Big Diamond Banquet review

Keith Hoffman Honored As Big Diamond Modified Champion; Dissinger And Ulsh Share Spotlight At Big Diamond Banquet

Minersville, PA - Nov. 9 - Keith Hoffman of Whitehall. PA was honored as Big Diamond Raceway's 2001 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Modified champion on Friday night at the track's annual awards banquet at the St. Nicholas Hall in Primrose, PA. Dave Dissinger of Mohrsville, Pa was recognized as the 2001 NASCAR ShorTrack Series Sportsman champion while John Ulsh of Summit Station, PA celebrated his first NASCAR Roadrunner title. Hoffman and car owner, Barry Bashore, celebrated their second straight point title at Big Diamond Raceway collecting most of the hardware including a championship ring from NASR Jewelers of Pottsville, a championship jacket from Weikel Racewear, a championship jacket from American Racer Tires, two championship plaques from the track, a championship plaque from NASCAR, a framed congratulatory letter from Mike Helton, President of NASCAR, an HO gauge replica of the Bashore #5 from Tom Hiester Miniature Cars and a Longaberger basket filled with various articles for Keith's wife, Tiffany, including a Big Diamond Raceway Championship labeled bottle of wine. Dave Dissinger and John Ulsh received championship jackets, plaques and baskets as well while the point fund checks were mailed out directly by NASCAR to all deserving competitors based on the final points. Additionally Dave Dissinger received a new SP-125 Plus Lincoln MIG welder from Ken Manchak on behalf of Lincoln Electric and their local distributor, MESSER GT&F of Minersville.

The following special awards were announced and distributed:
Modified Most Improved Driver - Larry Kelleher
Modified Rookie of the Year - Johnny Ray
Modified True Value Mechanic of the Year - Bruce Landis (21K Team)
Modified Bair Wheel Repair Heat Win Challenge Winner - Duane Howard
Sportsman Most Improved Driver - Brad Force
Sportsman Rookie of the Year - Mike Schane
Sportsman True Value Mechanic of the Year - Jim Kost (26 Team)
Sportsman Bair Wheel Repair Heat Win Challenger Winner - John Heckler
Roadrunner Most Improved Drivers - Barry Schrader and Cory Renninger
Roadrunner Rookie of the Year - Chris Bower
Roadrunner Mechanic of the Year - Mark Purcell (29 Team)
Checkered Flag Fan Club Service Award - Track Infield Official, Charlie Good Ron Bennett, NASCAR's Northeast Region Director, was on hand to speak to the crowd in attendance and to hand our some of the hardware from NASCAR. The top 20 in the NASCAR WRS Modifieds were recognized for their efforts along with the top five car owners. Following driving champion Keith Hoffman were Duane Howard, Craig Von Dohren, Kyle Weiss, Jeff Strunk, Ray Swinehart, Terry Meitzler, Glenn Strunk, Jim Hauer, Dennis Bailey, Tim Fitzpatrick, Larry Kelleher, Barry Readinger, Shawn Reimert, Scott Albert, Ron Mawson, Jr., Ron Seltmann, Craig Whitmoyer, Tom Umbenhauer and Jason Andrews. On the owners' side, Barry Bashore (Hoffman's 5) was trailed by Glenn Hyneman (Howard 126), BRB Racing (Von Dohren 114), Kyle Weiss (21K) and Harring Motorsports (Strunk W9). The sportsman honorees included the top 15 drivers and the top five owners. The drivers, in order, were Dave Dissinger, Randy Mohn, Mike Schane, Tom Brennan, Joe Biasi, Jr, Billy Moyer, Jr., Brad Force, John Patchoski, Shawn Fitzpatrick, Jeff Graby, Terry Bensinger, Brent Boyer, Ed Scott, Jeff Ebersole and Chris Clemens. The owners honored were Dave Dissinger (88x), Dennis Christ (Mohn 505), Dwayne Schane (m16), Tom Brennan (26), and Butch Gerhert and Joe Biasi (Biasi B1). The roadrunner teams best supported the Big Diamond banquet with nine of the ten award winners in attendance. Following John Ulsh in the top ten honored were Dave Miller, Barry Schrader, Marc Berzowski, Corey Renninger, Chris Bower, Mike Allar, Derek Bender and Jason Oswald. The official announcement on the Big Diamond Raceway 2002 opener will come in the near future but tentatively the season opener will fall on the weekend of March 17 on either Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

-BDS-