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DOUG HOFFMAN TAKES 1ST BIG DIAMOND NASCAR MODIFIED WIN OF 2005;



HAMILTON TOPS SPORTSMAN, ROADRUNNER WIN TO SCHLAPPICH

Minersville, PA – April 15, 2005 – Doug Hoffman of Allentown, PA piloted the Dennis Eisenhard owned, Kerry Hertzog Auto Sales / Westside Wood Products #77 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modified to his first win of the season at Big Diamond Raceway on Friday night. Hoffman is the defending Big Diamond Raceway and NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Northeast Regional champion.

Jason Hamilton of Erwinna, PA captured his first NASCAR Sportsman-Modified win of the season and moved into the division’s point lead in his Pipersville Garden Center / Flurer Machine and Tool #15. Kirby Schlappich of Temple, PA took his first career NASCAR Roadrunner win in the Stankiewicz Roofing #11.

Doug Hoffman started the 25-lap modified feature in second by the luck of the draw but on one of several caution interrupted initial starts, pole sitter Ray Swinehart (Bechtelsville) developed a flat right rear putting Doug up front. Hoffman never looked pack with the HG Associates Ford powered Teo, holding off Doug Manmiller (Wyomissing) for the win. Duane Howard (Oley) finished third trailed by Jason Hamilton, Swinehart, opening day winner Rick Laubach (Quakertown), Keith Hoffman (Whitehall), Shawn Fitzpatrick (Pottsville), John Willman (Birdsboro) and Paul Kline (Reading).

Big Diamond Sportsman rookie, Joe Masiado of Easton, PA, took the early lead in the 20-lap Sportsman Modified feature and looked like a veteran leading through lap 13. But Jason Hamilton had moved from eleventh to second and on lap one he dove under the lead on lap 14. Contact was made and Hamilton went by to take the lead and the win. Defending track champion Tom Brennan (Pottsville) also slipped by Masiado to take second while Joe finished a strong third. Craig Whitmoyer (Hamburg) finished fourth followed by Greg Weiland (Port Carbon), Larry Lippencott (Riegelsville), Brad Force (Sellersville), Andy Fayash, Jr. (Mary D), Luke Wagner (Grantville) and Cory Renninger (Llewellyn).

Dave Schultz (Llewellyn) took the early lead in the roadrunner feature but on lap 8 Kirby Schlappich, Jake Smulley (Phoenix Park) and Ryan Olenick (Forestville) came up on the leader running three wide and Schultz bobbled and was collected by Smulley with no where to go. Schlappich took command and never looked back, winning over Kevin Beach (Llewellyn), Elvin Brennan (Forestville), rookie Joey Hendricks (Auburn), and Tom Hablett (Schuylkill Haven). Roadrunner heat winners were Schlappich and Schultz.

The modified feature saw a flurry of caution causing incidents before a lap could be completed, including one when pole sitter Ray Swinehart got crossed up in turn two with a flat right rear which collected a dozen cars including Keith Hoffman, Rick Schaffer (Woxall), Rick Laubach , Craig Von Dohren (Barto), Meme DeSantis (Temple) and Jason Hamilton. That gave the lead to Doug Hoffman with Doug Manmiller, who started seventh, now second in the Dinatale-owned, Mid-Atlantic Vinyl Fence / Douglas Henry Builder #11D. Duane Howard, who started thirteenth, also avoided the tangles in the Norm’s Save Station / Mari-Al Auto Body Bicknell #357, also moved up to third.

Although Manmiller and Howard were fast, they did not have anything for Doug Hoffman on this night. Jason Hamilton, who will need to decide between the modifieds or the sportsman modifieds as of this coming Friday, charged back through the field in the Fluerer Machine #16 to take fourth from John Willman (Birdsboro) on lap three. Swinehart, Laubach and Keith Hoffman, who were involved in one of the first lap tangles also charged back up to take fifth through seventh by lap 15 with no changes in the closing laps.

Jeff Strunk (Bethel), who won the second modified heat, was forced to scratch from his eighth starting spot in the feature due to suspected engine damage during his heat in his BPG Racing / Chad Sinon Motorsports Teo #88. Rick Schaffer and Meme DeSantis also took heat wins while Sean Merkel (Gilbertsville) was the consolation winner.

Joe Masiado is a former Bridgeport driver with three feature wins but a rookie at Big Diamond in his own Valley Auto / Carpenters Union No. 600 Teo #43 drew the pole starting position and looked very smooth. Joe paced the field over Cory Renninger and Greg Weiland during the opening laps. Jason Hamilton, who started 11th, moved to second by lap 8 with Tom Brennan, who started beside Hamilton in 12th, took third a lap later. Hamilton pressured Masiado but ran out of patience and wedged his was under Joe on lap 14 in turn one.

Sportsman heat winners were Andy Fayash, Ryan Moyer (Schuylkill Haven) and Larry Lippencott while Brad Brightbill (Shillington) won the consolation.

Racing resumes this Friday night, April 22, at 7:30 featuring the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modifieds, Sportsman Modifieds, Roadrunners.

In two weeks, on Friday night, April 29, at 7:30 the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modifieds and Roadrunners are joined by the United Racing Club Sprint Cars. Also not scheduled to race as Sportsman Modifieds, several of the sportsman competitors are expected to join the modifieds for this event.

