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VON DOHREN AND HIRTHLER ARE TRACK CHAMPIONS FOR 2022
BECHTELSVILLE, PA. – Hard work, determination, and the never give up attitude does eventually pay off, as Ron Haring Jr. of Alburtis, Pa., who has been in position to win several times before in his career, could never get things to go his way, finally put everything into place and scored his first ever win Saturday night in the 30-lap T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modified feature at Grandview Speedway.
Haring Jr. led the feature the entire way, including surviving two late race stoppages, one caution with four laps remaining, and a red flag with just two laps to go, then held off the challenges of Craig Whitmoyer of Hamburg, Pa. to score the popular win.
Brian Hirthler of Green Lane, Pa. was running second and battling with leader Kyle Smith of Fleetwood, Pa. for a win in the 25-lap T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman feature, when misfortune struck leader Smith (a broken axle) with just four laps to go, giving Hirthler the lead as he would go on to his sixth feature win of the season.
After all the red hot competition on Saturday night, Craig Von Dohren of Oley, Pa. emerged with his 13th career T.P. Trailer Modified track championship, and Brian Hirtthler would score his third career T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman title.
The feature race winners each received bonus money from T.P. Trailers and Truck Equipment, who every week provide both winners (Modified $300, Sportsman $200) with the bonus money, in the race program that was part of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Racing Series.
The T.P. Trailer Modified feature appeared as if it may run straight through without a caution, as the first 26 laps were run under green flag conditions. The first caution flag waved for Joe Funk of Coopersburg, Pa. on lap 26, who suffered a flat tire and could not get off the track, as cars were strung all around the speedway.
Ron Haring Jr. took the lead on the opening green flag and set a quick pace, reaching lapped traffic by lap nine. During this time, Eric Biehn of Barto, Pa., Craig Whitmoyer and Bobby Trapper Jr. of Scranton, Pa. were having their own battle for the number two position. As the laps continued to click off, action continued to be fierce with Brett Gilmore of Kutztown, Pa., Justin Grim of Orefield, Pa., MIke Lisowski of Minersville, Pa. and Tim Buckwalter of Douglasville, Pa. were dicing for positions behind the second place struggle, and would join the second place battle by lap eighteen.
With the long period of green flag racing, Haring Jr. began to steadily work his way through the lapped traffic. Biehn and Whitmoyer would close a little bit on Haring Jr., but never close enough to offer a challenge, as Haring Jr. was making all the right moves when he needed to.
Just when it looked as though Haring Jr. would be able to run the final laps to victory, Funk had his flat tire, drawing the caution and setting up a restart. Haring Jr. was able to survive a Whitmoyer challenge on the restart and pull away.
However, another caution for a spinning Dan Waisempacher of Springtown, Pa. drew a caution, just as a multi-car jam occurred in turn three involving Justin Grim, Ryan Grim of Laurys Station, Pa., Kevin Graver Jr. of Lehighton, Pa., and Briggs Danner of Allentown, Pa. With the cars tangled together, officials put out the red, making for a delay until the feature was able to resume.
After waiting for a number of years for his first ever win, Haring Jr, had to wait through the delay, then another restart before being able to grab that elusive first victory. The final restart proved no problem, as Haring Jr. pulled away from the field, led the final two laps, and scored career win number one at Grandview. The win was well received by the huge crowd, as he was given a nice ovation in victory lane.
The final couple of restarts allowed Buckwalter, Jared Umbenhauer of Richland, Pa., Jeff Strunk of Boyertown, Pa, who started in 20th spot, and Von Dohren to work their way forward into top ten finishing positions.
At the wave of Starter Ray Kemp’s checkered flag, it was Haring Jr. in for the win followed by Whitmoyer, Trapper Jr. for their best finishes of the year, Buckwalter, Umbenhauer, Strunk, Biehn, point champ Von Dohren, Gilmore, and Doug Manmiller of Shoemakersville, Pa.
Qualifying heats for the 38 car field were won by Haring Jr., Kyle Lilick of Collegeville, Pa., Kevin Hirthler of Boyertown, Pa. and Whitmoyer, with Strunk and Dave Dissinger of Mohrsville, Pa. winning the consolations.
