BY KEN BRUCE – With a huge crowd on hand last night under picture-perfect skies, it was Louden Reimert who stole the show in winning the prestigious Jack Rich Inc. Coalcracker 72 at Big Diamond Speedway. Reimert’s big win was worth $15,000 plus contingencies. Brandon Edgar took advantage of his pole starting spot to hold off the field for his first USS Achey, Inc. 602 Crate Sportsman Coalcracker win and winning the $1,500 first-place check. The Red White and Blue Autos Roadrunner feature was a battle amongst family as 2023 Roadrunner champion Chuck Fayash held off his nephew Andrew Fayash III for the $500 win.
Louden Reimert and Jared Umbenhauer brought the 24-car Jack Rich, Inc. Coalcracker 72 field to the start with Reimert surging to the lead over Umbenhauer. Quandel Concrete 2023 points champion, Brett Kressley, quickly went by the No. 5 of Umbenhauer to move into second place. Reimert was strong and was able to keep Kressley at bay. With 10 laps completed, it was Reimert still out front over Kressley and
Umbenhauer as seventh-place starter Ryan Godown was working his way up the ladder as the leaders were starting to get into the tail end of the field to put cars a lap down.
The first caution of the race was on lap 15 as Craig Whitmoyer slowed to a stop, requiring a push to the pits. Reimert chose the inside on the restart, leaving Kressley the outside where he has been known to use to his advantage. The restart saw Reimert get a good start, but Kressley used the outside to get alongside Reimert as the duo entered turn one. Kressley kept up his momentum and was able to power by Reimert to take the lead as they entered turn three, where Godown also used the outside to get by Umbenhauer for third as the yellow flag was out again for the spinning Ken Eckert Jr on lap 16.
The front running duo lined up the same way as the previous restart, with Kressley on the outside and Reimert on the inside, but this time Kressley was the control car as the leader. That was no matter to Reimert as the front row fired off simultaneously with Reimert getting a great start to move by Kressley. Reimert used the middle of turns one and two to complete the pass as Kressley slid up the track allowing
Godown to move by and into second. That was the race for the lead there but there was a lot going on with the rest of the field – Jack Butler, Jared Umbenhauer, Duane Howard, Jordan Watson, Rick Laubach and Mike Gular were all battling amongst themselves.
With a third of the race complete, the fastest car on the track was the No. 15G of Howard, who was starting to make his way to the front. Reimert continued to keep a safe distance out front as Godown and Kressley swapped places back and forth, bringing Godown ultimately back to second. Howard was the car on the move as he motored into the top five getting by Rick Laubach, Nick Rochinski and Jared Umbenhauer to charge to fourth. All the while, Reimert was maintaining his lead over Godown who was trying different grooves to track down the leader who was negotiating lap traffic. With Reimert having to slow up to work his way past a lapped car, Godown would gain ground, but as Reimert got past, it was Godown’s turn to try and pass the car and Reimert would open up his lead again.
As the field completed lap 50 it was Reimert in the lead over Godown, Kressley, Howard and Umbenhauer. Reimert continued to work his way through the tail end of the field with Godown about ten car lengths behind and within striking distance. As the field was working on lap 55, Godown got stuck behind the car of Jimmy Horton with Kressley trying to take advantage and go under Godown for second. The pair made contact with Godown, but he was able to stay in the runner-up spot as Kressley went high in turns one and two allowing Howard to go by and into third. This race was all Louden Reimert as he now had over a two second lead over Godown. The remaining laps saw Reimert take it easy and not trying to push the envelope with lapped cars, allowing him to cruise to the biggest win of his young career and taking home the $15,000 payday over Godown, Howard, Kressley and Umbenhauer.
“I just thought the bottom was better on the restarts and I knew restarting on the outside for him was going to be tricky,” as the excited and emotional Reimert explained to Big Diamond co-announcer Barry Angstadt over his pass for the lead. “I saw I had a nose on him going into turn one and drove it in hard, slid up and I knew I had to get him back, late race here the track tends to lockdown and if I didn’t get him
back because I wasn’t going to be able to get him late in the race. Tonight, we were able to get it done and I have to give the biggest thank you in the world to Doug Flurer and all my other sponsors, without all of their support none of this could be possible.”
Second place Ryan Godown was happy to be able to finish second and had high praise for Reimert and his team for their big win.
“You have to give a shoutout to Louden,” said Godown in victory lane. “We race with him on Saturdays, and I watch videos from here and he’s been great. He is probably the fastest car on the bottom, and I congratulate them guys, they work hard at it and I can’t feel more proud of them. I thought if I could keep the top cleaned off it was my only shot because he was just better than me on the bottom.”
The USS Achey, Inc. 602 Crate Sportsman 25-lap feature had Brandon Edgar and Kyle Kania lead the field to the green flag with Edgar getting the early edge over Kania. The race was slowed on lap three with the yellow coming out. The restart saw Edgar stay in front with Kania continuing to chase the leader but the yellow was out again, necessitating a single file restart. Edgar was on his game tonight to remain in the lead as invader Joe Toth was now up to third and pressuring Kania for second.
The race started to get interesting with Edgar descending on the tail end of the field as Kania was now on the bumper of Edgar with Toth waiting to pounce. Kania made his move under Edgar who was moved up the track to get around a lapped car, but Edgar was able to get back down before Kania could clear him. Edgar’s lead was minimal, but it was enough to hold off Kania and Toth for his first win of the
season. Jax Yohn and Logan Watt completed the top five.
