Von Dohren wins the George Stevenson Memorial race for his third win of the season at Big Diamond
Von Dohren wins the George Stevenson Memorial race for his third win of the season at Big Diamond
Story By: Ken Bruce/Big Diamond Speedway
Photos By: Kirsten Snyder & George Steigerwalt/RacersGuide.com
Fighting the weather throughout the day, Big Diamond Speedway was able to get in one of their biggest nights of the season as the track presented the annual George Stevenson Memorial race as part of B & H Landscaping night.
With $5000 going to the winner of the 50 lap race for the Insinger Performance Modifieds, you knew Craig Von Dohren would be on his game looking to cash in on the extra money and on his game he was as Von Dohren dominated the race to take his third checkered flag of the season.
Matt Stangle would take the early lead from his third starting spot with Von Dohren also on the move quickly and was up to fourth already on lap one after starting ninth. Stangle continues to lead but by lap five Von Dohren was starting to apply pressure to the young driver looking for the top spot.
The first caution of the race was displayed on lap six with Stangle still out front. Stangle continued to lead the way on the restart with the PA big three right behind as Von Dohren, Jeff Strunk and Duane Howard were now second thru fourth. Another yellow came out on lap eight and on the restart a multi-car tangle coming to the green forced the red flag to be displayed as Rick Laubach did a slow roll before coming to a stop on his side. All drivers were okay.
After a couple of more attempts to restart the race the action finally resumed with Stangle still leading the way. With everyone glued to the bottom of the track, Von Dohren decided to move to the high side. By the end of the lap eleven, Von Dohren was your new leader and started to check out on the field.
A scheduled fuel stop on lap 25 brought the field back together with Von Dohren leading Stangle, Strunk, Howard and Frank Cozze. During the fuel stop top ten runner Billy Pauch Jr decided to head to the pits and change a right rear tire.
When the race resumed Von Dohren once again took off leaving little doubt who was in charge of the race. Von Dohren would move his line around the track as Stangle and Strunk would make up some ground when Von Dohren ran down low. Once Von Dohren moved back to the top he was gone and easily sped under starter Jeff Merkel’s checkered flag with a commanding lead to take the big $5000 first place prize. Another good run for the young Stangle who finished second for the second consecutive week. Strunk, Howard and Cozze completes the top five.
In the 20-lap USS Achey Sportsman division it was Brandon Edgar reaching victory lane for the second time in 2019. Second place starter Wayne Witmer took the lead at the start from his second starting spot with the teenager Cole Stangle moving up to second.
The first yellow of the race was put out on lap four with four-time winner this season Doug Hendricks involved. Witmer continued to lead when the field returned to green with Stangle and Edgar right behind. Edgar worked his way past Stangle and on lap seven went by Witmer to take over the top spot. Once in front Edgar would go on to control the race surviving one more restart to tale the win. Stangle would finish second with Witmer, Tim Fitzpatrick and Hendricks who returned to finish fifth.
Chris Derr motored to his first win on the season in the Eash’s Towing & Recovery Street Stocks. Jeff Haag led the way at the start with last week’s winner Kody Sites right behind in second. Yellow flags were prevalent early in the race and when racing resumed Derr there his helmet into the mix for the lead. Lap 16 and Haag and Derr are side by side battling for the top spot with Derr coming out on top. Derr went on to lead the remaining laps with Haag having to settle for second, Sites, Jason Geesamen and Scott Thurberg finished third through fifth.
They say that sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good and on Friday night in the Savage 61 Road Runner feature event Shaun Mulhall was good, but it still took a little bit of luck to grab the win. Kris Ney grabbed the early lead as a great battle was developing behind him between Jim Kost, Chris Holland and Matt Ney. The race would stay green as Holland moves up to second and battle Kris Ney for the lead. Ney and Holland would take the two to go flags side by side with Holland taking command. As the two leaders take the white flag, they get together going into turn one with both cars spinning to bring out the only caution of the race. Mulhall inherited the lead at that point and went on to win the race. Holland stormed back through the field to finish second with Mike Reichert, Kost and Kris Ney the top five.
Full Results 7/5/2019 – B & H Landscaping Night
George/Georgie Stevenson Memorial
Insinger Performance Modifieds – The feature was won by Craig VonDohren and followed by Matt Stangle, Jeff Strunk, Duane Howard, Frank Cozze, Mike Gular, Ryan Godown, Billy Pauch Jr, Alex Yankowski, Ryan Krachun, Bob Trapper Sr, Nick Rochinski, Bobby Gunther Walsh, Frank Yankowski, Kevin Beach Jr, Shawn Fitzpatrick, Scott Albert, Eddie Strada, Briggs Danner, Rick Laubach, Andy Burkhart, Jimmy Reppert, Kris Graver and Louden Reimert.
Did Not Qualify – Justin Grim, Cliff Quinn, Todd Neiheiser, Craig Whitmoyer and Jim Bobbitt.
The Modified heats were won by Duane Howard, Frank Cozze and Jeff Strunk.
USS Achey Sportsman – The feature was won by Brandon Edgar and followed by Cole Stangle, Wayne Witmer, Tim Fitzpatrick, Doug Hendricks, Mike Schneck, Matt Clay, Mike Burrows, Blake Reber, Dylan Hoch, Darryl Dissinger, Chuck Eckert, Matt Ellery, Gary Grim, Marty Resnick, Nico Flammer, Dakota Kohler, Kevin Brady, Ed Mrochko and Tom Schneck.
The Sportsman heat races were won by Doug Hendricks and Wayne Witmer.
Savage 61 Roadrunners – The feature was won by Shawn Mulhall and followed by Chris Holland, Mike Reichert, Jim Kost, Kris Ney, Matt Ney, Seth Reichert, Tonya Lance, Kyle Wingle, Fred Everly and Cory Lindenmuth.
The Roadrunner heat races were won by Jim Kost and Kris Ney.
