DOUG HOFFMAN TAKES SECOND BIG DIAMOND NASCAR MODIFIED WIN;
LIPPENCOTT GRABS 1ST SPORTSMAN WIN, HOLLAND REPEATS IN ROADRUNNERS
Minersville, PA – May 7, 2004 – Doug Hoffman of Allentown piloted the B&I Auto Supply/Kerry Hertzog Auto Sales 77 to his second NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modified win of 2004 at Big Diamond Raceway on Mother’s Day Ladies Night, Friday, May 7.
Larry Lippencott of Riegelsville piloted his Lucas Oil/Flemington Answering Service 515 to his first career Big Diamond Sportsman Modified win while Kevin Holland of Pine Grove took his second Roadrunner feature win of the season.
Hoffman started 14th in the 28-car feature field and was the fifth different feature race leader of the night in the 25-lap Modified feature. Doug took the $2000 first prize over Meme DeSantis (Temple), Billy Pauch (Frenchtown, NJ), Keith Hoffman (Whitehall), Jason Andrews (Parryville), Kevin Hartnett (Perkasie), Ray Swinehart (Bechtelsville), Billy Pauch, Jr. (Frenchtown, NJ), Bruce Williams (Girardville) and Doug Manmiller (Wyomissing).
A pair of 15s started on the front row of the Modified feature with the ARK Rentals 15x of Billy Pauch, Jr. taking command from his outside, front row starting position over Dale Hartz (Hamburg). Young Pauch stayed in front until a lap 3 Tangle in turn two involving Kyle Weiss (Hamburg), Doug Manmiller, last week’s winner Keith Hoffman and Craig Whitmoyer (Hamburg). On the restart, young Pauch elected to start on the outside and Tim Fitzpatrick (Branchdale) took the lead from the inside coming off turn two with his Schaeffer’s Harley Davidson #VR1. Jason Andrews (Parryville) took third from Jim Reppert (Hamburg) on lap 4 and got by Pauch, Jr. on lap 7 in a three wide move as Meme DeSantis, who started ninth, moved his Hand H Racing, Mohawk Northeast 99 by Pauch for third at the same time.
Andrews knew the pressure was right behind him but he quickly went after the lead and passed Fitzpatrick of the outside of turn three on lap 8. One turn later DeSantis took second and defending track champion, Doug Hoffman was third after starting 14th. Again Andrews found himself in the midst of a three wide battle but this time it was for the lead. Lap after lap DeSantis charged under Andrews and his Andrews Truck Center/Bio-Mat Solutions 21T without success as Hoffman looked for an opening often charging in to make it three wide. On lap 14. DeSantis finally got the edge he needed coming off turn two to get in front of Andrews. The yellow flew one lap later and on the restart Doug Hoffman took second.
The stage was set Hoffman drew even with DeSantis of the outside in turn two on lap 16 and stayed even with him until getting the edge in turn three. Hoffman maintained the lead the rest of the way DeSantis and Andrews stayed in touch but late in the event another charge came from Billy Pauch (Sr.) and Keith Hoffman. The duo was able to get by Andrews on laps 19 and 20 respectively but could not overtake DeSantis.
Due to the number of rainouts thus far, and the fact that winner Doug Hoffman is already a guaranteed starter for the Modified Triple-20s on May 30, second place finisher Meme DeSantis now joins Doug and Keith Hoffman as guaranteed starters for that super special Sunday evening holiday weekend event.
Modified qualifying heat winners were Billy Pauch, Jr., Doug Hoffman and Shawn Fitzpatrick (Pottsville) while Bruce Williams won the consolation.(No Time).
Lippencott overtook race-long leader Andy Fayash, Jr. (Mary-D) on lap 14 of the 20-lap Sportsman Modified feature to take his first victory over Billy Moyer, Jr. (Pine Grove), Greg Weiland (Port Carbon), Dave Dissinger (Mohrsville) and Jesse Sterling (Lehighton).
