Umbenhauer Captures Big Diamond Season Opener

Big Diamond threw open their gates and race starved fans filled the place for the better late than never 2020 season opener.  The pits where graced by 37 modified and 46 sportsman/crate entries and great weather for the first points race of 2020.

The 30 lap feature race was led to green by pole sitter Cole Ross.  Jared Umbenhauer took over the lead on lap 7 with Craig Von Doren following him for second and dropping Ross to 3^rd.  Von Doren continued forward movement and took the lead running the high line on lap 9.  The second caution was on lap 22 and Von Doren took the low side giving Umbenhauer the high side on the restart which he used to power into the lead.   Umbenhauer stayed high blocking Von Doren from using the high side.  On the last lap Von Doren threw a slider from the low side but it wouldn’t stick giving Jared Umbenhauer the $4,000 season opener win.

 The top 5 was rounded out with Craig Von Doren, Jeff Strunk, Mike Gular and Richie Pratt.

The sportsmen 20 lap feature saw Brad Brightbill make a lap 8 inside pass on Cole Stangle and then checkout from the field into victory lane for his first win of the 2020 season.  The top 5 was rounded out by Wayne Witmer, Cole Stangle, Jim Houseworth and Ken Eckert.

Modified Pit Notes

Not only did race starved fans come from surrounding states and tracks; but so did the race teams.  Alan Barker came from New York while 4 New Egypt and 9 Grandview regulars joined the Big Diamond regulars for the season opener.

Spirited heat races were won by Cale Ross, Jared Umbenhauer, and Doug Hendricks from their pole positions while Frank Cozze won from his 2^nd starting position.  Tim Buckwalter and Rick Laubach won the two consolation events.

Tim Buckwalter Qualified in the 21^st starting position but managed a strong top 10 run through the field with a 7^th place finish.  Buckwalter has been on a visiting track tear of late adding his 7^th place finish to last week’s 2^nd place finish at BAPS.

The parking lot of the night was the first of 2 cautions with Pauch turning sideways in turn 3 and taking some hard hits and collecting Dominick Buffalino, Frank Cozze, Doug Hendricks, Keith Graver and Doug Manmiller.

Despite going to back of field due to the above lap 2 incident;  Manmiller made a strong all the way from the back to front run with a 4^th place finish from a 17^th place starting position that even got worse when he went to last due to a  6 car pileup.

Sportsman Pit Notes

Heat race that wouldn’t end – heat race had everything you could ever have with spins, tangles, no starts and even a red flag for Mike Toth going off the track in turn 3.  The winner of the heat was Dean Backman who ran an official’s shorten 7 laps race which had 8 cautions.

Consolation # 1 had 14 cars scheduled to start but only 6 cars were able to make the call with Dylan Hoch and Scott Kohler transferring to the A main.

Cole Stangle started his 2020 bid for the Big Diamond sportsmen championship with a 3^rd place finish.  In addition to defending his 2019 STSS crate championship at the STSS Anthracite Assault at Big Diamond.

Brad Brightbill picked up right where he left off in 2019 with another win in his 2020 season opening race.  Brightbill plans on racing for a sportsmen championship at both Grandview and Big Diamond this year.

Next up at Big Diamond is the Short Track Super Series on Tuesday night June 16.