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JOEY VACCARO & ADAM KRATZER TAKE SPORTSMAN AND PRO 4 SERIES WINS
BECHTELSVILLE, PA. – Following a series of second place finishes and nights when it looked like he might have won, Eddie Strada of Lake Ariel, Pa. stormed to his first career T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modified win, in another thrilling night of racing Saturday night at Grandview Speedway.
Joey Vaccaro of Reading, Pa. was able to maintain the lead after a three lap side-by-side duel with Teague MIller of Barto, Pa., and late race pressure from Addison Meitzler of Kempton, Pa. to score his second win of the season in the 25-lap T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman thriller.
The Pro Four Racing Series Four Cylinder stock cars presented by Cutting Edge Property Services were on hand, and scoring the win was Adam Kratzer of New Tripoli, Pa.
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 30-lap T.P. Trailer Modified feature saw Chris Gambler of Trexlertown, Pa. take the early lead being pressured by Matt Yoder of Benton, Pa., while Bobby Gunther-Walsh of Allentown, Pa. and Ron Haring Jr. of Alburtis, Pa. locked into a battle for third position.
Yoder was able to take the lead exiting turn four on lap three with Gunther-Walsh advancing to second by lap five, leaving a great battle behind them between Gambler, Haring Jr, Craig Whitmoyer of Hamburg, Pa., Ryan Grim of Laurys Station, Pa., Bobby Trapper Sr. of Scranton, Pa., and a quickly advancing Eddie Strada, who was on the move from thirteenth starting position.
The only stoppage of the feature occurred on lap nine, when the point leader entering the evening, Jared Umbenhauer, was involved in a mishap on the back straightaway and rolled over, ending his evening early, and resetting the running order.
The restart saw Yoder pull out to a safe lead, with a great position swapping battle behind him between Gunther-Walsh, Haring Jr., Grim, and Strada, who reached fifth by lap nine, and third by lap thirteen.
Strada continued his march forward, locking into a three car battle with Grim and Haring Jr., and after taking second on lap fifteen, took off after leader Yoder, whom he caught by lap twenty.
Strada and Yoder entertained the crowd with a three lap side-by-side race for the lead, before Strada took the lead off of turn four to score lap twenty-three, leaving Yoder in a battle with Grim, Laubach, Haring Jr., and Duane Howard of Oley, Pa. was charging toward the front from his fifteenth starting spot.
In the closing laps the exciting action never stopped, with Yoder, Grim and Laubach battling, followed by another position swapping race between Howard, Jeff Strunk of Boyertown, Pa. and Logan Watt of Boyertown, Pa. who made a late race run, charging forward from his twenty-second starting position.
At the wave of the checkered flag, the long wait was over, and Eddie Strada raced home to his first career NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series T.P. Trailer Modified feature win at Grandview Speedway, followed by Ryan Grim, Yoder, Laubach, Logan Watt, Howard, Strunk, Louden Reimert of Oley, Pa. who charged forward from twentieth starting position, Haring Jr., and Mike Gular of Harleysville, Pa.
Qualifying heats for the 38 cars on hand were won by Bobby Trapper Sr., Matt Yoder, Jon Kellner of Lansdale, Pa. and Craig Whitmoyer of Hamburg, Pa. with Craig Von Dohren of Oley, Pa. and Logan Watt winning the consolations.
The 25-lap T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman feature got off to a wild start, with pole sitter John McGeoy of Seltzer, Pa. leading the field into turn three before encountering problems, sending everyone scattering and fifth starting Joey Vaccaro into the lead.
Two quick cautions early reset the field, with Vaccaro remaining the leader followed by Troy Conrad, Taylor Kramer of Coopersburg, Pa. Brayden Shelton of Hatfield, Pa., and an outside running Teague Miller of Barto, Pa.
Miller continued his march forward from his thirteenth starting spot by flying around the top groove of the speedway, reaching fifth by lap three, third on lap four, and second on lap five, soon to be followed by a quick moving Addison Meitzler of Kempton, Pa moving up from fourteenth starting position.
