For fans of Big Diamond Speedway in Minersville, the Fayash name has for years been synonymous with the popular 3/8th mile dirt oval. And like so many others who compete here, they represent a generation of family racers which make up a large number of those who call the Schuylkill County dirt oval their home track.
Andrew Fayash Jr., his son Andrew III and Chuck Fayash, who is Andrew Jr.’s brother, have all been very prosperous in their racing endeavors at Big Diamond, combining for 51 feature wins and five overall track championships.
Andrew Jr., who is a past Slide Stock champion, had an untimely passing in 2013 due to an accident at his shop. While working on his race car, he sustained fatal injuries when the car fell off the jackstands and crushed him.
His memory, though, has lived on and not just from his son and brother who continue to race with much success, but also as a memorial event in his honor. This upcoming Friday evening, June 13, the track will be hosting the Fayash Memorial as part of Shop 61 Night.
It will be a very action-packed night of dirt track racing too, as eight features will be run throughout the evening.
The Quandel Concrete 358 Modifieds will be taking to the track in a 25-lap feature. The USS Achey 602 Crate Sportsman will be running a twin-bill, the first being the Opening Night rain postponed Thaw Brawl that will pay $1053-to-win and will be followed up with the regularly scheduled feature.
The wildly popular Crazy 8s, which are four 8-lap features for the Red White and Blue Autos Inc., Roadrunners, is slated also. Andrew Fayash III and Chuck Fayash will be in action for those main events, and both have been very good at them as well, collecting several wins each in the past few seasons.
Rounding out the line-up of racing will be the Big Creek Concrete Rookie 602 Crate Sportsman.
Shop 61, a couple’s boutique located at 1426 Route 61 South in Pottsville, is sponsoring the night. They carry a fine array of items that are designed for romantic interludes.
Friday’s pit gates open at 5:00 pm and grandstands at 5:30. Hot laps start at 7:15 followed by qualifying heats. Adult general admission is $20, and kids 16 and under are free. Pits are $35 for members and $45 for non-members.
Coming up on Thursday, June 19, the Eastern Storms comes to town featuring the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Cars who will be racing for $6000 top prize. They will be joined by the Quandel Concrete 358 Modifieds.