With Mother Nature not cooperating with the speedway last Friday, promoters Jake and Jasmine Smulley will attempt to get the 52nd season of racing going once again this Friday, April 19th with the rescheduled “Thaw Brawl” featuring the Quandel Concrete Modifieds racing 25-laps for a tidy sum of $4,052 going to the winner.
It will be a who’s who of local modified drivers when the gates swing open on Friday night in Coal Country. Along with track regulars including defending Quandel Concrete champion Brett Kressley, Duane Howard, Nick Rochinski, Rick Laubach, Louden Reimert, Jack Butler, and Timmy Buckwalter just to name a few, there will plenty more drivers looking to steal the money away from the regulars. Jeff Strunk, Craig Von Dohren, Ryan Watt, Mike Gular and Anthony Perrego are drivers that although not committed to running the full season, will make frequent visits chasing the big money that the Smulley’s are offering.
Rookie modified drivers Brandon Edgar, Logan Watt, Mike Schneck and Matt Yoder are expected to be in the field this week all looking to pull the upset. Former modified champion Billy Pauch Jr has confirmed that he will be in attendance on opening night driving the Breitensten No. 14.
2023 USS Achey Crate 602 champion Jordan Henn will lead the charge into 2024 looking to repeat his championship driver of last year. Henn will be the odds on favorite to win the first-place prize of $1,052 as the Crate 602’s will go 20-laps for their season opener. Henn will have to deal with the likes of Keven Olenick, Nick Desantis, Mike Loney, John McGeoy, Daryl Dissinger and many more. Add to that, last year’s rookie sensations Jax Yohn and Bryce Bashore along with newcomer Colin Cox and the Crate 602 division looks to be as competitive as ever.
The most exciting division of racing on a weekly basis at Big Diamond is the Red White and Blue Autos Roadrunner class. This division puts on some of the best door to door racing you will see, and opening night will be more of the same. The winner on Friday night will receive $452 for their efforts.
Rounding out the opening night racing card will be the second season of the Big Creek Concrete Crate Rookie division. There are close to a dozen rookies signed up to compete in 2024 with more expected. This is a great way for new drivers to gain the experience needed to move up to the next level.
The racing action will get underway on Friday night at 7:15 PM with racing to follow.
Pit gates will open Friday night at 5:00 PM with the Grandstand gate opening at 5:30 PM
Pit admission is $35 for those with a Big Diamond License. Non-licensed Pit admission is $45.
General admission is $20, Kids under 16 are free.
If you cannot attend in person, Dirt Track Digest TV will have all the action live via Pay-Per-View.
Due to opening night being delayed, the annual Money in the Mountains race for the Quandel Concrete Modifieds paying a cool $10,000 to the winner will now take place on Friday, April 26th. .