Andy Fayash overtook pole sitter Doug Hendricks (Auburn) on the opening lap of the Sportsman feature and looked like he was determined to go wire-to-wire for the win. Lippencott, the 2003 Big Diamond Sportsman Rookie of the Year, took second on lap two while Sterling, Dissinger and Moyer completed the top five by the end of lap 5. While Sterling, Dissinger and Moyer shuffled their order, Lippencott stayed with Fayash. Suddenly Lippencott dove under Fayash in turns one and two on lap 14 and when the yellow flew one lap later, Fayash pitted with a flat right rear tire.
Dissinger, Sterling, Moyer and last week’s winner, Greg Weiland now completed the top five behind Lippencott. While everyone expected Dissinger to be the big challenger to Lippencott’s first win, it was Billy Moyer, Jr. who found something and charged past both Sterling and Dissinger on lap 18. Moyer was unable to make a serious move on Lippencott but Weiland was able to follow Moyer’s move to take third.
Sportsman heat winners were Doug Hendricks (10-lap Time: 3:12.643); 157 Andy Fayash, Jr., Mary-D, PA (10-lap Time: 3:15.272); 30 Donn Edgar, Lehighton, PA (No Time).
Kevin Holland joined Kevin Beach (Llewellyn) as a two-time winner in the Roadrunners this season with his 15-lap feature win over Derek Bender (Tremont), Mike Allar (Orwigsburg), Beach and Jake Smulley (Minersville). Derek Bender won the placement heat to start on the pole and he led the opening six laps before Holland, who started fifth, took charge. Mike Allar charged from seventh up to third but he was unable to move by Bender to get to Holland.
Big Diamond Fan of the Week, Maureen Mataka and her family joined Doug Hoffman in the Modified winner’s circle. Maureen will also receive a Big Diamond Raceway Tee-shirt and a complementary adult admission to one regular Big Diamond Raceway 2004 event, Additionally she is now eligible for a drawing at the end of the racing season for two complimentary tickets to the annual Big Diamond Awards Banquet.
Nathan Quinter of Reading and Miranda Riegel of Pine Grove were also recognized a Junior Fans of the Week for last and this week. Nathan selected Billy Pauch, Jr. to be the driver he wished to meet and talk to while Miranda asked her favorite driver and uncle, Steve Zimmerman, to accompany her for her photo opportunity trackside. Each week a Junior Fan Club member will be selected and given the opportunity to announce the starting line for the heat in which their favorite driver competes and to meet that same driver trackside at intermission. It was also announced that as part of the Sunday, July 4, Georgie Stevenson Memorial a girl and a boy from the list of Junior Fan Club Members in attendance will be selected by the luck of the draw to win brand new bicycles.
This Friday night, May 14, Big Diamond Raceway is in action again at 8 PM with a card featuring the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modifieds, Sportsman Modifieds and Roadrunners.
Also on Tuesday, May 18, the track has scheduled an open practice night for competitors of any racing division with no membership required. Practice will start at 7:15 PM and admission to spectator areas free.
RACE RESULT SUMMARY SHEET - FRIDAY NIGHT, MAY 7, 2004
NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES MODIFIED
25-LAP FEATURE: 1. 77 Doug Hoffman, 2. 99 Meme DeSantis, 3. 114 Billy Pauch, 4. 1 Keith Hoffman, 5. 21T Jason Andrews, 6. 6jr Kevin Hartnett, 7. 33 Ray Swinehart, 8. 15x Billy Pauch, Jr., 9. 901 Bruce Williams, 10. 00 Doug Manmiller, 11. 11 Keith Brightbill, 12. 21K Kyle Weiss, 13. 102 Shawn Fitzpatrick, 14. 221 Ryan Beltz, 15. 73 Rick Schaffer, 16. 7Jr Jimmy Reppert, 17. 14 Rick Laubach, 18. 64w John Willman, 19. 42 Jeff Sechrist, 20. Sq.1 Bobby Gunther Walsh, 21. VR1 Tim Fitzpatrick, 22. 5 Paul Kline, 23. 88x Ray Wiest, 24. 83B Josh Biever, 25. 505 Randy Mohn, 26. 707 Craig Whitmoyer, 27. 15 Dale Hartz, 28. 6 Dale Roth. Lap Leaders: 15x Pauch, Jr. (1-2), VR1 Tim Fitzpatrick, Branchdale (3-7), 21T Ja. Andrews (8-13), 99 DeSantis (14-15), 77 D. Hoffman (16-25).
