Yankowski Claims Back to Back Big Diamond Wins

A strong field of 30 modifieds showed up at Big Diamond to compete for $4,000 to win on another beautiful night for racing in Pennsylvania’s Coal country.  With 7 races and 7 different winners the question posed by track announcer Dino Oberto was “who will be first repeat winner or will there be another new driver in the winner’s circle tonight?”

The answer was simply – We would have a repeat winner and it would be the same guy that won last week – 16 year Alex Yankowski picked up the modified win for the 2^nd week in a row.  Yankowski worked his way through field from his 12^th starting position and on a lap 22 restart took the lead from Jared Umbenhauer and proceeded to check-out on the field for the remaining 8 laps by 2 seconds and rolled right into the winner’s circle for the 2^nd week in row.  In victory lane Yankowski couldn’t say enough about his crew who gives him a car that can win every time out.

The top 10 was rounded out by Mike Gular, Rick Laubach, Jeff Strunk, Jared Umbenhauer, Kevin Graver, Duane Howard and Alan Barker.

Heat winners were Doug Hendricks, Kevin Beach and Duane Howard.   The consolation went to Jordan Henn.

Modified Pit Notes

What a difference a week makes.  Yankowski has won races two weeks in a row but other than similar starting positions of 11^th and 12^th the races were completely different.  Last week’s win was a three way battle right down to the last turn that Yankowski won by a car length over Jordan Henn and Brett Kressley.   For his second week it was a methodical drive into 2^nd place by lap 12 and then patient next 10 laps in second place waiting for the right moment.  On a lap 22 restart it was go time for Yankowski who used the inside line to take the lead and then checkout in the next 8 laps to cruise into victory lane by nearly a 2 second margin for his second win in a row at big diamond.

Alex Yankowski who just turned 16 year old is now on the radar screen as an up and comer in the modified.  Last season Alex raced every possible opportunity with Fridays at Big Diamond and Saturdays at Grandview netting a 5^th and 10^th finish in the points respectively in 2019.  Yankowski has also enhanced his resume with Speedster racing at Action track as well as venturing to 360 sprint cars.  All of his dedication in his prior years is coming together this year with Yankowski being a force to be reckoned for the win no matter what track he shows up.  The competition is stout every week at Big Diamond; so to win back to back is a tall task for any driver not to mention a 16 year old  There are others young drivers too coming along to challenge the veteran drivers – Dylan Swinehart, Louden Reimert, Briggs Danner and TJ Lilly just to mention a few.

Jeff Strunk drew the first yellow of the event on lap 1 for an early flat tire sending him to the pits and back to position # 24.  Nonetheless Strunk kept the Getz 15X on a roll and drove through the field to a 4^th place finish and maintained his points lead over Mike Gular and Craig Von Dohren.  27 points separate the top 3 in modified points.  

Shawn Light made the move from sportsman to modifieds over the winter.  Light was able to qualify for his first Big Diamond modified feature in only his 4^th start.  Qualifying has not been an easy task this year at Big Diamond with 3-6 cars being sent home as DNQ’s each week.

Alan Barker made his 3^rd trip from the empire state this year to coal country to secure his best finish of the season at Big Diamond.  Barker got a 10^th place finish from a 22^nd starting position making the New Yorker very happy with his trip to Pennsylvania.

Racing action returns to Big Diamond Speed with the Fayash Memorial / Pink Out on Friday August 7 featuring $3,000 to win in modified and a full program of racing starting at 7:45.