KEITH HOFFMAN, KENNY BRIGHTBILL TAKE 1ST BIG DIAMOND MODIFIED WINS OF '03;
LUKE WAGNER, KEVIN BEACH GET CAREER 1ST WINS IN STEVENSON MEMORIAL
Minersville, PA - July 4, 2003 - Defending Big Diamond champion, Keith Hoffman of Whitehall, PA and past champion, Kenny Brightbill of Sinking Spring, took their first wins of the year in the 24th Annual Georgie Stevenson Memorial NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modifieds on Friday night.
Continuing a night of firsts, Luke Wagner of Hershey took his first career win in his Parmer Construction, Dodge-powered #3 Sportsman Modified and Kevin Beach of Llewellyn grabbed his first career roadrunner feature win.
In the first NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modified 20-lapper, Keith Hoffman took the $1800 victory over Terry Meitzler (Kutztown), Kevin Hartnett (Perkasie), Craig Von Dohren (Barto), Kenny Brightbill (Sinking Spring), Rick Schaffer (Woxall), Doug Hoffman (Allentown), Meme DeSantis (Temple), Ed Scott (New Tripoli), and Tim Fitzpatrick (Branchdale). The second 20 saw the veteran Brightbill grab $1900 (including lap money) for his win over Doug Manmiller (Wyomissing), Doug Hoffman, Von Dohren, Meitzler, Schaffer, Paul Kline (Reading), Kevin Hartnett (Perkasie), Swinehart, and Bruce Williams (Mahanoy Plane).
In the first 20-lap Modified main event, Ed Scott got away on top at the drop of the green Dale Hartz (Hamburg) ran second until Shawn Fitzpatrick (Pottsville) took the spot on lap 4 only to loose the handle and tangle with Hartz one lap later. Terry Meitzler, who started ninth in the Dick Biever #14, was now second and blew by Scott on the outside of turn two to take command following the restart. That opened the flood gates as on lap six Keith Hoffman, Kevin Hartnett, Paul Kline and Craig Von Dohren freight-trained past Scott in order. With seven laps in Kline got in trouble in turn two collecting Meme DeSantis, Billy Pauch (Frenchtown, NJ), Doug Hoffman, Doug Manmiller Rick Laubach (Richlandtown), Ray Swinehart, Keith Brightbill (Mohnton), Shawn Fitzpatrick, Bruce Williams, Jeff Ebersole (Palmyra) and Bobby Gunther Walsh (Allentown).
Meitzler continued in front on the restart with Keith Hoffman, Hartnett, Von Dohren and Ken Brightbill in tow. Hoffman ran him hard and on lap 11, Keith hooked up on the high side and took command in turns three and four. That was all she wrote as Hoffman piloted Johnny Rae's #1 to the victory.
Points were awarded and the top 15 finishers from the first 20 were handicapped based on the most recent four features as per standard procedure. Again Ed Scott was on the pole but Kenny Brightbill started second and took the lead at the drop of the green. Brightbill piloted his homemade #19 just ahead of Scott until lap three when Doug Manmiller took second. While Manmiller pressed Brightbill for the lead, point leader
Doug Hoffman moved the Dennis Eisenhart/Klinger Motorsports #77 into third and closed in on the top two. Hoffman got to Manmiller's bumper while he was on Brightbill's tail as well and, while these three battled, Rick Schaffer and Craig Von Dohren caught them to make it a five-car race. Schaffer took third on lap three only to see Hoffman move from fourth to second on lap ten with Manmiller, Von Dohren and Schaffer next. Hoffman and Manmiller were staging a war and on lap 11 Manmiller lost a spot when Hoffman thwarted a charge for second while Terry Meitzler displaced Schaffer in the top five. Manmiller can right back to get third on lap 12 and on the final lap Manmiller charged low into three and Hoffman fought to retain the spot and the low groove. Contact was made and Manmiller got up on two wheels but they both continued with Manmiller getting the spot. Brightbill held on to win one of the most exciting wire-to-wire wins in the track's history.
The NASCAR Dodge ShorTrack Series Sportsman Modified main was shortened to 15 laps for the second straight week due to the time limit on the event. Luke Wagner made a last lap pass with his Dodge powered mount to take his first career Sportsman win over Andy Fayash (Mary-D), John Deatrich, Jr. (Pottsville), Lance Hoch (Topton), Craig Whitmoyer (Hamburg), Jesse Sterling (Lehighton), Donn Edgar (Lehighton), Joe Goerner (Hamburg), Ryan Moyer (Schuylkill Haven) and Steve Zimmerman (Pine Grove).
