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By DINO OBERTO
(Minersville, Pa. 8-22-25) Two weeks ago Oley’s Louden Reimert had a rare DNQ which at the time knocked him out of the points lead where he had been since June 19 and heading into last night’s
Quandel Concrete 358 Modified feature at Big Diamond Speedway he was sitting third behind Jeff Strunk and Duane Howard.
With Friday as the penultimate regular season race, the three contenders entered the night in a close championship battle where every finishing position was vital for their chances at the title.
And for Reimert he ended his evening the best of the three by scoring his third feature victory of the year and with the addition of a heat win it gave him maximum points which enabled him to reclaim the top spot in the standings heading into next Friday’s showdown.
“It feels really good, and a win is always cool, and I have to thank everyone who helps out on my car and all my sponsors and my car owner Doug Flurer and everyone who lends a hand. We work our tails off and it’s starting to show,” said Reimert.
Reimert began the race in 10th spot but by making good use of a few early restarts he found himself running second behind leader Mike Lisowski by lap four. In third sat Howard who would go nose-to-tail with Reimert over the next half dozen laps.
As Reimert and Howard battled it gave Lisowski the opportunity to put a bit of distance ahead of them but that advantage, however, was wiped away when a caution waved on lap 13.
When they refired, Reimert was able to shake free of Howard and then began a furious pursuit of Lisowski that remained close and thrilling lap after lap.
Reimert’s unceasing pressure would finally pay off – albeit with a bit of contact – with two laps to go as he squeezed underneath Lisowski through turns 1 and 2 and took control. He then dashed away over the final two circuits to take the clutch win.
“I don’t like to win by contact, but I was on his (Lisowski) back bumper for I don’t know how many laps and he just kept slipping up and I had to go. It’s crunch time here and the points are close. I knew Duane (Howard) was third and sometimes you have to do what you have to do,” said Reimert.
“I saw after the heat race that the track was going to be kind of bottom dominant and we adjusted after that to roll the bottom a little better.”
Howard held on for third. Meanwhile Strunk hurried his way into the lead pack by lap 12 and came home fourth while Logan Watt rounded out the top five.
With just one point race to go the standings show Reimert leading Strunk by eight and 31 over Howard.
“It was really neat growing up watching them (Strunk/Howard) but it will be even cooler to beat them,” added Reimert.
As is the case with the Modifieds, the Red White and Blue Autos Inc., Roadrunners also have a dramatic championship outcome in the works, and it’s come down to a two-driver battle between Chuck Fayash and Alex Schoffstall
Fayash, who hails from Schuylkill Township, began the night 23 points behind Schoffstall but watching him race on this night you could see just how much grit and determination he has in achieving a second championship.
When early leader Jesse Krasnitsky spun on lap three, Fayash was the benefactor to take over, but it was no easy means of holding on as he faced constant pressure from the likes of Schoffstall, Kris Ney and Jarod Bassininsky.
By the closing laps it would come down to Fayash fending off Schoffstall – who actually had pitted but made an energetic blast back to the front – and a one-two finish between them for the fourth time this season.
The win, Fayash’s second of the year and 12th with the class, gives him a seven-point edge over Schoffstall entering next Friday’s points finale.
The URC 360-winged Sprint Cars made their only Big Diamond appearance of the season and just as he’s done more times than anyone else here with the time-honored club, Josh Weller of Mertztown raced to victory.
Weller started fourth but needed only one lap to slide into second behind leader Jordan Thomas. Thomas maintained his position well enough over Weller until lap nine, which at that point saw the No. 63 not only reel him in but continue his forward momentum and spring past for the top spot by the conclusion of the same circuit.
Weller then showed why he is one of the masters of Sprint Cars at Big Diamond Speedway as the rest of the way there was no catching him. That’s not to say that Buddy Schweibinz, who had snagged second from Thomas on lap 13, didn’t give a try, particularly on a few restarts.
But make no mistake, Weller was the best as he would pull away at the end to an over a 2-second margin of victory and win for the first time this season and URC best fifth at Big Diamond.
The Pro 4 Racing Club made their debut at Big Diamond and in a highly competitive race for the front-wheel-drive, 4-Cylinder stockers it was a father vs. son battle for the laurels as the New Oxford duo of Roy Denike and his son, Tyler Denike, raced to a one-two finish.
R. Denike seized the lead on lap two and had a handful to deal with as Julian Storms was looking every way possible to get by.
However, when Storms dropped out with a mechanical issue following a lap 12 restart, the race then was a father/son battle between the Denike’s, and it would be the elder who would hold on and collect the victory.
358 Modified feature finish (25 laps): 1. Louden Reimert, 2. Mike Lisowski, 3. Duane Howard, 4. Jeff Strunk, 5. Logan Watt, 6. Kevin Beach Jr., 7. Brandon Edgar, 8. Ryan Watt, 9. Heath Metzger, 10. Rick Laubach, 11. Michael Burrows, 12. Tim Fitzpatrick, 13. Dan Hineline, 14. Corey Renninger, 15. Mark Gaugler, 16. Kenny Hildebrant, 17. Jim Bobbitt, 18. McKenzi Smith, 19. WB James, 20. Jack Butler, 21. Cliff Quinn, 22. Wayne Witmer
Roadrunners feature finish (20 laps): 1. Chuck Fayash, 2. Alex Schoffstall, 3. Jarod Bassininsky, 4. Jim Kost, 5. Johnathan Trumbo, 6. Andrew Buchinski, 7. Kris Ney, 8. Eric Buchinski, 9. Jesse Krasnitsky DNS: Tod Roth Jr., Joey Brennan, Seth Reichert, Mike Reichert
URC Sprints Cars feature finish (25 laps): 1. Josh Weller, 2. Buddy Schweibinz, 3. Jordan Thomas, 4. Hayden Miller, 5. Seth Schnoke, 6. Jay Galloway, 7. Brandon McGough, 8. Scott Wilson, 9. Devin Gundrum, 10. Randy Wilbert
Pro 4 Racing Club feature finish (20 laps): 1. Roy Denike, 2. Tyler Denike, 2. Andrew Fayash III, 3. Andrew Keefer, 4. Adam Kratzer, 5. Kelly Frantz, 6. Austin Weller, 7. Josh Bittner, 8. Rick Jeinnings, 9. Russell Hilbert, 10. Brian Moyer, 11. Chase Hartline, 13. Julian Storms, 14. Chuck Fayash, 15. Clayton Wollyung, 16. Jeff Foster, 17. Gary Grim, 18. Trevor Rump, 19. Nathan Keim DNS: Vincent Wollyung
COMING EVENTS:
Aug. 29 @7:15 pm Championship Night 358 Modifieds, 602 Crate Sportsman, Roadrunners
Aug. 31 @ 6:30 pm 44th Jack Rich Inc. Coalcracker 72 358 Modifieds 72-laps/$15,000-to-win, 602 Crate
April 3, 2026 @7:15 pm 54th Annual Season Opener 358 Modifieds $4054-to-win, 602 Crate Sportsman $1054-to-win, Roadrunners $454-to-win, Rookie 602 Crate Sportsman
