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COLIN COX OVER ADRIANNA DELLIPONTI IN EXCITING SPORTSMAN OPENER
BECHTELSVILLE, PA. – With an unusually warm spring evening, a full house of spectators, a packed pit area of racers, and an action packed night of racing from start to finish, it was the 8th annual VP Racing Fuels Bruce Rogers Memorial Saturday night at Grandview Speedway.
When all was said and done, Brian HIrthler of Green Lane, Pa. fought off the repeated challenges of Mike Gular of Boyertown, Pa. to score the win in the 50-lap T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modified feature event to kick start the 63rd season of stock car racing action at the one-third-of-a-mile high-banked oval.
In the companion T.P. Truck Equipment 25-lap Sportsman feature race, Colin Cox of Perkasie, Pa. won a back and forth lead changing battle with Adrianna Delliponti of Norristown, Pa. to score his first ever Grandview Speedway feature race win, to cap off an exciting evening of Opening Night Action.
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 50-lap VP Racing Fuels Bruce Rogers Memorial Money Maker Modified Championship got off to a bit of a wild start, with several early caution flags falling in between some intense battles for position, with Tim Buckwalter of Douglasville, Pa. leading the opening lap of the feature before Brian Hirthler took over on lap two.
Buckwalter continued to pressure Hirthler to regain the lead, while Mike Gular and Ryan Grim of Laurys Station, Pa. were not far behind the lead duo, while a great three-car battle was raging behind them between Alex Yankowski of Covington Township, Pa., Ryan Watt of Boyertown, Pa., and Jared Umbenhauer of Richland, Pa.
Following a lap eleven restart for Buckwalter who suffered a flat tire, Gular threw some serious pressure on Hirthler for the top spot, but was unable to grab the lead.
By the half-way mark, action was really intense for fifth position on back between Grim, Umbenhauer, Logan Watt of Boyertown, Pa. up from thirteenth starting spot, Brett Kressley of Orefield, Pa. (12th), Danny Bouc of Pipersville, Pa. (22nd), Craig Von Dohren of Oley, Pa. (11th), Ryan Godown of Ringoes, N.J. (15th), and Louden Reimert of Oley, Pa. who started in 24th and last starting position, who were all mixing it up and advancing through the field.
By lap 27 Hirthler had built up his largest lead of the race, while Gular, Yankowski, Strunk, and Grim were holding down the top five spots, while Umbenhauer, Kressley and Logan Watt were battling right behind.
A long stretch of green came to a halt with a caution for third place Yankowski who rolled to a stop on lap 33, ending his great night, and on the restart Gular really pressured HIrthler for the next two laps to get the lead, but was unable to do so, with Hirthler maintaining command.
Following this restart, Ryan Grim would make some contact with the back straight wall and end his great night as well, as he rolled to the infield, out of action, leaving Logan Watt to battle Strunk for third spot.
Strunk would be the next top running driver to suffer a problem, as he drew a caution on lap 37 for a flat tire, sending him to the back of the field, leaving Hirthler and Gular to battle for the lead, Watt and Kressley to challenge for third, while Umbenhauer, Bouc, Von Dohren and Reimert were jockeying for spots right behind them.
The final laps saw Hirthler slowly pull out to a small but safe lead over Gular, but the action was still hot for third between Kressley, Watt and Umbenhauer to the end.
At the wave of Starter Ray Kemp’s checkered flag, it was Brian HIrthler scoring the biggest win of his Grandview Speedway career, his first Saturday NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series win (he previously scored one Thunder on the Hill series Modified win).
Following HIrthler to the finish line were Gular, Kressley, Logan Watt, Umbenhauer, Von Dohren, Bouc, Godown, Reimert, and Strunk who salvaged a top ten after the late flat tire.
Qualifying heat races for the 46 cars on hand were won by Logan Watt, Tim Buckwalter, Jeff Strunk, and Alex Yankowski with Eric Kormann of Carneys Point, N.J. and Logan Bauman of Bechtelsville, Pa. winning the consolations.
The 25-lap T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman feature saw Adrianna Delliponti taking the early lead, with Colton Perry of Topton, Pa. and Kenny Gilmore of Fleetwood, Pa. battling for second place.
By lap ten, Delliponti had built up nearly a straightaway advantage on the rest of the field, while a great race was happening behind her for second, as Perry and Gilmore would soon be joined by Colin Cox and Gavyn Krupp of Barto, Pa. who were circling the track in a tight pack of four, practically under a blanket.
Cox and Krupp would use the outside lane of the track to sweep around Perry and Gilmore to reach second and third, just before a lap eleven caution would reset the field.
The next two laps Cox pressured Delliponti for the lead, finally taking the top spot with a slider entering turn three on lap thirteen. Meanwhile Jesse Landis of Gilbertsville, Pa. was on the move from 14th starting spot, and joined Krupp in a race for third spot, before his good night would soon end with a tire issue.
A lap 19 restart gave Delliponti the opportunity to retake the lead from Cox, using the outside lane on the restart and leading for two laps before Cox worked very hard to retake the lead with a nice outside groove pass to retake the lead with just two laps to go, ending the exciting back and forth battle for the feature win.
