Big Diamond results 2005-08-16

DESANTIS, RYAN MOYER, HOLLAND LEAD BAIR WHEEL REPAIR HEAT WIN CHALLENGE

Minersville, PA -- August 16, 2005 -- With just three weeks remaining, Meme DeSantis of Temple, PA; Ryan Moyer of Schuylkill Haven, PA; and Kevin Holland of Pine Grove, PA lead their respective Big Diamond Raceway divisions in the 2005 Art Bair Racing Wheels and Wheel Repair Heat Win Challenge.

Art Bair of New Ringgold, PA has once again sponsored the Art Bair Racing Wheels and Wheel Repair heat win challenge for all three weekly divisions at the Big Diamond Raceway in 2005. The driver who captures the most modified heat wins during the year will be rewarded with $250. The leading sportsman modified heat winner will receive a bead lock wheel and the top heat winning roadrunner will earn a racing wheel.

Meme DeSantis has six modified heat wins and holds a slim margin over Duane Howard (Oley, PA) with and John Willman (Birdsboro, PA) and Bobby Gunther Walsh (Allentown, PA) with four each. Three time 2005 heat winners include Keith Hoffman (Whitehall, PA), Doug Manmiller (Wyomissing, PA), Jeff Strunk (Bethel, PA) and Ray Swinehart (Bechtelsville, PA) while Josh Biever (Landingville, PA), Sean Merkel (Gilbertsville, PA) and Craig Von Dohren (Oley, PA) have two each.

Ironically, point leader Doug Hoffman (Allentown, PA) has not won a heat this season. Completing the list with single heat wins are Andy Burkhart (Temple, PA), Dale Hartz (Hamburg, PA), Dale Roth (Newmanstown, PA), Rick Schaffer (Woxall, PA) and Jeff Sechrist (Wernersville, PA).

Leading the list in the Sportsman division is Ryan Moyer with seven heat victories. Jason Hamilton (Erwinna, PA) is second with five wins while Rob Gibson (Schuylkill Haven, PA) and Craig Whitmoyer (Hamburg, PA) have 3 each. Double heat winners are Andy Fayash, Jr. (Mary D, PA), Doug Hendricks (Auburn, PA), Joe Masiado (Easton, PA), Andy Miller (Schuylkill Haven, PA), RoC invader Arnie Slade (Upton, NY) and Jordan Umbenhauer (Richland, PA).

Sportsman point leaders Tom Brennan (Pottsville, PA) and Gary Wagner, Jr. (Womelsdorf, PA) are included in the list of 17 other drivers that have one heat win this year.

Kevin Holland (Pine Grove, PA) leads in the roadrunners with six wins trailed by Joe Hendricks (Auburn, PA) with four, Kirby Schlappich (Temple, PA) with four, Tom Hablett (Schuylkill Haven, PA) with two, Butch Solt (Lehighton, PA) with two and Eric Pinkerton (Tower City, PA) with 2. Single heat wins have been recorded by Elvin Brennan (Forestville, PA), Pete Gettis (Schuylkill Haven, PA), Dave Schultz (Forestville, PA), Corey Sechrist (Wernersville, PA), Jason Sherman (Williamstown, PA) and Jake Smulley (Phoenix Park, PA) while point leader Kevin Beach (Llewellyn, PA) has no heat wins.

(The roadrunner heat winner from the recent RoC race has not yet been added to these totals.)

In addition to the annual Art Bair Racing Wheel Heat Win Challenge, Art also sponsors the tire changing competition at the annual Big Diamond Raceway Pre-Season Car Show. Art has been a sponsor at Big Diamond nearly as long as his racing wheel repair business has been in existence. He's at Big Diamond every race night and is available to pick-up wheels to be repaired and to deliver new or repaired wheels.

Next Friday, August 19, all three divisions will have the opportunity to add to their totals as the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modifieds, Sportsman-Modifieds, and Roadrunners are joined by the ARDC Midgets. The midgets will compete without wings in twin 20-lap features. There will be no qualifying races for the midgets, just flat-out, broad sliding mayhem in the twin 20's in their first appearance at Big Diamond in over 30 years.

The August 19th event will also be a special Junior Fan Club Free Night as all Big Diamond Junior Fan Club Members will be admitted for free with the presentation of their card at the ticket window.

-www.bigdiamondraceway.com.