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BECHTELSVILLE, PA. – The 62nd anniversary season of racing action at Grandview Speedway heads into the month of September with a three division race card slated for this weekend.
This Saturday, September 7 will feature the T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, the T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman along with a visit by the Outlaw Racing Series Vintage cars in a NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series program starting at 7:30 pm. The show will include qualifying events leading up to the 30-lap T.P. Trailer Modified feature, the 25-lap T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman feature event, and the 15-lap main event for the Outlaw Racing Series Vintage racers.
Pit gates will open at 4 pm, with grandstand gates opening at 5:30 pm, warm-ups will be starting at 6:15 pm, and racing gets underway at 7:30 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 with a license, or $45 without a license.
This Saturday night prior to the racing program will be the Low Down and Dirty meet and greet hosted by Whippy and Jennifer Umbenhauer. The drivers scheduled to participate include Modified drivers Craig Whitmoyer and Bryan Rhoads along with Sportsman driver Mark Gaugler.
The pre-race Meet and Greet is held in the main gate area from 5-6 pm and is a great time for fans to meet the drivers up close, collect some autographs, take photos, and talk racing with their favorite drivers before the night’s program gets underway.
The 54th annual Freedom 76 Modified Championship is on Saturday, September 21, and lap sponsorships at $20 per lap are now available by contacting Tina Rogers, Tommy Kramer or Jeff Ahlum at the track on race night, or email at www.jeffreyahlum@gmail.com or www.grandviewspeedway1963@gmail.com, or Venmo @Tina-Rogers327.
Lap sponsorships are a great way for fans to wish their favorite driver’s good luck in the big race, or for businesses to do some advertising. All lap sponsorships will be read on the public address system each week leading up to and including race night on September 21 and will be posted on social media.
Some big bonuses for the Freedom 76 T.P. Trailer Modified championship race have already been posted by Modified driver Bobby Gunther-Walsh and several of his race team sponsors. Gunther-Walsh, a local radio personality on 790 AM WAEB radio, has helped to boost the big championship race with two special cash awards.
Team sponsors Drs. Eric Lebby and Thomas DiBenedetto Orthopedic Specialists, Eden East Designs, Res-Q-Natural Supplements, Just Born Confections, and Agentis Plumbing, have all combined to post the Freedom 76 Hard Charger award of $1776, for the driver who advances the most positions from scheduled starting spot to finishing position in the championship race.
Another award of $276 will also be posted for either a Hard Luck award or non-qualifier during the Freedom 76 race night as decided by track officials.
Another bonus is the Lynn Himes Great Effort Award of $100 which is sponsored by T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment & the Perkins Family presented to the highest finishing driver NOT in the top 10 in Grandview Points, in memory of Carole Lynn Himes, a long-time familiar face at Grandview Speedway.
The Freedom 76 weekend begins on Friday, September 20 with the 11th annual Freedom 38 Sportsman Championship race paying $2062 to the winner, along with practice time for 358 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 starting at 7:30 pm. Adult Grandstand admission is $5, while children ages 9 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.
Racers are reminded that the Freedom 38 is open to regular Sportsman division drivers only (track or series), drivers who compete regularly in Modified division competition are not eligible to compete.
On Saturday, September 21, the 54th annual Freedom 76 will be run for the 358 Modifieds paying $30,062 to the winner! The program includes qualifying races, cash dash and the Minuteman 20 leading up to the 76-lap Championship main event. 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, students 10-15 with ID are $20, while children ages 9 and under are admitted free of charge. 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 28.
Those wishing to camp at the Speedway please note: Campers can enter the grounds in the fourth turn area on Saturday, September 14 and remain there until the 21st. However, because there are no hookups, sleeping in the campers can only take place September 20-22.
The chase for the T.P. Trailer Modified championship is mathematically coming down to ten-time champion and point leader Jeff Strunk, thirteen-time champion Craig Von Dohren, and 2018 track champion Mike Gular who are in contention to capture the title with two point races remaining.
These three drivers will be in action this Saturday night including feature winners so far this year Brett Kressley with five, Louden Reimert with three, Doug Manmiller and Eric Kormann with two wins each (each one has a Thunder Series win), Mike Mahaney, John Willman, Bobby Trapper Jr., Nate Brinker, Cody Manmiller, and Ryan Watt all with one win each.
Also looking to hold or improve their point position will be Eddie Strada, Jared Umbenhauer, Duane Howard, Tim Buckwalter, and Kevin Hirthler along with nearly three dozen total drivers.
The T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman title chase took a real dramatic turn after last week’s unpredictable night of action, when point leader Logan Watt was knocked out of action during heat race competition, followed by Dylan Swinehart’s back and forth night which saw him end up in tenth position at nights end to now take over the number one spot in the standings.
Swinehart had been 183 points behind Watt, but is now a scant 25 points ahead with two point races still to run. The top seven drivers still have a shot at the number one position including Mike Schneck Jr., Addison Meitzler, Brett Gilmore, Adrianna Delliponti, and Jesse Hirthler, with Swinehart, Watt, Meitzler and Gilmore having been to victory lane this season.
These drivers along with 2024 feature winners Gavyn Krupp, Kenny Bock, Brian Hirthler, Mark Kemmerer, Jesse Landis, Colton Perry, Zach Steffey, Jared LaBagh, and Alex Bartorillo will join three dozen drivers in action on Saturday night.
The final night of points will be Spunktown Tavern and Restaurant Championship Night on Saturday, September 14, featuring the T.P. Trailer Modifieds and T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman in a double-header starting at 7:30 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 –
Saturday, September 7 – T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage – 7:30 pm
Saturday, September 14 – SPUNKTOWN TAVERN & RESTAURANT CHAMPIONSHIP NIGHT – T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman, TRIVIA NIGHT – 7:30 pm
Friday, September 20 – 11th annual FREEDOM 38 SPORTSMAN CHAMPIONSHIP – T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman 38 laps, Modified Practice for Freedom 76 – 7:30 pm
Saturday, September 21 – 54th annual FREEDOM 76 MODIFIED CLASSIC – T.P. Trailer Modifieds 76 laps – 7 pm
Saturday, September 28 – Outlaw Racing Series Enduro, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage, Slingshots, Xcel 600 Modifieds – 5 pm (Freedom 76 Rain date)
