BIG DIAMOND NEWS AND RESULTS

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 - bigdiamondpr@aol.com or 845.728.2781

For Immediate Release/May 6, 2011

Upcoming Events:May 13 (8:15 p.m.) - Freaky Friday 358-Modifieds 35 laps, $3,000 to win, Sportsman & Roadrunners
May 15 (5 p.m.) - Dan Drobnick Welding Enduro
May 20 (8:15 p.m.) - 358-Modifieds, Sportsman & Roadrunners - Community Night: Schuylkill Haven/Cressona/Friedensburg/New Philadelphia residents admitted for $10 with proof of address
May 27 (8:15 p.m.) - 358-Modifieds, Sportsman & Roadrunners 

 

Doug Manmiller Scores First 358-Modified Victory Since 2008 At Big Diamond Speedway; Craig Whitmoyer Inherits Sportsman Win & Ryan Olenick Joins Brother Kevin As 2011 Roadrunner Victor

 

MINERSVILLE, PA - In 2010, Doug Manmiller won a small-block Modified championship at Big Diamond Speedway but never a race.

 

Fast forward a year. Teaming up with Sportsman racer Shawn Fitzpatrick to compete 'for fun' and not for points, Manmiller of Shoemakersville, Pa., found himself in Victory Lane after just two starts. Manmiller wired the 25-lap The Station House 358-Modified feature Friday night, earning a $2,000 payday for his eighth career Big D triumph.

 

Craig Whitmoyer inherited the victory in the U.S.S. Achey Sportsman division following tech inspection, while Ryan Olenick topped the Wooden Keg Tavern Roadrunner main event.

 

Manmiller, who picked up the No. 102 ride when Shawn Fitzpatrick suffered a wrist injury April 17, led the field to green in the 358-Mod headliner. Fourth-starter Gary Hager, a former Sportsman champ, quickly advanced into second with his No. 44. Meanwhile, a flurry of activity behind the leaders found 12th-starter Craig Von Dohren, Duane Howard (up from 13th) and 18th-starting Rick Laubach marching forward. At lap six, Von Dohren sat fourth, with Howard and Laubach in tow.

 

Von Dohren, Laubach and Howard diced for position as Manmiller pulled away from the runner-up battle involving Hager and veteran racer Meme DeSantis. Ultimately, Howard's night ended on lap 15 when he clipped an inside marker tire in turn two with the BPG Racing No. 4.

 

Over the final 10 laps, the 43-year-old Manmiller powered to his first win at Big Diamond since June 2008. Manmiller was the hired driver for Troy Wink when he last won at the Schuylkill County oval.

 

"How about it?" Manmiller said of his victory, which came somewhat unexpectedly considering he entered the '11 season rideless for Big D.  "It's been a while. The car felt really good in the feature. We made some changes after the heat race and they worked out for us. We had fun, so that means we will be back next week."

 

Manmiller was driving the car Fitzpatrick ran in the Sportsman division with a used 358 engine installed. He earned the Shiley Fabrications Fast Time Award by turning the quickest lap in the feature event.

 

Hager of Stewartsville, N.J., was second (his strongest outing of the season), followed by Temple, Pa.'s DeSantis, up from fifth in the Harvey Bitler No. 88D, Laubach of Quakertown, Pa., and Von Dohren of Boyertown, Pa.

 

358-Mod heat winners were Kevin Albert Jr., DeSantis and Dale Hartz.

 

Whitmoyer, of Hamburg, Pa., inherited the Sportsman 20-lap victory via post-race tech inspection. Opening Day winner Mike Mammana had driven from sixth starting spot to take the lead on lap seven and drive to his apparent second triumph of the season.  However, Mammana was disqualified following the event, along with third-place finisher Ray Woodall Jr. for crankshaft issues.

 

That gave Whitmoyer - a four-time Sportsman champion - his 26th career victory. He leads all other drivers in the division. Whitmoyer had run second to Mammana for much of the race's second half. Jared Umbenhauer of Richland, Pa., was scored second, followed by 2008 champion Brad Brightbill of Sinking Spring, Pa., Mike Lisowski of Minersville, Pa., and 2009 champ Kevin Beach Jr. of Llewellyn, Pa. Beach recovered from involvement in earky skirmishes for a top-five result.

 

Kovatch, Mammana and Whitmoyer had annexed Sportsman heat wins, while Daryl Dissinger topped the consolation.

 

Following the lead of his brother Kevin, the April 29 winner, Forestville, Pa.'s Ryan Olenick topped the Roadrunner 20-lap main. Starting 11th, he took command following a restart skirmish on lap six. Jeremy Becker, who had set the pace from the outset, slowed with a flat tire after contact.

 

Ryan Olenick led the remainder of the distance but not without heavy pressure from defending champion Elvin Brennan III (Forestville, Pa.) who made a last-lap bid and fell less than a car-length short. Ryan Olenick won for the sixth time in his career at Diamond over Brennan, Kevin Olenick of Forestville, Pa., Jeremy Becker of Pottsville, Pa., and Ed Kuperavage of Port Carbon, Pa.

 

Heat winners were Becker and Kirby Schlappich.

 

Racing resumes on May 13 at 8:15 p.m. with The Station House 358-Modifieds in a 'Freaky Friday' 35-lap, $3,000-to-win feature, U.S.S. Achey Sportsman and Wooden Keg Tavern Roadrunners in action.

 

Big Diamond Speedway is a three-eighths-mile clay oval racing facility located just two miles outside of Minersville, Pa. For further information on the speedway, call 570.544.5114, e-mail bigdiamondpr@aol.com or visit www.bigdiamondspeedway.net. The speedway mailing address is 50 Big Diamond Road P.O. Box 524 Minersville, Pa. 17954.

 

MAY 6, 2011 RACE SUMMARY

 

The Station House 358-Modified Feature Finish (25 laps): DOUG MANMILLER, Gary Hager, Meme DeSantis, Rick Laubach, Craig Von Dohren, Jeff Strunk, Keith Hoffman, Ray Swinehart, Mike Gular, Kevin Albert Jr., Billy Pauch Jr., Glenn Strunk, Colt Harris, Andy Burkhart, Sammy Piazza, Michael Weinert, Duane Howard, Neil Huber, John Willman, Ryan Godown, Dale Hartz, Gary Wagner Jr., Ron Haring Jr., Dan Hineline.

 

U.S.S. Achey Sportsman Feature Finish (20 laps): CRAIG WHITMOYER, Jared Umbenhauer, Brad Brightbill, Mike Lisowski, Kevin Beach Jr., Billy Moyer Jr., Daryl Dissinger, Corey Renninger, Paul Kline, Charlie Webber, Doug Hendricks, Kenny Eckert Jr., Steven Hughes, John Kovatch IV, Frank Yankowski, Jason James, Jordan Dreher, Tim Fitzpatrick, Wayne Witmer, Nick DeSantis, Jeremy Hertzog, Warren Floyd Jr.

 

Disqualified: Mike Mammana, Ray Woodall Jr.

 

Did Not Qualify: Steven Searock IV, Joe Funk.

 

Wooden Keg Tavern Roadrunner Feature Finish (20 laps): RYAN OLENICK, Elvin Brennan III, Kevin Olenick, Jeremy Becker, Ed Kuperavage, Jim Kost, Kirby Schlappich, Shon Elk, T.J. Fitzpatrick, Chip Kennedy, Joe Kavanaugh, Marc Berzowski, Eric Ochenreider, Mike Radocha, Jon Schlauch, Glenn Rowan, Jared Seigfried.

 

Disqualified: Ricky Bender, Rob Pyle.