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BECHTELSVILLE, PA. – The Forrest Rogers Memorial, Grandview Speedway’s midsummer Modified classic paying $10,000 to the race winner, is the next action packed race program on the schedule on Saturday night at the one-third-of-a-mile high banked speedway.
Since 1971, Grandview Speedway management has been paying tribute to Forrest Rogers, the man who had the dream of building his own racetrack, then with the help of his son Bruce and the rest of the family, made the dream come true in building and operating the racetrack on the hill in Bechtelsville, Pa. known to all as Grandview Speedway.
The race event each year means so much to a lot of people, but first of all to the Rogers Family, who still own and operate Grandview Speedway, now celebrating the track’s 62ndseason of operation. They are very proud of the fact that the track has remained in the family, with the third and now fourth generations fully involved in the operation of the racetrack.
The Forrest Rogers Memorial race also serves as the anniversary celebration each year for the Speedway. It was the second weekend of August in 1963, when Grandview Speedway first opened the gates for the first ever race.
Forrest Rogers himself held the first ever extra distance race in track history in August of 1964, a 40-lap event won by Marty Acker, to celebrate the track’s first birthday.
After the untimely death of Forrest, son Bruce took control of the speedway and after building a race program with a solid foundation, decided in 1971 to create the Memorial race to honor his Father on the same weekend his Father honored the Speedway’s anniversary, thus holding the first ever Forrest Rogers Memorial.
The first race for the Small Block Modifieds (then known as Sportsman) paid a hefty $500 to winner Eddie Mumford, who won again the very next year. As the track continued to have success as the years went by, the winner’s share continued to increase to today’s top prize of $10,000!
The list of drivers who have had the honor of winning this prestigious event is very long and varied. During the 1970’s in addition to Mumford winning twice, Dave Kelly, Charley Gilmore twice, Mike Erb, Mike Geiser twice, and Smokey Warren were winners.
Moving into the 1980’s, the winners were Fred Rahmer four times, being the first driver to win three in a row (82, 83, 84), Dr. Dan Cox, Jack Follweiller twice, Craig Von Dohren his first, Ray Swinehart his first and Billy Schinkel.
The decade of the 1990’s saw Jeff Strunk win his first, Billy Pauch twice, Tom Mayberry twice, Kerry Kratz, Chip Slocum, Ray Swinehart his second, while Terry Meitzler and Rick Shaffer were also winners.
Moving into the 2000’s, Jeff Strunk won his second, Craig Von Dohren took three, Meme DeSantis twice, Jon Kellner Sr., Ray Swinehart his third, Jason Hamilton, Ryan Godown and Duane Howard took his first win.
The most recent decade saw a huge domination by the track’s all-time wins leader Craig Von Dohren in this long standing event. Von Dohren took five more Forrest Rogers Memorial wins in 2011, matching Rahmer’s three in a row in 2015, 2016, 2017, and in 2021 to run his total to nine, more than any other driver in the history of this race.
Kevin Hirthler took the 2012 race, Duane Howard ran his total to three with wins in 2013 and 2019, invader Danny Johnson won in 2014, a rare occasion in this race, Ray Swinehart won his fourth race in 2018, Brett Kressley won in 2022 after taking his first ever Memorial win in 2020.
Craig Von Dohren is the defending race winner after taking the 2023 edition, bringing his total to an amazing TEN wins in the Forrest Rogers Memorial.
Many times over the years, the driver who can win the Forrest Rogers Memorial either goes on to win the track championship, or takes a win in the season ending Freedom 76.
With over five decades of history, you can see why each season the Forrest Rogers Memorial means so much to so many people in so many different ways. This year’s 54th annual running should be no different, stayed tuned, and don’t miss it.
This Saturday, August 10, will feature the much anticipated 54th annual Forrest Rogers Memorial for the T.P. Trailer Modifieds who will be racing for 50-laps and $10,000 to win. This race program will also include the T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman in another NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series double-header starting at 7:30 pm.
Adult grandstand admission is $30, students 10-15 with ID are $15, while children ages 9 and under are admitted free of charge. Pit admission is $35 for NASCAR members and $45 for non-members.
Pit gates will open at 4 pm. with grandstand gates opening at 5:30 pm. warm-ups starting at 6:15 pm. and the first race of the evening getting the green flag at 7:30 pm.
Saturday’s program will be the final in a series of race events recorded and produced by ATVN-TV. The Astound TV Network (ATVN) will be recording the race events on Saturday, with the race event broadcast to be shown on a tape-delayed basis. The heat races will be a complete program shown on the following Tuesday night at 7:30 pm. The features will air the following Friday evening at 7 pm. with further replays to follow.
This past Saturday night Grandview Speedway racing events were lost to the rain, so the T.P. Trailer Modified point standings remain unchanged as we now head into the stretch run in the chase for the championship and the top points paying positions.
Ten-time track champion Jeff Strunk of Boyertown, Pa. continues in the top position, followed by Mike Gular of Boyertown Pa., Craig Von Dohren of Oley, Pa., Eddie Strada of Lake Ariel, Pa., and defending champion Brett Kressley of Orefield, Pa. who currently hold down the top five positions.
The current top ten in points for the T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds are 1. Jeff Strunk – 3270, 2. Mike Gular – 3034, 3. Craig Von Dohren – 3008, 4. Eddie Strada – 2857, 5. Brett Kressley – 2795, 6. Duane Howard – 2765, 7. Louden Reimert – 2608, 8. Jared Umbenhauer – 2599, 9. Doug Manmiller – 2460, 10. Tim Buckwalter – 2258.
Likewise the T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman standings remain unchanged with defending champion Logan Watt of Boyertown, Pa. leading the current standings, followed by Addison Meitzler of Kempton, Pa., Dylan Swinehart of Fleetwood, Pa., Brett Gilmore of Kutztown, Pa., and Adrianna Delliponti of Norristown, Pa. who are the current top five in the standings.
The current top ten in T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman points are 1. Logan Watt – 2931, 2. Addison Meitzler – 2771, 3. Dylan Swinehart – 2722, 4. Brett Gilmore – 2483, 5. Adrianna Delliponti – 2450, 6. Jesse Hirthler – 2441, 7. Mike Schneck Jr. – 2431, 8. Ryan Graver – 2114, 9. TJ Mayberry – 1790, 10. Logan Bauman – 1786.
The weekend of racing will actually begin on Friday, August 9 as the Outlaw Racing Series Enduro/Vintage double program which was wiped out by rain last week, will be presented this week to kick start the weekend of action.
On Friday, grandstand admission for adults is $10, children ages 12 and under are free, while pit admission is $30. Pit gates open at 2 pm, while grandstand gates open at 5 pm, and racing starts at 7 pm.
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.
UPCOMING EVENTS –
Friday, August 9 – Outlaw Racing Series Enduro, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage – 7 pm
Saturday, August 10 – 54th annual FORREST ROGERS MEMORIAL – T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds 50-laps $10,000 to win, T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman – 7:30 pm
Saturday, August 17 – T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage (Forrest Rogers Memorial Rain date) – 7:30 pm.
Saturday, August 24 – T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman, Pro Stocks, TRIVIA NIGHT – 7:30 pm
Friday, August 30 – Outlaw Racing Series Enduro, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage, Slingshots – 7 pm
Saturday, August 31 – T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman – 7:30 pm
