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Big Diamond results 2005-05-13

DOUG HOFFMAN BECOMES FIRST '05 DOUBLE WINNER AT BIG DIAMOND IN MODIFIEDS; EBBY RIDGE EARNS 1ST CAREER SPORTSMAN WIN, BEACH TOPS RRs, BALDWIN GETS 600 MOD WIN Minersville, PA -- May 13, 2005 -- Defending champion, Doug Hoffman of Allentown, PA, ...

DOUG HOFFMAN BECOMES FIRST '05 DOUBLE WINNER AT BIG DIAMOND IN MODIFIEDS; EBBY RIDGE EARNS 1ST CAREER SPORTSMAN WIN, BEACH TOPS RRs, BALDWIN GETS 600 MOD WIN

Minersville, PA -- May 13, 2005 -- Defending champion, Doug Hoffman of Allentown, PA, avoided the "big ones" on a night of racing that lived up to the reputation of Friday the 13th to become the first repeat winner of the year at Big Diamond Raceway in the NASCAR Dodge Racing Series Modifieds on NAPA Auto Parts Night. The win put Hoffman into the modified point lead in Dennis Eisenhard's Kerry Hertzog Auto Sales / Westside Wood Products, Ford-powered Teo #77

Ebby Ridge of Milford, NJ earned his first career NASCAR Sportsman Modified win while Kevin Beach of Llewellyn, Pa took his first win of the year in the NASCAR Roadrunners. A surprised Dave Baldwin was awarded the 600 Modified by XCEL win after the top three were disqualified in their 15-lap feature.

This Friday night, May 20, will mark the first time in more than 30 years that midget auto racing has rocked Forestville, PA, as the American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) invade the Big Diamond Raceway, joining the weekly menu of NASCAR Modifieds, Sportsman-Modifieds, and Roadrunners. The ARDC Midgets will sling some clay in wingless, twin 20-lap features. There will not be any qualifying races for the ARDC or for the Roadrunners on this card, just all out feature mayhem on the 3/8th mile. Racing starts at 8 PM.

The 25-lap modified feature uncharacteristically saw numerous caution periods, including two multi-car, Talladega/Daytona-style tangles in turn four, which has many believing in the bad luck of Friday the 13th. Justin Andrews (Parryville), Bobby Gunther Walsh (Allentown) and Jeff Sechrist (Wernersville) ran up front early but Doug Hoffman threaded through the tangles and the competition from his 18th starting stop to take the lead on lap 12 and the eventual win. Craig Von Dohren (Oley) returned from a lap two spin to finish second followed by Ray Swinehart (Bechtelsville), Jeff Strunk (Bethel), Shawn Fitzpatrick (Pottsville), Doug Manmiller (Wyomissing), Jeff Sechrist, Rick Schaffer (Woxall), John Willman (Birdsboro) and Duane Howard (Oley).

The Sportsman 20 was only slowed by four single-car spins and Ebby Ridge took he lead from John Bush on lap one and led every lap for his first career win in the L.D. High and Sons / Valley Auto Supply, Bouc Chevy-powered Troyer #35. Freddie Fisher (Wernesrville) finished second followed by Andy Miller (Schuylkill Haven), Jordan Umbenhauer (Richland), Ryan Moyer (Schuylkill Haven), Jason Kohler (Kutztown), Doug Hendricks (Auburn), Luke Wagner (Grantville), point leader Tom Brennan (Pottsville) and Greg Weiland (Pottsville).

A caution with two laps remaining in the 15-lap roadrunner feature enabled Kevin Beach to overtake Butch Solt (Lehighton) for the win in the Uncle Cones #17. Kevin Holland (Pine Grove) finished second head of Solt, Jason Sherman (Williamstown) and Dave Schultz (Llewellyn).

The 600 Modifieds made their first appearance ever at big Diamond for their second race of the year. It was apparent that a few of the drivers are just getting up to speed on rules and requirements as apparent winner, Tom Martucci was disqualified for insufficient tire pressures, and the next two finishers, Scott Washburn and Barry McDole were disqualified for failing to report for technical inspections after their post race weigh-in. That made Dave Baldwin the official 15-lap feature winner over Paul Tuthill, Doug Borger, Craig Beringer and Jason Van Dorn.

