LAUBACH FINDS HIS WAY BACK TO BIG DIAMOND WINNER’S CIRCLE,
RAIN STOPS REMAINDER STEVENSON MEMORIAL CARD
Minersville, PA – July 1, 2005 – Rick Laubach of Richlandtown, PA captured his second NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modified win of the season at Big Diamond on Friday night prior to heavy rain and thunderstorms that ripped through Schuylkill County around 9:45. The storm forced the remaining features on the Georgie Stevenson Memorial to be postponed to be included as part of racing programs schedule later this year but the fireworks display did go on after the storm subsided for the diehard fans that rode out the storm.
The remaining Modified 20-lap feature, 20-lap Sportsman Modified feature and 15-lap Roadrunner main will be made up over the next three weeks at Big Diamond Raceway.
Rick Laubach won the 2005 season opener at Big Diamond but struggle through some tough luck until he broke through again this week in the Dick Biever-owned, Jack’s Auto Supply/Reiley and Sterner Auto Sales #14. Following Laubach at the finish were defending champion and current point leader Doug Hoffman (Allentown), Keith Hoffman (Whitehall), Jeff Strunk (Bethel), and John Willman (Birdsboro). Filling the second five finishing positions were Jeff Sechrist (Wernersville), Andy Burkhart (Temple), last week’s winner Duane Howard (Oley), Craig Von Dohren (Oley), and Ray Swinehart (Bechtelsville).
Bobby Gunther Walsh (Allentown) started on the pole for the first NASCAR Modified 20-lap feature as part of the Georgie Stevenson Memorial Twin-20s, but young Andy Burkhart charged off the outside to take the lead exiting turn two on the opening lap after the first start was aborted as the W9 on Colt Harris (Gordon) lost power. Dave Dissinger (Mohrsville) had trouble with his 123 before lap two could be completed causing the first of only three yellows in the event. On the restart John Willman moved the Keller 64W from fourth to second behind Burkhart while Laubach got by teammate Josh Biever (Landingville) to take fourth.
Rick Schaffer (Woxall) got turned in turn two with three laps in and on the restart it was Willman powering around the outside of Burkhart in turn two to lead lap four. Willman got away by three car lengths before Laubach moved by Walsh and Burkhart by lap six for second. Laubach was flying and caught Willman to cross the start/finish line just a bumper length behind Willman on lap seven. Laubach completed the inside pass in turns one and two to lead lap eight and begin pulling away from the field.
Laubach, Willman and Burkhart ran 1-2-3 but the strong runners from deep in the field were fiercely battle with one another as they charged toward the front. At the mid-race make Jeff Sechrist was fourth but right behind were Keith Hoffman, Jeff Strunk, Doug Hoffman, Craig Von Dohren, Shawn Fitzpatrick (Pottsville) and Duane Howard. Keith Hoffman powered the Johnny Rae, Abbi Electric #1 by both Sechrist and Burkhart on lap 11. Doug Hoffman overtook both Strunk and Burkhart on lap 14 as Keith Hoffman took second from Willman.
Laubach has a big lead and was maintaining that margin in spite of some close calls with cars he was lapping. As the white flag flew Doug Hoffman took second with the Eisenhard, Kerry Hertzog Auto Sales/Wood Side Wood Products #77 from Willman when the yellow flew for a turn four tangle between Sean Merkel and Bobby Gunther Walsh.
It appeared to be a nightmare for Laubach as three lapped cars and a straightaway lead were wiped out and Keith Hoffman was restarting right on his tail. But Laubach knew what to do and the Biever 14 had the necessary power to lead through turn one while Doug Hoffman challenged his brother. Doug gained second in turn one but Laubach was gone before the elder Hoffman was able to mount a challenge.
“I knew I could run with those guys, I do it all the time both here and in New Jersey,” commented Laubach. “Dick Biever is great and does all he can to give me the equipment I need and this crew does it all. I was confident I could hold the lead, but I lost a race at Bridgeport this year on a late restart so I wanted to make sure I did not make any mistakes,” commented Laubach.
“I had more trouble before the late yellow with the lapped cars,” continued Laubach. “I know slower cars are to move to the inside when they see the flag and they tell them to move to the inside on the (in car) radio. But I wish they not tell them anything and let me deal with them. That almost cost me the win tonight.”
The was a brief intermission as the tradition of drivers mingling with the fans to collect funds for the Stevenson Family Charities took place but as the roadrunners were on their feature pace lap, the rains arrived.
“We were watching the weather radar and things looked good,” shared race director Jeff Gromis. “There were only two storms on the radar and a small one passed to our north at 9 PM and actually dried up and disappeared at Interstate 81. There was another storm that was coming our way but it weakened as it approached Schuylkill County with yellows turning to light green on the radar and the size of the storm appearing to shrink. If it rained, it looked like we’d be able to deal with it.
“But you never know about summer storms and as it moved into Tremont to our west, it just blew up into yellows and reds on the radar. We knew we were in trouble but before we could even get the roadrunners going, the storm hit. There was no way we could get back to racing but then we found out the fireworks technicians were already committed to firing their display and could not postpone it, so after 30-minutes of heavy rain and lightning, we were went ahead and set off the display for the fans that remained in the parking lot.”
After qualifying races are complete, rain checks are normally not honored. In this case all qualifying races and one feature were complete before the rain-out, so rain checks are void. The feature events will be added to future race dates on the Big Diamond schedule and the Sunday rain date for this week will not be used.
