Stangle and Strunk Claim Twin 20 Wins at Big Diamond

Big Diamond’s had perfect weather conditions with a strong field of cars and another large crowd for the return of the Modified “Twin 20’s” with $2,000 for each twin winner.

The first modified twin 20 was lead to green by pole sitter Craig Whitmoyer who was looking strong for 8 laps when he suddenly slowed and pulled off giving the lead to Matt Stangle.  Rick Laubach moved in on leader Matt Stangle on the final lap but Stangle was too far out in front and took his first win of the season.

Rounding out the top 10 for twin # 1 were Rick Laubach in 2^nd, Frank Yankowski, Mike Gular, Billy Pauch Jr, Alex Yankowski, Craig Von Dohren, Jeff Strunk, Louden Reimert, and Brett Kressley in 10^th.

In victory lane Stangle noted “I don’t know if I could have caught Whitmoyer but sometimes I guess it’s better to be lucky than good I guess.”

The top 12 from twin # 1 were inverted for the starting grid of twin # 2 which put Kevin Graver and Nick Rochinski on the front row.  A lap 5 restart went terribly wrong down the front stretch with Brett Kressley contacting another car and bouncing high into the wall sending him back down into a freight train of cars and collecting a total of 12 cars in a turn 1 incident and bring out the red flag.  On lap 5 right off the restart Craig Von Dohren took the lead and quickly looked like twin # 2 was going to his.  But on lap 13 Jeff Strunk made a strong move into second overtaking Nick Rochinski and started to cut down Von Dohren’s lead every lap.   Strunk pulled side by side on lap 16, attempted low side pass on 17 and made the high side pass on lap 18 for the lead on Von Dohren.  From there Strunk checked out and pulled away for a very impressive win and his first of the 2020 season. 

Strunk quipped “I almost forgot were victory lane was here and it has been a long time since we have won here.  Thanks to Butch Getz for letting me run this car (15s) here a few weeks ago and Glenn and Bonita (Hynemann) for all of their support, it has been a team effort from everybody.  The 19k caught the back of the car on the big one but we had no significant damage.”

The top 10 for Twin # 2 was Craig Von Dohren, Nick Rochinski, Alex Yankowski, Louden Reimert, Mike Gular, Billy Pauch Jr., Frank Yankowski, Corey Merkle and Rich Laubach.

At the green flag of the sportsman feature point leader Brad Brightbill and Tim Fitzpatrick tangled and spun in the front stretch putting the field under caution before lap #1.  Brightbill had a flat and contact damage but both cars were going to get their spot back if they could get back out on the track on time since no laps were complete.  Brightbill’s team had help in the pits from Mike Gular and Craig Whitmore’s crews and made it back out to get his 4^th starting position back while Fitzpatrick got his 3^rd starting position back.  

Fitzpatrick took the lead on lap 5 with Brightbill right behind in second.  It was Brightbill taking the lead on a lap 8 restart and cruising to a checked out win for his 2^nd win in 4 starts this season at Big Diamond.

The top 5 was rounded out by Brandon Edgar, Tim Fitzpartick, Mike Burrows and Cole Stangle.  All of the top 5 for this race are also the current top 5 in points.

Cole Stangle started the night out on the hook in his heat race giving him the final starting spot in the feature – 18^th.  The youngster of 13 years made a nice run from an 18^th starting position to a 5^th place finish.  Cole Stangle 5^th place finish gave him enough points to stay 3^rd in season points ahead of Tim Fitzpatrick and Mike Burrows.

Modified Pit Notes

Jeff Strunk got his first win of the 2020 season and his 50^th career Big Diamond win in only his second outing in the Butch Getz 15s entry.  Strunk’s Big Diamond entry had engine damage at the Bridgeport opener leaving Strunk in the middle of a July 3 Big Diamond points race without a ride.  In stepped good friend Butch Getz and Strunk was still chasing points with a strong 2^nd place finish on his first Big Diamond outing in the 15s on July 3^rd.   Strunk has ran the Getz 15s entry on his last two Big Diamond outings and has a 2^nd and 1^st place finish and is holding strong in the points standings in 2^nd place.

Not only did Strunk win in only his 2^nd outing at Big Diamond in the Butch Getz 15s entry; but just cross state at Penn Can Butch Getz was also getting his very first win in his other 15 entry.   A night to remember for the Getz team entries.

Craig Von Dohren and Jeff Strunk both averaged a 4^th place finish keeping the atop the points battle with Mike Gular in 3^rd.   The three drivers have separated from the rest of the Big Diamond drivers by 120 points.  Von Dorhen leads Strunk by 29 and Gular by 70 points. 

Jared Umbenhauer made his return to Big Diamond after his June 26 end over end cartwheeling down the front stretch.  The 1H entry did a bit of testing at Bridgeport last week and was ready to go for the twin 20 event.  Umbenhauer got a strong 3^rd place finish in his heat race but mechanical issues turned the 1H entry into a DNS for the twin 20’s.