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MODIFIEDS RACING FOR $7500 TO WIN AND A REMARKABLE $1000 TO START THIS SATURDAY APRIL 4
BECHTELSVILLE, PA. – After kick-starting on track action this past Saturday with the traditional free-to-the-public open practice session, Grandview Speedway is set to officially open the 2026 racing season this Saturday night.
This Saturday, April 4 will see the track gates swing open for Big/Small Block Modified competitors to compete for top honors in the season opening VP Racing Fuels Bruce Rogers Memorial Money Maker, the ninth consecutive year the event is run in honor of long-time track owner and promoter Bruce Rogers. The feature race will be 50-laps, paying a cool $7500 to win as well as a remarkable $1000 to qualify and take the green flag in the main event. An added bonus for the winner will be a guaranteed starting spot in the September 19 Freedom 76!
The VP Racing Fuels Bruce Rogers Memorial Money Maker is run annually by the founding Rogers family, owners and operators of Grandview Speedway, to honor the late track owner and promoter who was alongside his father when the track was built, then along with his family ran the Speedway for over 50 years, taking it to national prominence before his death in 2017.
Sponsoring the Season Opener once again for 2026, VP Racing Fuels has produced championship winning products since 1975, powering more race winners than any brand worldwide. VP’s experts design more than 70 proprietary blends of race fuel for every application. They also formulate custom blends. VP is known as the World Leader in Race Fuel Technology. Their race fuels give you consistent quality you can count on, race after race.
In addition to offering a wide line of race-proven fuels, VP Fuels also has lubricants & engine oils, gear oils, coolants, additives, diesel care, small engine fuels and cleaners for your racecar, bike, or truck! VP Racing is involved in all types of motorsports all over the world with a growing roster of VP-fueled champions across the entire spectrum of motorsports.
VP Racing Fuels has a wide network of dealers, and all VP products are formulated, blended and packaged in America.
To find an authorized dealer or distribution center in your area, further information is available by calling 210-635-7744 or on their website at http://VPRacingFuels.com/ or tech@vpracingfuels.com.
The VP Racing Fuels Bruce Rogers Memorial will feature a special opening to the program as the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) unit from North Penn High School will be on hand for the opening ceremonies to present our Nation’s flags for the National Anthem.
The unit is under the direction of ROBERT P. STORM, SMSgt, AZANG, (Ret.) Aerospace Science Instructor at North Penn High School, they will be a great addition to the history and tradition of the Grandview Speedway 64th anniversary Season Opener!
Race time on Opening Night is 6 pm, with pit gates opening at 1 pm, grandstand gates opening at 4 pm, the drivers meeting is at 4 pm, followed by the draw for position, then warm-ups at 5 pm.
Grandstand admission for adults is $30, students ages 10-15 with ID are $20, while ages 9 and under are admitted free of charge. Pit admission is $40 with a license and $45 without a license.
Taking a look at Grandview Speedway history on Opening Day, there have been 40 different drivers that have reached victory lane in the previous 63 season opening events, including adding a new name to the list last season when Brian Hirthler scored the victory.
Topping the list with the most Opening Night wins is Duane Howard, who has recorded eight Opening Night feature wins. Howard won an incredible four in a row (2006-2009) and six out of seven openers between 2006 and 2012.
Craig Von Dohren is next on the list with seven victories in the season opener, with his wins spread out over a period of time. Von Dohren’s first win in the opener was in 1982, followed by wins in 1990, 1992, 1995, 1998, and 2016, with the most recent in 2022.
Jeff Strunk has six Opening Night wins, with the first coming in 1996. He dominated at the beginning of the new century when he won five out of six season openers, taking wins in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2005.
Drivers who have scored multiple wins in the opener include Fred Rahmer (1981 & 1984), Tom Mayberry (1980 & 1999), Davey Wenger (1987 & 1988), Meme DeSantis (2003 & 2013), and Stewart Friesen (2014 & 2018).
Drivers who have one Opening Night win include Lauden Potts, Dick Grimley, Red Coffin, Chris Skias, Bucky Williams, Charley Gilmore, Warren Mutter, Paul Fitzcharles, Ed Mumford, Dave Kelly, Mike Erb, Ronnie Peck, Mike Geiser, Francis Hardner, Pete Damiani, Russ Smith, Larry Solomon, Doug Hoffman, Dennis Thomas, Charlie Eckert, Rick Schaffer, Billy Schinkel, Kenny Brightbill, Paul Koch, Randy Bailey, John Willman, Kevin Hirthler, Matt Sheppard, Tim Buckwalter, Mike Gular, Mike Mahaney and Brian Hirthler.
In addition to the T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Modifieds, the T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Sportsman will also be a part of the Opening Night activities running a full program with qualifying and feature action.
Jared Umbenhauer won the first two openers for the class (2012, 2013), followed by Brett Kressley winning the next two openers in (2014, 2015). Craig Whitmoyer was a winner in 2016 before the Hirthler brothers took over the next four seasons, with Brian winning (2017, 2020) and Kevin (2018, 2019). For the 2021 season it was Kyle Lilick grabbing the opening victory, followed by Jordan Henn scoring a win in 2022, and the 2023 season saw Brian Hirthler scoring his third Opening Night win.