Lance Hoch led the opening lap after two cautions with rookie Andy Miller (Schuylkill Haven) falling in right behind after being passed for the lead in turn four. They ran that way with Andy Fayash and Luke Wagner third and fourth just ahead of point leader Craig Whitmoyer (Hamburg) through lap five. Whitmoyer, who started back in fifteenth, ran too low in turn two, clipping and inside tire and spinning to causer the first of a cluster of four yellow between laps five and six. Fayash was strong and powered to the inside of Hoch to take the lead on the front stretch as they completed lap 10. It looked like it was Fayash's race but Luke Wagner took second from Hoch on lap 12. Donn Edgar followed Wagner past Hoch but a lap later he and Hoch made contact costing Edgar several positions. Wagner closed right in on Fayash and he got under the leader entering turn three on the final lap. Wagner held the line and completed the pass off turn four to take his first career win.
A restrictor plate on the dominant #8 of Doug Hendricks (Auburn) alone did not seem to keep Hendricks from getting to the front last week but this week the roadrunner field combined that handicap with a clean, non-stop, 15-lap feature to beat Hendricks. Kevin Beach took his first career win, leading wire-to-wire in a time of 6:07.48. Ken Eckert, Jr. (Minersville) pressed Beach until lap 11 when Dave Winslow (Fleetwood) took second. Following Beach and Winslow at the finish were Hendricks (who started 17th), Eckert and Derek Bender (Tremont).
This Friday, July 11, will see Big Diamond Raceway back in action at 8 PM featuring the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modifieds, ShorTrack Series Sportsman Modifieds and Roadrunners.
On Sunday evening, July 13, the NASCAR ShorTrack Sportsman Mods will be the headliners in a Special Family Night at 7:30. The Sportsman will go in two 15-lap features and the roadrunners will be on the card with a regular program. 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. 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. Gates will open at 6 PM, with racing at 8 o'clock; The Big Wheel Races will take place at intermission.
For information on Big Diamond Raceway contact the track at (570) 544-6434 or check the track's website, www.bigdiamondraceway.com.
BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY RACE RESULTS Date: July 4, 2003
THE 24TH ANNUAL GEORGIE STEVENSON MEMORIAL
NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES MODIFIED TWIN-20s
1ST 20-LAP FEATURE - 1) 1 Keith Hoffman, 2) 14 Terry Meitzler, 3) 6jr Kevin Hartnett, 4) 70d Craig Von Dohren, 5) 19 Kenny Brightbill, 6) 73 Rick Schaffer, 7) 77 Doug Hoffman, 8) 357 Meme DeSantis, 9) 002 Ed Scott, 10) 102 Tim Fitzpatrick, 11) 14X Keith Brightbill, 12) 00 Doug Manmiller, 13) 21T Todd Andrews, 14) 55 Shawn Reimert, 15) 14S Todd Biever, 16) 15X Billy Pauch, Jr., 17) 74W John Willman, 18) Sq1 Bobby Gunther Walsh, 19) 72 Jeff Ebersole, 20) 114 Billy Pauch, 21) 102 X Shawn Fitzpatrick, 22) 5 Paul Kline, 23) 33 Ray Swinehart, 24) 16 Rick Laubach, 25) 901 Bruce Williams, 26) 15 Dale Hartz, 27) 21K Kyle Weiss, 28) 42 Jeff Sechrist, 20) 178 Tom Umbenhauer.
2ND 20-LAP FEATURE - 1) 19 Ken Brightbill, 2) 00 Manmiller, 3) 77 D. Hoffman, 4) 70d Von Dohren, 5) 14 Meitzler, 6) 73 Schaffer, 7) 5 Kline, 8) 6jr K. Hartnett, 9) 33 Swinehart, 10) 901 Williams, 11) 42 Sechrist, 12) 178 Umbenhauer, 13) 21T Andrews, 14) 74W Willman, 15) 55 Reimert, 16) Sq1 Walsh, 17) 14X Keith Brightbill, 18) 102 T. Fitzpatrick, 19) 21K Weiss, 20) 002 Scott, 21) 14S Biever, 22) 15X Pauch, Jr., 23) 1 K. Hoffman, 24) 16 Laubach, 25) 81 Dennis Bailey, 26) 15 Hartz, 27) 72 J. Ebersole, 28) 102x S. Fitzpatrick, 29) 357 DeSantis.
