The 52nd season of competition at the Big Diamond Speedway concludes this Sunday, September 1st with the annual running of the Jack Rich, Inc Coalcracker 72. This year’s race will pay $15,000 to the winner with $600 to take the green.
The Jack Rich, Inc Coalcracker 72 has a rich tradition at the Schuylkill County dirt oval with some of the best drivers to ever sit in the cockpit of a dirt modified, having won the classic race. Not just the current stars of our sport like Duane Howard, Jeff Strunk, Craig Von Dohren, Matt Sheppard, Brett Kressley and others but drivers such as the late Doug Hoffman, Kenny Brightbill and Billy Pauch have won the prestigious race in the past.
The first ever Coalcracker race was run back in 1979 won by Bob Emerich. This year’s Coalcracker 72 will the 44th running of the classic race. The Coalcracker race has been run in different lengths over the years before settling on the 72-lap distance we have seen for the past years. Duane Howard has the distinction of having the most Coalcracker wins with seven and has finished in the top five 24 times.
The modified competition this year at Big Diamond Speedway has been some of the best with only Brett Kressley (3), Louden Reimert (2), Jeff Strunk (2) and Kevin Beach Jr (2) having multiple wins. Single wins in 2024 have gone to Ryan Watt, Logan Watt, Duane Howard, Ron Haring Jr, Anthony Perrego and Eddie Strada. For Logan Watt, Ron Haring Jr and Eddie Strada, it was their first ever Big Diamond modified win.
If you had to pick a favorite for this year’s Coalcracker 72, it would have to be the Quandel Concrete points champion Brett Kressley, with three wins on the season, Kressley has shown the speed to get it done all season long and if not for a couple of bad breaks, could have double the number of wins. Louden Reimert is a driver who came of age in 2024 with multiple wins at Big Diamond and is the defending winner of Coalcracker 72 and must be considered a favorite on Sunday. Although not having a great year, you can never count Duane Howard out of the mix when it comes to winning big races. Howard has finished third in the past three Coalcracker races and is primed to improve on that finish on Sunday. Jeff Strunk, who has split his season between the Norm Hansell No. 357 and the Rochinski Enterprises No. 20R is a four-time Coalcracker winner and will be looking to win number five come Sunday.
Big Diamond regular and former Coalcracker winner Ryan Watt along with his son Logan Watt can never be counted out. Other weekly Big Diamond drivers such as Rick Laubach, Mike Lisowski, Jack Butler, Kevin Beach Jr, Brandon Edgar, Doug Smith Jr and others will all be trying to make history on Sunday and notch their first big money win.
As with every big race, it will attract a multitude of invaders all looking to steal the big money away from the track regulars. Leading that list and it feels strange to call him an outsider is Craig Von Dohren. Von Dohren, who is the all-time leader in wins at Big Diamond has cut back his racing schedule and has not been to Big Diamond since the last Friday in May. The man known as CVD can never be counted out and is a four-time Coalcracker winner. Another driver never to be ignored when he pulls through the pit gate at Big Diamond is former track champion and three-time Coalcracker winner Ryan Godown. Godown is always fast when he visits “Coal Country” and finished second in 2023. Another former track champion Billy Pauch Jr will also be in the pits on Sunday looking for his first ever Coalcracker victory. Other outsiders expected on Sunday are Dominick Buffalino back racing in the Glenn Hyneman No. 126, Anthony Tramontana, Timmy Buckwalter, Eddie Strada, Dillon Steuer, Matt Stangle, Ryan Krachun, Corey Cormier, Cody Manmiller amongst others all looking for Coalcracker glory.
This year the modifieds and the 602 Crate Sportsman will both be eligible this year for the Double Down Draw, the procedure of how that will be done is outlined below:
Double Down Opportunity for Modifieds & 602 Crate Sportsman –
Drivers will have the opportunity to “double down” on their entry by putting up an additional $100 for the modifieds or $50 for the 602 Crate Sportsman before they draw for their starting spot. The driver will then draw their pill. If the driver “doubled down” and would like to draw again, they can do so at that time, not coming back later. If driver chooses to draw the second pill, they must keep the second pill starting spot. All the proceeds from drivers choosing to take the gamble will go directly into the purse!!
