This Friday, April 26th, will be race number one of the Big Diamond Triple Crown when promoters Jake and Jasmine Smulley present the annual Money in the Mountains / Fritz Roehrig Memorial race. Every track has a specific number of big money races they present throughout the year, and at Big Diamond Speedway, they are the Money in the Mountains race, the Prelude to the Coalcracker race in August and of course the season ending Coalcracker 72 on Labor Day weekend. Winning any one of these races can make a season for a team and driver.
This Friday’s MITM race will pay a whopping $10,000 to the winner with last year’s winner, Duane Howard driving the Butch Getz No. 15G, looking to make it two in a row and get their Big Diamond season off to a strong start after last Friday’s postponement of the Thaw Brawl after all but the second modified consolation race was completed.
Howard is just one of the name drivers that will be in attendance on Friday looking for the big money. Louden Reimert, winner of the 2023 Coalcracker 72 and Anthony Perrego winner of the 2023 Prelude to the Coalcracker races will be in the field looking to add to their list of big money wins. This Friday’s running of the MITM race will be the 11th with only Ryan Watt and Duane Howard having multiple MITM race wins with two each. Single winners of the MITM race are Jeff Strunk, Ryan Godown, Craig Von Dohren, Alex Yankowski, Rick Laubach, Ryan Krachun.
The Money in the Mountains race will be a draw race for the Quandel Concrete Modifieds and every driver in attendance will receive show up points. Rules for the MITM race will follow normal Big Diamond rules and procedures.
The USS Achey Inc. 602 Crate Sportsman will race for some extra cash on Friday night with $1,000 going to the winner. Despite their feature getting postponed on opening night, the cars of heat winners, Brandon Firestine, Kevin Olenick and Colin Cox, all looked fast along with those of defending champion Jordan Henn and Nick Desantis. The 602 Crate Sportsman will draw for their starting spots upon registration and will race for regular points.
It will be a big night for the Red, White and Blue Autos Roadrunners as they will start out their night racing their makeup feature from opening night. After that, the Roadrunners will be handicapped for a regular night of competition.
Completing the night’s racing card will be the Big Creek Concrete Rookie 602 Crate Sportsman racing in their regularly scheduled 15-lap feature.
With the postponement of the feature races from last week’s Thaw Brawl, below is the schedule for make-up events except for the Red, White and Blue Autos Roadrunners which will run this Friday.
The Quandel Concrete Modifieds will make-up their feature on Friday, May 3rd, the USS Achey Inc. 602 Crate Sportsman make-up feature will be raced on Friday May 31st and the Big Creek Concrete Rookie 602 Crate Sportsman make-up feature will race on Friday, May 17th.
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 $40 for those with a Big Diamond License. Non-licensed Pit admission is $45.
General admission is $30, Kids under 16 are free. Free admission for Active Military with ID
If you cannot attend in person, Dirt Track Digest TV will have all the action live via Pay-Per-View.
Next up on the schedule at Big Diamond Speedway after this Friday’s MITM race is Modified Madness, with the return of the Mid-Atlantic Modifieds along with double features for the Quandel Concrete Modifieds, USS Achey, Inc Crate 602 Sportsman and the Red, White and Blue Autos Roadrunners.