DALE HARTZ CAPTURES BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY VICTORY IN NON-STOP FEATURE

(Track Press Release by Gary Lileck) Forestville, PA – August 6, 2010 – In a non-stop 25-lap 358 Modified feature, which only took 7.35 minutes to complete, Dale Hartz powered to his first win of the season. Hartz, who hails out of Hamburg PA, led the entire distance and scored his first Big Diamond Raceway win since August 15, 2008.

August 6, 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

Shiley Fabrication Sportsman Challenge 1-on-1 Match Races

Roadrunners Feature Highlights

In the Sportsman division, Shawn Fitzpatrick of nearby Pottsville PA became the 16th different winner in 16 events, while Mike Mammana of Nazareth emerged victorious in the Shiley Fabrication one-one-one challenge races. Joey Hendricks of Auburn PA grabbed his third win of the season in the 20-lap Wooden Keg Tavern Roadrunner main event.

The speedway rolls right back into action this Friday night August 13 with a three division card of 358 Modifieds, Sportsman, and Roadrunners. The annual Pepsi Challenge for 358 Modifieds (one-on-one match races between the top 11 attending in points) will also take place. Gates open at 5:00PM and qualifying begins at 8:00PM. Adult grandstand admission to this Friday’s events is $12. Students (ages 13-17)/Seniors (over 60)/Military (With ID) is $10, and children (ages 6-12) are $3.

The facility will be in operation on two days, as enduro competition takes place on Sunday August 15. The Dan Drobnick Welding Enduro Series, featuring 6/8 Cylinder, 4 Cylinder, and a Ladies Race, holds its fifth event of the season. The Enduro racers have a six date season, and this Sunday’s race is very important in the point standings. Racing begins at 6:00PM and adult general admission to the grandstands is just $7.

The 358 Modified feature began with points leader Craig Von Dohren falling from the pace, as his machine struggled with apparent rear-end issues. Von Dohren nursed his car to the pit area and the feature quickly moved along. Hartz, who has competed in Diamond’s primary three divisions during the course of his career, started outside pole and virtually led the event unchallenged.

Hartz switched to a new race team at the start of 2010. Driving the Payola Motorsports #J3 entry, Hartz had experienced all sorts of tough luck throughout the season. On this night, his Teo Chassis machine dominated both the qualifying heat race and feature event. Hartz won by a few lengths as the field stormed to a checkered flag at a near record pace. Earlier in the event, Hartz did survive one very close call when a lapped car slowly exited to the infield directly in front of the leader.

Fellow front row starter Jim Bobbitt Jr. (Phillipsburg NJ) enjoyed his finest effort of the season with a runner-up finish. Ricky Yetter (Easton), who started sixth, finished third ahead of sophomore racer Kyle Follweiler (Slatington) who drove a recently minted #42 to a fourth place effort. Veteran racer Ray Swinehart (Perkiomenville) started seventh and moved into the front five on lap 18, finishing fifth. The second five consisted of: Ryan Godown (Ringoes NJ), Gary Hager (Stewartsville NJ), Colt Harris (Pitman), Billy Pauch Jr. (Frenchtown NJ), and Doug Manmiller (Shoemakersville).

Similar to Hartz, Shawn Fitzpatrick had experienced a tough 2010. Fitzpatrick, who returned to the wheel a few months ago after some time away, started inside pole and likewise led all 20-laps of the Sportsman feature contest. It was Fitzpatrick’s seventh career victory and he joined his older brother Tim as a Sportsman winner in 2010.

While Fitzpatrick made no mistakes up front, young racer Steven Hughes (Riegelsville) executed a duplicate performance and steered his machine to a runner-up finish. Jared Umbenhauer (Richland) started tenth and worked into the third spot while Tom Brennan (Pottsville) finished closely behind Umbenhauer in the fourth position. Brad Brightbill (Sinking Springs) pitted earlier with a flat tire and rebounded for a fifth place effort.

Christian Donati led the opening six laps of the Roadrunner feature until fourth place starter Marc Berzowski took command. Hendricks, who started 12th, was making a sweep through the field on the inside groove and moved into the second position on lap 12. The red flag waved on lap fourteen as Butch Helsel’s machine rolled over on the front stretch. Helsel was not injured.