For Von Dohren, it was a rather conservative night, as he scored a top ten finish in eighth to pick up the point title, while second place challenger Brett Kressley discovered troubles after the heat race, and had to scratch his primary car and enter the race with a back-up car as a provisional starter, scoring a seventeenth place effort after starting in last spot.
The track championship for Von Dohren is his third consecutive and 13th overall. He scored his first point crown at Grandview during the 1988 racing season. He had a banner season during 2022, scoring eight point race wins on his way to the championship and twelve overall victories.
The T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman did exactly the opposite of the Modifieds, as they had several wrecks and cautions in the early stages of the feature, knocking out several drivers and rearranging the original lineup.
Zach Steffy of Sinking Spring, Pa. led lap one, with Michael Burrows of Jonestown, Pa. leading lap two through the early cautions. Following a lap three restart, Adrianna Delliponti of Norristown, Pa. was able to use the outside lane to grab the lead on lap three, before Burrows would slide back into the lead on the following lap.
Once things settled down into race mode, action heated up in the battle for the lead, as soon there was a six car scramble going on for the top spot. Burrows led, followed closely by Delliponti, Kyle Smith, Dakota Kohler of Kutztown, Pa., Hirthler and Cody Manmiller of Philadelphia, Pa.
The cars would circle the track in a tight pack, and Smith would move past Delliponti for second place on lap eleven, with Hirthler soon to follow into third.
Now a fantastic three car duel was on between Burrows, Smith and HIrthler, with the three running so close some laps you could almost throw a blanket over them in the race for the lead.
Smith would take the lead from Burrows with a move off of turn two on lap 16, with Hirthler reaching second by lap eighteen. The battle was now on for the lead, with Hirthler really pressuring Smith, who just won last week and was looking for two wins in a row.
Misfortune struck Smith on lap 21, as the rear axle came out of the car, ending his night and giving the lead to Hirthler, also ending the great race up front for the top spot.
Hirthler would run the final four laps in the lead to the checkered and score his sixth win of the year, his 18th career win, tying him for the number one spot on the track’s all-time win list with Jared Umbenhauer. The win was the perfect ending to the night, as Hirthler was also crowned T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman track champion for the third time in his career, with the other titles coming in 2017, and 2020.
At the checkered flag, it was Hirthler in for the win, followed by Burrows in second for the second week in a row, Delliponti for her best finish of this season, Manmiller, Kohler with his best outing of this season, Dylan Hoch of Mertztown, Pa., Jimmy Leiby of West Milford, NJ. who both came back from an earlier mishap, Cole Stangle of Neshanic Station, NJ., Jesse Landis of Gilbertsville, Pa., and Josh Adams of Douglasville, Pa.
Qualifying heats for the 37 cars on hand were won by Chris Esposito of Telford, Pa., Adams, Steffy, and Keith Haring of Alburtis, Pa., with the consolations going to Kaitlyn Bailey of Alburtis Pa., and Leiby.
Racing next weekend at Grandview Speedway will be the Freedom 76 racing weekend, with two days of action including the T.P. Trailer 358 Modifieds and the T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman.
The Freedom 76 weekend begins on Friday, September 16 with the 9th annual Freedom 38 Sportsman Championship race paying $2000 to the winner, along with qualifying events plus practice time for Modified drivers wishing to participate in the Freedom 76.
On Friday, pit gates open at 3 pm with grandstand gates opening at 5:30 pm. and racing at 7:30 pm. Adult Grandstand admission is just $5, while children ages 11 and under are admitted for free. Pit admission on Friday is $35, and no license is required. There is no rain date for the Friday event.
On Saturday, September 17, the 52nd annual Freedom 76 will be run for the 358 Modifieds paying $30,060 to the winner. The program will include qualifying heats, consolation races, a cash dash along with the Schaeffer Racing Minuteman 20 leading to the 76-lap championship feature. Pit gates open at 9 am for inspections, Grandstand ticket windows open at 3 pm. with racing starting at 7 pm. Fans will be able to enter the Grandstand areas between 9 am. and 12 Noon to reserve seats with blankets.
Adult Grandstand tickets on Saturday will be $40, while children ages 6-11 are $10, with children ages 5 and under admitted for free. Pit admission will be $45, and no license is required. There will be no advanced tickets sold for this event, and the rain date is Saturday, September 24.
