DUANE HOWARD REBOUNDS FROM A HARD LUCK FILLED FRIDAY TO EARN $4000 PAYDAY ON SUNDAY

(Track Press Release by Gary Lileck) Forestville, PA – Duane Howard endured a rough evening at Big Diamond Raceway this past Friday night. Just two days later, Howard reversed his fortunes and emerged victorious in the extra paying $4000 to win Open Competition Modified 40-lap main event. It was the Oley PA resident’s fourth overall triumph of the season.

May 30, 2010 Video Highlights

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

Big Block Modifieds Feature Highlights

Sportsman Feature Highlights

Roadrunners Feature Highlights

A nice crowd assembled at the 3/8 mile clay oval facility for the Big Diamond Fan Page Party in the Parking Lot earlier in the day and the three division racing card with a fan appreciation picnic later. Defending track champion Kevin Beach of Llewellyn PA won his first 20-lap Sportsman feature of the season while Elvin Brennan of Forestville likewise captured his initial 20-lap Wooden Keg Tavern Roadrunner main event victory of 2010.

Howard, a six-time 358 Modified track champion at the Forestville based racetrack, brought his Chad Sinon owned Big Block Modified #4 Troyer to the Open Competition show. Howard finished third in his 10-lap qualifying heat, after starting from the eighth position. Howard started third in the feature, and moved into the runner-up position with an inside power move on lap nine.

After following race leader Rick Laubach for a handful of circuits, Howard gained possession of the race lead on lap 19 when Laubach suddenly fell from the pace and headed out of the main event. From there, Howard showcased a dominant performance, pulling away from the field on each restart. The final thirteen laps were completed caution-free and Howard pulled to a full straightaway advantage over his competition.

Howard’s victory was his fourth in a Big Block Modified, which ranks first in the all-time BBM winner’s list at the speedway. Howard actually didn’t have a Big Block win until a race held at the track last season.

Colt Harris of Pitman matched his season’s best finish of second in front of a supportive grandstand. Harris unveiled a special tribute car, which honored his Late Grandfather Harry Harris. The car featured Harry’s traditional #64 and carried the red, white, and blue patriotic theme. Harris started second, ran within the top five during most of the event, and grabbed the runner-up spot for keeps on lap 26 when earlier leader (laps 1-4) Tom Umbenhauer vacated the speedway with a flat right rear tire. Harris earned a $500 bonus for being the first BDR legal 358 Modified car across the finish line.

Craig Von Dohren (Oley) finished third but it certainly felt like a victory. The driver known as “CVD” to his faithful fans, was racing in fourth until an incident with a fifth running Jimmy Horton sent Horton to the infield and Von Dohren into a pair of 360 degree spins. Von Dohren pitted with a flat tire and returned. He was involved in a second accident on the ensuing restart. Later, the speedway’s all-time win leader made an impressive charge through the field and moved into the third spot on lap 27.

Second generation racer Addison Meitzler (Kutztown) had only competed in one event at Big Diamond (the 2099 Coalcracker). Despite his limited experience at the speedway, Meitzler cruised to a fourth place finish. Meitzler started thirteenth and quietly worked his way into the top five. He was up to third at one point, before he was passed by Von Dohren on the event’s 27th tour.

John Stangle (Neshanic Station NJ) made his first BDR start of 2010 a memorable one, as he charged from 20th to a final finish of fifth. Mike Nicholas (Lebanon) rebounded from an earlier accident to take sixth. Umbenhauer (Richland) cruised back into seventh after his tire change and Dale Hartz (Hamburg) drove from 23rd to eighth. Gary Hager (Stewartsville NJ) finished ninth and Kyle Weiss (Hamburg) rounded out the top ten.

10-lap qualifying heat winners were Laubach, Ryan Godown (who was later racing fourth in the feature until his car spun on lap 16), and Umbenhauer. M. Nicholas won the consi.

Beach turned his season around with a hard fought victory in the Sportsman main event. At first, Beach had to wrestle the lead away from rookie racer Joey Funk III, who was enjoying his finest effort of the season. Later, Beach held off a hard charging Mike Mammana to take the close victory. Mammana actually closed to the rear deck of Beach’s #17x and looked to the outside as they raced down the straightaway of the final lap.

The grandson of BDR legendary figure Kenny Harris Sr., Beach has enjoyed much success during the course of his career. He was the 2005 Roadrunner track champion before entering the Sportsman ranks. It was Beach’s eighth career win at the speedway (5-Roadrunner/3-Sportsman).

Nineteenth starter Mammana (Nazareth) settled for second ahead of Funk (Coopersburg), a graduate of Tobias Slingshot racing. Three-time track champion Craig Whitmoyer (Hamburg) moved into fourth on the final lap, and third year racer Kevin Smith (Lehighton) rounded out the front five. 15-year old sensation Michael Weinert (Tamaqua) drove the Thomas Weinert owned #18 to a sixth place effort while Tim Fitzpatrick (Branchdale) pitted and returned to finish seventh. Brad Brightbill (Sinking Springs) nursed his crinkled race car to an eighth place result while second generation driver Jared Umbenhauer (Richland) placed ahead of Shawn Fitzpatrick (Pottsville), who was making only his second Sportsman start of the year.

