MANMILLER TAKES THIRD WIN AT DIAMOND AS DOUG HOFFMAN’S 77 BREAKS;

Dissinger Tops Sportsman; Miller Triples & Ulsh Wins in RR Station House Quad-8’s

Minersville, PA – August 27, 2004 – Doug Manmiller of Wyomissing, PA captured his third NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modified win of the year at Big Diamond Raceway in the 25-lap feature on Friday night in the gmiFirst Mechanical Solutions/Classic Harley Davidson #00 as point leader Doug Hoffman of Allentown broke a distributor gear in his 77 while leading on lap 23.

Dave Dissinger of Mohrsville, PA took his second win of the year in the Sportsman Modified 20. The four 8-lap feature program sponsored by The Station House of Llewellyn, PA saw Dave Miller of Pine Grove, PA take three wins and Dean Ulsh of Auburn, PA getting the final win. Two of Miller’s wins came following post race inspection as the winner of races 1 and 2, Kevin Holland, was disqualified with an engine in his 66 “well in excess” of the division’s compression ratio limit.

Doug Hoffman caught leader Doug Manmiller on lap 12, finally making the pass for the lead on lap 19 of the 25-lap modified feature and looking like the winner. Manmiller closed back in as they encountered traffic on lap 23 when suddenly Hoffman’s 77 lost power and came to a stop with Manmiller taking charge. Manmiller took his third win of the season over Keith Hoffman (Whitehall), Craig Von Dohren (Oley), Billy Pauch, Jr. (Frenchtown, NJ) and Ray Swinehart (Bechtelsville). Completing the top ten were Sam Schaeffer (Hamburg), Josh Biever (Landingville), Rick Schaffer (Woxall), Craig Whitmoyer (Hamburg) and Kyle Weiss (Hamburg).

Bobby Gunther Walsh (Allentown) started on the pole and got away on top but lost the handle in turn two before a lap could be completed in the modified main. Sam Schaffer (Hamburg) assumed command and took charge on lap one. Bruce Williams (Girardville) ran second until Jsoh Biever (Landingville) moved from his fifth starting spot to take the position on lap 5. A nine car tangle slowed the action on lap six and when they restarted, Rick Schaffer (Woxall), who started seventh, took second. Schaffer (Rick) nosed under Schaeffer (Sam) on laps 8 and 9 in turns three and four but could not make the pass stick at the start/finish line.

Meanwhile Doug Manmiller came from his 12th starting spot to third on lap nine with Doug Hoffman, from 15th starting spot, right on his bumper into fourth. Manmiller made a big move on the backstretch on lap ten to go under both Schaffer and Schaeffer to take the lead. While Hoffman got by to second on lap 12. Manmiller held a high line and Hoffman ran low as they shuffled the top spot two or three times every lap as Hoffman got the edge through the turns and Manmiller kept the revs up and powered back in front coming onto the straight-aways. This lasted for seven laps until Hoffman was able to slide up in front of Manmiller to take charge on lap 19 on the backstretch. That lead lasted until lap 23 when Hoffman’s 77 broke yielding his first non-finish of the year and, in fact, his first finish out of the top ten at Big Diamond this year.

Doug Hoffman is not only the Big Diamond point leader but also leads the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Northeast region points. Coming into this event he was also in the apparent second position in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series National Points but the non-finish may have dashed his hopes of making a run at that title.

Modified heat winners back on day one of this rain-interrupted show from August 20 were Bobby Gunther Walsh and Billy Pauch, Jr., while Rick Schaffer won the third heat tonight. Bobby Forsythe (Perkiomenville) was the consolation winner.

Dave Dissinger raised his track leading career Sportsman Modified win 14 with his second win of the year in the 20-lap Sportsman Modified feature. Rookie Jordan Umbenhauer (Richland) took a strong second over Jason Hamilton (Erwinna), Jesse Sterling (Lehighton), Doug Hendricks (Auburn), Andy Fayash, Jr. (Mary-D), Luke Wagner (Grantville), Greg Weiland (Port Carbon), Brad Brightbill (Sinking Spring) and Ryan Moyer (Schuylkill Haven).