For the Freedom 76, the tire rules for the event are as follows, ANY American Racer tire and compound, but it must be the Grandview Speedway tread pattern. Further 358 Modified rules are available on the speedway website or again, any questions please call Cliff Quinn at 484-357-2587 or Ed Scott at 610-298-2408. Entry forms for the Modified competitors are available on the speedway website at www.grandviewspeedway.com under the Freedom 76 tab. Early entry will save the drivers on the entry fee.
Saturday, September 24 will feature Round 9 with the Outlaw Racing Series Enduro and Outlaw Racing Series Vintage Cars in action starting at 5 pm. Pit gates open at 2 pm., Grandstand gates open at 4 pm. Grandstand admission will be $10, with children ages 12 and under admitted for free. Pit admission is $30 for the Outlaw Racing Series event. This event will run as long as the date is not needed as the Freedom 76 rain date, or it would be pushed back a week to October 1.
Since the 1960’s, Grandview Speedway has been presenting exciting wheel to wheel NASCAR stock car racing every Saturday Night starting in April and running through September, plus special events. Grandview Speedway is located at 43 Passmore Road, Bechtelsville, Pa. 19505, just off Route 100, ten miles north of Pottstown, Pa.
Information is always available at www.grandviewspeedway.com or on Facebook, or by telephone at 610.754.7688.
CHAMPIONSHIP NIGHT RESULTS SUMMARY – SEPTEMBER 10, 2022
T.P. TRAILER NASCAR MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH (30 laps): RON HARING JR., Craig Whitmoyer, Bobby Trapper Jr., Tim Buckwalter, Jared Umbenhauer, Jeff Strunk, Eric Biehn, Craig Von Dohren, Brett Gilmore, Doug Manmiller, Kevin Hirthler, Mike Lisowski, Mike Gular, Kyle Lilick, Brad Arnold, Dave Dissinger, Brett Kressley, Kevin Graver Jr., Briggs Danner, Dan Waisempacher, Mark Kratz, Justin Grim, Ryan Grim, Joe Funk, Jesse Leiby, John Willman, Nate Brinker, Dylan Swinehart, , Meme DeSantis
DID NOT QUALIFY: Steve Swinehart, Ryan Beltz, Chris Gambler, Ryan Lilick, Cory Merkel, Lex Shive, Bobby Gunther-Walsh, Ray Swinehart, Duane Howard
2022 T.P. TRAILER MODIFIED TRACK CHAMPION – Craig Von Dohren (His 13th at the track)
T.P. TRUCK EQUIPMENT NASCAR SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH (25 laps): BRIAN HIRTHLER, Michael Burrows, Adrianna Delliponti, Cody Manmiller, Dakota Kohler, Dylan Hoch, Jimmy Leiby, Cole Stangle, Jesse Landis, Josh Adams, Mike Schneck Jr., Steve Young, Decker Swinehart, Keith Haring, Matt Clay, Zach Steffy, Kaitlyn Bailey, Kyle Smith, Kenny Bock, Nathan Mohr, Parker Guldin, Nathan Horn, Chris Esposito, Mike Myers, Ryan Graver, Jesse Hirthler
DID NOT QUALIFY: Joey Vaccaro, Mark Gaugler, Kyle Hartzell, Molly Struss, Xavier Sprague, Troy Conrad, Logan Bauman, Mark Mohr, Colton Perry, Brad Force, Gage Phillips
2022 T.P. TRUCK EQUIPMENT SPORTSMAN CHAMPION – Brian Hirthler (His 3rd at the track)
UPCOMING EVENTS –
Friday, September 16 – 9th annual FREEDOM 38 CHAMPIONSHIP for T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman $2000 to win, plus Modified practice – 7:30 pm.
Saturday, September 17 – 52nd annual FREEDOM 76 MODIFIED CHAMPIONSHIP for T.P. Trailer Modifieds $30,060 to win – 7 pm.
Saturday, September 24 – Outlaw Racing Series Enduro and Outlaw Racing Series Vintage – 7 pm. (Rain date for Freedom 76)
Saturday, October 15 – Outlaw Racing Series Enduro and Outlaw Racing Series Vintage – 7 pm.
