LAUBACH, VONDOHREN, PIAZZA & BRENNEN WIN AT BIG DIAMOND

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/August 27, 2011

Upcoming Events:Sept. 2 (7:45 p.m.) - Championship Night for 358-Modifieds, Sportsman and Roadrunners plus XCel 600 Modifieds
Sunday, Sept. 4 (7:30 p.m.) - 31st annual Coalcracker 100 for 358-Modifieds ($10,000 to win) plus Roadrunner 20
Sunday, Sept. 11 (5 p.m.) - Enduro Nationals - 139 laps, $2,000 to the winner (with 50 cars)

Rick Laubach Holds Off Duane Howard For First Big D The Station House 358-Mod Victory Since April; Craig Von Dohren (Coca-Cola Challenge), Sammy Piazza (U.S.S. Achey Sportsman Coalcracker 50) and Elvin Brennan III (Wooden Keg Tavern Roadrunner) Also Triumph

MINERSVILLE, PA - For the first time since April, Rick Laubach returned to Victory Lane at Big Diamond Speedway.

With a season-high 34 The Station House 358-Modifieds on hand, Laubach drove the Bert Jones/Gary and Lori Herrmann-owned Beer City No. 7 to his second victory of the 2011 season at the Schuylkill County oval. The Quakertown, Pa., driver remains in the championship fight entering next Friday's (Sept. 2) Season Championship Night at Big D. Unofficially, he trails current leader Jeff Strunk by just 41 points.

Craig Von Dohren (Boyertown, Pa.) earned $1,075 in the Coca-Cola Classic Challenge One-on-One Match Races, besting Laubach in the final round. Moments after he took the checkered flag, Von Dohren's No. 1c developed rear-end problems. He was unable to start the feature event.

Teenager Sammy Piazza drove to his most high-profile victory in the U.S.S. Achey Sportsman Coalcracker 50 - worth $1,500 - and Elvin Brennan III was the Wooden Keg Tavern Roadrunner victor.

As Laubach's Morrison-powered Teo-Pro car started ninth in the 25-lap 358-Modified main event, second-generation driver Danny Nicholas (Lebanon, Pa.) used the pole starting position to lead from the outset. Nicholas was pressured heavily by Mike Gular during the race's opening laps. Gular, a first-time Big Diamond winner in 2011, put his Ed Nowotarski/Terry Fasnacht No. 53 into the lead on a lap-11 restart.

Laubach, whose most recent Big D victory came April 17, arrived in second on lap 15.

One circuit later, a slowing car drew the caution and set up a double-file restart. Gular chose the outside lane while Laubach rocketed off the bottom to take command. Seven-time champion Duane Howard, who started 13th in his Big Diamond return, worked to the inside of Gular on lap 22 for second.

With two laps remaining, the race's final caution flew, placing Howard on Laubach's rear bumper for a single-file restart. Howard swung to the top on the restart, nearly pulling even with Laubach as the pair exited turn two.

Slight contact ensued as Laubach prevailed and bested Howard, of Oley, Pa., by less than a car-length. Gular, of Green Lane, Pa., finished third, followed by Keith Hoffman of Whitehall, Pa., who finished fourth after starting eighth and Billy Pauch Jr. of Frenchtown, N.J. Pauch Jr. started 11th.

The win was the 10th of Laubach's career at Big Diamond.

"That was a good race and I wasn't about to give it up," Laubach said. "I see why you (fans) come out. This is some of the best racing on the East Coast."

358-Modified heat winners were Gular, Glenn Strunk (Bechtelsville, Pa.), Howard and Jeff Strunk (Bechtelsville, Pa.). Craig Von Dohren topped the consolation. Gular earned the Shiley Fabrications Fast Lap with a circuit of 17.124 seconds.

Piazza, of Lawrenceville, N.J., has raced regularly in the 358-Mod ranks at Big Diamond this season while driving his No. 29 Sportsman on the Race of Champions circuit and at Orange County Fair Speedway in New York.

Piazza started 12th in his return to Big Diamond Sportsman racing for the Coalcracker 50. Following a lap-eight restart, Piazza powered his No. 29 into second place. Jared Umbenhauer, the Race of Champions Sportsman winner at Big Diamond in July, was leading but his No. 19 showed signs of smoke.

At lap 16, Piazza took over a lead he would never relinquish. Umbenhauer slowed and pulled to the infield on lap 21, while New Jersey invader Kyle Borror - who had been third - dropped out one circuit later. Their misfortune handed second place to 16th-starter Mike Mammana of Nazareth, Pa.

Restarts on laps 17 and 40 put Mammana into contention. However, he wasn't able to overtake Piazza, who earned $1,500 and a guaranteed starting position in next Sunday's (Sept. 4) 31st annual Coalcracker 100 for 358-Modifieds.