Also running the top lane and advancing were Parker Guldin of Temple, Pa. and point leader Colin Cox of Perkasie, Pa. who was advancing through the pack after starting in twenty-sixth spot.
By lap ten, Vaccaro was leading, with an unbelievable battle raging for positions behind him between Miller, Brad Brightbill of Sinking Spring, Pa., Meitzler, Guldin, and another quickly advancing driver Brett Gilmore, up from twentieth position.
Gilmore’s great night ended on lap thirteen when he got squeezed into the backstretch wall, and the restart found the action heat up again, with a super three car battle between Miller, Brightbill and Meitzler.
Positions up front changed quickly, and another great race began for the lead, with Vaccaro on the bottom, Teague Miller on the top, side-by-side for three laps with Meitzler right behind in a great crowd pleasing race for the lead, with the three drivers practically running under a blanket.
Miller actually was scored the leader for one lap, but Vaccaro never wavered, and held firm in the bottom, to eventually pull away by a couple of car lengths to remain in front, leaving Miller and Meitzler to battle, while another struggle ensued behind them between Brightbill, Gavyn Krupp who was on the move in the second half of the race from fifteenth starting spot, Guldin, Kenny Gilmore of Fleetwood, Pa. up from twenty-first, and Cox.
Meitzler took second spot on lap eighteen, and quickly reeled in Vaccaro, while Krupp went back to the top lane and began picking off spots once again, moving around Brightbill and then Miller to grab third on lap twenty-two.
The final laps were quite frantic and exciting astz Vaccaro and Meitzler were nose to tail on the bottom battling for the win, and Krupp was charging fast on the top and closing quickly with a possible chance at the win as well.
Krupp made a bid on Meitzler on the final lap, but was not able to advance, and Meitzler was not able to make a move on Vaccaro in the closing stages, setting up a close and wild finish.
At the checkered flag it was Vaccaro scoring his second win of the season and second career NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series victory, followed closely by Meitzler, Krupp, Miller, Cox who was the race’s Hard Charger from 26th to fifth, Brightbill, Guldin, Kenny Gilmore, Jesse Hirthler of Boyertown, Pa., and Mike Schneck Jr. of Lebanon, Pa. who advanced from 27th starting spot to tenth.
Qualifying heats for the 45 cars on hand were won by Parker Guldin, John McGeoy, Troy Conrad, Ebby Ridge of Upper Black Eddy, Pa. and Chase Gular of Pennsburg, Pa. with Kenny Gilmore and Dylan Swinehart of Fleetwood, Pa. winning the consolations.
The Pro 4 Racing Series 25-lap feature saw Adam Kratzer grab the lead on lap four, then hold off the challenges of Fred Krajcic of Mertztown, Pa. and Clay Wollyoung of Lenhartsville, Pa. to score the feature win, in a feature that at one point saw a three car battle for the lead.
At the finish it was Kratzer, Kelly Frantz of Breinigsville, Pa., Rick Jennings of Quakertown, Pa., Justin Dunn of Trenton, N.J., and Rob Weil of Collegeville, Pa. Heats were won by Chris Yob of Northampton, Pa. and Julian Storms of Bowmansville, Pa. for the 21 car field.
Grandview Speedway will be presenting another NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series program next week featuring the T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, the T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman, and the only visit of the season by the USAC East Coast Wingless Sprint Cars.
The show on Saturday, September 6 will be sponsored by Advance Auto Parts and will include qualifying events for all classes leading into a 30-lap T.P. Trailer Modified feature, a 25-lap feature for the T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman, and a 25-lap main event for the USAC East Coast Sprint cars.
Pit gates will open at 3:30 pm, with grandstand gates opening at 5 pm, warm-ups starting at 5:45 pm, and the first race of the evening getting the green flag at 7 pm.
Adult grandstand admission is $25, 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.