– Any questions or clarifications can be directed at the race director.
Note: If you want to keep the initial pill, you don’t get your money back.
The Uss Achey, Inc 602 Crate Sportsman will also be a part of Coalcracker Sunday racing 25-laps with $1,500 going to the winner. Jordan Henn will come into the race as the favorite having finished every race but one in the top five as of this writing included two wins. Jax Yohn, Kevin Olenick, Colin Cox, Matt Martino, Xavier Sprague, Mike Schneck Jr, Glenn Rowan and Joe Toth have all laid claim to wins in 2024 and either one of them could find themselves in victory lane on Sunday along with some expected outsiders all looking for the extra cash.
Completing Coalcracker Sunday will be the Red White and Blue Autos Roadrunner, exhibiting their exciting brand of door-to-door racing. The Roadrunners will race 20-laps for a $500 winner’s share.
Sunday will be a draw / redraw for all divisions.
Coalcracker 72 Bonuses:
Lap money as collected by Kasea and Dereka Bauscher – laps are still available for purchase
Hard Charger Bonus of $300 provided by Dirt Track Digest TV
Modified Heat Winners will receive a $50 bonus provided by Ken Bruce owner of Bill Brown & Company Printing & Promotional Products
$100 will be added to spots 14th to 24th making it $700 to take the green provided by the Big Diamond Dog Pound
$300 to the highest driver in Big Diamond modified points who does not qualify for the Coalcracker feature – Big Diamond Dog Pound
$300 – Modified Hard Luck Bonus – Big Diamond Dog Pound
$100 – “Throw the Racer a Bone” bonus – Big Diamond Dog Pound
602 Crate Sportsman Bonuses:
Lap money of $20 per lap for all 25 laps has been put up courtesy of Richard East, LLC Mechanical Contractors.
Hard Charger Bonus of $50 provided by Ken Bruce owner of Bill Brown & Company Printing & Promotional Products
$200 – Crate Sportsman Hard Luck Bonus – The Big Diamond Dog Pound
$100 – “Throw the Racer a Bone” bonus – Big Diamond Dog Pound
Roadrunner Bonuses:
Lap money as collected by Chuck Fayash and others
$100 – Roadrunner Hard Luck Bonus – The Big Diamond Dog Pound
$100 – “Throw the Racer a Bone” Bonus – The Big Diamond Dog Pound
Registration Forms must be filled out for the Modifieds and the 602 Crate Sportsman. Forms can be found on the Big Diamond website www.bigdspeedway.net or can be completed at the track on Sunday.
Information and Pricing for Coalcracker Sunday, September 1st
Pit Gates and Grandstand Gates will open at 4:00 PM
Hot laps will start at 7:00 PM with racing to follow
Pit admission is $45 for everyone
General Admission is $35, Kids 6 – 12 is $15, Kids under 6 – Free
Past Coalcracker Winners: 1979 Bob Emerich, 1980 Charlie Eckert, 1981 Paul Koch, 1982 Charlie Eckert, 1983 No Race, 1984 Charlie Eckert, 1985 Fred Rahmer, 1986 Doug Hoffman, 1987 Craig Von Dohren, 1988 Doug Hoffman, 1989 Toby Tobias Jr, 1990 Jeff Strunk, 1991 Rick Schaffer, 1992 Kenny Brightbill, 1993 Billy Schinkel, 1994 Kenny Brightbill, 1995 Tom Mayberry, 1996 Jeff Strunk, 1997 Jeff Strunk, 1998 Duane Howard, 1999 Duane Howard, 2000 Billy Pauch, 2001 Duane Howard, 2002 Billy Pauch, 2003 Keith Hoffman, 2004 Doug Hoffman, 2005 No Race, 2006 Duane Howard, 2007 Craig Von Dohren, 2008 Duane Howard, 2009 Ryan Godown, 2010 Duane Howard, 2011 Ryan Godown, 2012 Doug Manmiller, 2013 Jeff Strunk, 2014 Matt Sheppard, 2015 Ryan Godown, 2016 Craig Von Dohren, 2017 Duane Howard, 2018 Danny Bouc, 2019 Craig Von Dohren, 2020 Ryan Watt, 2021 Alex Yankowski, 2022 Brett Kressley & 2023 Louden Reimert.