Hendricks powered past Berzowski on lap 15 and became the new race leader. He went on to become a 13-time career winner in the class, which ties him with older brother Ricky Hendricks in the all-time list. Ed Kuperavage (Port Carbon) quickly followed Hendricks into the runner-up spot and finished there. Ricky Bender (Joliett) turned around his recent streak of bad luck with a third place result. Elvin Brennan (Pottsville) became the new points leader with a fourth place finish and Toby Chase (Bernville) ran up front throughout the event’s duration and finished fifth.

For complete information on Big Diamond Raceway, visit the track’s official website located at www.bigdiamondraceway.com

BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY COMPLETE RESULTS – FRIDAY AUGUST 6, 2010

358 MODIFIED FEATURE (25-LAPS): 1) J3-Dale Hartz, 2) 44B-Jim Bobbitt Jr., 3) 5-Ricky Yetter, 4) 42-Kyle Follweiler, 5) 33-Ray Swinehart, 6) 357-Ryan Godown, 7) 44-Gary Hager, 8) CR7-Colt Harris, 9) T102-Billy Pauch Jr., 10) 14M-Doug Manmiller, 11) 21-Addison Meitzler, 12) 74W-John Willman, 13) 41-Jeff Strunk, 14) R1-Rick Laubach, 15) 88D-Meme DeSantis, 16) 14W-Ryan Watt, 17) 3A-Kevin Albert Jr., 18) 18-Michael Weinert, 19) 14D-AJ DeSantis, 20) 87-Andy Burkhart, 21) 15x-Dan Hineline, 22) 115-Randy Bailey, 23) 27-Troy Wink, 24) 23-Mike Stringer, 25) 24-Scott Miller, 26) 11-Nick Gatto, 27) 34-Mark Behm, 28) 1c-Craig Von Dohren. HEAT WINNERS: Bobbitt, Hartz, Harris.

SPORTSMAN FEATURE (20-LAPS): 1) 102-Shawn Fitzpatrick, 2) 04-Steven Hughes, 3) 19U-Jordan Umbenhauer, 4) 26-Tom Brennan, 5) 19-Brad Brightbill, 6) 71-Mike Mammana, 7) 8H-Doug Hendricks, 8) 17x-Kevin Beach, 9) M5-Greg Weiland, 10) 73-Jason James, 11) 88D-Nick DeSantis, 12) 7-Kevin Smith, 13) 93-Ryan Moyer, 14) 14J-Joey Funk III, 15) 64-Wayne Witmer, 16) 5W-Pat Wall, 17) 15-Mike Lisowski Jr., 18) 8-Brad Force, 19) 00-John Kovatch IV, 20) 17D-Mike Loney, 21) 45x-Joe Biasi Jr., 22) 5-Jordan Dreher, 23) T102-Tim Fitzpatrick, 24) 99-Craig Whitmoyer, 25) J3-Corey Renninger, 26) 17-Billy Moyer Jr. HEAT WINNERS: S. Fitzpatrick, Whitmoyer, T. Fitzpatrick. SHILEY FABRICATION CHALLENGE: M. Mammana def. C. Whitmoyer. Did Not Qualify: 51-Erik Reninger, 767-Walter Larson, 65-Richard Post, 520-Kenny Eckert Jr., 343-Jeremy Hertzog, 31K-Jimmy Kleedorfer, USA1-Bob Lineman Jr., 24H-Justin Andrews, 8JR-Warren Floyd Jr.

WOODEN KEG TAVERN ROADRUNNER FEATURE (20-LAPS): 1) 11x-Joey Hendricks, 2) 23-Ed Kuperavage, 3) 29B-Ricky Bender, 4) 555-Elvin Brennan, 5) 88-Toby Chase, 6) 22G-Steve Gromis, 7) 66K-Marc Berzowski, 8) 105-Joey Brennan, 9) 45-Ryan Olenick, 10) 22-Tommy Hablett, 11) 450-Kevin Olenick, 12) 98K-Chip Kennedy, 13) 550-Joe Kavanaugh, 14) 61s-Christian Donati, 15) 00-Glenn Rowan, 16) 6-Bob Quinn, 17) 40-Jon Schlaugh, 18) 4-Nate Klinger, 19) CR7-Jordan Quinn, 20) 6D-Butch Helsel, 21) 126-Jim Kost, 22) 101-Gary Renninger. HEAT WINNERS: Donati, Chase.