During the last two seasons, the Opening Night winners for the T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Sportsman saw Logan Watt in 2024 and Colin Cox in 2025 score the feature win on their way to the track championship in each of those seasons.
The Opening Night program will be sanctioned by NASCAR and will be the first point race of the new campaign for both the T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Modifieds and T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Sportsman divisions toward both the track and NASCAR Local Racing Series Powered by O’Reilly Auto Parts Championships.
For the Bruce Rogers Memorial event, all drivers are welcome to compete as in years past, and if any driver is not a track regular, the Speedway will cover the cost of the $25 temporary NASCAR driver license for this one night of competition.
There is no entry fee for this special event, however drivers are encouraged to pre-enter by calling or texting 484.256.4375, providing the driver’s name, contact information and phone number.
Drivers are also reminded to visit the speedway website at www.grandviewspeedway.com to print and fill out a W-9 form and bring it with them to the track on Opening Night. The W-9 form must be provided to the pit office to be eligible for drivers to draw for heat race starting spots and to receive any payoff.
Race teams are also asked to visit the track website under the rules forms tab, to print and fill out a driver information sheet for track announcer Jeff Ahlum, to help collect information a little quicker for the upcoming 2026 race season.
Information and car rules (including the right-side pan hard bar rules) are listed for the VP Racing Fuels Bruce Rogers Memorial Money Maker on the speedway website at www.grandviewspeedway.com under the Bruce Rogers Memorial tab.
Saturday, April 11 is set aside as a rain date if needed for the season opener, and once again as was the case the last several seasons, there will not be a fuel truck at the speedway on a weekly basis, so race teams need to plan accordingly.
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.
GRANDVIEW SPEEDWAY OPENING DAY FEATURE WINNERS
| 1963 – | Bobby Brack |
| 1964 – | Dick Grimley |
| 1965 – | Red Coffin |
| 1966 – | Chris Skias |
| 1967 – | Bucky Williams |
| 1968 – | Charley Gilmore |
| 1969 – | Warren Mutter |
| 1970 – | Paul Fitzcharles |
| 1971 – | Ed Mumford |
| 1972 – | Dave Kelly |
| 1973 – | Mike Erb |
| 1974 – | Ronnie Peck |
| 1975 – | Mike Geiser |
| 1976 – | Francis Hardner |
| 1977 – | Pete Damiani |
| 1978 – | Russ Smith |
| 1979 – | Larry Solomon |
| 1980 – | Tom Mayberry |
| 1981 – | Fred Rahmer |
| 1982 – | Craig Von Dohren |
| 1983 – | Doug Hoffman |
| 1984 – | Fred Rahmer |
| 1985 – | Dennis Thomas |
| 1986 – | Charlie Eckert |
| 1987 – | Davey Wenger |
| 1988 – | Davey Wenger |
| 1989 – | Rick Schaffer |
| 1990 – | Craig Von Dohren |
| 1991 – | Billy Schinkel |
| 1992 – | Craig Von Dohren |
| 1993 – | Kenny Brightbill |
| 1994 – | Paul Koch |
| 1995 – | Craig Von Dohren |
| 1996 – | Jeff Strunk |
| 1997 – | Randy Bailey |
| 1998 – | Craig Von Dohren |
| 1999 – | Tom Mayberry |
| 2000 – | Jeff Strunk |
| 2001 – | Jeff Strunk |
| 2002 – | Jeff Strunk |
| 2003 – | Meme DeSantis |
| 2004 – | Jeff Strunk |
| 2005 – | Jeff Strunk |
| 2006 – | Duane Howard |
| 2007 – | Duane Howard |
| 2008 – | Duane Howard |
| 2009 – | Duane Howard |
| 2010 – | John Willman |
| 2011 – | Duane Howard |
| 2012 – | Duane Howard |
| 2013 – | Meme DeSantis |
| 2014 – | Stewart Friesen |
| 2015 – | Duane Howard |
| 2016 – | Craig Von Dohren |
| 2017 – | Kevin Hirthler |
| 2018 – | Stewart Friesen |
| 2019 – | Matt Sheppard |
| 2020 – | Tim Buckwalter |
| 2021 – | Duane Howard |
| 2022 – | Craig Von Dohren |
| 2023 – | Mike Gular |
| 2024 – | Mike Mahaney |
| 2025 – | Brian Hirthler |
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Saturday, April 4 – 64th Anniversary Season Opener – 9thAnnual VP Racing Fuels BRUCE ROGERS MEMORIAL MONEY MAKER – Big Block/Small Block Modifieds 50-Laps, T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Sportsman – 6 pm
Saturday, April 11 – T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Modifieds, T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Sportsman – 6 pm (Bruce Rogers Memorial Rain date)
Friday, April 17 – Outlaw Racing Series Enduro & Vintage, Keystone Sport Compact Series, Xcel 600 Modifieds – 7 pm.
Saturday, April 18 – T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Modifieds, T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Sportsman – 6 pm
Saturday, April 25 – T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Modifieds, T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Sportsman, TRIVIA NIGHT – 6 pm
