Sunday, September 1, 2019

Whitmoyer Wins Coalcracker 40 Sportsman Race

The Friday night it was the USS Achey Sportsman turn to headline the evening’s racing card and they did not disappoint. 

It was a battle of the titans as Craig Whitmoyer and 2019 USS Achey Sportsman champion Doug Hendricks fought side by side for over 15 laps with Whitmoyer winning the war to take home the $1800 first place check.

Pole sitter Kenny Eckert in his first race back after suffering a broken back earlier this season at the Grandview Speedway jumped out to the lead at the drop of the green. Eckert would continue to lead over Nate Brinker, Whitmoyer, Brad Brightbill and modified driver Jared Umbenhauer as the first caution of the race was put on lap nine as 18th place starter Hendricks was rocketing his way through the field.

It’s Eckert still leading when the race resumes with Whitmoyer now up to the second spot and starting to apply pressure to the leader. Whitmoyer made the pressure payoff two laps later as he went by Eckert to take away the top spot. As Whitmoyer was starting to extend his lead, Hendricks was on move making a beeline to the front taking over the second spot on lap 14. A lap 15 caution would slow the pace putting Hendricks right on the bumper of the leader Whitmoyer.

This is where a very good race turned into a great race as the two veterans Whitmoyer and Hendricks would engage in a spectacular battle for the top spot that would rage on for the next 15 to 20 laps. Side by side, lap after lap Whitmoyer and Hendricks would race for the lead. Whiitmoyer holding steady in the middle groove as Hendricks tried to work the low line around the speedway. Hendricks could pull even with Whitmoyer going into the turns but just couldn’t get enough grip down low to complete the pass. At one-point Hendricks went by for the lead but unfortunately for Hendricks the yellow would be displayed before the lap was scored handing the lead back to Whitmoyer.

On the restart the battle would resume with Whitmoyer once again staying out front as Hendricks tried every trick in his repertoire to get by. Finally, with the two leaders taking the five to signal, Whitmoyer started to put a little distance between himself and Hendricks.

Whitmoyer would go on to take the checkered flag and the $1800 first-place prize after an amazingly clean and hard-fought batter over Hendricks. Ray Woodall Jr would finish third with Eckert holding on for fourth and Michael Burrows finishing fifth.

The Eash’s Towing & Recovery Street Stocks made their return to action Friday night as part of Coalcracker weekend with Jason Geeseman returning to victory lane. Kody Sites would grab the lead from his fourth starting spot on lap one. Fifth place starting Geeseman would takeover the second spot on lap five and start putting the pressure on Sites for the lead. Sites and Geeseman would race door to door over the next ten laps with Sites remaining in front. A lap 15 caution would change the complexation of the race as Geeseman would get by Sites on the restart for the lead and start to open up an advantage. As the checkered flag flew, it was Geeseman taking the win over Sites with Jeff Haag, Eric Tripp and Scott Thunburg rounding out the top five. With his second-place finish, Sites remains the points leader with the final race of the season coming up on Sunday September 1st.

Alex Ditzler would take the lead from his outside row one starting spot in the Savage 61 Road Runner feature event. Seventh place starter Shawn Mulhall is on the move early and on lap two gets by Ditzler to take over the top spot. Once in front it was all Mulhall as he would go on to win the main event followed by Jim Kost, Chris Holland, Mike Reichert and Matt Ney. With one race remaining, Chris Holland remains the points leader.

In the Pizza Shop of Etters, Central PA Legend feature event it was Alex Schmiedel taking the win holding off the challenges of Chandler Pagnotta who returned from an early race incident to finish and Jeremy Ott. The three cars of Schmiedel, Pagnotta and Ott ran nose to tail the last ten laps of the main event putting on an exciting show for the fans.

The 50-lap Enduro race was won by Scott Riggleman who has swept the last nine Enduro races at the Big Diamond Speedway.

Full Results from Friday night 8/30/2019 – Coalcracker 40 presented by Fire Management Control of Pennsylvania

USS Acchey Sportsman – Coalcracker 40 – The feature was won by Craig Whitmoyer and followed by Doug Hendricks, Ray Woodall Jr, Ken Eckert Jr, Mike Burrows, Brad Arnold, Dylan Hoch, Nico Flammer, Steve Davis, Kevin Brady, Wayne Witmer, Dakota Kohler, Matt Ellery, Nate Brinker, Rick Hendricks, Mike Toth, Darryl Dissinger, Mike Mamana, Ed Mrochko, Brad Brightbill, Matt Clay, Jared Umbenhauer, Joey Vaccaro and Gary Grim.

Did Not Qualify – Chuck Eckert, Cole Stangle and Shon Elk.

Sportsman heat races were won by Rick Hendricks, Craig Whitmoyer and Mike Burrows.

Savage 61 Roadrunners – The feature was won by Shawn Mulhall and followed by Jim Kost, Chris Holland, Mike Reichert, Matt Ney, Chris Reichert, Alex Ditzler, Tonya Lance, Tod Roth, Terry Kramer, Kevin Holland, Kyle Dice, Cory Lindenmuth and Kris Ney.

Did Not Start - Ronny Suhr

Roadrunner heat races were won by Kris Ney and Chris Holland.

Eash's Salvage & Towing Street Stocks – The feature was won by Jasen Geesaman and followed by Kody Sites, Jeff Haag, Eric Tripp, Scott Thunberg, Mike Radocha Sr, John McGeoy, Bruce Ditzler, Elvin Brennan III and Don Murphy.

Did Not Start - Dean Hine

Street Stocks heat race won by Eric Tripp.

Houdeshell Home Improvement Central PA Legends Tour - The feature was won by Alex Schmiedel and followed by Chandler Pagnotta, Jeremy Ott, Sam Rial, Brandon Reiblich, Eric Hurst, Ed Trump, Scott Spidle, Mike Rabold, Stephen Wurtzer, Aaron Updegraff, Pat McClane, Rick Hartwig, Ryan Reabing, Cory Phillips, Ron Dick, Brent Marquis, Michael McClane, Robert Shaw, Austin Bellemare and Andy Whaling.

Central PA Legend heat races were won by Austin Bellemare and Chandler Pagnotta.

Enduro 50 - The feature was won by Scott Riggleman and followed by Chris Graver, Jason Duvall and Nancy Riggleman.