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BRETT KRESSLEY SPECTACULAR IN RUN FROM 16th TO VICTORY OVER EDDIE STRADA
CHRIS ESPOSITO OUTDUELS TIM BUCKWALTER TO SCORE FIRST MODIFIED WIN SINCE 2008
LAWSON SZERENCITS IS YET ANOTHER FIRST TIME CAREER SPORTSMAN WINNER
BECHTELSVILLE, PA. – On a race night that finally had nice weather, it was double the racing, double the action, and double the excitement from start to finish with Twin 25-lap T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modified features Saturday night at Grandview Speedway.
When all the wild and exciting race competition was complete, Brett Kressley of Orefield, Pa. and Chris Esposito of Telford, Pa. emerged as the winners of the twin T.P. Trailer Modified headline main events, while Lawson Szerencits of Catasauqua, Pa. scored his first ever 25-lap T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman feature event victory.
For Kressley it was a thrilling drive to the win, as he charged forward from his 16th starting position, rim-riding the outside lane of the speedway passing cars steadily until reaching second spot. He then tracked down leader Eddie Strada of Lake Ariel, Pa. in lapped traffic, making an outside groove pass off of turn two on lap 22 to grab the lead, and race home to the exciting win.
In feature number two, Chris Esposito emerged from an early spectacular six-car battle for the lead, moving around the outside of Carroll Hine III of Reading, Pa. on lap eight to secure the top spot. Esposito then survived two restarts and several challenges from Tim Buckwalter of Douglasville, Pa. to score his first T.P. Trailer Modified win since September 20, 2008, ending a long victory drought and scoring a hard earned win.
The T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman feature saw Lawson Szerencits part of an early battle for the lead with Brad Brightbill of Sinking Spring, Pa. and eventually Brett Gilmore of Kutztown, Pa., leaving Szerencits in third spot. Following a brief tangle between the top two, which sent them both to the pits, Szerencits took over the lead, holding off all challenges in the closing laps to score his first career Grandview Speedway win.
The winners received bonus money (both Modified features $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 first 25-lap T.P. Trailer Modified feature took the green, and saw Eddie Strada grab the lead and maintain the top spot through two early race cautions, both on lap five, which would be the only ones of the race.
With Strada leading, Kevin Graver Jr. of Lehighton, Pa., Duane Howard of Oley, Pa., and Eric Biehn of Barto were all battling for position right behind the leader, soon to be joined by the high side flying Kressley, who would arrive in fifth spot from 16th starting position by the completion of lap eight.
Kressley would work past the others and into second by lap 15, finding himself a quarter straightaway behind leader Strada, who would encounter lapped traffic at the same time Kressley moved into second spot.
Graver Jr. and Howard would continue to battle each other, and would be joined by Logan Watt of Boyertown, Pa. in the battle for third position, while Kressley was trying to track down leader Strada.
Strada and Kressley would weave in and out of the lapped traffic, with Kressley catching Strada on lap 21, making his move passing Strada on the outside lane exiting turn two on lap 22 to grab the lead and race home to the thrilling and hard earned win.
For Kressley, it was his 30th career Saturday night NASCAR Advance Auto Part Weekly Series win at Grandview Speedway, and he was followed to the finish by Strada, Graver Jr., Logan Watt, Howard, Ryan Watt of Boyertown, Pa., Biehn, Mike Gular of Boyertown, Pa., Justin Grim of Orefield, Pa., and Craig Von Dohren of Oley, Pa.
The second Twin 25-lap T.P. Trailer Modified feature saw Carrol Hine III take the early lead, but was pressured by Chris Esposito, Justin Grim, Tim Buckwalter, Duane Howard and Eddie Strada, making for a super six-car battle under a blanket for the lead.
Esposito would make his move around Hine III and take the lead with an outside lane pass off turn two on lap eight to become the new leader before a caution reset the field on lap ten.
Following the restart, Esposito would engage in a battle for the lead with Buckalter, with Howard not far behind, while Louden Reimert of Oley, Pa., Strada, Gular, and Kressley were all fighting hard for positions behind them.
Another caution on lap 17 reset the field and put everyone right behind Esposito again, but this time Esposito would slowly pull away from all challenges and ran a final eight flawless laps to the popular win, and put an end to his personal victory drought, scoring his second career NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Grandview Speedway win.
In the closing stages of the feature, Gular, Strada, Kressley and Von Dohren put on an entertaining race for the fifth spot down to the finish.
