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By DINO OBERTO
(Minersville, PA 5-18-25) After suffering through two rains outs and in-between another week off for the 2X Monster Truck show, Big Diamond Speedway was back in action for the first time in a month only it was on Sunday evening rather than the usual Friday for Tony’s Meat Market Night and headlining the race card was two big money paying shows that saw the Quandel Concrete 358 Modifieds racing for $6000-to-win and the Crate Classic for the USS Achey 602 Crate Sportsman battling for an impressive $3000 top prize.
When the 358 Mods hit the track for their 25-lap run Dan Hineline and Rick Laubach shared the front row but before a lap could be scored the yellow waved for a multi car incident off turn four.
On the ensuing restart, the No. 20 of Laubach made it known in a hurry that he was going to be tough to beat as he not only grabbed the lead but wasted little time in pulling away from Hineline and the rest of the field.
Laubach, who hails from Quakertown, never backed down either as the race went nonstop from there and with each passing lap he continued to pull further away and by the time he reached the finish he had built an insurmountable lead, taking the checkered flag at just over eight seconds.
“It’s definitely a relief and we started up front which was good and we’re back on the sound set-up that I like and I’m also glad that they made the right day for us to come back so we can race since it’s been a month that we were last here,” said Laubach, who picked up his first Big Diamond win since August 2022 and 27th at the track.
“My guys worked very hard in the pits tonight and it’s good to be back on the old deal again, it’s what we know. We’re not really up on that newer stuff. That left side (Panhard Bar) stuff is not for me, this now is driving and this is fun.”
While Laubach distanced himself from everyone, Hineline and third starting Kevin Olenick fought quit the battle. Hineline was in top form, clearly having his best run in some time while Olenick qualified for the first time in the 358 Mods and lap after lap they clashed as close as could be while holding down their respective spots.
They finished within a half-second of each other with Hineline gripping to second and Olenick settling for a very respectable third.
Ken Eckert Jr., was also having a terrific outing, running fourth the whole time and notching his first top-5 since a Sportsman race in 2022. Rounding out the top five was Louden Reimert who reached fifth from 14th by lap 14 and then hounded Eckert the rest of the way.
For Andrianna Delliponti of Norristown, May 18, 2025, is date that she will long be remember as not only did the rising talent pick up her very first victory in a Modified, but it came in the lucrative paying 30-lap Crate Classic, worth a cool $3000.
By way of a revenge draw Delliponti lined up on the outside of row one alongside pole sitter Troy Conrad and at the race commencing green she fired off first and quickly took control. On lap two Teague Miller advanced to second and from then the primary focus was on the duo. Delliponti would have to be on the defensive virtually the entire time in keeping her lead and that she did with precision driving.
And, although it was a very competitive race that was being waged, it was also a caution plagued one as very few consistent green flag laps where able to be run meaning opportunity on restarts for Teague to take away the top spot, but each time it was to no avail as Delliponti remained focused on the job at hand.
She did a perfect job of not only protecting her lead on each of the restarts but likewise during the green flag laps of never letting Teague get the better of her.
Delliponti becomes only the third female to win in a Modified feature at Big Diamond, joining the likes of Danica Getz and McKenzi Smith.
“I’ve been waiting for a win for so long and to be here and get my first one ever in a Crate (Sportsman), I’m speechless. Those yellows were nerve wracking, but I just tried to stay as calm as much as I could,” said a very elated Delliponti.
“This car was great, and my crew does such an amazing job and Timmy Buckwalter sets up this car so good. Everything I do is off of what he does and tells me and it I can’t thank him enough.”
Towards the end of the event, Jordan Henn secured third place, where he ultimately finished. He made several valiant attempts to overtake Teague during the restarts but was unsuccessful. Ryan Conrad and Gavyn Krupp had steady runs and rounded out the top five.
Minersville’s Jarod Bassininsky gave himself a perfect 30th birthday present by winning the Red White and Blue Autos Inc., Roadrunner feature, and he did it in a dominating fashion too, starting from the pole and then going on to lead every lap.
Chuck Fayash slipped into second by lap three but there was advancing from there as Bassininsky was spot on this night, keeping a well enough gap between them and cruised to the solid victory.
In the Big Creek Concrete Rookie 602 Crate Sportsman main for the second time in three races run, Reese Widger of Limerick was back in Victory Lane.
Ridger used a lap 10 restart to unseat Mason Harakel, who had led from the start. The race winning move came with an inside pass coming off turn two and afterwards he had to fend off Dawcin Davis en route to the checkers. Payton Renninger came home third marking her best effort to date.
358 Modified feature finish (25 laps): 1. Rick Laubach, 2. Dan Hineline, 3. Kevin Olenick, 4. Ken Eckert Jr., 5. Louden Reimert, 6. Mike Gular, 7. Dylan Swinehart, 8. Ryan Watt, 9. Brandon Edgar, 10. Shawn Fitzpatrick, 11. Jax Yohn, 12. Logan Watt, 13. Craig Von Dohren, 14. Mike Lisowski, 15. Duane Howard, 16. Matt Yoder, 17. Ryan Krachun, 18. Doug Smith Jr., 19. Corey Renninger, 20. Timmy Buckwalter, 21. Tyler Dippel, 22. Billy Pauch Jr., 23. Brett Kressley, 24. Jeff Strunk
DNQ: Tim Fitzpatrick, Heat Metzger, Kevin Beach Jr., Mike Burrows, Wayne Witmer, Dom Buffalino, Joel Smith, Hunter Metzger, Ron Haring Jr., WB James. Kenny Hildebrandt, Hunter Metzger
602 Crate Classic Sportsman feature finish (30 laps): 1. Adrianna Delliponti, 2. Teague Miller, 3. Jordon Henn, 4. Ryan Conrad, 5. Gavyn Krupp, 6. Colon Cox, 7. Troy Conrad, 8. Dakota Kohler, 9. Richie Hitzler, 10. Brandon Firestine, 11. Mark Mohr, 12. Christopher Buffalino, 13. Tyler Vidal, 14. Troy Bollinger, 15. Matt Martino, 16. Brad Brightbill, 17. Ralp Mele, 18. Daryl Dissinger, 19. Nate Brinker, 20. Brennan Chapman, 21. Mark Gaugler, 22. Nick Hamm, 23. Joe Toth, 24. Kevin Smith
DNQ: Zach Steffey, George Hildebrand, Del Howell, Aaron Weaver, Ryan Graver, Kevin Brady, McKenzi Smith, Trevor Bixlor
Roadrunner feature finish (20 laps): 1. Jarod Bassininsky, 2. Chuck Fayash, 3. Alex Schofstall, 4. Kris Ney, 5. Chris Reichert, 6. Terry Krammer, 7. Ryan Murphy, 8. Jim Kost, 9. Joey Brennan, 10. Jonatahn Trumbo, 11. Andrew Buchinski. 12. Eric Buchinski, 13. Elijah Reed
Rookie 602 Crate Sportsman feature finish (15 laps): 1. Reice Widger, 2. Dawcin Davis, 3. Payton Renninger, 4. Hunter Bowers, 5. Zach Moyer, 6. Jason Graber, 7. Giani Ely, 8. Mason Harakel, 9. Mike Green, 10. Dylan Cappel, 11. Dennis Graber
