Big Diamond Speedway brought the curtain down on the 2025 season with the 45th running of the Jack Rich Inc., Coalcracker 72, one of the crown jewel events for 358 dirt Modifieds throughout the Northeast, and in typical fashion race teams and fans came out in full force for the prestigious race.
With $15,000 on the line and lap money to boot, a star-studded field of Modified hot-shoes where looking to stake claim to the lucrative prize and when all was said and done “The Ringoes Rocket” Ryan Godown of Ringoes, NJ, roared to victory.
Starting seventh in the field of 24, Godown blasted by early leader Craig Von Dohren on a lap 18 restart and from there on it was no looking back as he piloted his Izzi Trucking & Rigging No. 26 to a two-and-a-half second victory over Logan Watt, marking his fourth time winning the Coalcracker and first since 2015.
“I can’t thank my crew enough and it’s just surreal when you have such a good team that gets behind you and I could tell right off the drop of the green that we had a good car,” said Godown.
“It’s going to be a long ride back to Jersey but it’s going to be a fun ride and thanks to Jack Rich for putting up the money, it’s all on the top so you have to go hard to get it and we were able to do that tonight.”
By luck of the draw Jeff Strunk picked the pole for the start of the 72-lap trek and with the drop of Warren Alston’s race commencing green outside front row starter Von Dohren shot to the front and would set the early pace.
Fans were certainly receiving their monies worth early in the event as by lap six, the leading five drivers—Von Dohren, Strunk, Duane Howard, Godown, and Ryan Watt—collectively possessed 19 Coalcracker victories. This impressive accumulation added to the excitement, with many laps still to go.
The race slowed for the first time on lap 17 when Mike Lisowski stopped in turn two. Von Dhren was still in command at that point. Godown had climbed to second two laps prior and would then use that restart to surpass Von Dohren and take over the lead.
Coming on strong at the same time was newly crowned track champion Louden Reimert who within the next two laps had sprung from fourth to second and was bringing along Logan Watt.
Unfortunately for Reimert any thoughts of a second Coalcracker win went by the wayside when he pitted under a lap 35 caution for a left front flat and handed over the runner-up position to Watt.
From that point, Godown and Watt maintained a close battle at the front of the field, with both performing well enough to separate from the others and engage in a close and intense race for the lead.
Godown was using distinct lines and having to shift lanes from top to bottom in his effort to fend off the hard charging Watt who was making continuous attempts to get by.
“In (turns) three and four it was good on the outside and in one and two it was good early then I felt like wasn’t good down there but when you are leading you don’t know where every behind you is at and you know Logan was coming and he’s going to try different grooves because that’s the luxury of being second,” said Godown.
Eventually he remained top-side and towards the end was able to extend himself well enough ahead and drive on to the win.
“There was an awful lot of brown up there (top lane) and it just felt like I could keep my momentum better there. Logan (Watt) is really good here and hats off to him. I don’t know how close he was, but we just kept driving hard and never gave up,” said Godown, who scored his 21st Big Diamond Speedway victory.
“My crew, they give me one heck of a race car. This is only our third race on right side (Panhard Bar) and I didn’t think we’d be that good tonight as we were but the adjustments we made and the team we have, I just can’t thank them all enough.”
Howard remained third and towards the end was very close to Watt. Alex Yankowski and Dominick Buffalino were also running strong over the second half of the race and completed the top five. Defending Coalcracker winner Billy Pauch Jr., Strunk, Ryan Krachun, R. Watt and Timy Buckwalter rounded out the top 10.
In the Coalcracker 25 for the 602 Crate Sportsman, Nate Brinker of Macungie picked up his first win here since 2019 and along with it the $1500 top prize.
Brinker never ran lower than third, running there from the get-go behind early leader Logan Starr and Ralph Mele.
When Mele snagged the lead from Starr following a lap two restart, Brinker shadowed behind him as well as Matt Ellery. This would become the scene during the subsequent laps as the trio ran under tight quarters.
With seven laps remaining a caution settled down the hot action, but things quickly heated back up once the race resumed. Mele and Brinker came off Turn 4 side-by-side and from the inside line Brinker was able to out-race Mele for the lead.
Meanwhile, Colin Cox and Jax Yohn made significant advances, securing second and third positions respectively. As a result, Brinker faced substantial pressure during the closing laps, however, he maintained his composure and successfully held on to secure the victory.
Ellery and Mele completed the top five.
In what will go down as the most competitive season to date with the 602 Crate Sportsman, Brinker became to 11th different visitor to Victory Lane and marking not a single repeat winner.
The Roadrunners rounded out the action-filled day of racing and driving to his first win in four years was Joe Bassininsky of Friedensburg.
Bassininsky took the top spot on lap 11, getting by then leader Andrew Fayash III and TJ Fitzpatrick. Once in front he had a handful to deal with as Fitzpatrick was putting extreme pressure on him and then adding to the tension was Mike Riechert.
But despite the blitz, Bassininsky kept his guard up and went on to score only his second every victory, but both have been have now come during the Coalcracker.
358 Modified feature finish (72 laps): 1. Ryan Godown, 2. Logan Watt, 3. Duane Howard, 4. Alex Yankowski, 5. Dominick Buffalino, 6. Billy Pauch Jr., 7. Jeff Strunk, 8. Ryan Krachun, 9. Ryan Watt, 10. Timmy Buckwalter, 11. Mike Gular, 12. Louden Reimert, 13. Heath Metzger, 14. Brandon Edgar, 15. Ryan Graver, 16. Wayne Witmer, 17. Mike Burrows, 18. Jeff Paulson, 19. Craig Von Dohren, 20. Kevin Beach Jr., 21. Tim Fitzpatrick, 22. Corey Renninger, 23. Mike Lisowski, 24. Joel Smith
DNQ: WB James, Cliff Quinn, Shawn Fitzpatrick, Bobby Gunther Walsh, Ken Eckert Jr, Rick Laubach
602 Crate Modified feature finish (25 laps): 1. Nate Brinker, 2. Jax Yohn, 3. Colin Cox, 4. Matt Ellery, 5. Ralph Mele, 6. Logan Starr, 7. Ryan Maher, 8. Mark Mohr, 9. Nick Hamm, 10. John Deatrich, 11. Scottie Heilman, 12. Mike Stofflet, 13. Reice Widger, 14. Nathan Mohr, 15. Kevin Smith, 16. Dylan Swinehart, 17. Craig Whitmoyer, 18. Ricky Wegner Jr., 19. Matt Peck, 20. Christopher Buffalino, 21. Brennan Chapman, 22. Ryan Conrad, 23. Nate Horn, 24. Kyle Hartzell
DNQ: Jimmy Leiby, Dennis Graber, Matt Martino, Jim O’Hara, Shannon Slaughter, Brandon Fritsch, Allan Kellogg, Kaitlyn Bailey, McKenzi Smith, Dylan Cappel, Mark Behm, Del Howell, John McGeoy, Mike Esposito, Peyton Leindecker
Roadrunners feature finish (20 laps): 1. Joe Bassininsky 2. TJ Fitzpatrick, 3. Mike Reichert, 4. Andrew Fayash III, 5. Jarod Bassininsky, 6. Alex Schoffstall, 7. Jim Kost, 8. Chuck Fayash, 9. Tod Roth Jr., 10. Kris Ney, 11. Johnathan Trumbo