BILLY PAUCH IS 9TH BIG DIAMOND NASCAR MODIFIED WINNER IN 9 FEATURES;
WHITMOYER TAKES 3RD SPORTSMAN, HENDRICKS GETS 5TH IN ROADRUNNERS
Minersville, PA - July 11, 2003 - Billy Pauch of Frenchtown, NJ broke out of a season-long slump as he captured the Big Diamond Raceway NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modified feature win on Friday night in a Troyer car borrowed by BRB Racing. Craig Whitmoyer of Hamburg, PA tallied his third Sportsman Modified feature win while Doug Hendricks of Auburn, PA returned to form to take his fifth feature win in the roadrunner class.
After eight frustrating races this season, BRB Racing parked their TEO #114 and borrowed a Troyer car from the Bashore Trucking Racing Team for Billy Pauch to try this week. They dropped their motor in the car, taped their 114 over Bashore's #5 and went racing. After winning his heat, Pauch started fifth in the 25-lap main event. The yellow flag flew two times with six laps complete, for single car spins by Billy Pauch, Jr. (Frenchtown, NJ) and Kyle Weiss (Hamburg), and flagman Ray Kemp rolled up the yellow for the remainder of the event. Pauch overtook Jeff Ebersole (Palmyra), who led from the opening lap, on lap eight to take the lead for the first time of the season at Big Diamond. It was all Pauch as he opened up a wide margin over the field and there were no further yellows to erase that margin.
It was the 599th win of Billy Pauch's storied racing career but only his first of 2003. Craig Von Dohren (Barto) came from thirteenth starting spot to take second over defending champion Keith Hoffman (Whitehall), Terry Meitzler (Kutztown) and Rick Laubach (Richlandtown). Jeff Ebersole ran the best modified feature race of his career to finish sixth followed by Doug Manmiller (Wyomissing), Rick Schaffer (Woxall), point leader Doug Hoffman (Allentown) and Todd Biever (New York, NY).
Heat winners were Pauch, Keith Hoffman and Ebersole.
Craig Whitmoyer started tenth in the 20-lap NASCAR Dodge ShorTrack Sportsman Modified main event and moved through the field while sophomore driver, Greg Weiland (Pottsville) held the lead off of the pole. Rick Hendrick (Auburn) and Dan Guinther (Allentown) pursued Weiland but he was not to be caught until Whitmoyer moved to second on lap six. One lap later Whitmoyer guided his Yerger Archery 99 under Weiland in turn three and never looked back.
Whitmoyer's win solidified his hold on the Big Diamond NASCAR Sportsman point lead as well as the NASCAR Dodge ShorTrack Northeast Regional point lead. Tom Brennan (Pottsville) started eighth and finish second followed by Weiland, in the best run of his career, Andy Fayash, Jr. (Mary-D) and Big Diamond rookie, Larry Lippencott (Upper Black Eddy). Billy Moyer, Jr. (Pine Grove) overcame the adversity of an opening lap pile-up to finish sixth trailed by Brad Force (Milford, NJ), last week's winner Luke Wagner (Hershey), John Deatrich, Jr. (Palo Alto), and Dan Guinther (Allentown). Heat winners were Fayash, Whitmoyer and Jesse Sterling (Lehighton), who was eliminated in the crash on the opening lap of the feature. Second generation racer Brad Force also won the consolation.
Uncharacteristically the roadrunner 15-lap feature was marred by the most cautions of the night with six. Jason Neidlinger (Schuylkill Haven) powered his "Big 1" to the early lead and held it through two laps and three cautions until Rodney Ulsh (Summit Station) took charge from his eleventh starting spot. Ulsh led for two laps until Doug Hendricks moved his JR Trucking 8 to the point on lap five. Twice Ulsh was able to retake the race lead with outside moves in turn one following restarts but Hendricks would reassert himself at the East end of the track to officially lead the lap at the start/finish line.
Hendricks took win number five over Ulsh, rookie Jake Smulley (Forestville), last week's winner Kevin Beach (Llewellyn) and Jason Heffner (Pottsville). Heat winners were Beach and Ulsh.
Action returns to Big Diamond Raceway this Sunday night at 7:30 pm on Family Night. The NASCAR Dodge ShorTrack Series Sportsman will see action in a special Twin-15 lap program and the roadrunners will run a regular card.
The family portion of the program comes in with the 1st Kids' Big Wheel Races at Intermission. The kids get a chance to come down on the front stretch and compete in the 1st Big Wheel Races ever at Big Diamond. Age groups will be 4 and under, 5 to 7, and 8 and over, with the top three winning prizes in each group and all kids receiving tokens and certificates of participation. The big wheels may not be modified. The big wheels can be decorated, numbered or lettered but the standard wheels and pedal configuration may not be modified. Also the big wheels must be ridden in the normal fashion.
Sportsman invaders are expected for the Sunday Twin-15's as there are several tracks in Northeastern PA and New York that will be permitted to run with their American Racer track tires which are the same as Big Diamond's track tire without the special designation. Gates will open at 5:30 PM, with racing at 7:30. The Big Wheel Races will take place at intermission.
