Big Diamond Speedway swings back into action on Friday for the CJ’s Tire & Automotive Service Night.
The four-division racing card will be highlighted by the Andy Fayash, Jr., Memorial for the U.S.S. Achey sportsman.
The Fayash Memorial, an open-draw event, will see a 30-lap feature for the sportsman paying $1,570 to win and $157 to take the green. There will be 50 show-up points for the sportsman teams. Also on the racing card will be the CJ’s Tire & Automotive Services 358 modifieds, Savage 61 roadrunners and the No Sweat Service Group street stocks.
Fayash, Jr. died in a tragic garage accident in 2013. He was 54 at the time. He raced at the track from 1984 to 2012 and won the slide stock championship in 1984.
“Dad grew up around racing with my grandfather and dad’s uncle Marty Luckenbill having raced,” Andy Fayash III said. “If you needed a hand in the pits and he had a spare second, he'd go over and help. It didn't matter if you were someone who wrecked him a week ago, he'd still offer to help. He always made time to talk to and make people laugh especially if they seemed a bit down.”
“It's really cool of Jake (Smulley, track promoter) and Big Diamond to put this event on every year,” Fayash III continued. “My dad would always talk about how he wished the other divisions would get a special event with a bit of a higher payout and a longer feature. So the track has been doing just that and it's great to see the sportsman have a big event like that in his memory.”
The gates open at 5:30 on Friday with warm ups at 7:45 and racing getting underway at 8:15. General admission is $20 while kids 12-and-under and active military with a valid ID are free.
There will also be a ‘Pink Out’ on Friday for breast cancer awareness night which will see a 50/50, raffles and shirts for sale. The proceeds will benefit the breast cancer research at the Hershey Medical Center.
Coming up on Aug. 26, it’s the final night of points for the 358 modifieds and sportsman. Also on the card that night will be the roadrunners and the Kim’s Kreations powder puff race. If needed, the date will serve as the rain date for the Fayash Memorial.
On Friday, Sept. 2, it’s the start of the Coalcracker Weekend as the sportsman take center stage with a 40 lapper paying $1,600 to win and $160 to take the green. The roadrunners and street stocks will have their final points race of the year that night along with the non-winners modified race, vintage cars and an Enduro Dash 60.
The non-winners modified race on Sept. 2 will be for drivers who have raced four or more time this season in the modified division but did not win a feature. The winner gets a starting spot in the Coalcracker 72. No other positions will get paid.
Then on Sunday, Sept. 4, it’s the prestigious Jack Rich Inc., Coalcracker 72 paying $10,000 to win the 358 modified feature. Tenth place in the Coalcracker pays $1,000 and it’s $500 to take the green.The start time for Sept. 4 is 7:45 p.m. The roadrunners, 600 modifieds and fireworks will round out the night of racing on Sept. 4.
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