REICHERT ROCKET TOUCHES DOWN AT BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY; WILSON AND CLARK ARE REPEAT WINNERS ON SUNDAY

(Press Release by Gary Lileck) Forestville, PA – Mike Reichert steered his “Reichert Rocket” #63 to an impressive victory in Sunday’s 100-lap 6/8 Cylinder Enduro at Big Diamond Raceway. Steve Wilson cruised from 24th to first in the 100-lap 4 Cylinder Enduro while Shirley Clark dominated the 50-lap Ladies Race. Each driver collected their second win of 2010.

June 20, 2010 Video Highlights

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6/8 Cylinder, 4 Cylinder, and Ladies Enduro Race Highlights

Racing police officer, Mike Allar, led the opening 15 circuits of the 6/8 cylinder contest. Reichert, who started 12th, seized the top spot from Allar while racing out of turn four on lap 16. June 20 winner Brad Krause (started 11th) passed Allar on lap 39 and chased down the race leader. Reichert and Krause split a lapped car at the flag stand to score the 60th lap. Krause powered into the lead in turn two of the following circuit.

Krause, a two-time Enduro career winner, appeared to be in prime shape for a victory until his machine suddenly lost power on lap 74. Reichert of New Ringgold became the new race leader and held a comfortable advantage. Reichert, the 1995 BDR Roadrunner track champion, captured his 5th career Enduro victory (dating back to 2005).

Doug Naftzinger (Auburn), a former competitor in the speedway’s old Slide Stock division, made his first start of the season a memorable one. D. Naftzinger started 22nd, and grabbed second on lap 85. Allar (Orwigsburg) enjoyed his finest moment of the year in the Detweiller fielded #007, finishing third. Scott Lord (Auburn) grabbed fourth in only his third ever 6/8 Cylinder start. Mike Benulis (New Philadelphia) drove to a second straight top five finish of fifth.

Jamie Naftzinger (New Ringgold) ran within the top ten during the event’s entire context and placed sixth. Sophomore racer Terry Kramer Jr. (Phoenix Park) captured his third straight top ten finish of seventh. Former Street Stock racer Kevin Martin (Port Carbon) finished eighth and Sammy Detweiler (Schuylkill Haven) advanced from 15th to ninth in the end. Chuck Dietzel (Pottsville) ran up front early and settled for tenth.

The 4-cylinder contest found 28 starters and Curt Breinich grabbed the early race lead. Tyler Stump moved into the top spot on lap 11. Second generation racer Brad Killian (started 15th) unveiled a new car and quickly vaulted into the race lead on the 26thlap. While B. Killian paced the field, Wilson was busy charging from deep in the pack. Wilson claimed the runner-up position on lap 76.

Wilson closed to the rear deck of B. Killian with less than 20 laps remaining. On lap 85, the front pair raced alongside of two lapped cars. Wilson, on the outside, wrestled the lead away from B. Killian as they raced out of the fourth corner. Wilson (Green Lane) led the closing laps and drove to his second straight victory, and third of his BDR career.

B. Killian (Pine Grove) settled for a season’s best of second, while May 16 winner Steve Stump (Oley) started tenth and finished third. Consistent racer Gary Grim (Fleetwood) finished fourth and second year racer Greg Zelinsky (Pine Grove) rounded out the front finishing five.

Tony Wetzel (Fleetwood) drove from 16th to sixth and experienced enduro racer Rob Pyle III (Downingtown) advanced from 25th to seventh. Chris Holland (Pine Grove) was up to second at one point but handling problems forced his car pit-side in the end, still finishing eighth. Joel Matter (Tower City) started from the front row and settled for ninth, while Wayne Krauss (Mertztown) grabbed a season’s third top ten finish of tenth.

The 4-cylinder contest contained a pair of nasty flips during its context. Lance Hoch rolled his machine over in turn one and landed driver’s side down. Later in the contest on lap 61, Tyler Stump’s VW took a series of violent barrel rolls in turns three and four. Both drivers were uninjured in each accident.

Clark started third in the Ladies Race and wasted no time in grabbing the opening lap lead. Clark was never challenged throughout the remainder of the event as she eventually placed the entire field one lap down. In her first season of competition, Clark (Pine Grove) has quickly become a master of the Ladies Division, taking the impressive win.

Karen Chase (Bernville) started second and finished the event in the same position. Linsey Rummel (Parkerford), in her second ever BDR start, finished third. Defending track champion Jody Brensinger (Orwigsburg) recovered from an earlier pit stop to place in the fourth spot. Eva Wilson (Pottsville) likewise pitted and returned for fifth.

Big Diamond Raceway returns to action this Friday July 16 with a three division show of 358 Modifieds, Sportsman, and Wooden Keg Tavern Roadrunners. The Kauffman’s BBQ Chicken Run Challenge will take place for the Roadrunners, in which the top drivers in points will battle in one-on-one match races until one winner remains. Gates open at 5:00PM and racing begins at 8:00PM.

BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY COMPLETE RESULTS – SUNDAY JULY 11, 2010

DAN DROBNICK WELDING ENDURO SERIES RACE #4

6/8 CYLINDER ENDURO (100-LAPS): 1) 63-Mike Reichert, 2) 58-Doug Naftzinger, 3) 007-Mike Allar, 4) 95-Scott Lord, 5) 54-Mike Benulis, 6) 3-Jamie Naftzinger, 7) 992-Terry Kramer Jr., 8) 86-Kevin Martin, 9) 70-Sammy Detweiler, 10) 49-Chuck Dietzel, 11) 349-Adam Dietzel, 12) 7-Mike Fiskaldo, 13) 27-Chuck Long, 14) 51-Brad Krause, 15) 84-Ralph Bankes III, 16) 11K-Kyle Wingle, 17) 31-Bee Luckenbill, 18) 2EZ-Ray Cinqmars, 19) 17R-Tim Fitzpatrick Jr., 20) 47-Kevin Berger, 21) 111-Jeremy Krauss, 22) 01-Kerry Fritz, 23) 888-Bob Staller Jr., 24) 310-Bill Stockert, 25) 11J-Bill Wingle Jr., 26) 88-Toby Chase.

4 CYLINDER ENDURO (100-LAPS): 1) 15x-Steve Wilson, 2) 11K-Brad Killian, 3) 4-Steve Stump, 4) 127-Gary Grim, 5) 16z-Greg Zelinsky, 6) 27x-Tony Wetzel, 7) 29B-Rob Pyle III, 8) 8c-Chris Holland, 9) 90x-Joel Matter, 10) 85-Wayne Krauss, 11) 42-Brent Adams, 12) 15-Earl Eichert Sr., 13) 17K-Russ Killian, 14) 1-Scott Peters, 15) 13z-Adam Zimmerman, 16) 16-Bill McGrane, 17) 4K-Kyle Killian, 18) 41-Curt Breinich, 19) 14-Tyler Stump, 20) 38-Corey Collier, 21) 32-Jack Wilver, 22) 51K-Billy Killian, 23) 14K-Keith Staller, 24) 88-Tylor Swingle, 25) 44-Kevan Schaeffer, 26) 32H-Tom Hartman, 27) 33-Justin Riegel, 28) 35-Lance Hoch.

LADIES RACE (50-LAPS): 1) 8c-Shirley Clark, 2) 88-Karen Chase, 3) 39-Linsey Rummel, 4) 23-Jody Brensinger, 5) 824-Eva Wilson, 6) 66-Pam Holland, 7) 429-Debra Palestis, 8) 11-Nicole Neidlinger, 9) 69M-Shannon Karpulk, 10) 14-Jennifer Bowers.