"I definitely had to win this race," Piazza said of the event. "The RoC race, I ran into a lapped car leading. I wanted to make up for it tonight."

Mammana was second followed by former champion Craig Whitmoyer (Hamburg, Pa.) who started 14th, New Jersey invader Mike Lyons (up from 10th) and a steady Stephen Hughes of Riegelsville, Pa., who started seventh.

Sportsman heat victors were Tim Fitzpatrick (Pottsville, Pa.), Doug Hendricks (Orwigsburg, Pa.), Whitmoyer and Kevin Beach (Llewellyn, Pa.). Joey Funk III (Coopersburg, Pa.) topped the consolation with 31 Sportsman on hand. Piazza was the Shiley Fabrications Fast Lap Award recipient at 17.817 seconds.

For the third time in the last four events, Forestville, Pa.'s Brennan was the Roadrunner victor in the 20-lap event. Brennan started from 10th spot, took over the lead on lap two, briefly relinquished it to Ed Kuperavage on the 10th lap only to regain command using the inside groove on the 14th circuit.

Brennan raced to his 16th career victory. Apparent second- and third-place finishers Kuperavage and Kevin Olenick were disqualified for engine infractions in post-race technical inspection. Ryan Olenick (Forestville, Pa.) was credited with second, followed by Jim Kost of Blackheath, Pa., Tom Hablett (Schuylkill Haven, Pa.) and Jared Siegried.

Roadrunner heat winners were Marc Berzowski (Branchdale, Pa.) and Ryan Olenick.

Racing resumes next Friday, Sept. 2, with Championship Night at the speedway featuring the final points-paying event of 2011 for the 358-Modifieds (qualifying and 25-lap feature), Sportsman (qualifying and 20-lap feature) and Roadrunners (qualifying and 20-lap feature). Doug Borger's XCel 600 Modifieds complete the program. Gates open at 5 p.m. with hot laps at 7:30 p.m. and racing at 7:45 p.m. Please take note of the earlier start time.

On Sunday (Sept. 4), the 31st annual Coalcracker 100 is set for The Station House 358-Modifieds paying $10,000 to the winner and $300 to start. The Roadrunners join with a 20-lap feature. Race time is 7:30 p.m.

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. For GPS purposes, use the following address: 392 Forest Lane Pottsville, PA 17901.

BIG DIAMOND SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY - AUGUST 26, 2011

The Station House 358-Modified Feature Finish (25 laps): RICK LAUBACH, Duane Howard, Mike Gular, Keith Hoffman, Billy Pauch Jr, Glenn Strunk, Ryan Godown, Ray Swinehart, Michael Weinert, Danny Nicholas, Jeff Strunk, Meme DeSantis, John Willman, Kyle Weiss, Shawn Fitzpatrick, Andy Burkhart, Jordan Umbenhauer, Colt Harris, Dale Hartz, Nathan Klinger, Ron Haring Jr., Sammy Piazza, Jared Umbenhauer, Steve Young, Billy Pauch Sr., Dan Hineline.

Did Not Start: Craig Von Dohren

Did Not Qualify: Jim Bobbitt Jr., Kyle Follweiler, Doug Manmiller, Mike Laise, Blaine Bracelin Jr., Kevin Albert Jr., Brett Gilmore.

Coca-Cola Classic 358-Modified Challenge Winner: Craig Von Dohren ($1,075), Colt Harris ($150), Glenn Strunk ($450)

U.S.S. Achey Sportsman Coalcracker 50 Feature Finish (50 laps): SAMMY PIAZZA, Mike Mammana, Craig Whitmoyer, Mike Lyons, Stephen Hughes, Kaitie McCardle, Tim Fitzpatrick, Frank Yankowski, Andy Fayash Jr., Greg Weiland, Kevin Beach Jr., Charlie Weber, Wayne Witmer, Steve Searock IV, Mike Loney, Shawn Fitzpatrick, Nick DeSantis, Corey Renninger, Jordan Dreher, Kyle Borror, Jared Umbenhauer, Mike Lisowski, Doug Hendricks, Daryl Dissinger, Joey Funk III, Billy Moyer Jr.

Did Not Qualify: Shawn Horning, Shawn Light, Chris Hertzog, Joshua Hertzog, Jeremy Hertzog.

Wooden Keg Tavern Roadrunner Feature Finish (20 laps): ELVIN BRENNAN III, Ryan Olenick, Jim Kost, Tom Hablett, Jared Siegfried, Jon Schlauch, Glenn Rowan, Masher Ditzler, Shon Elk, Joey Brennan, Marc Berzowski, T.J. Fitzpatrick, Jeremy Becker.

Disqualified: Ed Kuperavage, Kevin Olenick.

Did Not Start: Devin Karpulk, David Long.