Modified heat winners were Meme DeSantis (Temple), who covered the ten lap distance in a sizzling time of 2:59.632; Craig Von Dohren and Keith Hoffman (Whitehall). Sportsman heat wins went to Luke Wagner (Grantville), Freddie Fisher, Ebby Ridge and Ryan Moyer while consolation wins went to Don Miller (Northampton) and Brad Brightbill (Shillington). Butch Solt and Elvin Brennan (Forestville) were roadrunner heat winners while Tom Martucci took the 600cc Modified heat.

Justin Andrews set the pace for the first lap in the modified feature but a restart with only one, caused by a caution for the spinning Craig Von Dohren, saw Bobby Gunther Walsh take command. Duane Howard found himself and his 357 backwards in turn three with two complete and on this restart Andy Burkhart (Temple) and Jeff Sechrist slipped by Andrews. With four in the first pile-up occurred in turn four as Burkhart caught the planted inside tire markers and collected Shawn Fitzpatrick, Jeff Strunk and Meme DeSantis (who were sixth, seventh and eighth) as well as Rick Laubach, Keith Hoffman, Doug Manmiller, Sean Merkel, Colt Harris, Josh Biever and Dale Roth. Following a three car restart tangle, Walsh now led the way on the restart trailed by Sechrist, John Willman, Ray Swinehart and Doug Hoffman.

Following two separate one-car incidents, Sechrist made a run at Walsh and his 'square one' / Yocco's Hot Dogs #1 on the inside on lap 6. He stayed with the move and pulled the Hoover Chevrolet #42 ahead on lap 7 in turns one and two. Lap later Swinehart and Hoffman also got by Walsh. After two spins with 10 complete, Hoffman took to the outside to pass Swinehart in turn two. A lap later Doug moved to the inside and overtook Sechrist in turn four for the lead, but the mayhem was not over.

On lap 14 in turns three and four, the cars of Walsh, Rick Schaffer, Manmiller, Roy Wiest, Biever, Burkhart, Tommy Sheetz and Harris tangled. The top five now showed Doug Hoffman, Swinehart, Von Dohren, Sechrist and Duane Howard as Von Dohren and Howard recovered from their early spins. Howard and just slipped by Sechrist for fourth when again Howard spun collecting sixth place Rick Laubach on lap 18. J

Von Dohren battled for four laps, side-by-side with Swinehart until he finally secured second but was forced to settle for second in the Devine Transport 70D ahead of Swinehart, a closing Jeff Strunk, Shawn Fitzpatrick and a late charging Manmiller.

Last on the agenda was the Sportsman 20 and the numerous modified caution laps and restarts took its toll on the track surface leaving it hard and slick. John Bush, Jr. started on the pole but Ebby Ridge used the high side to take charge in turn one on the opening lap. Jason Hamilton and Andy Fayash, Jr. exchanged shots on the front stretch and in turn one as they completed lap one and Hamilton ended up backwards in turn two and both drivers were sent to the rear. The top four firmed up by lap 3, including Ridge, Freddie Fisher, Andy Miller and Jordan Umbenhauer, and remained unchanged with few cautions. In the closing laps Ryan Moyer overtook Jason Kohler for fifth, showing the most improvement of the front five after coming from eighth. Tom Brennan and Greg Weiland came into the event tied for the point lead and Brennan finished ninth, one spot better than Weiland, to take the point lead.

Rookie Pete Gettis took the early roadrunner lead in his red Gettis Welding and Trailers 8 but Butch Solt charged under the leader on lap 10 for the lead. Solt looked like a first time winner until the yellow flew with 13 complete. On the restart second place Kevin Holland and third place Kevin Beach took opposite sides of Solt with Beach coming away on top for the win.

BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY - RACE RESULTS - May 13, 2005 m NAPA AUTO PARTS NIGHT

NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES MODIFIEDS - 25-LAP FEATURE : 1. 77 Doug Hoffman, Allentown, PA $(2000); 2. 70D Craig Von Dohren, Oley, PA; 3. 29 Ray Swinehart, Bechtelsville, Pa; 4. 88 Jeff Strunk, Bethel, PA; 5. 102 Shawn Fitzpatrick, Pottsville, PA; 6. 11D Doug Manmiller, Wyomissing, PA; 7. 42 Jeff Sechrist, Wernersville, PA; 8. 6SR Rick Schaffer, Woxall, PA; 9. 64W John Willman, Birdsboro, PA; 10. 357 Duane Howard, Oley, PA; 11. 5 Paul Kline; 12. 178 Neil Huber; 13. 23 Roy Wiest; 14. 14 Rick Laubach; 15. 79 Amanda Spotts; 16. W9 Colt Harris; 17. 24H Justin Andrews; 18. 87 Andy Burkhart; 19. 83B Josh Biever; 20. Sq1 Bobby Gunther Walsh; 21. 808 Dennis Horvath; 22. 7X Tommy Sheetz, 23. 1 Keith Hoffman; 24. 6 Dale Roth; 25. 118 Sean Merkel; 26. 1 Meme DeSantis. DNQ: 21K Kyle Weiss, 21T Jason Andrews.

NASCAR SPORTSMAN MODIFIEDS - 20-LAP FEATURE: 1. 35 Ebby Ridge, Milford, NJ (4600); 2. 95 Freddie Fisher, Reading, PA; 3. 64 Andy Miller, Schuylkill Haven, PA; 4. 19U Jordan Umbenhauer, Richland, PA; 5. 93 Ryan Moyer, Schuylkill Haven, PA; 6. 59 Jason Kohler, Kutztown, PA; 7. 8JR Doug Hendricks, Auburn, PA; 8. 3 Luke Wagner, Grantville, PA; 9. 26 Tom Brennan, Pottsville, PA; 10. 145 Greg Weiland, Pottsville, PA; 11. 2 Rich Stankiewicz; 12. 99 Craig Whitmoyer; 13. 72 Ray Woodall, Jr.; 14. 19 Brad Brightbill; 15. 10 Lowell Snyder; 16. 515 Larry Lippencott; 17. 157 Andy Fayash, Jr.; 18. 144 Don Miller; 19. 8 Brad Force; 20. 917 Jarrad Miller; 21. 15 Jason Hamilton; 22. 17 Billy Moyer, Jr.; 23. KT3 Cory Renninger; 24. 26X John Bush, Jr., 25. 17R Kevin Nolf, 26. 43 Joe Masiado. DNQ: 58 Chris Eckert, 73 Darrel Herman, 147 Louie Mitchalk, , 61 John Leindecker, 30 Carl Felty, 25 Ray Deemer, 221 Rob Gilson, 2T Mike Taylor, 71 Chris James, 47 Gary Wagner, Jr., 17T Ryan Grim, 110 Bill Finneran, 22N Ray Gara, 88 Mike Bent.

NASCAR ROADRUNNERS - 15-LAP FEATURE: 1. 17 Kevin Beach, Llewellyn, PA; 2. 66 Kevin Holland, Pine Grove, PA; 3. 38 Butch Solt, Lehighton, PA; 4. 721 Jason Sherman, Williamstown, PA; 5. 5 Dave Schultz, Llewellyn, PA; 6. 22 Tom Hablett; 7. 22X Mike Allar; 8. 4 Jake Smulley; 9. 11 Kirby Schlappich; 10. 11X Joe Hendricks; 11. 20 Corey Sechrist; 12. 93 Robbie Pyle; 13. 8M Ken Eckert, Jr.; 14. 555 Elvin Brennan; 15. 550 Ryan Olenick; 16. 37 Eric R. Pinkerton; 17. 8 Pete Gettis; 18. 7T7 Andy Fayash, Jr.; 19. 117 Marty Shappell.

600 MODIFIEDS - 15-LAP FEATURE: 1. 15 Dave Baldwin; 2. 88 Paul Tuthill; 3. 74 Doug Borger; 4. x3 Craig Beringer; 5. 20 Jason Van Dorn; 6. 55 Bob Butler; 7. G1 Kyle Gardner; 8. 77 Nick Mader; 9. M1 Tom Martucci (1st-dq); 10. 119 Scott Washburn (2nd-dq); 11. 8 Barry McDole (3rd-dq); 12. 7 Tim Manieri (dns); 13. 90 Brian Mady (dns).

-bdr-

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