The final race of the season for the Red White and Blue Autos Roadrunners was a barn burner as 2023 Roadrunner track champion Chuck Fayash held off his nephew Andrew Fayash III for most all of the twenty laps to take the big $500 win.
Coalcracker Night Final Results:
Jack Rich, Inc. Coalcracker 72 Finish:
1. Louden Reimert, 2. Ryan Godown, 3. Duane Howard, 4. Brett Kressley, 5. Jared Umbenhauer, 6. Nick Rochinski, 7. Jordan Watson, 8. Jack Butler, 9. Rick Laubach, 10. Mike Gular, 11. Jeff Strunk, 12. Anthony Perrego, 13. Billy Pauch Jr, 14. Doug Manmiller, 15. Logan Watt, 16. Craig Von Dohren, 17. Jimmy Horton, 18. Shawn Fitzpatrick, 19. Doug Smith Jr, 20. Bobby Trapper Jr, 21. Ryan Krachun, 22. Ken Eckert Jr, 23. Brandon Edgar, 24. Craig Whitmoyer
Did Not Qualify: Corey Renninger, DJ Hunt, Mike Liswoski, Aleia Geisler, Kevin Beach Jr, Heath Metzger,
Eddie Strada, Bryan Rhoads, Scott Albert, Ryan Watt, Eric Kormann, Frank Cozze, Matt Yoder, Ray
Swinehart & Timmy Buckwalter
Modified Heat Winners: Duane Howard, Nick Rochinski, Louden Reimert & Jack Butler
Modified Consi Winners: Ken Eckert Jr & Ryan Krachun
Penske Shocks Certificate Winners: Louden Reimert ($100), Ryan Godown ($75) & Duane Howard ($50)
Thank you to all that participated in the Double Down Draw. We had 20 drivers take part that added and extra $2,000 to the purse (+1,000 for second, +500 for third & +500 for fourth).
$250 Hard Charger Award Courtesy of The 4-Wide Salute: A Dirt Racing Podcast – Billy Pauch Jr.
$200 Heat Winners bonus courtesy of Quandel Concrete: Duane Howard, Nick Rochinski, Louden Reimert & Jack Butler.
$100 Worst Redraw Bonus courtesy of Dirt Track Digest: Shawn Fitzpatrick
$50 First DNF courtesy of Advanced Auto Parts: Craig Whitmoyer
Big Diamond Dog Pound Awards:
Highest in Points that didn’t qualify – Ryan Watt
$300 Hard Luck Award – Mike Lisowski
$100 Throw a Racer a Bone Award – Bryan Rhoads
$100 First Driver to come to the Dog Pound that was racing in any division – Louden Reimert
USS Achey, Inc. Crate 602 Sportsman:
1. Brandon Edgar, 2. Kyle Kania, 3. Joe Toth, 4. Jax Yohn, 5. Logan Watt, 6. Mike Schneck Jr, 7. Talan Carter, 8. Ricky Wegner Jr, 9. Cody Manmiller, 10. Kevin Olenick, 11. Kody Sites, 12. Matt Ellery, 13. Justin Lilick, 14. Jordan Henn, 15. Dakota Kohler, 16. Dylan Swinehart, 17. Tyler James, 18. John Redner, 19. Tajae Adams, 20. Brandon Oleski, 21. Ronnie Solomon III, 22. Tyler Vidal, 23.John Deatrich, 24. Bobby Kupp
Did Not Qualify: George Hildebrandt, BJ Joly, Monte Pool, Chris Martinez, Brian Papiez, Matt Martinez
McKenzi Smith, Nathan Horn, Brady Shea, Xavier Sprague & Mike Stofflett
Crate 602 Heat Winners: Ricky Wegner Jr, John Redner, Logan Watt & Jax Yohn
Crate 602 Consi Winners: Matt Ellery & Jordan Henn
Penske Shocks Certificate Winners: Brandon Edgar ($100), Kyle Kania ($75) & Joe Toth ($50)
$150 Hard Charger Award courtesy of Dereka Mae Designs: Matt Ellery
$100 Heat Race Winners courtesy of Dirt Track Digest: Ricky Wenger Jr, John Redner, Logan Watt, Jax Yohn
$100 Worst Redraw Spot courtesy of Dirt Track Digest: John Redner
Big Diamond Dog Pound Awards:
$200 Hard Luck Award – Nathan Horn
$100 Throw a Racer a Bone Award – Matt Martino
Red White and Blue Autos Roadrunners:
1. Chuck Fayash, 2. Andrew Fayash III, 3. Jarod Bassininsky, 4. Joe Bassininsky, 5. CJ Ferguson, 6. Mike Reichert, 7. TJ Fitzpatrick, 8. Kris Ney, 9. Jesse Krasnitsky, 10. Louis Gara, 11. Eric Buchinski, 12. Thomas Hablett,
Roadrunner Heat Winners: CJ Ferguson & Andrew Fayash III
$75 Hard Charger Award courtesy of Ken Bruce/Bill Brown & Company – Jarod Bassininsky
$75 Heat Race Winners courtesy of Dirt Track Digest: CJ Ferguson & Andrew Fayash III
$100 Worst Redraw Spot courtesy of Dirt Track Digest: Andrew Fayash III
Big Diamond Dog Pound Awards:
$100 Hard Luck Award – Kris Ney
$100 Throw a Racer a Bone Award –CJ Ferguson