The Sportsman feature will be added to the July 8 card. So that means the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series schedule that night will start with the held over Sportsman 20 followed by a complete package of qualifying events for the Modifieds and Sportsman. The Modifieds and the Sportsman will follow with their respective 25 and 20 laps features intertwined with The Four Crazy Eights for the Roadrunners sponsored by The Station House of Llewellyn, PA.
The rain-delayed Roadrunner 15 will be added to the July 15 program on Checkered Flag Fan Club Night. That night will now see full racing cards for the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modifieds, the NASCAR Sportsman, the Excel 600cc Modifieds and two Roadrunner features.
Finally the second Modified 20 from the Stevenson Memorial will be added to a big Pocono NASCAR weekend on July 22. That night already includes full programs for the Modifieds, the United Racing Club Sprints and the Roadrunners.
With all the held-over events being accounted for, there will be one more program mixed with these three events. On Tuesday, July 12 at 7:15PM, there will be an Open Practice session for any and all divisions of racing.
For more information on Big Diamond Raceway call (570) 544-6434 or drop in on the track website at www.bigdiamondraceway.com.
BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY RACING SUMMARY – JULY 1, 2005
Georgie Stevenson Memorial
NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES MODIFIEDS
1st 20-lap Feature: 1. 14 Rick Laubach, 2. 77 Doug Hoffman, 3. 1 Keith Hoffman, 4. 88 Jeff Strunk, 5. 64W John Willman, 6. 42 Jeff Sechrist, 7. 87 Andy Burkhart, 8. 357 Duane Howard, 9. 70D Craig Von Dohren, 10. 29 Ray Swinehart, 11. 102 Shawn Fitzpatrick, 12. 02 Greg Hummelhanz, 13. 6SR Rick Schaffer, 14. 83B Josh Biever, 15. 71S Sam Schaeffer, 16. 79 Doug Manmiller, 17. 21T Jason Andrews, 18. 24H Justin Andrews, 19. 85 Bobby Forsythe, 20. 178 Neil Huber, 21. Sq1 Bobby Gunther Walsh, 22. 118 Sean Merkel, 23. 41C Brian Conrad, 24. 17 Ryan Grim, 25. 123 Dave Dissinger, 26. w9 Colt Harris. (As only 27 cars were on hand and 28 cars normally start in the modified feature, Doug Manmiller was able to switch cars and start last in Amanda Spotts’ 79 for the feature as no consolation was run after Manmiller blew the engine in his Dinatale 11D.)
2nd 20-lap Feature – Rain-delayed to July 22.
8-lap Qualifying Heats
Heat 1: 29, 14, 77, 1, 83B, 85, 123, 79 (Spotts), 17.
Heat 2: 11D (Manmiller), 70D, 42, Sq1, 6JR, 118, 02, 178, W9.
Heat 3: 64W, 357, 87, 88, 102, 24H, 21T, 71S, 41C.
July 22 20-lap Feature Line-up: 02, 102, 29, 70d, 357, 87, 42, 64w, 88, 1, 77, 14, 6SR, 83B, 71s, 79 (Manmiller), 21T, 24H, 85, 178, Sq1, 118, 41C, 17, 123, W9, 11D (Spotts).
NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES SPORTSMAN MODIFIEDS
20-lap Feature – Rain Delayed to July 8
10-lap Qualifying Heats and Consolations
Heat 1: 93 Ryan Moyer, 17R Kevin Nolf, 15 Jason Hamilton, 47 Gary Wagner, Jr., 17 Billy Moyer, Jr., 72 Ray Woodall, Jr., 27M Ken Eckert, Jr., 110 Bill Finneran, 59 Jason Kohler, 2 Rich Stankiewicz.
Heat 2: 8JR Doug Hendricks, 3 Luke Wagner, 221 Rob Gibson, 99 Craig Whitmoyer, 19U Jordan Umbenhauer, 26 Tom Brennan, 144 Don Miller, 61 John Leindecker, 35 Ebby Ridge, 38B Barry Lippencott.
Heat 3: 43 Joe Masiado, 95 Freddie Fisher, 19 Brad Brightbill, 147 Louie Mitchalk, 145 Greg Weiland, 64 Andy Miller, 917 Jarrad Miller, 8 Brad Force, 12V John Deatrich, Jr., 113 Jeff Sterner, 30 Carl Felty.
Stevenson Memorial Guaranteed Starter’s Award – KT3 Cory Renninger.
Consi: 8, 59, 2, 12V. DNQ: 35, 110, 113, 30, 39B, 61.
July 8 20-lap Feature Line-Up: 17R, 147, KT3, 95, 17, 43, 93, 8Jr, 19U, 3, 19, 47, 145, 15, 99, 221, 72, 26, 64, 27M, 144, 8, 59, 2, 12V. Alt. Order: 35, 110, 113, 30, 39B, 61.
NASCAR ROADRUNNERS
15-Lap Feature – Rain Delayed to July 15
6-Lap Heats
Heat 1: 8S Butch Solt, 117 Marty Shappell, 721 Jason Sherman, 22 Tom Hablett, 66 Kevin Holland, 20 Corey Sechrist, 17 Kevin Beach, 93 Rob Pyle.
Heat 2: 377 Jake Smulley, 37 Eric Pinkerton, 1 Dave Miller, 555 Elvin Brennan, 550 Ryan Olenick, 712 Jeremy Becker, 11X Joe Hendricks, 5 Dave Schultz.
July 15 Feature Line-up: 37, 20, 712, 8s, 11x, 550, 721, 377, 66, 555, 17, 1, 22, 117, 93, 5.