Kevin Nolf (Nazareth) led the opening laps of the Sportsman 20-lap feature but rookie, second-generation driver, Jordan Umbenhauer (Richland), moved up from sixth at the start to take the lead on lap three, pursued by Gary Wagner, Jr. (Womelsdorf) as Nolf and Rob Gibson (Schuylkill Haven) got crossed up entering turn three. Dissinger, who started 10th, moved to second on the lap 4 restart and finally slipped under Umbenhauer off turn two on lap 10. Umbenhauer and Jason Hamilton (Erwinna) slugged it out for second with Umbenhauer holding on for the spot at the finish.

Sportsman-Modified point leader Tom Brennan (Pottsville) was racing Doug Hendricks for fourth on lap siox when the two made contact with Brennan getting turned backwards across the nose of Hendricks’ car and then collecting Jason Kohler. Unofficially the 22nd place finish was still enough for Brennan to clinch the Big Diamond Sportsman Modified track championship.

Qualifying heat winners were Dissinger, Jason Kohler (Fleetwood) and Gary Wagner while Brad Force (Milford, NJ) was the consolation winner.

Kevin Holland was the apparent feature winner of both the first and second 8-lap Station House roadrunner features while finishing third in the third main and ninth in the final 8-lapper. That all changed following being found with an illegal engine after the racing was complete as he was disqualified from all four events.

The first Station House Roadrunner 8-lap main went to Dave Miller. Jason Sherman (Williamstown) recorded a career best second followed by Marty Shappell (Pottsville), Mark Berzowski (Branchdale) and Rob Pyle (Downingtown).

Sherman led the first five laps until Holland went to the lead. On the final lap Miller slipped by Sherman for the apparent second place finish which actually resulted in a win.

Roadrunner feature 2 also went to Miller followed by Berzowski, Dean Ulsh (Auburn), Sherman and Pyle. Miller finished first on the track in the third main event followed by Shappell, Kevin Beach (Llewellyn), Ulsh and Sherman while the final 8-lapper went to point leader Dean Ulsh over Miller, Beach, Mike Allar (Orwigsburg) and Sherman.

All four 8-lap features paid $100 to win but only the finish in the second and fourth featured counted as NASCAR point races. Thus the second feature started straight up based on the finish of feature one and the fourth was a straight up start based on the third feature’s finish. The top ten finishers from feature two were inverted for the start of feature three.

In the second 8, Holland went wire-to-wire on the point. Miller lost second on lap 6 to Berzowski but regained the spot on lap seven, which again ended up securing the win.

Ten cars finished the second main and were inverted but three cars (Berzowski, Ulsh and Sherman) elected to pit for adjustments to restart behind the non-finishers from race two as well as the other seven finishers. Kevin Beach (Llewellyn) led the first four laps but Miller came from sixth to take the win in this one both on the track and in the official finish.

Miller led the first six laps of the final 8 with Dean Ulsh pressuring him starting on lap five. After a two lap side-by-side battle, Ulsh completed the inside pass off turn four on lap 7 for the win.

Roadrunner heat winners were Mark berzowski and Dave Miller.

Big Diamond Raceway closes out the summer with the first of two big weekends of racing. This week there will be racing on both Friday and Sunday nights (September 3 and 5). Sunday is the big event of the year, the 25th Annual Coal Cracker Nationals with the winner of the Modified 100 earning $10,000. The Friday night action is also big as it will decide the point champions in the Big Diamond NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modifieds, Sportsman Modifieds and Roadrunners for 2004.

The first heat on Friday starts at 8PM. The complete program will culminate with 20 lap features for both the Modifieds and Sportsman Modifieds and a 15-lapper for the roadrunners. Driver do not need to race Friday to compete in Sunday’s CC100 but the top three feature finishers in the modified will be qualified for the 100 and will draw for their feature starting spots with Sunday’s heat qualifiers.

This year’s Coal Cracker 100 goes Sunday, September 5 at 7PM with a rain date of Labor Day Monday, September 6, at 6 PM with the roadrunners also on the card.

For more information on Big Diamond Raceway, go to www.bigdiamondraceway.com or call (570) 544-6434.

BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY, MINERSVILLE (FORESTVILLE), PA
RACE RESULT SUMMARY SHEET - FRIDAY NIGHT, AUG. 27, 2004
NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES MODIFIEDS --- 25-LAP FEATURE - $2000 to Win: 1. OO Doug Manmiller, Wyomissing, PA; 2. 1 Keith Hoffman, Whitehall, PA; 3. 70D Craig Von Dohren, Oley, PA; 4. 15X Billy Pauch, Frenchtown, NJ; 5. 33 Ray Swinehart, Bechtelsville, PA; 6. 71s Sam Schaeffer, Hamburg, PA; 7. 83B Josh Biever, Landingville, PA; 8. 73 Rick Schaffer, Woxall, PA; 9. 99W Craig Whitmoyer, Hamburg, PA; 10. 21K Kyle Weiss, Hamburg, PA; 11. 901 Bruce Williams; 12. 102 Shawn Fitzpatrick; 13. 64W John Willman; 14. 21T Jason Andrews; 15. 505 Randy Mohn; 16. 14 Rick Laubach; 17. Sq1 Bobby Gunther Walsh; 18. 42 Jeff Sechrist; 19. 15 Dale Hartz; 20. 88X Roy Wiest; 21. 77 Doug Hoffman; 22. 11D Meme Desantis; 23. 178 John Durling; 24. 24H Justin Andrews; 25. 118 Sean Merkel; 26. 85 Bobby Forsythe; 27. 3X Ron Mawson, Jr.; 28. 221 Ryan Beltz. Non-Qualifiers: 44 Danny Erb; W9 Paul Lotier, Jr.; 7X Tommy Sheetz, Jr.; 79 Amanda Spotts; 54 Smokey Warren; 18 Ron Myers; 6 Dale Roth, 100P Jimmy Payne.
Heats – 10-laps – 7 Qualify, 5 Handicapped.
Heat 1 (8-20-04): SQ1 Walsh (3:05.384), 14 Laubach, 70D Von Dohren, 21K Weiss, 83B Biever, 3X Mawson, 42 Sechrist, 221 Beltz, 178 Durling. (W9 Lotier scratched to rear of third heat.)
Heat 2 (8-20-04): 15X Pauch, Jr. (No Time), OO Manmiller, 77 D. Hoffman, 901 Williams, 21T Ja. Andrews, 99W Whitmoyer, 102 Fitzpatrick, 85 Forsythe, 24H Ju. Andrews, 88X Wiest.
Heat 3: 73 R. Schaffer (No time), 1 K. Hoffman, 33 Swinehart, 71s S. Schaeffer, 64W Willman, 505 Mohn, 118 Merkel, 15 Hartz, 6 Roth, 44 Erb, 54 Warren, W9 Lotier.
Consi (10-laps, 7 Qualify): 85, 15, 24H, 221, 11D DeSantis, 88X, 178, 44, W9, 7X Sheetz, 79 Spotts, 54, 18 Myers, 6, 100P Payne.