Following Esposito at the wave of the checkered flag were Buckwalter, Reimert, Howard, Gular, Kressley, Von Dohren, Strada, Jared Umbenhauer of Richland, Pa., and Matt Stangle of Neshanic Station, N.J.
Qualifying heats for the 43 cars on hand were won by Eddie Strada, Justin Grim, Duane Howard and Ron Haring Jr. of Alburtis, Pa. with Doug Manmiller of Shoemakersville, Pa. and Logan Bauman of Bechtelsville, Pa. winning the twin consolations.
The Twin 25-lap feature program was put together by track management in an effort to give the drivers and fans an extra feature after several weeks of rain postponements.
The second race program of the season saw yet another first time career feature winner in the T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman division, when Lawson Szerencits scored the 25-lap feature win, following a Colin Cox of Perkasie, Pa. win on Opening Night.
Szerencits was part of the action for the top spot during most of the feature, battling with Brad Brightbill early, and leading two laps, before Brightbill took command.
Brett Gilmore moved into second on lap five, dropping Szerencits to third, with Brightbill leading.
While this action was going on up front, some great action was raging behind them as Dylan Swinehart of Fleetwood, Pa. who started 21st, Jesse Hirthler of Boyertown, Pa. who started 24th and Colin Cox who started 27th were moving to the front very quickly, using the top lane of the speedway to motor through the field in exciting fashion.
A long stretch of green flag racing allowed the lead drivers to reach lapped traffic by lap 17, allowing Gilmore catch leader Brightbill, and the battle was on for the lead.
Brightbill went to make a move around a slower car on lap 19, leaving the bottom groove open for Gilmore to make a challenge. Slight contact was made between the two, allowing Szerencits to catch them, and they raced three wide out of turn four for the lead.
Gilmore took the lead, Brightbill broke and tried to reach the infield, but his car lost power and could not reach the infield, bringing out a caution.
Under the caution officials noted Gilmore with a flat left front tire, sending him to the pits for a tire change, giving the lead to Szerencits, with Matt Martino of Glen Gardner, N.J. who was racing in the top five virtually the entire event, in position two.
Szerencits ran the final five laps as smooth as possible to score his first ever win in just his second season of racing, while Swinehart put pressure on Martino for second spot down to the finish.
Cox also never stopped passing cars and ended his race with a strong top five finish, after starting way back in the 27th starting position.
At the finish, it was Szerencits in for the win followed by Martino, Swinehart, Cox, Dakota Kohler of Kutztown, Pa. with a solid night and late charge for a top five, Jesse Hirthler, Nate Horn of Slatedale, Pa., Mike Schneck Jr. of Lebanon, Pa., Nathan Mohr of Reading, Pa., and Bryce Bashore of Bethel, Pa. who completed his run in the top ten after starting in 23rd position.
Qualifying heats for the massive field of 46 cars on hand were won by Stephen Laubach pf Bangor, Pa., Ryan Graver of Lehighton, Pa., Brett Gilmore, Addison Meitzler of Kempton, Pa., and Brayden Shelton of Hatfield, Pa. while Dylan Swinehart, Troy Bollinger of Palmerton, Pa., and Bryce Bashore won the trio of 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, May 17 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.
Pit gates will open at 4 pm, with grandstand gates opening at 5:30 pm, warm-ups starting at 6:30 pm, and the first race of the evening getting the green flag 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 for NASCAR members and $45 for non-members
The first Thunder on the Hill race program is the following week on Tuesday, May 20, as Levan Machine & Truck Equipment presents the Rich Mar Florist Kubota High Limit 410 Sprints.
This special mid-week event will see the Rich Mar Florist Kubota High Limit 410 Sprints in the Roto-Rooter Mid-Week Series. The program includes Time Trials, and qualifying events leading up to the 35-lap feature event that pays $20,000 to win and $1500 to start the main event. The program also includes the Alpine Building Supply Vintage Cars in action with two 12-lap feature events.
General admission tickets on race night are $40 for adults, children 6-11 are $20, children 5 and under will be admitted for free. The Pit Fee is $45 and a license is not required. (Pit tickets are not available at Ticket Hoss).
Advance tickets for the May 20 event are available at TicketHoss.com. Advance ticket holders get to enter the grandstand at 4:30 pm, followed by general admission tickets going on sale and main gates opening at 5 pm. Time trials start at 7 pm, with the show set to start at 7:30 pm. A rain date of Wednesday, May 21 is in place if needed.
