Late-Race Charge Cements $5,000 Topless Win For Brett Kressley At Big Diamond Speedway

Story By: BIG DIAMOND SPEEDWAY – MINERSVILLE, PA – On a cool spring night in Schuylkill County, Brett Kressley remained hot as a firecracker putting on a late race charge to the front to win the Topless Night $5,000 first place prize at Big Diamond Speedway over Jeff Strunk on Quandel Concrete night.

Mike Loney scored his first Big Diamond win in the USS Achey Crate 602 Sportsman class with Bryce Bashore winning for the second time this season in the Big Creek Concrete Crate 602 Rookie division. Alex Schoffstall returned to victory lane in the Red White and Blue Roadrunners with Tanner Jones in victory lane in the Gene Latta Ford Central PA Legends class.

The race for the $5,000 started with Ken Eckert Jr and Scott Albert on the front row with Eckert getting the lead at the start with Craig Von Dohren making some quick moves to the front and into third by the completion on lap three. Third place starting Mike Lisowski moved by Albert on lap two and was now putting pressure on Eckert for the lead. Eckert and Lisowski battled side by side for the top spot with Lisowski finally making the inside work to take over the lead on lap nine.

While the battle was hot and heavy upfront, Jeff Strunk and Louden Reimert were working their way into the top five. Strunk and Reimert moved into fourth and fifth by the completion of lap 12. Strunk was working the outside of Von Dohren and when the two long-time rivals came off of turn four to complete lap 14, Von Dohren moved up the track with Strunk right alongside forcing Strunk into the frontstretch wall hard as his No. 126 rode the wall. Fortunately for Strunk he was able to continue but the hit slowed his momentum enough for Reimert to sneak by on the inside dropping Strunk to fourth.

Von Dohren was finally able to clear Eckert for second as the field took the halfway signal with Lisowski still in front over Von Dohren, Eckert, Reimert and Strunk. One lap later, both Reimert and Strunk got by Eckert and were now third and fourth. Reimert started to track Von Dohren down for second and the battle came to a head on lap when Reimert got into the back of Von Dohren on lap 18 spinning the No. 88X to bring out the first yellow of the race. An unhappy Von Dohren showed his displeasure with Reimert who was penalized and put back to the rear of the field for his involvement. With both Von Dohren and Reimert now at the back of the pack, the top five was now shuffled with Lisowski, Strunk, Laubach, Eckert and Kressley.

On the restart it was Lisowski still leading the way with Strunk working hard on the outside to take away the lead. Lap 21 saw Strunk work his way into the lead on lap 21 getting by Lisowski and looking for his first win of the year. Lap 23 saw another yellow flag involving Von Dohren and Alea Geisler with Von Dohren having to exit on the back of a tow truck. This restart proved to be pivotal, with Strunk remaining in the lead. Lisowski and Laubach were fighting for the bottom allowing Kressley to rocket around both on the outside of turns three and four and into second and now setting his sights on leader Strunk.

Kressley continued his outside onslaught going into turn one to get by Strunk for the lead on lap 24. Laubach was able to get by Lisowski and now was third and challenged Strunk for second. Kressley started to put some distance between him and the field as the yellow was put out on lap 28 for a car spinning in turn two setting up a two-lap shootout for $5,000. Kressley was not going to be denied on this night as he streaked away from Strunk who now had to play defense trying to hold off the advances of Rick Laubach. This one was all Kressley as he took starter Jeff Merkel’s checkered flag for his second win of the year over Strunk, Laubach, Duane Howard and Mike Gular.

“It was a little extra distance tonight and everything and that (the late race restart) definitely put us in the right direction there and grouped everybody up,” said the victorious Kressley in victory lane with announcer Barry Angstadt. “The track then widened out and came to the car again. I don’t know if the track just needed to clean off up there or I needed to get a better rhythm, the cars feel a little different without the tin on it and it makes the show we are putting on a little different. It does make a difference (the topless modifieds), there is a lot more light in the car and air and it is just way different. I hope the fans enjoyed it and thank you to all of them, my awesome sponsors and Jake (Smulley), the track was racy tonight.”

The USS Achey Crate 602 Sportsman 20-lap feature saw second place starter Mike Loney take the lead on a lap one restart. Loney was out front and setting the pace as Kevin Olenick moved into second. Loney continues to lead with Olenick right on his bumper with Mike Schneck and a charging Logan Watt not too far behind. Cautions on lap five and lap eight slowed the action but when racing resumed, Loney would get out front and hit his marks lap after lap and to return to victory land after a long hiatus and win the $1,500 winner’s share. Olenick held off Watt for second with Schneck and Henn in the top five.

In the Big Creek Concrete Crate 602 Rookie feature it was Bryce Bashore winning his second feature of the year and his first since opening night. Bashore took the lead from the drop of the green and led all 15 laps for the win over Brady Shea, Alex Bartillo, Jax Yohn and Brennan Chapman.