A trio of 10-lap heats were held with victories going to J. Umbenhauer, Jordan Dreher (who was debuting a new look to his #5 honoring the Wounded Warrior Project and all branches of the military), and Mike Lisowski Jr.

E. Brennan cruised to his eleventh career victory in the Roadrunner class, but it was no easy task. Elvin grabbed the top spot from his cousin Joey Brennan on lap three and later exchanged the lead with 2007 track champion Tommy Hablett. After a thrilling side-by-side war, E. Brennan charged back into the lead on lap 13 and never looked back.

A second generation racer, E. Brennan, began competing in the BDR Roadrunner division back in 2003. Elvin captured four victories last season including the Coalcracker 25 held in September. He became the eighth different winner of the season aboard his #555 Nova bodied machine.

Hablett (Schuylkill Haven) remained in the second position while sophomore racer Nate Klinger (Mahanoy City) finished third. Joey Hendricks (Auburn) made the charge from 18th to fourth and Ed Kuperavage (Port Carbon) recovered from a wild lap 13 accident to finish fifth. Defending track champion Kevin Olenick (Forestville) finished sixth ahead of Ricky Bender (Joliett) who was also involved in the lap 13 incident. Steve Gromis (Robesonia) charged back from two incidents to score an eighth while second year racer Christian Donati (Schuylkill Haven) finished ninth. Marc Berzowski (Branchdale) was up to third at one point but settled for tenth in the end.

A pair of 8-lap qualifiers were held earlier in the daylight with wins going to K. Olenick and Toby Chase.

Big Diamond Raceway would like to thank all of the drivers (Vintage Race Cars and Modifieds) who displayed their cars in the pre-race ceremonies at the Party in the Parking Lot. The track, along with the Big Diamond Fan Page, also expresses thanks to all of the racers who took part in the autograph sessions. Incidentally, Sportsman and Roadrunner winners Beach and Brennan, and Modified runner-up Harris, each participated in the pre-race autograph session.

Big Diamond Raceway is back in action this Friday evening with a huge double header of USAC Sprints and 358 Modifieds. The Sprints will get heat in their motors at 6:30PM and USAC time trials start at 7:00PM.

BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY COMPLETE RESULTS – SUNDAY MAY 30, 2010

OPEN COMPETITION MODIFIED FEATURE (40-LAPS): 1) 4-Duane Howard, 2) 64-Colt Harris, 3) 1c-Craig Von Dohren, 4) 21-Addison Meitzler, 5) 6-John Stangle, 6) 3-Mike Nicholas, 7) 19-Tom Umbenhauer, 8) J3-Dale Hartz, 9) 44-Gary Hager, 10) 21K-Kyle Weiss, 11) 42-Kyle Follweiler, 12) 5-Ricky Yetter, 13) 18-Michael Weinert, 14) 51M-Wade Hendrickson, 15) 357-Ryan Godown, 16) 333-Kevin Albert Jr., 17) 7-Rick Laubach, 18) 118-Sean Merkel, 19) 37x-Tommy Scheetz III, 20) 41-Jeff Strunk, 21) 14-Jimmy Horton, 22) 1A-Brian Weaver, 23) T102-Billy Pauch Jr., 24) 69-Bobby Trapper. DNQ: 00-Doug Manmiller, 1L-Billy Lowden Jr., 34-Mark Behm, 14W-Ryan Watt, 24-Scott Miller.

SPORTSMAN FEATURE (20-LAPS): 1) 17x-Kevin Beach, 2) 71-Mike Mammana, 3) 14J-Joey Funk III, 4) 97-Craig Whitmoyer, 5) 7-Kevin Smith, 6) 18-Michael Weinert, 7) T102-Tim Fitzpatrick, 8) 19-Brad Brightbill, 9) 19U-Jordan Umbenhauer, 10) 102-Shawn Fitzpatrick, 11) 29-Sammy Piazza, 12) 17D-Mike Loney, 13) 24H-Justin Andrews, 14) 8H-Doug Hendricks, 15) 8-Brad Forece, 16) 73-Jason James, 17) 5-Jordan Dreher, 18) J3-Corey Renninger, 19) x5-Daryl Dissinger, 20) 45x-Andy Fayash Jr., 21) 04-Steven Hughes, 22) 15-Mike Lisowski Jr., 23) 00-John Kovatch IV, 24) 17-Billy Moyer Jr., 25) M5-Greg Weiland, 26) 83-Josh Hertzog, 27) 26-Tom Brennan.

WOODEN KEG TAVERN ROADRUNNER FEATURE (20-LAPS): 1) 555-Elvin Brennan, 2) 22-Tommy Hablett, 3) 4-Nate Klinger, 4) 11x-Joe Hendricks, 5) 23-Ed Kuperavage, 6) 450-Kevin Olenick, 7) 29B-Ricky Bender, 8) 22G-Steve Gromis, 9) 61s-Christian Donati, 10) 66K-Marc Berzowski, 11) 102-TJ Fitzpatrick, 12) 126-Jim Kost, 13) 550-Joe Kavanaugh, 14) CR7-Jordan Quinn, 15) 6-Dylan Quinn, 16) 88-Toby Chase, 17) 105-Joey Brennan, 18) 8-Ed Bartlett. DNS: 45-Ryan Olenick, 17-Bud Vidal, 98K-Chip Kennedy.