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.
FIRST T.P. TRAILER NASCAR MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH (25 laps): BRETT KRESSLEY, Eddie Strada, Kevin Graver Jr., Logan Watt, Duane Howard, Ryan Watt, Eric Biehn, Mike Gular, Justin Grim, Craig Von Dohren, Chris Esposito, Matt Stangle, Louden Reimert, Carroll Hine III, Jared Umbenhauer, Tim Buckwalter, WB James, Mike Laise, Doug Manmiller, Jon Kellner, Ray Swinehart, Kyle Smith, Ryan Grim, Logan Bauman, Craig Whitmoyer, Cody Manmiller, Ron Haring Jr., Jeff Strunk
DID NOT QUALIFY: Bobby Trapper Jr., Nick DeSantis, Eric Kormann, Darrin Schuler, Bobby Gunther-Walsh, Matt Yoder, Brad Force, Glenn Owens, Clay Butler, Ryan Beltz, Brian Hirthler, John Willman, Hunter Metzger, Chris Gambler, Bobby Trapper Sr.
T.P. TRAILERS WINNER’S BONUS ($300): Brett Kressley
VP RACING FUELS HARD CHARGER: Brett Kressley +15
PENSKE RACING SHOCKS CERTIFICATES: Brett Kressley ($75), Eddie Strada ($50), Kevin Graver Jr. ($25)
DAN’S DELI HALFWAY LEADER GIFT CERTIFICATE: Eddie Strada
SECOND T.P. TRAILER NASCAR MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH (25 laps): CHRIS ESPOSITO, Tim Buckwalter, Louden Reimert, Duane Howard, Mike Gular, Brett Kressley, Craig Von Dohren, Eddie Strada, Jared Umbenhauer, Matt Stangle, Doug Manmiller, Kevin Graver Jr., Kyle Smith, Craig Whitmoyer, Carroll Hine III, Logan Bauman, Eric Biehn, WB James, Jon Kellner, Ray Swinehart, Justin Grim, Mike Laise, Bobby Trapper Jr., Ryan Grim, Logan Watt, Ryan Watt, Cody Manmiller, Ron Haring Jr. DNS – Jeff Strunk
T.P. TRAILERS WINNER’S BONUS ($300): Chris Esposito
VP RACING FUELS HARD CHARGER: Craig Whitmoyer +11
PENSKE RACING SHOCKS CERTIFICATES: Chris Esposito ($75), Tim Buckwalter ($50), Louden Reimert ($25)
DAN’S DELI HALFWAY LEADER GIFT CERTIFICATE: Chris Esposito
T.P. TRUCK EQUIPMENT NASCAR SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH (25 laps): LAWSON SZERENCITS, Matt Martino, Dylan Swinehart, Colin Cox, Dakota Kohler, Jesse Hirthler, Nate Horn, Mike Schneck Jr., Nathan Mohr, Bryce Bashore, Troy Bollinger, Kyle Hartzell, Kenny Gilmore, Adrianna Delliponti, Mike Stofflet, Teague Miller, Stephen Laubach, Mark Mohr, Kenny Bock, Brayden Shelton, Brett Gilmore, Brad Brightbill, TJ Mayberry, Ryan Graver, Brett Grim, Chase Gular, Jimmy Leiby, Addison Meitzler
DID NOT QUALIFY: Joey Vaccaro, Dennis Graber, Taylor Kramer, Jesse Landis, Tom Miller Sr., Kaitlyn Bailey, Tom Miller Jr., Mark Behm, Aaron Weaver, Decker Swinehart, Zach Steffey, Colton Perry, Mark Gaugler, Gavyn Krupp, Ebby Ridge, Jason Graber, Dylan Cappel, Tyler Vidal
T.P. TRUCK EQUIPMENT WINNER’S BONUS ($200): Lawson Szerencits
GRANDVIEW $100 HARD CHARGER: Colin Cox +23
PENSKE RACING SHOCKS CERTIFICATES: Lawson Szerencits ($75), Matt Martino ($50), Dylan Swinehart ($25)
DAN’S DELI HALFWAY LEADER GIFT CERTIFICATE: Brad Brightbill
UPCOMING EVENTS –
Saturday, May 17 – T.P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman – 7:30 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 Wednesday – 5/21)
Saturday, May 24 – T.P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage – 7:30 pm
Saturday, May 31 – T.P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman, Pro 4 Racing Series, TRIVIA NIGHT – 7:30 pm
