Rain Washes Away Big Diamond's 40th Season Opener 5 Qualifying Heats Are Completed Before The Rains Came

Contacts - For Immediate Release

Speedway Promoters - Fritz & Krista Roehrig

Speedway website www.bigdiamondspeedway.net

Address - 50 Big Diamond Road

Box 524

Minersville, PA 17954

Media Contact - Deb Smith (610) 972-6176

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Rain Washes Away Big Diamond's 40th Season Opener

5 Qualifying Heats are completed before the rain came

The 40th season of racing officially got underway at the Big Diamond Speedway on Sunday but the weather played an April Fool joke and made good on the threat of rain, forcing the cancellation of the first show of the 2012 season after the completion of warm-ups, four Modified heats and one Sportsman qualifier.

Fritz Roehrig and his track crew had the race track well prepared for the first day of racing - in spite of less than optimal weather conditions over the weekend.

Thirty-nine Modifieds took the green flag in four qualifying heats and gave the dedicated race fans in attendance just a glimpse of what the 2012 season has in store. In the first Modified heat, Mike Gular took the win in the new Sherri and Jeremy Goetter owned #3G. Rick Laubach was the winner of the second Modified qualifier as Nathan Klinger dueled door to door with Craig VonDohren to finish second. Glenn Strunk held off Meme DeSantis for the win in the third heat race while Doug Manmiller drove the Schaeffer Harley Davidson T-102 to a win in the final qualifier for the Modifieds.

Harry Landis was the winner of the first and only Sportsman heat race as the rain came.

Kaitie McCardle finished second by Ray Woodhall, Ryan Watt (driving a second Kevin Beach entry) and Billy Moyer put on a show for third.

The remainder of the season opener will be run in conjunction with a regular show at a later date to be announced.

Race Director, Jake Smulley missed the opening day event as he and his wife, Jasmine welcomed their son, Finn Isaiah into the world late Sunday afternoon.

This coming weekend will see two days of racing on the 3/8 mile track at Big Diamond has the 2012 Saturday race schedule begins featuring the midgets of ARDC, Xcel 600 Modifieds, SpeedSTRs, Pro Stocks and Thunders Cars all starting at 7:30 PM.

Then on Sunday, the Big Diamond Speedway will present their Easter Sunday Extravaganza, featuring a 40 lap, $4,000 to win open event for the Modifieds. RoC-type rules will prevail. This race will be a qualifier for the Short Track SuperNationals. The Sportsman and Roadrunners will also be featured as part of this show. There will be lots of Easter activities for the kids as well including Big Wheel races, coloring contests and an Easter Egg hunt. Start time on Sunday is 4 PM.

40th Season Opener Results

Modifieds (10 lap heats - 5 Qualify)

Heat 1 - 1. Mike Gular 2. Jeff Strunk 3. Kyle Weiss 4. Rick Yetter 5. Sammy Piazza

Heat 2 - 1. Rick Laubach 2. Nathan Klinger 3. Craig VonDohren 4. Michael Weinert 5. Dan Hineline

Heat 3 - 1. Glenn Strunk 2. Meme DeSantis 3. Mike Mammana 4. Kevin Albert 5. Duane Howard

Heat 4 - 1. Doug Manmiller 2. John Willman 3. Danny Hieber 4. Ray Swinehart 5. Gary Wagner

Sportsman (10 laps)

Heat 1 - 1. Harry Landis 2. Kaitie McCardle 3. Ray Woodhall 4. Ryan Watt 5. Billy Moyer