Colin Cox survived one final restart, and pulled away to score his first ever Grandview Speedway feature win followed by Delliponti, Krupp, Nathan Mohr of Reading, Pa., Kenny Gilmore, Dylan Swinehart of Fleetwood, Pa., Joey Vaccaro of Reading, Pa., Mike Stofflet of Mertztown, Pa., Jimmy Leiby of West Milford, N.J., and Colton Perry of Topton, Pa.
Qualifying heat races for the 40 cars on hand were won by Adrianna Delliponti, Colton Perry, Kenny Gilmore and Joey Vaccaro while Mark Mohr of Macungie, Pa. and Chase Gular of Boyertown, Pa. won the consolations.
Next weekend will see Grandview Speedway hosting a two-day weekend of racing, with the Outlaw Racing Series leading off on Friday, April 25, with a program featuring Enduro/Vintage and Slingshot racing starting at 7 pm.
That event will be followed on Saturday, April 26 with a double-header including the T.P. Trailer Modifieds and the T. P. Truck Equipment Sportsman, along with the first Trivia Night of the year.
Grandstand admission for Adults is $20, Students ages 10-15 with ID are $10, while ages 9 and under are admitted free of charge. Pit admission is $35 with a license and $45 without a license.
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.
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.
VP RACING FUELS NIGHT RACE SUMMARY – SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 2025
VP RACING FUELS BRUCE ROGERS MEMORIAL MONEY MAKER T.P. TRAILER NASCAR MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH (50 laps): BRIAN HIRTHLER, Mike Gular, Brett Kressley, Logan Watt, Jared Umbenhauer, Craig Von Dohren, Danny Bouc, Ryan Godown, Louden Reimert, Jeff Strunk, Kyle Smith, Bobby Trapper Jr., Matt Stangle, Ryan Watt, Craig Whitmoyer, Ryan Grim, Alex Yankowski, Eric Kormann, John Willman, Jon Kellner, Doug Manmiller, Tim Buckwalter, Anthony Perrego, Logan Bauman, DNS: Mike Laise
DID NOT QUALIFY: Kevin Graver Jr., Eric Biehn, Darrin Schuler, Ron Haring Jr., Justin Grim, Ray Swinehart, WB James, Ryan Beltz, Nick DeSantis, Glenn Owens, Eddie Strada, Duane Howard, Carroll Hine III, Cody Manmiller, Chris Esposito, Chris Gambler, Bobby Gunther-Walsh, Nate Brinker, Clay Butler, Tanner Van Doren, Tommy Sheetz III
T.P. TRAILERS WINNER’S BONUS ($300): Brian Hirthler
VP RACING FUELS HARD CHARGER: Danny Bouc +15
PENSKE RACING SHOCKS CERTIFICATES: Brian Hirthler ($75), Mike Gular ($50), Brett Kressley ($25)
DAN’S DELI HALFWAY LEADER GIFT CERTIFICATE: Brian Hirthler
T.P. TRUCK EQUIPMENT NASCAR SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH (25 laps): COLIN COX, Adrianna Delliponti, Gavyn Krupp, Nathan Mohr, Kenny Gilmore, Dylan Swinehart, Joey Vaccaro, Mike Stofflet, Jimmy Leiby, Colton Perry, Kenny Bock, Teague Miller, Mike Schneck Jr., Kyle Hartzell, Chase Gular, Ryan Graver, Mark Mohr, Mark Gaugler, Brett Grim, Decker Swinehart, Jesse Landis, TJ Mayberry, Dakota Kohler, Addison Meitzler, Brett Gilmore, Nate Horn
DID NOT QUALIFY: Lawson Szerencits, Tom Miller Jr., Braydon Shelton, Kaitlyn Bailey, Parker Guldin, Zach Steffey, Matt Martino, Taylor Kramer, Brad Brightbill, Stephen Laubach, Dennis Graber, Jason Graber, Tom Miller Sr., Ebby Ridge
T.P. TRUCK EQUIPMENT WINNER’S BONUS ($200): Colin Cox
GRANDVIEW $100 HARD CHARGER: Jimmy Leiby +14
PENSKE RACING SHOCKS CERTIFICATES: Colin Cox ($75), Adrianna Delliponti ($50), Gavyn Krupp ($25)
DAN’S DELI HALFWAY LEADER GIFT CERTIFICATE: Adrianna Delliponti
UPCOMING EVENTS –
Friday, April 25– Outlaw Racing Series Enduro, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage, Slingshots – 7 pm.
Saturday, April 26 – T.P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman, TRIVIA NIGHT – 6 pm
Saturday, May 3 – PWD LUBRICANTS NIGHT – T.P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman, Pro 4 Racing Series – 6:30 pm
Tuesday, May 20 – THUNDER ON THE HILL RACING SERIES – Levan Machine & Truck Equipment presents the Rich Mar Florist Kubota High Limit 410 Sprint Car Series – $20,000 to win 410 Sprints – 7:30 pm (Rain date 5/21)
