Pauch Jr dominates Modified feature event at Big Diamond Speedway, Hendricks continues Sportsman dominance.

Pauch Jr dominates Modified feature event at Big Diamond Speedway, Hendricks continues Sportsman dominance.

Story By: Ken Bruce/Big Diamond Speedway

Photos By: George Steigerwalt/RacersGuide.com

After wheeling the Brietenstein No. 14 the past two week at Big Diamond, Billy Pauch Jr returned this Friday to the seat of his own No. 15 and promptly went out and put a whipping on the staunch Modified field to win the 25-lap Insinger Performance Modified feature event. After a rare DNF last Friday, Doug Hendricks returned to his winning ways to take the USS Achey Sportsman feature. Kris Ney was your winner of the Savage 61 feature and Jason Geeseman returned to victory lane in the Eash’s Towing & Recovery Street Stock division.

Justin Grim would bring the 24-car field to the start of the Insigner Performance Modified main event. Grim would go on to lead lap one as the field scrambled hard behind him for position. Kevin Beach Jr would take over the second spot looking to chase down Grim. The first and only yellow of the race would be displayed on lap six when a returning Tim Apgar went around in turn two.

Beach would take the lead from Grim on the restart with Billy Pauch Jr slicing his way through the field from his ninth starting spot and into second on lap nine. Beach had opened up a small lead, but it was to no avail as Pauch was on a mission this night and ran down Beach in one lap to make the pass for the lead. With no more yellows to slow the pace, Pauch Jr opened up an insurmountable lead as Nick Rochinski, Rick Laubch and Matt Stangle were putting on a show battling for the runner-up spot. Pauch went on to win the race by almost a half a track with Laubach getting by Rochinski on the last lap for second. Rochinski would have to settle for third with Stangle and Duane Howard completing the top five.

“I wouldn’t say we’ve been struggling here, but I didn’t feel I was running up to my standards,” cited a happy but under the weather Pauch Jr after his dominating win. “We’ve been tight as hell here lately and we finally got it to free up and turn tonight and I was very pleased with it. My guys worked their butt off it, and it paid off tonight. The car worked great tonight and like I always say driving these cars is a lot like riding a rollercoaster, sometimes your up and sometimes your down and tonight we were definitely up. It’s a race to the front here and tonight we caught a couple of breaks to get there first. We’ll put it in our notes and comeback and hopefully do it again.”

Doug Hendricks was back in a familiar place on Friday night not only winning but going out and dominating the 20-lap USS Achey Sportsman feature. Ed Mrochko and Blake Reber brought the field to the green with the fifth starting Hendricks not wasting anytime coming to the front. Hendricks blasted through the top four starters and was your new leader as the field completed lap two. Once in front, Hendricks would go on to open a huge lead and take the checkered flag. Last weeks winner Dakota Kohler would come through field to finish second over Wayne Witmer. Newcomer Matt Ellery would finish fourth for his first ever top five finish with Dylan Smith finishing fifth.

Kris Ney would take the lead from Cory Lindenmuth on lap two of the Savage 61 Road Runner feature and go on to dominate the race. Behind Kris Ney the battle was fierce as Matt Ney, Jim Kost, Shawn Mulhall and Chris Holland swapped positions looking for the second spot. It was all Kris Ney though as he went on to win the race over Matt Ney, Chris Holland, Jim Kost and Shawn Mulhall.

Jason Geeseman returned to victory lane in the Eash’s Towing & Recovery Street Stock division winning the 20-lap feature race on Friday night. Geeseman started from the third position and had the lead by the completion of lap one. Geeseman fought through a couple of restarts to retain the lead. After the last restart on lap 15 Kody Sites and Chris Derr started to pressure Geeseman for the lead making for an interesting last few laps as the three drivers ran under a blanket all battling for the top spot. Geeseman would go onto take the checkered flag over Sites, Derr, Jeff Haag and Scott Thunberg.

The Excel 600 Modified feature was won by Geoffrey Sutton with Austin Bellemare winning the Houdeschell Home Improvement Central PA Legend Race.

Full Results from 7/26/2019

Insinger Performance Modifieds – The feature was won by Billy Pauch Jr and followed by Rick Laubach, Nick Rochinski, Matt Stangle, Duane Howard, Ryan Godown, Craig VonDohren, Kevin Beach Jr, Louden Reimert, Alex Yankowski, Craig Whitmoyer, Frank Yankowski, Scott Albert, Justin Grim, Richie Hitzler, Tim Apgar, Shawn Fitzpatrick, Dan Hineline, Kevin Fitzpatrick, Jimmy Reppert and John Willman.

Did Not Start – Jared Umbenhauer

The Modified heats were won by Rick Laubach and Kevin Beach Jr.

USS Achey Sportsman – The feature was won by Doug Hendricks and followed by Dakota Kohler, Wayne Witmer, Matt Ellery, Dylan Smith, Cole Stangle, Mike Schneck, Darryl Dissinger, Blake Reber, Joel Smith, Kevin Brady, Matt Clay, Ed Mrochko, Joey Vaccaro, Shon Elk, Chuck Eckert and Gary Grim.

Did Not Start – Brandon Edgar

The Sportsman heat races were won by Doug Hendricks and Matt Ellery.

Eash’s Salvage & Towing Street Stocks – The feature was won by Jasen Geesaman and followed by Kody Sites, Chris Derr, Jeff Haag, Scott Thunberg, Eric Tripp, Elvin Brennan III, John McGeoy and Jeremy Becker. Did Not Start – Robin Wagner Murphy’s Fabrication Hard Charger Award – Kody Sites & Jeff Haag.

Savage 61 Roadrunners – The feature was won by Kris Ney and followed by Matt Ney, Chris Holland, Jim Kost, Shawn Mulhall, Kevin Holland, Seth Reichert, Ronny Shur, Cory Lindenmuth, Tonya Lance and Alex Ditzler.

Xcel 600 Modifieds – The feature was won by Geoffrey Sutton and followed by Cody Manmiller, Sam Scicchitano, Ryan Stoner, Brianna James, Matt Bruns, Hunter Diehl, Jeff Sechrist, Grant Schibilia, Shawna Schibilia, Jon Josko, Mike McLaughlin, Trent Warner, Heath Machamer, Dylan Smith, Corey Sechrist, John Hall, Tyler James, Josh Pepe and Ray Gradwell. Did Not Start – Brian Blankenbiller

The 600 Modified heat races were won by Matt Bruns and Brianna James.

Houdeshell Home Improvement Central PA Legends Tour – The feature was won by Austin Bellemare and followed by Aaron Updgegraff, Alex Schmiedel, Jorjie Sweger, Ed Trump, Brandon Reiblich, Chandler Pagnotta, Eric Hurst, Cory Phillips and Robert Shaw.

The Legends heat race was won by Austin Bellemare.