10-LAP QUALIFYING HEATS: Heat 1: 19 Ken Brightbill (3:05.83); 5 Kline, 73 Schaffer, 1 K. Hoffman, 14 Meitzler, 70D Von Dohren, 357 DeSantis, 21T Andrews, 14X Kei. Brightbill, 901 Williams, 118 Sean Merkel. Heat 2: 15 Dale Hartz (3:06.85), Sq1 Walsh, 73 J. Ebersole, 21K Weiss, 77 D. Hoffman, 00 Manmiller, 14S Biever, 178 Umbenhauer, 15X Pauch, jr., XB9 Kirby Sites, 81 D. Bailey. Heat 3: 6jr Hartnett (3:09.24), 102X S. Fitzpatrick, 42 Sechrist, 33 Swinehart, 114 Pauch, Sr., 16 Laubach, 102 T. Fitzpatrick, 74W Willman, 14W Ryan Watt, 55 Reimert.
10-LAP CONSOLATION: 14x Kei Brightbill (No Time), 21T Andrews, 74W Willman, 901 Williams, 15X Pauch, Jr., 55 Reimert, 178 Umbenhauer, 81 D. Bailey, 118 Merkel, 14W Watt, XB9 Sites..
NASCAR DODGE SHORTRACK SERIES SPORTSMAN MODIFIEDS
15-LAP FEATURE - 1) 3 Luke Wagner, 2) 157 Andy Fayash, 3) 12V John Deatrich, Jr., 4) 35 Lance Hoch, 5) 99 Craig Whitmoyer, 6) 4 Jesse Sterling, 7) 30 Donn Edgar, 8) 91 Joe Goerner, 9) 93 Ryan Moyer, 10) 23B Steve Zimmerman, 11) 10 Lowell Snyder, 12) 64 Andy Miller, 13) 47 Gary Wagner, 14) 515 Larry Lippencott, 15) 24 Randy Thomas, 16) 26 Tom Brennan, 17) 97 Dan Guinther, 18) 17 Billy Moyer, 19) 21 Chris Clemens, 20) 8 Brad Force, 21) 95 Fred Fisher, 22) 926 Darren Dreher, 23) 5 Greg Weiland, 24) 11X Rick Hendricks.
8- LAP QUALIFYING HEATS: Heat 1: 97 Guinther (2:32.40), 157 Fayash, 99 Whitemoyer, 30 Edgar, 11X Hendricks, 8 Force, 19 Brent Boyer, 12V Deatrich, 21 Clemens, 12 Carl Lieber. Heat 2: 3 L. Wagner (2:33.45), 64 A. Miller, 26 Brennan, 10 Snyder, 91 Goerner, 515 Lippencott, 926 Dreher 24 Thomas, 09 Jimmy Payne, 72 Ray Woodall. Heat 3:4 Jesse Sterling (No Time), 93 R. Moyer, 47 G. Wagner, 95 Fisher, 35 Hoch, 17 B. Moyer, 5 Weiland, 23B Zimmerman, 611 Brad Grim.
8-LAP CONSOLATION: 926 Dreher (No Time), 12V Deatrich, 21 Clemens, 5 Weiland, 23B Zimmerman, 24 Thomas, 12 Lieber, 72 Woodall, 19 Boyer, 09 Payne, 611 Grim..
NASCAR ROADRUNNERS
15-LAP FEATURE - 1) 17 Kevin Beach (Non-Stop - 6:07.48), 2) 27X Dave Winslow, 3) 8 Doug Hendricks, 4) 8M Ken Eckert, 5) 19W Derek Bender, 6) 6 Kevin Holland, 7) 5 Rodney Ulsh, 8) 4 Jake Smulley, 9) 22 Mike Allar, 10) 555 Elvin Brennan, 11) 39S Butch Solt, 12) 77x Kirby Schlappich, 13) 88 Jason Heffner, 14) 6Jr Perry Valariano, 15) 117 Marty Shappell, 16) 35 Jason Purcell, 17) Big1 Jason Neidlinger, 18) 13 Rob Kistler.