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): EDDIE STRADA, Ryan Grim, Matt Yoder, Rick Laubach, Logan Watt, Duane Howard, Jeff Strunk, Louden Reimert, Ron Haring Jr., Mike Gular, Jon Kellner, Craig Von Dohren, Craig Whitmoyer, Doug Manmiller, Alex Yankowski, Bobby Trapper Sr., Eric Kormann, Brian Hirthler, Bobby Gunther-Walsh, Cody Manmiller, Chris Esposito, Mike Laise, Bobby Trapper Jr., Eric Biehn, John Willman, Chris Gambler, Jared Umbenhauer, Ryan Watt, Tim Buckwalter
DID NOT QUALIFY: Ryan Graver, Kyle Smith, Kenny Bock, Glenn Owens, Clay Butler, Joe Funk, Darrin Schuler, Justin Grim, Ray Swinehart
T.P. TRAILERS WINNER’S BONUS ($300): Eddie Strada
VP RACING FUELS HARD CHARGER: Logan Watt +17
PENSKE RACING SHOCKS CERTIFICATES: Eddie Strada ($75), Ryan Grim ($50), Matt Yoder ($25)
DAN’S DELI HALFWAY LEADER GIFT CERTIFICATE: Matt Yoder
T.P. TRUCK EQUIPMENT NASCAR SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH (25 laps): JOEY VACCARO, Addison Meitzler, Gavyn Krupp, Teague Miller, Colin Cox, Brad Brightbill, Parker Guldin, Kenny Gilmore, Jesse Hirthler, Mike Schneck Jr., Jimmy Leiby, Lawson Szerencits, Decker Swinehart, Nathan Mohr, Dakota Kohler, Dylan Swinehart, Adrianna Delliponti, TJ Mayberry, Brayden Shelton, Taylor Kramer, Kaitlyn Bailey, Jason Graber, Brett Gilmore, Chase Gular, Troy Conrad, John McGeoy, Ebby Ridge, Kyle Hartzell, Brett Grim
DID NOT QUALIFY: Jesse Landis, Mark Mohr, Mike Loney, Zach Steffey, Stephen Smith III, Mark Behm, Colton Perry, Tom Miller Sr., Alex Bartorillo, Nate Horn, Shannon Slaughter, Steve Young, Brandon Banos, Brad Force, Dennis Graber, BJ Joly III
T.P. TRUCK EQUIPMENT WINNER’S BONUS ($200): Joey Vaccaro
GRANDVIEW $100 HARD CHARGER: Colin Cox +21
PENSKE RACING SHOCKS CERTIFICATES: Joey Vaccaro ($75), Addison Meitzler ($50), Gavyn Krupp ($25)
DAN’S DELI HALFWAY LEADER GIFT CERTIFICATE: Joey Vaccaro
DRIVEN RACE OIL/JOHN WILLMAN MOTORSPORTS OIL & FILTER KIT 7th PLACE: Parker Guldin
PRO 4 RACING SERIES CUTTING EDGE PROPERTY SERVICES FOUR CYLINDER FEATURE FINISH (25 laps): ADAM KRATZER, Kelly Frantz, Rick Jennings, Justin Dunn, Rob Weil, Fred Krajcic, Clay Wollyoung, Mark Stein Sr., Nathan Keim, Vince Wollyoung, Julian Storms, Matt Smith, Chase Hartline, Chris Yob, Chuck Fayash, Josh Bittner, Brian Moyer, Jared Pressley, DNS – Austin Weller, Russell Hilbert, Gary Grim
UPCOMING EVENTS –
Saturday, September 6 – ADVANCE AUTO PARTS NIGHT – T. P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman, USAC East Coast Sprints – 7 pm
Saturday, September 13 – CHAMPIONSHIP NIGHT – T.P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage – 7 pm
Friday, September 19 – 12th annual FREEDOM 38 SPORTSMAN CHAMPIONSHIP – T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman 38 laps, Modified Practice for Freedom 76 – 7:30 pm
Saturday, September 20 – 55th annual FREEDOM 76 MODIFIED CLASSIC – Modifieds 76 laps – 7 pm
Saturday, September 27 – Outlaw Racing Series Enduro, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage, Pro 4 Racing Series, Slingshots, Xcel 600 Modifieds, Halloween for the Kids – TBA (Freedom 76 Rain date)
