RPW Column: Gary Hager’s Ready To Get Back “On Track” At Big Diamond Speedway

RPW Column By: BRAD KEITSOCK / RPW – WASHINGTON, NJ – For Washington NJ’s Gary Hager, opening night Friday April 10th at Minersville Pa’s Big Diamond Speedway can’t get here fast enough.

For 47-year-old Hager getting back behind the wheel of his always gorgeous #44 358 modified full time has been a long time coming.

Back 20 years ago, Hager was one of the top sportsman modified racers on the Pa/NJ racing scene. During that time Hager would go on and make his mark at the Big Diamond Speedway by winning multiple sportsman features and adding the tracks championship to his racing resume.

The time came in the early 2000’s to make the move up to the headline 358 modified division for Hager, his foray into the division didn’t quite go as planned.

Hager mentioned, “In 2001 our first race with the modified our engine blew up, so that set us back a bit, we had to go back to racing the sportsman that year just to keep racing.”

Over the next few racing season Hager and his family racing team did get there 358 small block program rolling and Hager was a staple in the division calling Big Diamond Speedway home on Friday nights for a good 10 year period.

In fact, Hager would find his way to Big Diamond Speedway’s victory lane twice running in the speedways headline division, back in 2008 and 2009, once again, forever notching his name in the speedways record books, right along with some of the sports biggest and best names ever.

But not long after, Hager went missing from the local racing scene.

“Over the last 10 years or so, work and different things in life have kept me away from racing, anywhere, honestly” explained Hager.

Hager also offered, “Racing is something I really love, I’d race every night of the week if I could, but thats just not possible obviously.”

After being away from the race track for a few years, Hager now has his worked schedule set up and other priorities in life taken care of, where he can now get back to doing something he really loves, and thats go racing.

Hager attempted a full season comeback in 2019, after dabbling in a few races the prior year, and was in the field with his #44 358 modified opening night at Big Diamond Speedway last year.

Unfortunately that night disaster struck, a horrific hard crash in the third turn of the speedway with multiple other cars ended Hager’s season before it really ever got started.

Hager explained, “I was all set last year with some of the best equipment I’ve ever had. but the opening night crash just really tore the car up like you wouldn’t believe. With the expense these days, it basically took me all summer to rebuild it.”

When the 2020 season starts in April Hager will be ready to go racing.

“I’m really looking forward to the new season. I want to race on the new surface Big Diamond put down last year as I really didn’t get a chance to after the opening night crash. I really like that they switched over to all gas for this year also, as I think going in that direction just fits my racing program better.” explained Hager.

“My TEO Pro car will be ready and my Outlaw motor is rebuilt and ready to go for this year, hopefully some lady luck will come our way and we’ll be all set for the season at Big Diamond.”

So when opening night under the lights gets the green flag, and you see that beautiful #44 hit the race track, you’ll know Gary Hager is back and doing what he loves to do.