Laubach lands $4,000 payday
MINERSVILLE >> Veteran Quakertown modified racer Rick Laubach showed the speed that has taken him to victory lane twice already in the 2016 Big Diamond Speedway season as he led all 30 laps to collect his third win of the year and a $4,000 pay day in the Prelude to the Coalcracker on Friday on HuntTheGiant.com night.
Other winners on Friday night were Mike Lisowski (U.S.S. Achey sportsman) and Devin Trexler (Savage 61 roadrunners).
The track returns to action on Friday, Aug. 19, for the CJ’s Tire & Automotive Service Night featuring the Andy Fayash Memorial for the U.S.S. Achey sportsman and a Pink Out to support breast cancer.
The Fayash Memorial, an open-draw event, will see a 30-lap feature for the sportsman paying $1,570 to win and $157 to take the green. There will be 50 show-up points for the sportsman teams. Also on the racing card will be the 358 modifieds, roadrunners and the No Sweat Service Group street stocks.
The gates open at 5:30 p.m. on Friday with warm ups at 7:45 p.m. and racing getting underway at 8:15 p.m. General admission is $20; Seniors, $18 and kids 12-and-under and active military with a valid ID are free.
Laubach took the lead from the start of the 358 modified race from his outside pole position and held the field at bay over the 30lap distance.
“The outside groove was definitely better up there and it helps with these draw races to have a good starting spot,” Laubach said. “I was pushing a couple of time but the outside was the preferred line tonight.”
Billy Pauch Jr., followed Laubach around the outside of Turn 2 and settled into second on the opening lap of the race while Craig VonDohren and Duane Howard had their own battle going for third.
By lap 5, Laubach started to stretch out his lead but Pauch Jr. remained in striking distance.
At the halfway mark, Laubach still maintained the lead over Pauch while Howard had moved into third and Ryan Godown, who started eighth, was fourth.
Three laps later, Jeff Strunk slowed coming off Turn 4 to bring out the caution.
Laubach maintained his lead on the restart but Pauch Jr. was not letting him get away while Howard, VonDohren and Godown battled for third.
The final caution came out with three laps to go. But as was the case all race, Laubach was able to hold off Pauch Jr., who had keep the leader at bay for most of the night.
“Everybody in these grandstands knows it was a rough weeks for the racing community and I never met Bryan Clauson, but I want to dedicate my win to him,” Laubach added. “I watched his races online and he seemed like one heck of a guy and its a bad thing when that kind of stuff happens.”
Clauson died on Aug. 7 from injuries he sustained in a United States Auto Club midget race at the famed Belleville High Banks race track in Kansas. The track also held a moment of silence in his honor prior to start of the racing activities.
Pauch Jr., held on for second with Duane Howard, Craig VonDohren and Ryan Godown rounding out the top five.
Sixth through 10th were Doug Manmiller, Gary Hager, Shawn Fitzpatrick, Ryan Watt, and Kevin Beach Jr.
Heats for the 358 modifieds were won by VonDohren, Godown and Beach Jr. CJ’s Tire & Automotive Services 358 modified feature (30 laps): 1. Rick Laubach, 2. Billy Pauch Jr., 3. Duane Howard, 4. Craig VonDohren, 5. Ryan Godown, 6. Doug Manmiller, 7. Gary Hager, 8. Shawn Fitzpatrick, 9. Ryan Watt, 10. Kevin Beach Jr., 11. Scott Albert, 12. John Willman, 13. Jim Bobbitt, 14. Heath Metzger, 15. Jay Aten. DNF: Brett Kressley, Andy Burkhart, Justin Grim, Ryan Grim, Jeff Strunk, Bobby Gunther Walsh, Ron Haring, Cliff Quinn, Jimmy Reppert, Colt Harris. Heat winners: VonDohren, Godown, Beach Jr. Modified Match Races Round 1: Beach Jr. def. Albert; Rd. 2: Beach Jr., def. Manmiller; Rd. 3: Beach Jr., def. Watt; Rd. 4: Beach Jr., def. Strunk; Rd. 5: Beach Jr., def. J. Grim (Dq’d for no start); Rd. 6: Beach Jr., defe. R. Grim; Rd. 7: Beach Jr., def. Howard; Rd. 8 Beach Jr., def. Kressley; Rd. 9 Beach Jr., def. VonDohren. U.S.S. Achey sportsman feature (20 laps): 1. Mike Lisowski, 2. T.J. Lilly, 3. Ray Woodall Sr., 4. Brandon Grosso, 5. Daryl Dissinger, 6. Chuck Fayash, 7. Wayne Witmer, 8. Ray Woodall Jr., 9. Matt Clay, 10. Skylar Sheriff, 11. Ryan Shupp, 12. Greg Cole, 13. Fred Massey. DNF: Glenn Rowan, Todd Huffman, Billy Moyer Jr., Shawn Light,Tim Fitzpatrick, Matt Stangle.DNS: Ed Mrochko, Eric Hitz. Doug Hendricks. Heat winners: Witmer, Lilly. Savage 61 roadrunner feature (20 laps): 1. Devin Trexler, 2. Andrew Fayash III, 3. Steve Gromis, 4. Kris Ney, 5. Kyle Wingle, 6. Jim Kost, 7. Shawn Mulhall, 8. Andrew Buchinski, 9. Terry Kramer. DNF: Shon Elk, Nate Hill, Chris Eckert, Tim Spesak, Jesse Wagner. DNS: Fred Everly. Road Runner heats were won by Shon Elk and Steve Gromis