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GAGE PHILLIPS & SVEN OLSON TAKE VINTAGE WINS IN COMPETITIVE NIGHT OF RACING ACTION
BECHTELSVILLE, PA. – Following a season filled with misfortune, heartaches and some bad racing luck, along with a lot of hard work, two drivers were able to break the ice and score their first win of the season in another night of entertaining racing action on Saturday night at Grandview Speedway.
Tim Buckwalter of Douglassville, Pa. was able to win out on a back and forth lead swapping duel with Matt Yoder of Benton, Pa., taking the lead with just six laps remaining, to pick up his first win of the season in the 30-lap T.P. Trailer Modified feature event, and in the process score his fourth career Grandview Speedway win.
Following right behind the Buckwalter success, Parker Guldin of Temple, Pa. was able to fight off some mid-race pressure from race runner-up Jesse Landis of Gilbertsville, Pa. to end his season of tough luck and pick up the win in the 25-lap T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman feature race, which was also his first of the year, fourth career Grandview win, and first trip to victory lane since April of 2022.
The Outlaw Racing Series Vintage cars were on hand for a 15-lap main event which saw Gage Phillips score the Modified division win while Sven Olson picked up the Sportsman class victory.
The winners both 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 T.P. Trailer Modified feature saw Matt Yoder jump out to the early lead, with Ryan Beltz of Barto, Pa., Mike Laise of Pottstown, Pa., Eric Kormann of Carneys Point, N.J., John Willman of Birdsboro, Pa., and a quick moving Buckwalter all battling for the next several spots.
While this action was happening up front, Brian Hirthler of Green Lane, Pa., Ryan Watt of Boyertown, Pa., Louden Reimert and Duane Howard both of Oley, Pa., Eddie Strada of Lake Ariel, Pa., and Jared Umbenhauer of Richland , Pa., were all dicing for spots in the top ten in fierce competition lap after lap.
By lap eleven Kormann and Buckwalter engaged in a battle for second that lasted several laps, with Buckwalter securing second on lap twelve, and took off after leader Yoder, leaving Beltz, Laise, Hirthler, Reimert and Strunk in a great battle for the remaining top five positions.
By the half-way mark Yoder was leading, but his lead advantage was disappearing as Buckwalter was quickly closing the gap, with Kormann, Betz and Laise holding down the top five positions.
The only caution of the feature occurred on lap 17, when several cars got together triggering a chain reaction mishap, leaving Laise, Craig Von Dohren of Oley, Pa. and Ron Haring Jr. of Albutis sitting in turn one.
The restart proved to be a pivotal part of the feature, as Yoder remained in the top spot, but Buckwalter began applying some serious pressure to the leader, with the two really getting serious by lap twenty, and began pulling slide jobs on each other, exchanging the lead several times in a real entertaining race for the win.
Yoder would run up in the high groove, while Buckwalter would remain on the bottom lap after lap, until lap 23 entering turn three, when Buckwalter made another attempt at the lead with a wicked slider in which he didn’t totally clear leader Yoder, with the two making contact sending Yoder up the track for a moment, and Buckwalter into the lead.
It would take Yoder a lap or so to regain his momentum, which allowed Buckwalter to take command, along with Louden Reimert and Jeff Strunk to move into second and third as they were still advancing positions as they battled hard to work their way forward.
In the final stages Buckwalter would pull out to a small but safe lead, while Ryan and Logan Watt of Boyertown, Pa. were starting to move into the picture while battling with Kormann for top ten positions.
At the checkered it was Buckwalter scoring the win to become the year’s 11th different winner in the TP. Trailer Modified division, followed by Reimert, Strunk, Umbenhauer, Yoder for a career best finish, Logan Watt, Kormann, Ryan Watt, Howard, and Doug Manmiller of Shoemakersville.
Qualifying heats for the 38 cars on hand were won by Matt Yoder, Mike Gular of Harleysville, Pa., Eric Kormann, and Eddie Strada while Eric Biehn and Rick Laubach of Quakertown, Pa. won the consolations.
Parker Guldin has also had a tough year, having not scored a top five finish since the end of May, but Saturday night put all the correct pieces together to score the 25-lap T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman win, becoming the year’s tenth different driver to score a win in the division.
The T. P. Truck Equipment Sportsman feature got off to a slow start, with five caution flags in the first eight laps, before the drivers settled down to some serious racing action.
Guldin would take the lead from the drop of the green, and after the series of early race yellows, opened up a small but safe advantage leaving Alex Bartorillo of Limerick, Pa., Mark Mohr of Gilbertsville, Pa., Brett Grim of Coplay, Pa. and TJ Mayberry of Sellersville, Pa. to fight for the next several positions.
By lap eleven Guldin was committed to running the bottom groove, while Landis was sweeping the outside groove and moving forward from his 13th starting position, with the two engaging in a real fan pleasing battle for the lead for several laps.
At the half-way mark, Guldin slowly began to pull away from Landis, leaving a great battle for fifth spot between Mayberry, Grim and a hard charging Mike Scheck Jr. who was moving up from his 23rd place starting position.