Qualifying Heat 1: 15x Pauch, Jr, 00 Manmiller, VR1 T. Fitzpatrick, 114 Pauch, Sr., 21T Ja. Andrews, 33 Swinehart, 21K Weiss, 11 K. Brightbill, 901 Williams, 5 Kline, 24H Justin Andrews. (10-lap Time 3:03.528).
Qualifying Heat 2: 77 D. Hoffman, 42 Sechrist, 73 R. Schaffer, 505 Mohn, 7Jr Reppert, 707 Whitmoyer, 6Jr K. Hartnett, 6 Roth, 88X Wiest, 7X Tommy Sheetz, Jr., 18 Ron Myers. (No Time).
Qualifying Heat 3: 102 S. Fitzpatrick, 1 K. Hoffman, 15 Hartz, 99 Whitmoyer, 14 Laubach, 221 Beltz, Sq.1 Walsh, 64w Willman, 83B Biever, 70D Craig Von Dohren.(No Time).
Qualifying Consolation: 901 Williams, 88x Wiest, 83B Biever, 11 K. Brightbill, 5 Kline, 64w Willman, 6 Roth, 7x Sheetz, 24H Ju. Andrews, 18 Myers, 70D Von Dohren. (No Time).
NASCAR SHORTRACK SERIES SPORTSMAN MODIFIEDS
20-LAP FEATURE: 1. 515 Larry Lippencott, 2. 17 Billy Moyer, 3. 5 Greg Weiland, 4. 69 Dave Dissinger, 5. 4 Jesse Sterling, 6. 12V John Deatrich, Jr., 7. 926 Darren Dreher, 8. 47 Gary Wagner, Jr., 9. 26 Tom Brennan, 10. 8jr Doug Hendricks, 11. 3 Luke Wagner, 12. 8 Brad Force, 13. 72 Ray Woodall, Jr., 14. 09 Jim Payne, 15. 17T Ryan Grim, 16. 19U Jordan Umbenhauer, 17. 97 Dan Guinther, 18. 64 Andy Miller, 19. 93 Ryan Moyer, 20. 157 Andy Fayash, 21. 147 Louie Mitchalk, 22. 30 Donn Edgar, 23. 59 Jason Kohler, 24. 2 Art Liedl, 25. 12 Carl Lieber, 26. 35 Ebby Ridge, 27. 95 Freddie Fisher, 28. 23B Steve Zimmerman. Lap Leaders: Andy Fayash, Mary-D, PA (1-13), Lippencott (14-20). (The original registrar count was reported as 25 so the decision was made to start all cars rather than 24 and the consolation was removed from the schedule, when the actual total was found to be 28, in an act of good faith to the competitors, the track decided to go forward with the stated program format and start 28 cars.)
Qualifying Heat 1: 8jr Hendricks, 4 Sterling, 93 R. Moyer, 69 Dissinger, 26 Brennan, 3 L. Wagner, 72 Woodall, 12 Lieber, 147 Mitchalk. (10-lap Time: 3:12.643).
Qualifying Heat 2: 157 Fayash, 2 Liedl, 47 G. Wagner, 17 B. Moyer, 59 Kohler, 8 Force, 64 A. Miller, 35 Ridge, 09 Payne, 95 Fisher. (10-lap Time: 3:15.272).
