Veteran driver Duane Howard picked up his 94th career 358 Modified victory Friday night at Big Diamond Speedway, highlighting an action-packed evening of racing despite early weather concerns.
Track officials pressed forward with the program on JRL Emergency Services Night after rain clouds moved through the area during pre-race track packing. Following only a brief delay, all scheduled divisions completed their programs without issue.
Howard, of Oley, started fourth in the BQ Concrete 358 Modified feature and charged to the lead by lap three after overtaking Alan Rudalavage. From there, the nine-time track champion dominated the 25-lap event in nonstop fashion, expertly maneuvering through lapped traffic en route to his first win of the season.
Louden Reimert advanced to second on lap 11 but was unable to close the gap on Howard, who maintained a comfortable advantage the rest of the way. Kevin Olenick turned in a strong third-place finish while Tim Buckwalter continued his consistent season with a fourth straight top-five finish to take over the points lead.
Howard credited the Butch Getz Race Team and tuner Nick Gatto for helping improve the car after early-season struggles.
The Limited Late Models returned to Big Diamond Speedway for the first time in four seasons and delivered a thrilling 20-lap feature. George Dixon Jr. of Shirleysburg held off a hard-charging Andrew Yoder to secure the victory after taking the lead on a lap-four restart.
The division also saw impressive speed throughout the field, with 15 drivers eclipsing the previous track record. Lane Snook established the new mark with a lap of 15.337 seconds.
In the Red White and Blue Autos Inc. Roadrunner feature, Jesse Krasnitsky of Minersville snapped a 10-year winless drought in dramatic fashion. The race featured multiple lead changes and late-race chaos before TJ Fitzpatrick, who initially crossed the finish line first, relinquished the victory to his teammate in Victory Lane, stating Krasnitsky had the stronger car and deserved the win.
The Xcel 600 Modifieds made their lone appearance of the season with Tyler Bartik of Schnecksville leading every lap from the pole to claim the victory. Dylan Cordier finished second and also established a new Xcel track record during his heat race with a lap of 16.925 seconds.
Information submitted by Dino Oberto358 Modified Feature Results
| Finish | Driver |
|---|---|
| 1 | Duane Howard |
| 2 | Louden Reimert |
| 3 | Kevin Olenick |
| 4 | Tim Buckwalter |
| 5 | Dom Buffalino |
| 6 | Mike Lisowski |
| 7 | Alan Rudalavage |
| 8 | Logan Watt |
| 9 | Rick Laubach |
| 10 | Heath Metzger |
Limited Late Model Results
| Finish | Driver |
|---|---|
| 1 | George Dixon Jr. |
| 2 | Andrew Yoder |
| 3 | Lane Snook |
| 4 | Travis Horan |
| 5 | Lucas Adams |
| 6 | Zach Kauffman |
| 7 | Travis Mease |
| 8 | Colton Freise |
| 9 | Jake Moser |
| 10 | Tommy Slanker |
Roadrunner Results
| Finish | Driver |
|---|---|
| 1 | Jesse Krasnitsky |
| 2 | TJ Fitzpatrick |
| 3 | Mike Reichert |
| 4 | Andrew Buchinski |
| 5 | CJ Ferguson |
| 6 | Tod Roth Jr. |
| 7 | Jim Kost |
| 8 | Johnathan Trumbo |
| 9 | Alex Schoffstall |
| 10 | Joey Brennan |
Xcel 600 Modified Results
| Finish | Driver |
|---|---|
| 1 | Tyler Bartik |
| 2 | Dylan Cordier |
| 3 | Doug Newbigging |
| 4 | Griffin Hendershot |
| 5 | Ed Hollenbach |
| 6 | John Hall |
| 7 | Brandon Shearer |
| 8 | Mark Bressler |
| 9 | Doug Fry Sr. |
| 10 | Vincent Wanrich |
Upcoming Schedule at Big Diamond Speedway
| Date | Time | Event |
|---|---|---|
| May 15 | 7:00 PM | Red White and Blue Autos Inc. Night – 358 Modifieds, 602 Crate Sportsman Classic ($2,000-to-win/$225-to-start), Roadrunners |
| May 22 | 7:00 PM | 358 Modifieds, USAC East Coast Sprint Cars, 602 Crate Sportsman, Rookie 602 Crate Sportsman |
| May 29 | 7:00 PM | BQ Concrete Night – 358 Modifieds, 602 Crate Sportsman, Roadrunners, Keystone Sport Compact Series |