Alex Schoffstall returned to victory lane after a couple of weeks absence in the Red White and Blue Autos Roadrunner 20-lap feature race. CJ Ferguson would lead the way at the start while Schoffstall and Andrew Fayash III who was making his first start of 2023 were making moves to the front. Schoffstall was able to work his way past Ferguson and was off the races to win by a big margin over Fayash III and Feguson.

The Gene Latta Ford Central PA Legend cars made their first appearance of the year on Friday night with Tanner Jones continuing his early season dominance to take the win over Logan Carbaugh, Brady Arndt, Cory Phillips and Devin Friese.

Full Results from Friday night 5/26/23:

Quandel Concrete Modifieds: 1. Brett Kressley 2. Jeff Strunk 3. Rick Laubach 4. Duane Howard 5. Mike Gular 6. Mike Lisowski 7. Nick Rochinski 8. Ryan Watt 9. Ken Eckert Jr 10. Louden Reimert 11. Doug Smith Jr 12. Shawn Light 13. Wayne Witmer 14. Heath Metzger 15. Corey Renninger 16. Bryan Rhoads 17. Scott Albert 18. Dave Dissinger 19. Mike Behm 20. Craig Von Dohren 21. Aleia Geisler 22. Bobby Trapper Jr 23. Joel Smith 24. Tim Fitzpatrick 25. Kevin Beach Jr

Modified Heat Winners: Craig Von Dohren, Louden Reimert and Mike Lisowski

Penske Shocks Certificate Winners: Brett Kressley ($100), Jeff Strunk ($75) & Rick Laubach ($50)

Modified Points: 1. Brett Kressley 1055 2. Mike Gular 937 3. Jeff Strunk 927 4. Duane Howard 915 5. Rick Laubach 898 6. Louden Reimert 882 7. Craig Von Dohren 760 8. Ryan Watt 680 9. Mike Lisowski 653 9. Nick Rochinski 653

USS Achey Crate 602 Sportsman: 1. Mike Loney 2. Kevin Olenick 3. Logan Watt 4. Mike Schnect Jr 5. Jordan Henn 6. Danny Buccafusca 7. Matt Yoder 8. Nick Desantis 9. Matt Martino 10. Daryl Dissinger 11. John McGeoy 12. Glenn Rowan 13. Dirk Rimrott 14. Brandon Oleski 15. Xavier Sprague 16. Chad Putalavage 17. Paulie Hartwig III 18. Tyler Vidal

Crate 602 Heat Winners: Logan Watt & Daryl Dissinger

Penski Racing Shocks Certificate Winners: Mike Loney ($100), Kevin Olenick $75) & Logan Watt ($50)

Crate 602 Points: 1. Logan Watt 1008 2. Jordan Henn 991 3. Kevin Olenick 893 4. Mike Schneck Jr 859 5. Mike Loney 798 6. Danny Buccafusca 791 7. Matt Yoder 785 8. Brandon Edgar 755 9. Nick Desantis 718 10. Talan Carter 670

Big Creek Concrete Crate 602 Rookies: 1. Bryce Bashore 2. Brady Shea 3. Alex Bartorillo 4. Jax Yohn 5. Brennan Chapman 6. McKenzi Smith 7. Danica Getz 8. Kevin Fitzpatrick

Rookie Points: 1. Jax Yohn 1290 2. Brennan Chapman 1120 3. Danica Getz 1040 4. Bryce Bashore 950 5. Alex Bartorillo 880

Red White and Blue Autos Roadrunners: 1. Alex Schoffstall 2. Andrew Fayash III 3. CJ Ferguson 4. TJ Fitzpatrick 5. Chuck Fayash 6. Kris Ney 7. Louis Gara 8. Jim Kost 9. Eric Tripp

Roadrunner Heat Winner: CJ Ferguson

Roadrunner Points: 1. Chuck Fayash 1277 2. Alex Schoffstall 1194 3. Kris Ney 1188 4. CJ Ferguson 1048 5. Jim Kost 964

Gene Latta Ford Central PA Legends: 1. Tanner Jones 2. Logan Carbaugh 3. Brady Arndt 4. Cory Phillips 5. Devin Friese 6. Scott Montgomery 7. Brent Marquis 8. Mason Chaney 9. Colton Friese 10. Mike Perkins 11. Grady McGrew 12. Richie Dobson Jr 13. Eli Dodge 14. Kelby Friese 15. Dave Benner 16. Hunter McElroy 17. Scott Mussleman 18. Moses Goetz 19. Justin Wagaman 20. Rick Hartwig 21. Vicent Wenrich 22. Justice Calabro

Central PA Legends Heat Winners: Tanner Jones & Vincent Wenrich