As always, for more information on Big Diamond Raceway call (570) 544-6434 or visit the speedway’s web site at www.bigdiamondraceway.com.

RACE RESULTS - April 15, 2005 BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY, Minersville (Forestville), PA
NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES MODIFIEDS
25-lap Feature - 1. 77 Doug Hoffman, Allentown, PA ($2000); 2. 11D Doug Manmiller, Wyomissing, PA; 3. 357 Duane Howard, Oley, PA; 4. 16 Jason Hamilton, Erwinna, PA; 5. 29 Ray Swinehart, Bechtelsville, PA; 6. 14 Rick Laubach, Quakertown, PA; 7. 1 Keith Hoffman, Whitehall, PA; 8. 102 Shawn Fitzpatrick, Pottsville, PA; 9. 64w John Willman, Birdsboro, PA; 10. 5 Paul Kline, Reading, PA; 11. 118 Sean Merkel; 12. 66 Bob Trapper; 13. 6sr Rick Schaffer; 13. 14. 83B Josh Biever; 15. 7X Tommy Sheetz, Jr., 16. 123 Roy Wiest; 17. 15 Dale Hartz; 18. 4 Jesse Sterling; 19. w9 Colt Harris; 20. 21T Jason Andrews; 21. 11 Meme DeSantis; 22. 505 Randy Mohn; 23. 72 Jeff Ebersole; 24. 24H Justin Andrews; 25. Sq1 Bobby Gunther Walsh; 26. 70D Craig Von Dohren; 27. 2T Tracy Readinger; 28. 87 Andy Burkhart. Scratched – 88 Jeff Strunk. Non-Qualifiers: 85 Bobby Forsythe; 18 Ron Myers; 6 Dale Roth; 42 Jeff Sechrist.
Heat 1: 6sr, 11D, Sq1, 83B, 87, 21T, w9, 24, 6, 42, 70D.
Heat 2: 88, 77, 5, 102, 357, 2T, 14, 123, 64w, 18, 85.
Heat 3: 11, 29, 15, 1, 4, 16, 7x, 118, 505, 72, 66.
Consolation: 118, 64W, 72, 70D, 123, 66, 505, 24H, 85, 18, 6, 42.

NASCAR SPORTSMAN MODIFIEDS
20-lap Feature: 1. 15 Jason Hamilton, Erwinna, PA ($600); 2. 26 Tom Brennan, Pottsville, PA; 3. 43 Joe Masiado, Easton, PA; 4. 99 Craig Whitmoyer, Hamburg, PA; 5. 145 Greg Weiland, Port Carbon, PA; 6. 515 Larry Lippencott, Riegelsville, PA; 7. 8 Brad Force, Sellersville, PA; 8. 157 Andy Fayash, Jr., Mary D, PA; 9. 3 Luke Wagner, Grantville, PA; 10. KT3 Cory Renninger, Llewellyn, PA; 11. 144 Don Miller; 12. 73 Darrel Herman; 13. 25 Ray Deemer; 14. 221 Rob Gibson; 15. 59 Jason Kohler; 16. 19 Brad Brightbill; 17. 17R Kevin Nolf; 18. 95 Freddie Fisher; 19. 64 Andy Miller; 20. 47 Gary Wagner, Jr., 21 35 Ebby Ridge; 22. 93 Ryan Moyer; 23. 19U Jordan Umbenhauer; 24. 8jr Doug Hendricks; 25. 72 Ray Woodall, Jr.; 26. 17 Billy Moyer, Jr. Non-Qualifiers: 17T Ryan Grim, 58 Chris Eckert, 147 Louie Mitchalk, 917 Jarred Miller, 71 Chris James, 30 Carl Felty, 10 Lowell Snyder, 110 Bill Finneran, 26X John Bush.
Heat 1: 157, 47, 26, KT3, 73, 72, 17R, 144, 71, 26x. 147.
Heat 2: 93, 15, 43, 64, 17, 8, 19, 35, 25, 58, 917, 30.
Heat 3: 515, 145, 99, 19U, 221, 8jr., 59, 95, 3, 17T, 110.
Consi: 19, 59, 35, 144, 95, 3, 17R, 25, 17T, 58, 147, 917, 71, 30, 10, 110, 26X.

NASCAR ROADRUNNERS
15-lap Feature: 1. 11 Kirby Schlappich, Temple, PA; 2. 17 Kevin Beach, Llewellyn, PA; 3. 555 Elvin Brennan, Forestville, PA; 4. 11x Joey Hendricks, Auburn, PA; 5. Tom Hablett, Schuylkill Haven, PA; 6. 550 Ryan Olenick; 7. 721 Jason Sherman; 8. 38 Butch Solt; 9. 5 Dave Schultz; 10. 29B Ricky Bender; 11. 7T7 Andy Fayash, III; 12. 4 Jake Smulley; 13. 117 Marty Shappell, 14. 8M Ken Eckert, Jr.; 15. 37 Eric Pinkerton; 16. 93 Robbie Pyle; 17. 20 Corey Sechrist; 18. 66 Kevin Holland; 18. 8 Pete Geddas.
Heat 1: 11, 4, 117, 721, 17, 555, 20, 37, 8M.
Heat 2: 5, 550, 66, 8, 22, 38, 11, 29, 93, 7T7.