Next Friday, July 18, at Big Diamond will see the exciting United Racing Club sprint cars make their second and final appearance of the season at Big Diamond on a card with the NASCAR Modifieds and Roadrunners. Dave Ely will look to repeat his Big Diamond winning effort of earlier this season on the 0.385 mile, Forestville oval. Racing starts at 8PM and gates open at 6 o'clock.
BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY RACE RESULT SUMMARY Date: July 11, 2003
NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES MODIFIEDS - 25-LAP FEATURE: 1. 114 Billy Pauch, 2. 70d Craig Von Dohren, 3. 1 Keith Hoffman, 4. 14 Terry Meitzler, 5. 16 Rick Laubach, 6. 72 Jeff Ebersole, 7. 00 Doug Manmiller, 8. 73 Rick Schaffer, 9. 77 Doug Hoffman, 10. 14s Todd Biever, 11. 357 Meme DeSantis, 12. 21T Jason Andrews, 13. XB9 Kyle Weiss, 14. 42 Jeff Sechrist, 15. 19 Kenny Brightbill, 16. 6Jr Kevin Hartnett, 17. 102X Shawn Fitzpatrick, 18. 55 Shawn Reimert, 19. 002 Ed Scott, 20. KB1 John Willman, 21. 5 Paul Kline, 22. 15X Billy Pauch, Jr., 23. 15 Dale Hartz, 24. Sq1 Bobby Gunther Walsh, 25. 901 Bruce Williams, 26. 6 Dale Roth, 27. 33 Ray Swinehart..
10-LAP QUALIFYING HEATS: Heat 1: 114 Pauch (3:04.47), 102X S. Fitzpatrick, 00 Manmiller, 002 Scott, 21T Andrews, 73 Schaffer, XB9 Weiss, 19 Brightbill, KB1 Willman. Heat 2: 1 K. Hoffman (No Time), 70D Von Dohren, 14S Biever, 55 Reimert, 357 DeSantis, 5 Kline, 15 Hartz, 901 Williams, 77 D. Hoffman. Heat 3: 72 J. Ebersole (3:04.92), 33 Swinehart, 16 Laubach, 14 Meitzler, 6Jr Hartnett, 42 Sechrist, 15X Pauch, Jr., 6 Roth, Sq1 Walsh.
NASCAR DODGE SHORTRACK SERIES SPORTSMAN MODIFIEDS - 20-LAP FEATURE: 1. 99 Craig Whitmoyer, 2. 26 Tom Brennan, 3. 5 Greg Weiland, 4. 157 Andy Fayash, Jr., 5. 515 Larry Lippencott, 6. 17 Billy Moyer, Jr., 7. 8 Brad Force, 8. 3 Luke Wagner, 9. 12v John Deatrich, 10. 97 Dan Guinther, 11. 93 Ryan Moyer, 12. 11X Rick Hendricks, 13. 47 Gary Wagner, Jr., 14. 24 Randy Thomas, 15. 926 Darren Dreher, 16. 23B Steve Zimmerman, 17. 19 Brent Boyer, 18. 95 Fred Fisher, 19. 10 Lowell Snyder, 20. 35 Lance Hoch, 21. 4 Jesse Sterling, 22. 21 Chris Clemens, 23. 72 Ray Woodall, 24. 30T Tom Sheetz, Jr. Scratched: 91 Joe Goerner pitting Sheetz into the field.
8- LAP QUALIFYING HEATS: Heat 1: 4 Sterling (2:31.15), 91 Joe Goerner, 5 Weiland, 26 Brennan, 21 Clemens, 19 Boyer, 12 Carl Lieber, 23B Zimmerman, 09 Jim Payne, 926 Dreher. Heat 2: 157 Fayash (No Time), 3 L. Wagner, 11X Hendricks, 17 B. Moyer, 95 Fisher, 47 G. Wagner, 35 Hoch, 64 Andy Miller, 24 Thomas. Heat 3: 99 Whitmoyer (No Time), 97 Guinther, 93 Ryan Moyer, 515 Lippencott, 10 Snyder, 12V Deatrich, 8 Force, 72 Woodall, 30T Sheetz. 8-LAP CONSOLATION: 8 Force (No Time), 23B, 24, 72, 35, 926, 30T, 12, 64, 09.
NASCAR ROADRUNNERS - 15-LAP FEATURE - 1. 8 Doug Hendricks, 2. 5 Rodney Ulsh, 3. 4 Jake Smulley, 4. 17 Kevin Beach, 5. 88 Jason Heffner, 6. 19W Derek Bender, 7. 77X Kirby Schlappich, 8. 39 Phil Levering, 9. Big1 Jason Neidlinger, 10. 13 Rob Kistler, 11. 555 Elvin Brennan, 12. 8M Ken Eckert, Jr., 13. 27X Dave Winslow, 14. 39S Butch Solt, 15. 66 Kevin Holland, 16. Jason Purcell.
6-LAP HEATS: Heat 1: 17 Beach (N/T), 27x, 88, 13, 39s, 35, 8, 19W, Heat 2: 5 Ulsh (N/T), 77x, 39, Big1, 66, 555, 8M, 4.