By lap eighteen, Guldin pulled out to a small but safe lead, leaving Landis, Bartorillo, Mark Mohr, TJ Mayberry and Schneck Jr. to fight it out for the rest of the top five positions.
With five laps to go Guldin encountered lapped traffic, which saw him weave his way through very quickly and safely while Mohr, Mayberry, Grim, Meitzler and Schneck Jr. would provide the action in the closing laps for the top finishing positions.
At the finish it was Guldin in for the win, becoming the year’s tenth different T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman driver to win, followed by Landis, Bartorillo, Mark Mohr, Mayberry, Schneck Jr., Grim, Addison Meitzler, Brett Gilmore and Colin Cox of Perkasie, Pa.
Qualifying heats for the 41 cars on hand were won by Jason Graber of Bechtelsville, Pa., Alex Bartorillo, Parker Guldin, and Nate Horn of Slatedale, Pa. while Addison Meitzler of Kempton, Pa. and Brett Gilmore of Kutztown, Pa. won the consolations.
The Outlaw Racing Series Vintage main event saw Gage Phillips start from position five, track down leader Junior Miksoz, then making the winning pass for the lead with five laps to go to score the win. Mikosz would get second, Sven Olson started last and pulled off the Sportsman class win with a third place run followed by Rich Baker and Dave Dissinger.
Grandview Speedway will be presenting another NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series program next week featuring the T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds and the T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman.
The show on Saturday, August 23 will be presented by PWD Lubricants of Warminster, Pa. and 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 6:15 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.
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): TIM BUCKWALTER, Louden Reimert, Jeff Strunk, Jared Umbenhauer, Matt Yoder, Logan Watt, Eric Kormann, Ryan Watt, Duane Howard, Doug Manmiller, Ryan Beltz, Brian Hirthler, Mike Gular, Rick Laubach, Cody Manmiller, Craig Whitmoyer, Kyle Smith, Chris Esposito, Carroll Hine III, John Willman, Mike Laise, Eddie Strada, Craig Von Dohren, Ron Haring Jr., Eric Biehn, Justin Grim, Ray Swinehart, Bobby Trapper Jr.
DID NOT QUALIFY: Ryan Graver, Ryan Grim, Bobby Trapper Sr., Clay Butler, Chris Gambler, Kenny Bock, Darrin Schuler, Joe Funk, Bobby Gunther-Walsh, Glenn Owens
T.P. TRAILERS WINNER’S BONUS ($300): Tim Buckwalter
VP RACING FUELS HARD CHARGER: Louden Reimert +10
PENSKE RACING SHOCKS CERTIFICATES: Tim Buckwalter ($75), Louden Reimert ($50), Jeff Strunk ($25)
DAN’S DELI HALFWAY LEADER GIFT CERTIFICATE: Matt Yoder
T.P. TRUCK EQUIPMENT NASCAR SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH (25 laps): PARKER GULDIN, Jesse Landis, Alex Bartorillo, Mark Mohr, TJ Mayberry, Mike Schneck Jr., Brett Grim, Addison Meitzler, Brett Gilmore, Colin Cox, Kenny Gilmore, Decker Swinehart, Joey Vaccaro, Mike Stofflet, Brayden Shelton, BJ Jolly III, Kaitlyn Bailey, Nathan Mohr, Shannon Slaughter, Gavyn Krupp, Dylan Swinehart, Taylor Kramer, Jason Graber, Nate Horn, Zach Steffey, Teague MIller
DID NOT QUALIFY: Lawson Szerencits, Mark Gaugler, John McGeoy, Steve Young, Mark Behm, Tom Miller Sr., Kyle Hartzell, Ebby Ridge, Brad Brightbill, Xavier Sprague, Troy Conrad, Chase Gular, Colton Perry, Dylan Cappel, Stephen Laubach
T.P. TRUCK EQUIPMENT WINNER’S BONUS ($200): Parker Guldin
GRANDVIEW $100 HARD CHARGER: Mike Schneck Jr. +17
PENSKE RACING SHOCKS CERTIFICATES: Parker Guldin ($75), Jesse Landis ($50), Alex Bartorillo ($25)
DAN’S DELI HALFWAY LEADER GIFT CERTIFICATE: Parker Guldin
DRIVEN RACE OIL/JOHN WILLMAN MOTORSPORTS OIL & FILTER KIT 7th PLACE: Brett Grim
OUTLAW RACING SERIES VINTAGE FEATURE FINISH (15 laps): GAGE PHILLIPS, Junior Mikosz, SVEN OLSON, Rich Baker, Dave Dissinger, Myron Haydt, Matt Smith, Curt Neiman, Lucas Mutter, Kevin Kuser, Ron Myers
UPCOMING EVENTS –
Saturday, August 23 – PWD LUBRICANTS NIGHT – T. P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman – 7:30 pm
Friday, August 29 – Outlaw Racing Series Enduro, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage, Slingshots – 7 pm
Saturday, August 30 – T.P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman, Pro 4 Racing Series – 7:30 pm
Saturday, September 6 – ADVANCE AUTO PARTS NIGHT – T. P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman, USAC East Coast Sprints – 7:30 pm