Qualifying Heat 3: 30 Edgar, 515 Lippencott, 12v Deatrich, 926 Dreher, 5 Weiland, 19u Umbenhauer, 97 Guinther, 23B Zimmerman, 17T Grim. (No Time).
NASCAR ROADRUNNER
15-LAP FEATURE: 1. 66 Kevin Holland, 2. 19w Derek Bender, 3. Big1 Mike Allar, 4. 17 Kevin Beach, 5. 4 Jake Smulley, 6. 555 Elvin Brennan, 7. 117 Marty Shappell, 8. 3 Dean Ulsh, 9. 35 Jason Purcell, 10. 22 Tom Hablett, 11. 39S Butch Solt, 12. 23 Dave Kamp, 13. 77 Barry Schrader, 14. 39 Robbie Pyle, 15. 6Jr. Perry Valariano. Lap Leaders: Derek Bender (1-6), Kevin Holland (7-15).
Placement Heat: 19W Bender, 555, 4, 17, 66, 35, Big1, 3, 39s, 22, 39, 77, 6jr, 117, 23. (6-lap Time: 2:21.249).
BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY POINT STANDINGS - MAY 9, 2004
NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES MODIFIEDS
1. 77 Doug Hoffman, Allentown, PA 880**
2. 1 Keith Hoffman, Whitehall, PA 830*
3. 33 Ray Swinehart, Bechtelsville, PA 725
4. 99 Meme DeSantis, Temple, PA 640,
5. 114 Billy Pauch, Frenchtown, NJ 625,
6. 14 Rick Laubach, Quakertown, PA 600
7. 00 Doug Manmiller, Wyomissing, PA 580
7. 73 Rick Schaffer, Woxall, PA 580
9. 6jr. Kevin Hartnett, Perkasie, PA 570,
10. 70D Craig Von Dohren, Barto, PA 510
10 21K Kyle Weiss, Hamburg, PA 510,
12. 707 Craig Whitmoyer, Hamburg, PA 505
13. 102 Shawn Fitzpatrick, Pottsville, PA 490,
13. 901 Bruce Williams, Girardville, PA 490,
15. 21T Jason Andrews, Parryville, PA 485,
16. 11 Keith Brightbill, Mohnton, PA 455,
17. 15X Billy Pauch, Jr., Frenchtown, NJ 445,
17. 42 Jeff Sechrist, Womelsdorf, PA 445,
19. 221 Ryan Beltz, Schwenksville, PA 425,
20. 83B Josh Biever@, Landingville, PA 415
21. 88x Roy Wiest, Gratz, PA 410,
22. Sq1 Bobby Gunther Walsh, Allentown, PA 405,
23. VR1 Tim Fitzpatrick, Branchdale, PA 395,
24. 7JR Jimmy Reppert, Hamburg, PA 390,
25. 64W John Willman, Zionsville, PA 380.
