Big Diamond opened up their bonus racing season with the first of four added race dates after the Coalcracker extending their 2020 racing schedule to 10-09. Drivers in all 4 classes got their first Big Diamond win tonight. Alan Barker in modified, Cole Stangle in sportsman, Tyler Peet in 602 Crate and Seth Reichert in the Roadrunner division.
The modified 25 lap feature saw Alan Barker and Dan Hineline bring the field to green. It was Alan Barker going green to checkered flag in this caution free non-stop 8 minute feature event. Barker parked his 16B entry in victory lane for the first time at Big Diamond Speedway.
In victory lane Barker stated “In one race my season turned 180 degrees. We came to PA because of the situation in our home state of New York. Every week we would go home with our head down talking about how tough these PA guys are. It was great to turn it around tonight. The green to checkered caution free feature was huge to our success but I still keep looking back.”
The modified top 10 was round was rounded out by points leader Mike Gular in second, followed by Louden Reimert, Duane Howard, Craig Von Dohren, Alex Yankowski, Kris Graver, Jeff Strunk, Rick Laubach and Dan Hineline.
The Modified Heat Races were won by Alan Barker and Duane Howard.
The first 10 laps of the sportsman feature were led by pole sitter Mike Toth until Marc Berzowski took the lead on lap 11 only to collide into a spinning lapped car immediately after taking the lead. Caution flew for the first time on lap 11 to see the leader Berzowski’s night end as he was retired to the pits on the hook. Mike Toth inherited the lead back. On the lap 13 restart Cole Stangle grabbed the lead with Jack Butler in pursue but Stangle held on to the win and drove into victory lane for his first career win.
In victory lane Stangle commented “Tonight we ended a 3 year winning draught after a lot of hard work. The top was good all night and the car worked either on the top or bottom.’
The top five was rounded out by Jack Butler, Brad Brightbill, Mike Toth & Steve Young.
Tyler Peet came from the 10th starting position and survived 5 cautions in the front of the field in the first 8 laps with several multi-car tangles. On a lap 8 single file restart Peet overtook the 555 of Joel Smith for the lead and from there Peet checked out to the winners circle.
The 602 Crate top 5 was rounded out by Dakota Kohler, Jonathan Swift, Joel Smith & Steve Lyle.
Big Diamond 9/25/20 – 25 lap modified feature
- Alan Barker, 2. Mike Gular, 3. Louden Reimert, 4. Duane Howard, 5. Craig Von Dohren, 6. Alex Yankowski, 7. Kris Graver, 8. Jeff Strunk, 9. Rick Laubach, 10. Dan Hineline, 11. Matt Stangle, 12. Nick Rochinski, 13. Doug Hendricks, 14. Dillon Steuer, 15. Mike Lisowski, 16. Scott Albert, 17. Brett Gilmore, 18. Frank Yankowski, 19. Shawn Light, 20 Craig Whitmoyer DNS
Modified Pit Notes
Alan Barker picks up his first Big Diamond feature win in only his 5th start of the season. His prior finishes were DNQ, 17th, 18th, & 10th. Barker also picked up his first heat race win of the season. A week ago Barker also got his first win of the season in the # 77 entry at Penn Can Speedway. Looks like things are turning around everywhere for Barker.
Nick Rochinski returned behind the wheel of his 20C modified entry for the first time since early August due to a racing related injury at OCFG in the Deter Schmidt #5. Nick Rochinski was pleased to be back behind the wheel of his family owned 20C. Mad Max McLaughlin was behind the wheel of the 20C as a substitute driver while Rochinski was recovering.
Mike Gular continues to push forward toward his first Big Diamond point championship. Gular finished 2nd place from a 10th place starting position. Gular also extended his point lead over 2nd place Craig Von Dohren to nearly 100 points with only one point event remaining.
Louden Reimert’s strong 3rd place finish was his best of the season. The 19 year old driver has emerged with consistent finishes in this pandemic shorten season and is demonstrating by his 6th place point standing at Big Diamond with one week of points remaining and a 9th place in the points standings at Grandview that he is someone to keep an eye on the rest of this season and into the 2021.
Sportsman Pit Notes
Cole Stangle earned his first career sportsman win in the 15 year old’s 3rd year of racing. Stangle got in a tangle in the heat race and had to go to the pits for repairs but returned and qualified for handicap with a second place finish in the heat behind Jack Butler. Cole came off the starting grid for the feature in the 8th position and took the lead on a lap 13 restart and this time Butler was the one in second place as Stangle took his first career feature victory. Cole sits 3rd in the sportsman point standings and is looking at his best point finish of his career in 2020. With one point race remaining Stangle is in contention for 2nd place.
In the prior 8 sportsmen races Brightbill and Edgar have ran 1st and 2nd with each other in 7 of the 8 features with Brightbill winning 4 and Edgar winning 3 while the other runs in second. Only Glenn Rowan and Cole Stangle have sportsman wins other the Brightbills 4 wins and Edgars 3 wins.
Stangle started 8th on the grid with Brightbill and Edgar right behind him starting 9th and 10th. Edgar moved past Stangle into 2nd but pulled off with a flat tire at lap 12. Brightbill never got past Stangle on this night and finished 3rd while Stangle took the win.
Mike Toth’s 4th place finish was by far his best finish of the season. He also won his first heat race of the season. His son Joe Toth drove the 89 entry at the Grandview 38er and resulting changes in the setup have the car running back up front for the first time this season.
Marc Berzowski took the lead momentarily on lap 11 and then narrowly clipped a spinning lapped car which ended his night on the hook. Berzowski’s 64DDD has shown improvement and promise as the season has progressed.
Ed Mrochko was removed on the hook after a tangle in the first lap of the heat race which looked like the end of the 14m entry’s night. But the family owned teamed pull a pit thrash to make the call for the green in the feature.
602 Crate Pit Notes
Point leader Cody Manmiller was involved in a lap 1 tangle which took the 00 entry off on the hook and ended his night early for the first time this season. Manmiller has led the point chase all season long but the early DNF and a 9th place finish by Ryan Conrad has dropped Manmiller to 2nd place in the points with one race to go to determine the 2020 Crate champion. The top 5 in points are Ryan Conrad, Cody Manmiller, Shon Elk, Jonathan Swift and Ryan Graver who are all within 100 points of the point leader Ryan Conrad.
Ryan Conrad’s 9th place finish took him into the points lead for the first time this season with one point race remaining. Ryan started the season in the 21c entry and is now driving the recently purchased X5 entry to close out the season.
Big Diamond’s next event is Friday October 2 with Modifieds, East Coast Wingless Sprints and a full program of racing starting at 7:30.
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