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BECHTELSVILLE, PA. – On yet another breezy and very cool spring Saturday evening at Grandview Speedway, the race action on the track was red hot to warm up the faithful spectators.
When all the action concluded, defending T.P. Trailer Modified Track Champion Brett Kressley of Orefield, Pa. stood tall in victory lane after dashing forward from his tenth starting position, winning two hard fought battles, one with Jared Umbenhauer of Richland, Pa. and another with Mike Gular of Boyertown, Pa. to secure his first win of the brand-new season in the 30-lap T. P. Trailer NASCAR Modified feature event.
Umbenhauer was battling for the lead with Eric Biehn of Barto, Pa., finally taking the top spot-on lap ten, with Kressley quickly following into second. Following a three-lap duel between the two, Kressley was able to secure the top spot on a lap thirteen restart.
Gular moved into second on lap 17, and from then to the finish pressured Kressley for the lead, including some close laps with lapped traffic in the closing stages, but Kressley had the power to maintain the top position to the checkered.
In the T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman division, rookie driver Gavyn Krupp of Barto, Pa. was part of a fantastic three-car duel with TJ Mayberry of Sellersville, Pa. and defending Champion Logan Watt of Boyertown, Pa. for the lead in the closing laps of the 25-lap main event.
As the trio ran three-wide for the lead in turn two coming for the white flag, a car slowed to enter the infield, bunching up lapped traffic in front of the three wide leaders, sending everyone scattering and Mayberry and Watt into the outside wall ending their great battle and sending Krupp to his first ever feature win at Grandview Speedway.
The winners received bonus money (Modified $300, Sportsman $200) from T.P. Trailers and Truck Equipment of Limerick, Pa., sponsors of the two divisions at Grandview Speedway, in a race program run under the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series banner.
The 30-lap T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modified feature began with Eric Biehn taking the lead at the start running the high lane, and Jared Umbenhauer running the low side of the racetrack in second position. These two battled hard for the top position for ten circuits while Nate Brinker of Macungie, Pa., Brian Hirthler of Green Lane, Pa. followed, and a hard charging Brett Kressley quickly moved up from tenth spot to make the top five by lap three.
Kressley took over third position on lap six and quickly moved in on the two-driver duel for the lead, making for an entertaining three car battle up front. Motoring off turn four to score lap ten, Umbenhauier was able to move by Biehn to grab the lead with Kressley following him past Biehn for second spot, setting up a now two-car struggle for the lead between the two young veterans.
The first caution of a fast paced and exciting race was thrown on lap 13, as fifth place running Louden Reimert of Oley, Pa. and ninth running Brian HIrthler both had mechanical problems, stopping in turn four.
The restart saw Kressley slide by Umbehauer with a low groove move entering turn one to grab the lead, followed by a misfortune for third place running Biehn who slowed with a mechanical problem scattering the field on lap 14, eventually drawing a caution when he was unable to clear the racetrack.
The wild scramble saw Mike Gular advance from eighth on lap 13 to third on lap 15, moving into contention for the lead. A series of quick cautions on laps 16 and 18 shuffled the field, with Gular grabbing second, and another battle for the lead position was on once again.
Kressley maintained the lead throughout the remaining laps however Gular would challenge several times for the lead, getting very close several laps, including some close action in lapped traffic in the closing stages, but Kressley withstood the challenge to score his first win of the season and 25th career Saturday night NASCAR Advance Auto Part Weekly Series win at Grandview Speedway.
The final ten laps of the main event saw some close racing behind the leaders with Alex Yankowski of Jermyn, Pa. Jeff Strunk of Boyertown, Pa. Duane Howard of Oley, Pa., Mike LIsowski of Minersville, Pa., and Brinker all battling hard for top ten positions, entertaining the fans till the end of the feature race.
At the wave of the checkered flag, it was Kressley scoring the win followed by Gular, Umbenhauer, Yankowski, Strunk, Howard, Lisowski, Eddie Strada of Lake Ariel, Pa. who picked up the VP Racing Fuels hard charger award, Michael Storms of Mohnton, Pa., and Brandon Edgar of Lehighton, Pa.
Qualifying heats for the 41 cars on hand were won by Umbenhauer, Edgar, Biehn and Ron Haring Jr. of Alburtis, Pa. with Storms and Ryan Watt of Boyertown, Pa. winning the consolations.
The T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman feature saw Gavyn Krupp take the lead at the start with TJ Mayberry in close pursuit. The two quickly engaged in a battle for the lead while Jesse Landis of Gilbertsville, Pa., Joey Vaccaro of Reading, Pa., Ronnie Solomon of Hatfield, Pa., and Mike Schneck Jr. of Lebanon, Pa. up from 12th position were all battling for positions behind them.
Mayberry took the lead from Krupp off turn four on lap three but was never able to pull away from the young driver, as Krupp kept close behind pressuring Mayberry to regain the lead.
While the lead battle was running up front another great battle was ongoing for top ten spots between Adrianna Delliponti of Norristown, Pa. (13th starting spot), Nathan Horn of Slatedale, Pa. (11th starting spot), Addison Meitzler of Kempton, Pa. (14th starting spot), Mark Kemmerer of Pennsburg, Pa. (10th starting spot), and Jesse Hirthler of Boyertown, Pa. (22nd starting spot).