26. 505 Randy Mohn@, Fredericksburg, PA 375,
26. 7X Tommy Sheetz, Jr.@, Pottstown, PA 375,
28. 15 Dale Hartz, Hamburg, PA 370,
29. 6 Dale Roth, Richland, PA 365,
30. 24H Justin Andrews@, Parryville, PA 360,
31. 3X Ron Mawson, Jr., Pittston, PA 280,
32. 71s Sam Schaeffer, Hamburg, PA 275,
33. 100 Tom Pompei, Sellersville, PA 245,
34. 85 Bobby Forsythe@ 135,
35. 5 Paul Kline, Reading, PA 125
35. 517 Larry Solomon, Birdsboro, PA 125,
37. 41B Brian Gagliardo@ 120
37. 18 Ron Myers@ 120
37. 178 Shawn Reimert, Oley, PA 120
* – Feature Win @ - Rookie
NASCAR SHORTRACK SERIES SPORTSMAN MODIFIEDS
1. 26 Tom Brennan, Pottsville, PA 1070**,
2. 47 Gary Wagner, Jr., Womelsdorf, PA 900,
3. 30 Donn Edgar, Lehighton, PA 875,
4. 5 Greg Weiland, Port Carbon, PA 870*,
5. 17 Billy Moyer, Jr., Pine Grove, PA 855
6. 3 Luke Wagner, Grantville, PA 830,
7. 69 Dave Dissinger, Mohrsville, PA 820
8. 515 Larry Lippencott, Riegelsville, PA 705*,
9. 8 Brad Force, Milford, NJ 695
10. 4 Jesse Sterling, Lehighton, PA 660,
11. 97 Dan Guinther, Salisbury Township, PA 650,
12. 95 Freddie Fisher, Reading, PA 645,
13. 2 Art Liedl@, Somerville, NJ 620,
14. 93 Ryan Moyer, Schuylkill Haven, PA 610,
15. 64 Andy Miller, Schuylkill Haven, PA 580,
16. 8JR Doug Hendricks@, Auburn, PA 575
16. 926 Darren Dreher, Schuylkill Haven, PA 575,
18. 72 Ray Woodall, Jr. Stewartsville, NJ 565,
19. 59 Jason Kohler@, Fleetwood, PA 535,
19. 23B Steve Zimmerman, Pine Grove, PA 535,
21. 12V John Deatrich, Jr., Palo Alto, PA 530,
22. 157 Andy Fayash, Jr., Mary-D, PA 525
23. 57 Ricky Rutt, Phillipsburg, NJ 415,
24. 09 Jim Payne, Lebanon, PA 395
25. 17T Ryan Grim@, 390,
26. 10 Lowell Snyder, Upper Black Eddy, PA 385,
26. 19u Jordan Umbenhauer@, Richland, PA 385.
28. 12 Carl Lieber, West Lawn, PA 365,
28. 147 Louie Mitchalk@ 365,
28. 35 Ebby Ridge@ 365,
31. 19X Brad Brightbill@, Sinking Spring, PA 355,
32. 00 Mario Dinatale@, Reading, PA 285,
33. 93.3 Larry Kline, Mercerville, NJ 250,
34, 24 Randy Thomas, Lehighton, PA 240,
35. 4M Ken Meisner@, Mercerville, NJ 235,
36. 19 Brent Boyer, Bloomsburg, PA 210,
36. 512 Keith Fleming 210,
38. 707 Craig Whitmoyer, Hamburg, PA 150,
39. 39 Tom Cremer, Sinking Spring, PA 125,
39. 39J Jeff Geake, Saylorsburg, PA 125,
39. 91 Joe Goerner, Hamburg, PA 125,
39. 24H Justin Andrews@, Parryville, PA 120,
39. 976 Don Norris, Jr.@ 120,
39. 39B Bobby Reese@ 120
* - Feature Win @ - Rookie
NASCAR ROADRUNNERS
1. 17 Kevin Beach, Llewellyn, PA 1070**,
2. Big1 Mike Allar, Orwigsburg, PA 1045,
3. 66 Kevin Holland, Pine Grove, PA 1025**
3. 3 Dean Ulsh, Pine Grove, PA 1025,
5. 117 Marty Shappell, Pottsville, PA 880,
5. 35 Jason Purcell, Pine Grove, PA 870,
7. 4 Jake Smulley, Minersville, PA 825,
8. 555 Elvin Brennan, Pottsville, PA 780,
8. 39S Butch Solt, Lehighton, PA 780
10. 19w Derek Bender, Tremont, PA 655.
11. 22 Tom Hablett@, Orwigsburg, PA 580,
12. 39 Phil Levering, Parkersburg, PA 550,
13. 93/39 Rob Pyle@ 535,
14. 31 Rob Laudeman, Minersville, PA 510,
15. 23 Dave Kamp@ 330
16. 77 Barry Schrader, Orwigsburg, PA 160
17. 6jr Perry Valariano, Reading, PA 150
* - Feature Win