NASCAR DODGE SHORTRACK SPORTSMAN MODIFIEDS --- 20-LAP FEATURE - $600 to Win: 1. 69 Dave Dissinger, Mohrsville, PA; 2. 19U Jordan Umbenhauer, Richland, PA; 3. 15 Jason Hamilton, Ervinna, PA; 4. 4 Jesse Sterling, Lehighton, PA; 5. 8JR Doug Hendricks, Auburn, PA; 6. 157 Andy Fayash, Jr., Mary-D, PA; 7. 3 Luke Wagner, Grantville, PA ; 8. 5 Greg Weiland, Port Carbon, PA ; 9. 19 Brad Brightbill, Sinking Spring, PA; 10. 93 Ryan Moyer, Schuylkill Haven, PA; 11. 72 Ray Woodall, Jr.; 12. 147 Louie Mitchalk; 13. 17 Billy Moyer, Jr.; 14. 8 Brad Force; 15. B26 John Bush, Jr.; 16. KT3 Cory Renninger; 17. 47 Gary Wagner, Jr.; 18. 25 Ray Diemer; 19. 17R Kevin Nolf; 20. 11 Mike Stankiewicz; 21. 10 Lowell Snyder; 22. 26 Tom Brennan, 23. 59 Jason Kohler; 24. 221 Rob Gibson; 25. 35 Ebby Ridge. Non-Qualifiers: 73 Darrell Herman, 22N Ray Gara, 74 Pete Marburger, 64 Andy Miller, W9 Colt Harris, 23B Steve Zimmerman, 110 Bill Finneran, 39J Jeff Geake, 58 Chris Eckert, 17T Ryan Grim, 95 Freddie Fisher, 12V John Deatrich, Jr., 14K Matt Krause.
Heats – 10-laps – 6 qualify, 4 handicapped
Heat 1: 69, 15, 11, 8Jr, B26, 72, 8, 73, 147, 39J, 17T, 17, 14K.
Heat 2: 59, 19u, 10, 17R, 3, 25, 64, 110, 22N, 58, 95, 5, 93.
Heat 3: 47, 157, 26, 221, 4, 19, KT3, 35, W9, 23B, 74, 12V.
Consolation (10-laps, 7 qualify): 8, 17, 93, 147, KT3, 5, 35, 73, 22N, 74, 64, W9, 23B, 110, 39J, 58, 17T, 95, 12V, 14K.

NASCAR ROADRUNNERS – THE STATION HOUSE ROADRUNNER QUAD 8’S
1st 8-LAP FEATURE - $100 to Win: 1. 1 Dave Miller, 2. 721 Jason Sherman, Williamstown, PA; 3. 117 Marty Shappell, 4. 550 Mark Berzowski, 5. 39 Rob Pyle, 6. 19W Derek Bender, 7. 22 Mike Allar, 8. 77 Barry Schrader, 9. Big1 Tom Hablett, 10. 39S Butch Solt, 12. 23 Dave Kamp, 13. 29W Ricky Bender, 14. 4 Jake Smulley, 15. 17 Kevin Beach, 16. 555 Elvin Brennan, 17. 19 Jeremy Becker, 18. 31 Rob Laudeman, 19. (DQ) Kevin Holland.
2nd 8-LAP FEATURE - $100 to Win: 1. 1 Dave Miller, 2. 550 Mark Berzowski, 3. 3 Dean Ulsh, 4. 721 Jason Sherman, 5. 39 Rob Pyle, 6. 77 Schrader, 7. 23 Kamp, 8. 39S Solt, 9. 17 Beach, 10. 29W R. Bender, 11. 4 Smulley, 12. 117 Shappell, 13. 22 Allar, 14. Big1 Hablett, 15. 19W D. Bender, 16. 555 Brennan, 17. 19 Becker, 18. 31 Laudeman, 19, (DQ) Holland.
3rd 8-LAP FEATURE - $100 to win: 1. 1 Dave Miller, 2. 117 Marty Shappell, 3. 17 Kevin Beach, 4. 3 Dean Ulsh, 5. 721 Jason Sherman, 6. 550 Elvin Brennan, 7. 22 Allar, 8. 39S Solt, 9. 77 Schrader, 10. 29W R. Bender, 11. Pyle, 12. 23 Kamp, 13. Smulley, 14. Big1 Hablett, 15. 19W D. Bender, 16. 555 Mark Berzowski, 17. 19 Becker, 18. 31 Laudeman, 19. (DQ) Holland.
4th 8-LAP FEATURE - $100 to Win: 1. 3 Dean Ulsh, 2. 1 Dave Miller, 3. 17 Kevin Beach, 4. 22 Mike Allar, 5. 721 Jason Sherman, 6. 550 Brennan, 7. 39S Solt, 8. 39 Pyle, 9. 77 Schrader, 10. Big1 Hablett, 11. 4 Smulley, 12. 29W R. Bender, 13. 117 Shappell, 14. 23 Kamp, 15. 19W D. Bender, 16. 555 Berzowski, 17. 19 Becker, 18. 31 Laudeman, 19. 66 Holland.
Heat 1: 550 Berzowski, 17, 117, 66, 22, 39, 39s, 23, 29W.
Heat 2: 1, 721, Big1, 3, 555 Brennan, 77, 19, 19W, 4, 31.

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