More great action continued as Opening Night winner Logan Watt was advancing through the field from his 15th starting position, working his way to the top ten by lap eight, and the top five by lap 12, eventually joining the great battle between Mayberry and Krupp up front by lap 18.
Krupp was pressuring Mayberry hard for the lead, with lapped traffic now entering the picture after an extended period of great green flag racing, with the three leaders practically racing under a blanket for several laps.
Exiting turn four to take the two-to-go signal, Krupp powered by Mayberry to retake the lead. Then, Mayberry would pull back alongside of Krupp entering turn one, only to have Watt pull into line making for a three wide challenge for the lead powering into turn two for the race off the corner.
However, disaster would end this spectacular race for the win between the three drivers that was sure to be a photo finish, as a car slowed to pull to the infield low off turn two and tangled with another lapped car right in front of the leaders, washing up the track, forcing Mayberry and Watt into each other and the wall, with Krupp somehow escaping. It was a difficult end for both of those drivers after such a great run.
The race restarted with Krupp leading Schneck Jr. the final two laps to the checkered to secure his first career Grandview Speedway win in his rookie season of T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman racing.
At the checkered it was Krupp in for the win followed by Schneck Jr., Landis, Delliponti, Meitzler, Horn, Tyler James of BIrdsboro, Pa., Dylan Swinehart of Fleetwood, Pa. who received the $100 track hard charger award, Vaccaro, and Solomon.
Qualifying heats for the 46 cars on hand were won by Krupp, Mayberry, Vaccaro, Delliponti, and Cody Manmiller of Philadelphia, Pa. with Dylan Swinehart and Hirthler winning the consolations.
Grandview Speedway will be presenting another NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series program next week featuring the T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds and T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman.
The show on Saturday, April 20 will include qualifying events for both classes leading into a 30-lap T.P. Trailer Modified feature and a 25-lap feature for the T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman.
The Saturday, April 20 program will also see the first of the monthly fan participation Trivia nights, where questions about Grandview Speedway racing will be asked, and fans will be able to win some cool prizes or gift cards.
It will also be Checkered Flag Fan Club night at the Speedway, with representatives on hand to sign up new members and meet the winners in Victory Lane.
Pit gates will open at 3 pm. with grandstand gates opening at 4 pm. warm-ups starting at 5 pm. and the first race of the evening getting the green flag at 6 pm.
Adult grandstand admission is $20, students 10-15 with ID are $10, while children ages 9 and under are admitted free of charge. Pit admission is $35 for NASCAR members and $45 for non-members.
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 October, 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.
T.P. TRAILER NASCAR MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH (30 laps): BRETT KRESSLEY, Mike Gular, Jared Umbenhauer, Alex Yankowski, Jeff Strunk, Duane Howard, Mike Lisowski, Eddie Strada, Michael Storms, Brandon Edgar, Nate Brinker, Craig Von Dohren, Ryan Watt, Jimmy Leiby, Kevin Graver Jr., Nick Rochinski, Ron Haring Jr., Chris Esposito, Doug Manmiller, Justin Grim, Tim Buckwalter, Eric Biehn, Louden Reimert, Brian Hirthler, John Willman, Jon Kellner, Kevin Hirthler, Kyle Smith
VP RACING FUELS HARD CHARGER – Eddie Strada (+15)
DID NOT QUALIFY: Chris Gambler, Bobby Trapper Jr., Carroll Hine III, Eric Kormann, Mike Laise, Ryan Grim, Frank Yankowski, Darrin Schuler, Bobby Gunther-Walsh, Ryan Beltz, Joe Funk, Bryan Rhoads, Ray Swinehart
T.P. TRUCK EQUIPMENT NASCAR SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH (25 laps): GAVYN KRUPP, Mike Schneck Jr., Jesse Landis, Adrianna Delliponti, Addison Meitzler, Nathan Horn, Tyler James, Dylan Swinehart, Joey Vaccaro, Ronnie Solomon, Decker Swinehart, Zane Roth, Ryan Graver, Nick Faust, Cody Manmiller, Mark Gaugler, Brett Grim, Nathan Mohr, Jesse Hirthler, Mark Mohr, Kyle Hartzell, TJ Mayberry, Logan Watt, Dakota Kohler, Mark Kemmerer, Brett Gilmore
GRANDVIEW $100 HARD CHARGER – Dylan Swinehart – (+13)
DID NOT QUALIFY: Logan Bauman, Parker Guldin, Mike Stofflet, Colton Perry, Keith Haring, Lawson Szerencits, Mike Loney, Randy Graber, Dennis Graber, Steve Young, Nicholas Hamm, Kaitlyn Bailey, Shannon Slaughter, Monte Pool, Teague Miller, Troy Bollinger, Stephen Laubach, Kenny Bock, Michael Toth, Zach Steffey
UPCOMING EVENTS –
Saturday, April 20 – T.P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman, CHECKERED FLAG FAN CLUB NIGHT, TRIVIA NIGHT – 6 pm
Saturday, April 27 – T.P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman – 6 pm
Saturday, May 4 – T.P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman – 7:30 pm
Friday, May 10 – Outlaw Racing Series Enduro and Outlaw Racing Series Vintage, Slingshots – 7 pm.
Saturday, May 11 – T.P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman, USAC East Coast Sprints – 7:30 pm
