jr. (6-10), C. Von Dohren (11-23), J. Strunk (24-25). DNQ: 78-Neil Huber, 24-Scott Miller, 44B-Jim Bobbitt Jr.

SPORTSMAN FEATURE (20-LAPS): 1) 7-Kevin Smith, 2) 72-Ray Woodall Jr., 3) 8H-Doug Hendricks, 4) 17D-Mike Loney, 5) 71-Mike Mammana, 6) F1-Shawn Fitzpatrick, 7) 31-Harry Landis, 8) 00-John Kovatch IV, 9) 5-Jordan Dreher, 10) 45x-Andy Fayash Jr., 11) 14J-Joey Funk III, 12) 24H-Justin Andrews, 13) x5-Daryl Dissinger, 14) 88D-Nick DeSantis, 15) 110-Bill Finneran, 16) M5-Greg Weiland, 17) 93-Ryan Moyer, 18) 17x-Kevin Beach, 19) 19-Brad Brightbill, 20) xx5-Andy Miller, 21) 18-Michael Weinert, 22) 8-Brad Force, 23) 19U-Jared Umbenhauer, 24) 29-Sammy Piazza, 25) T102-Tim Fitzpatrick, 26) 8JR-Warren Floyd Jr. LAP LEADERS: J. Kovatch IV (1-3), R. Woodall Jr. (4-14), K. Smith (15-20). DNQ: 32-Kevin Reese, 26-Tom Brennan, 343-Jeremy Hertzog, 99-Craig Whitmoyer, 83-Jeff Hertzog, 15-Mike Lisowski Jr.

WOODEN KEG TAVERN ROADRUNNER FEATURE (20-LAPS): 1) 11x-Joey Hendricks, 2) 555-Elvin Brennan, 3) 45-Ryan Olenick, 4) 29B-Ricky Bender, 5) 4-Nate Klinger, 6) 23-Ed Kuperavage, 7) 126-Jim Kost, 8) 66K-Marc Berzowski, 9) 102-TJ Fitzpatrick, 10) 22G-Steve Gromis, 11) 6D-Butch Helsel, 12) 98K-Chip Kennedy, 13) 6-Dylan Quinn, 14) 450-Kevin Olenick, 15) 105-Joey Brennan, 16) 666-Cory Baver, 17) CR7-Jordan Quinn, 18) 550-Joe Kavanaugh, 19) 95K-Kody Sites, 20) 22-Tommy Hablett, 21) 61s-Christian Donati. DNS: 17-Tyler Vidal. LAP LEADERS: B. Helsel (1), TJ Fitzpatrick (2-4). J. Brennan (5-8), E. Brennan (9-14), J. Hendricks (15-20).