By Dino Oberto
(6-5-26) For Louden Reimert, his night almost ended before it even started. Mechanical trouble on his No. 16 forced him to miss both warm-ups and his heat. Luckily the problem was rectified by feature time, however, it put him last on the grid for the start of the main.
Entering the night as the points leader, Reimert could only hope to salvage a respectable finish after being put so far behind the eight ball.
But with a little luck, some savvy driving and a bad fast car, the Oley hot shoe got more than he could have wished for as he stormed through the pack in haste and by lap 16 was challenging then leader Jimmy Leiby for the top spot. On the ensuing circuit Reimert was in command and remained there to the checkers to make it back-to-back victories at Big Diamond Speedway on Moyer’s Body Shop & Auto Repair Night.
“It just seemed at the beginning of the night we couldn’t do anything right and starting dead last I was trying to see what I can get, pick off who I could and just try and still have a good points night given the circumstances,” said Reimert.
“I followed the 15G (Duane Howard) and he was pinballing through the field pretty good, so I just stayed on his back bumper, got through and we got the job done. We just had some unforeseen circumstances pop up but we overcame them and kept our heads down and kept digging and here we are.”
This was a race that had several different drama scenes play out. Logan Watt snagged the lead from Leiby on a lap three restart and once at the helm he was appearing to finally turn the tides on what has been a tough luck season to this point.
Likewise with Tim Buckwalter who blasted up to second by lap seven. Buckwalter has been extremely quick this year including this night where he had set the fastest lap of the feature and for the fifth time was running in second place. Unfortunately, he was the reason for a caution three laps later when he stopped in Turn 4 and was through for the night.
A second caution on the same lap also sidelined Watt, whose suspension broke and abruptly ended his night.
That put Leiby back in front, with Tim Fitzpatrick, Reimert, Howard and Rick Laubach lined up behind him. Leiby was putting together a strong run and did everything he could to hold the lead, but Reimert was charging hard. He got by Fitzpatrick with 10 laps remaining and made the winning move two laps later.
As for Reimert, it was indeed an incredible run coming from dead last and going on to score the victory. Howard got by Leiby with five laps to go and took second spot. With two circuits remaining Laubach went to third. Leiby still notched a season best fourth while Fitzpatrick rounded out the top five.
“This one is for the Newman family who have been helping me for a long time and Fred (Newman) lost his dad this week and so to get it done tonight and be able to have a good run with them guys, it means a lot,” said Reimert.
“This car was really good, and I can’t thank my guys enough, my car owner Doug and Annie Flurer and all my sponsors. They all make it possible for us to come out here and have a good car and that means the world to me.”
Reimert wasn’t the only points leader having a good night as the same could be said for USS Achey Inc. 602 Crate Sportsman winner Ryan Graver and Red White and Blue Autos Inc. Roadrunner victor Alex Schoffstall.
In the Sportsman feature Kevin Smith took first place from Ed Mrochko on lap two and then began to build a comfortable lead. But on the seventh go-around a caution would wipe that away and the race would restart with Smith over Mike Schneck Jr., Mrochko and Graver.
Putting on a display of raw power Graver got hooked-up on the outside groove and then proceeded to rocket past the three cars ahead of him and by the time the lap was completed he was planted firmly at the front.
He would have no problems staying their either as the Lehighton driver cruised to his second win and becomes the first to repeat in what has been an ultra-competitive season for the Sportsman division.
While Graver was headed to the checkers, Smith and Schneck put on a sizzling battle for the runner-up spot which was hard-fought right to the end and went to Smith. Nick Hamm and Ryan Conrad completed the top five.
In the Roadrunners Llewellyn’s Schoffstall battled early leader Joey Brennan in a very tight run at the front. On a night that was being presented by his sponsor, Moyer’s Body Shop & Auto Sales, Brennan was looking to sweep the evening after winning his heat and the Challenge Race.
But after a fiercely contested half dozen laps Brennan could not hold off Schoffstall any longer and yielded the lead over at the start of lap seven. From there Schoffstall was on cruise control and went on to make it a division high four wins in seven starts and in the process move back to the top of the class standings.
The Big Creek Concrete Rookie 602 Crate Sportsman race saw another first time winner emerge as Zach Moyer of York became the latest to enjoy the spoils of a career-first win with the apprentice class.
Moyer started third but needed only one lap to move out-front, doing so over Mason Harakel. Afterwards he was smooth and steady en route to a deserving victory over Devin Whitmoyer, who was the previous winner and also helped in setting up Moyer’s car.
The night was capped off with a 50-lap Big Car Enduro and when Brandon Guyer dropped out after leading the first 29 laps, veteran Big Diamond racer Chris Reichert of New Ringold took over and went on to score his first Enduro win in 16 years over Scott Riggleman and Amber Reichert.
358 Modified finish (25 laps): 1. Louden Reimert, 2. Duane Howard, 3. Rick Laubach, 4. Jimmy Leiby, 5. Tim Fitzpatrick, 6. Brandon Edgar, 7. Colin Cox, 8. Kevin Beach Jr., 9. Mike Lisowski, 10. Kevin Olenick, 11. Hunter Metzger, 12. Heath Metzger, 13. Aleia Geisler, 14. Wayne Witmer, 15. Cliff Quinn, 16. Logan Watt, 17. Tim Buckwalter, 18. Alan Rudalavage, 19. Chris Espisito, 20. Corey Renninger
602 Crate Sportsman finish (20 Laps): 1. Ryan Graver, 2. Kevin Smith, 3. Mike Schneck Jr., 4. Nick Hamm, 5. Ryan Conrad, 6. Reice Widger, 7. Brennan Chapman, 8. Matt Martino, 9. Jesse Leiby, 10. Anthony Raisner, 11. Ed Mrochko, 12. Bryan Rhoads, 13. Logan Starr, 14. Jim O’Hara, 15. Tyler Vidal, 16. Michael Samony, 17. Kevin Fitzpatrick, 18. Dakota Kohler, 19. Zach Steffey, 20. Tajae Adams DNS: McKenzi Smith, John McGoey, Aaron Weaver
Roadrunner finish (20 laps): 1. Alex Schoffstall, 2. Joey Brennan, 3. Jonathan Trumbo, 4. Jesse Karsnitsky, 5. TJ Fitzpatrick, 6. Andrew Buchinski, 7. Jim Kost, 8. Mike Reichert, 9. Jarod Bassinisnky, 10. CJ Ferguson DNS: Joe Bassininsky
Rookie 602 Crate Sportsman finish (15 laps): 1. Zach Moyer, 2. Devin Whitmoyer, 3. Mason Harakal, 4. Josh Metzler, 5. Lucas Weil, 6. Cody Millheim
Enduro finish (50 laps): 1. Chris Reichert, 2. Scott Riggleman, 3. Amber Reichert, 4. Mike Allar, 5. Travis Guyer, 6. Brandon Guyer, 7. Willie Metz, 8. Larry Yeager