Strunk scores opening night modified win at Big Diamond Speedway
A beautiful spring night greeted a packed house at Big Diamond Speedway on Friday night after weather-related issues caused the 46th season opener to be postponed two weeks in a row.
The fans got more than their monies worth on Friday night as Jeff Strunk won the 30-lap, $4,000 Steel & Metal Service Center 358 modified feature to open the 2017 season as 91 cars were pit side.
Other winners on Friday night were Mike Mammana (U.S.S. Achey sportsman); Kody Sites (Savage 61 roadrunners) and Elvin Brennan III (No Sweat Service Group street stocks).
This Friday, April 21, the Money in the Mountains big-block/small-block modified challenge takes place. The 40-lap feature pays $6,000; $400 to start and the winner earns a guaranteed starting spot in the Short Track Super Series event at the track, a $500 value, on June 6.
Also on the racing card next Friday will be the sportsman, roadrunners and street stocks.
Veteran Shawn Fitzpatrick led the 358 modified field to the first green of the year as he would maintain the lead for the first 12 laps before Strunk, who started fifth, would take the lead on a lap-12 restart when Fitzpatrick’s brother Tim spun and brought out the caution.
Stunk would check out on the field after the restart but it was Craig VonDohren making the big move as he came from 11th starting spot to fourth on lap 15 and then into second on lap 26 as he tracked down Shawn Fitzpatrick .
Stunk was able to maintain his lead even in lapped traffic to go on and score the opening-night win.
“We had a good car and a good starting spot tonight and it was a great team effort tonight,” Strunk said. “Hats off to Jake (Smulley, track promoter) for paying
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the good money here. We had a good track tonight and I’m looking forward to next week’s race.”
Shawn Fitzpatrick would hold off VonDohren at the line for second while Duane Howard and Ryan Watt rounded out the top five.
Sixth through 10th were Kevin Beach, Jarrod Umbenhauer, Rick Laubach, Ryan Krachun, and Scott Albert. Heats for the 34 358 modifieds were won by Strunk, Godown and Andy Burkhart. T. Fitpatrick won the consolation event.
In the 20-lap, $1,000 to win sportsman feature, Mammana, who saw his race season end last year in May after losing two engines, finally had some luck come his way as the long layoff didn’t seem to affect him as he led all 20 laps to score the opening night win.
“It feels good to get back here and what a way to start the season,” he said.
Wayne Witmer, who started fifth, finished second while Craig Whitmoyer, Shawn Light and Jordan Henn rounded out the top five.
Sixth through 10th were Daryl Dissinger, Doug Hendricks, Chuck Fayash, Glenn Rowan and Matt Clay. Heats for the 28 sportsman were won by Whitmoyer, Matt Stangle and Light.
In the 20-lap roadrunner feature, Sites, who started 11th, used the outside line to his advantage to retake the lead on lap 17 as he went on to score the opening night win. He also won last year’s roadrunner season opener.
Mike Reichert paced the early part of the race and then battled with Steve Gromis for the top spot before Sites moved into the runner-up spot on lap 12. He took the lead of the race one lap later.