CAREER WIN #74 FOR CRAIG VONDOHREN AT BIG DIAMOND; DOUG HENDRICKS AND JOEY BRENNAN ALSO CLIAM VICTORIES ON SUNDAY

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Friday, April 20 at 8:15 - Modifieds, Sportsman & Roadrunners with Vintage Car Club

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CAREER WIN #74 FOR VONDOHREN AT BIG DIAMOND

Hendricks Wins Race #1 of AMSOIL Series for Sportsman

Craig VonDohren drove his Pioneer Pole Building sponsored #1c into Victory Lane for the first time in 2012, winning the first point race of the season at the Big Diamond Speedway. It was win number 74 for the winningest driver in Big Diamond history as he over powered Doug Manmiller on a lap ten restart to take the lead.

Manmiller outgunned VonDohren at the start, putting the Scheaffer Harley Davidson T102 into the lead at the green flag. Last week's race winner, Rick Laubach moved into third at the start while Jeff Strunk threaded the needle between Glenn Strunk and Gary Wagner to take over fourth as the field headed down the backstretch.

The top seemed to be the preferred line around the track as Manmiller and later, VonDohren would elect to start from the outside on restarts.

Manmiller maintained his lead following a lap five caution for Ron Haring, Jr. When Ricky Yetter had motor problems and was unable to exit the track on his own, the caution flew again on lap ten.

On the lap ten restart, VonDohren held his position to run side by side with Manmiller as the pair took the green. Going into turn one, VonDohren moved ahead of Manmiller to take the lead.

Laubach and Strunk swapped the third position several times before the Benton Electric #7 began to fade. At the half way point, VonDohren and Manmiller were followed by Strunk, Duane Howard and Meme DeSantis.

Laubach would head for the pits on lap nineteen with mechanical issues.

With VonDohren out in front, the contest remained for second through fifth. Strunk would use the inside to take over second from Manmiller in the final laps. Howard tried to follow Strunk into third but Manmiller prevailed.

After a strong run to win the first Modified heat, Kevin Albert, Jr., moved ahead of DeSantis and into the top five with just five laps to go. DeSantis pulled along side of Albert as the pair crossed the finish line but Albert held a slight advantage to take the spot.

Doug Hendricks powered into the lead on a lap thirteen restart and went on to take the win in the first of five AMSOIL series races for the Big Diamond Sportsman division. For Hendricks, it was a $1000 pay day and the lion's share of the special points in the first of the AMSOIL special events.

Like VonDohren, Hendricks is also a top winning driver at the Big Diamond Speedway. Before moving into the Sportsman ranks, Hendricks accumulated the most wins to date in the Roadrunner division.

Kaitie McCardle took the lead from polesitter, Hendricks at the green and led the first twelve laps. The Lebanon Valley College freshman would finish second ahead of Kyle Borror and Kevin Beach, Jr., battled for the third position. Andy Fayash would round out the top five.

Joey Brennan held off the advances of Jim Kost to claim victory in the Wooden Keg Roadrunner feature event. Chip Kennedy took third ahead of Shon Elk as TJ Fitzpatrick finished fifth.

Race notes - The fastest lap of the day was turned by Meme DeSantis while winning the third Modified heat race. DeSantis' lap of 16.828 was just a hair faster than Kevin Albert's best time when he won the first heat or VonDohren's best lap which came during the running of the 25 lap feature event. Neil Williams made his first Big Diamond appearance and qualified the #323ov in his heat race. Williams is a regular at the New Egypt Speedway and finished just outside of the top ten in his first Big Diamond attempt. Keith Hoffman made his first start of the season in his own #6.

Station House 358 Modifieds (25 laps)

1. Craig VonDohren 2. Jeff Strunk 3. Doug Manmiller 4. Duane Howard 5. Kevin Albert, Jr. 6. Meme DeSantis 7. Dan Hineline 8. Glenn Strunk 9. Ray Swinehart 10. Andy Burkhart 11. Gary Wagner 12. Keith Hoffman 13. Neil Williams 14. Nathan Klinger 15. Jim Bobbit Jr. 16. Dale Hartz 17. Gary Hager 18. Mike Mammana 19. Danny Hieber 20. Colt Harris 21. Sammy Piazza 22. Rick Laubach 23. John Willman 24. Brad Arnold 25. Ron Haring Jr. 26. Ricky Yetter

USS Achey Sportsman (20 laps) - Race #1 in AMSOIL Sportsman Series

1. Doug Hendricks 2. Kaitie McCardle 3. Kyle Borror 4. Kevin Beach Jr. 5. Andy Fayash 6. Mike Lyons 7. Ray Woodhall Jr. 8. Brad Brightbill 9. Tim Fitzpatrick 10. Steve Searock IV

11. Wayne Whitmer 12. Mike Glass 13. Charles Webber 14. Billy Moyer Jr. 15. Daryl Dissinger 16. Heath Metzger 17. Harry Landis 18. Craig Whitmoyer 19. Corey Renninger 20. Josh Hertzog 21. Mike Lisowski 22. Shawn Fitzpatrick

Wooden Keg Tavern Roadrunners (15 laps)

1. Joey Brennan 2. Jim Kost 3. Chip Kennedy 4. Shon Elk 5. TJ Fitzpatrick 6. Brian Buchinski 7. Jon Schlauch 8. Glen Rowan 9. Jared Siegfried 10. Jesse Krasnitsky 11. Bob Vesay 12. Terry Kramer Jr. 13. Marc Berzowski 14. Kyle Killian 15. Dave Long Jr.