NEWS FROM BIG DIAMOND SPEEDWAY; PRACTICE PUSHED BACK TO APRIL 9 - 39TH SEASON OPENER REMAINS ON SCHEDULE

News from Big Diamond Speedway - 'Racing in God's Country'
Contacts:Speedway Operators: Fritz & Krista Roehrig - 570.544.5114
Speedway Website: www.bigdiamondspeedway.net 
Speedway Address: 50 Big Diamond Road, Box 524, Minersville, PA 17954
Media Contact: Brett Deyo, PR Director - mhtml:{E616BBF2-BCB7-4C31-AE7B-8124AAEE58B3}mid://00000008/!x-usc:mailto:bigdiamondpr@aol.com or 845.728.2781

For Immediate Release/April 1, 2011

Upcoming Events:April 9 (Noon) - Open Practice Session (Gates open at 10 a.m. - Pit admission $20)
April 10 (5 p.m.) - 39th Season Opener - 358-Modifieds (35 laps, $3,000 to win), Sportsman & Roadrunners
April 17 (5 p.m.) - 358-Modifieds, Sportsman & Roadrunners - Community Night: Minersville/Pottsville/Llewellyn/Branch Dale residents admitted for $10 with proof of address

Big Diamond 39th Season Opener Remains On Schedule for Sunday, April 10;  Winter Weather Pushes Practice Back To Saturday,  April 9

MINERSVILLE, PA - The final blast of  winter weather that moved into Schuylkill County forced Big Diamond Speedway management to postpone its open practice originally slated for Sunday, April 3.

The test and tune session now takes place next Saturday, April 9 beginning at noon. Gates will open at 10 a.m.  The early start will accommodate racers and fans wishing to head to Grandview Speedway (Bechtelsville, Pa.) Saturday night for the speedway's two-division program.

"We put 3,000 tons of clay on the track. With all the rain and wet snow that has fallen, everything is saturated," speedway owner Fritz Roehrig said. "We need the extra week to let the place dry out. We still want to have the practice session to get cars on the surface and let our local teams shake down their equipment."

Pit admission for practice is $20. Grandstand admission is free to the public.

The 39th Season Opener remains ON SCHEDULE for Sunday, April 10.

The Schuylkill County clay oval swings into action on Sunday, April 10 at 5 p.m. with a 35-lap feature paying $3,000 to the winner for The Station House 358-Modifieds, plus U.S.S. Achey Sportsman and Wooden Keg Tavern Roadrunners. Championship battles for all divisions get underway in the lid-lifter. Gates open at 3 p.m., with hot laps at 4:35 p.m.

Special event admission for the April 10 opener is $15 for Adults, $12 for Seniors and Military (with proof of ID), $5 for Kids (ages 6-12) and FREE for children six years of age and younger.

The opening two events of the 2011 season will be held on Sunday evenings: April 10 and 17. For those two events ONLY, 358-Modified and Sportsman race teams may use American Racer tires with any track stamp, so long as the tread pattern and compounds match the Big Diamond rule book (found online at www.bigdiamondspeedway.net). Starting with the first Friday program of the season on April 29, all tires must have the Big Diamond/Grandview BGP stamp.

The one-way radio frequency for all divisions is 467.400.

Sportsman teams are reminded they must have an on-board fire bottle in their cars prior to May 6.

Transponders are mandatory on all cars. All Big Diamond drivers are required to send in the following information: name, division, car number and transponder number as soon as possible. With the new software in place, this must be completed prior to Opening Night so scorers can input the data. Please send information by e-mail to head scorer Penny Guldin at mhtml:{E616BBF2-BCB7-4C31-AE7B-8124AAEE58B3}mid://00000008/!x-usc:mailto:pennyguldin@yahoo.com.  Drivers without proper transponder info on file cannot be scored.

VIP rooms are available for small groups to rent at an affordable rate in 2011. The VIP rooms are ideal to host parties, work/employee outings, or simply to enjoy a night of dirt-track stock car racing with friends. Three VIP rooms are available for rent at the speedway - all climate-controlled with heating and air conditioning and out of the elements. The VIP rooms provide the "best seats in the house" overlooking the action on the speedway.

VIP room rental cost is $350 per night (there could be a price increase for special events). Rentals include eight general admission passes, beverages, snacks, eight hot dogs and eight hamburgers.  Guests are permitted to bring alcohol into VIP rooms. Guest maximum capacity is recommended at 10, but larger parties can be accommodated.  A $50 charge could be assessed if extensive cleanup is required.

To book a VIP room, contact Jake Smulley at 570.527.3168 or Jasmine Morgan-Smulley at mhtml:{E616BBF2-BCB7-4C31-AE7B-8124AAEE58B3}mid://00000008/!x-usc:mailto:jasminemorgansmulley@live.com or 570.294.8712.
 
Facility upgrades are ongoing as the lid-lifter approaches including resurfacing of the speedway and extensive renovations in the pit and grandstand areas.

To contact Big Diamond Speedway, call the speedway office at 570.544.5114 or visit the website www.bigdiamondspeedway.net, where a complete 2011 schedule has been posted.