0
0
BRAD BRIGHTBILL WINS TEN LAP SIDE-BY-SIDE BATTLE WITH TEAGUE MILLER TO SCORE HARD FOUGHT NASCAR SPORTSMAN VICTORY SATURDAY NIGHT
Photo: Snyder Web Design and Photography
BECHTELSVILLE, PA. – It was a down to the finish thriller in the 30-lap T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment NASCAR Modified feature Saturday night at Grandview Speedway, that was not decided till the finish line!
When all the exciting action was over, Jeff Strunk of Bechtelsville, Pa. fought through some serious lapped traffic and a final lap challenge from Logan Watt of Boyertown, Pa. to score a one car length feature win, his first of the season, and as a result it was the third time in five weeks of racing that the T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Modified feature was decided on the final lap, final turn, at the finish line!
With the win Strunk also became the fifth different winner in as many weeks of competition to start the 2026 racing season at Grandview Speedway, while also scoring his 81st career Saturday night NASCAR Local Racing Series Powered by O’Reilly Auto Parts feature victory, and overall his 92nd Grandview Speedway 358 Modified win (Saturday night plus Thunder on the Hill Series wins).
The T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman 25-lap feature was also a highly competitive affair, with Brad Brightbill winning out on a ten lap side-by-side battle for the lead with Teague Miller of Barto, Pa. to score his second win of the new season, becoming the first driver in the division to score a repeat feature win.
For Brightbill it was his thirteenth career Saturday night NASCAR Local Racing Series Powered by O’Reilly Auto Parts feature victory, and overall, his fifteenth Grandview win (counting Thunder on the Hill Series wins).
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 Local Racing Series Powered by O’Reilly Auto Parts banner.
Bobby Trapper Sr. of Scranton, Pa. took the lead at the start of the 30-lap T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Modified feature, with Darrin Schuler of Stroudsburg, Pa., Eric Biehn of Barto, Pa. and Cody Manmiller of Philadelphia, Pa. having a battle for position right behind the leader, with Jax Yohn of Boyertown, Pa. and Kyle Smith of Fleetwood, Pa. joining them for a tremendous struggle for the top five spots by lap nine.
Right behind that action for top five spots was another great battle for position, as thirteenth starting Logan Watt and fourteenth starting Jeff Strunk were moving forward, and challenging Chris Esposito of Telford, Pa., Eric Kormann of Carneys Point, N.J. and Tim Buckwalter of Douglassville, Pa. for the top ten positions.
Lap eleven would see the only two cautions of the entire feature reset the field, allowing Manmiller to grab the lead following the restart after a one lap side-by-side battle with Trapper Sr.
By the halfway mark the action was again fast and furious, with Manmiller leading Trapper Sr. and Smith, with Strunk and Watt already into the top five.
Strunk would grab second on lap eighteen, leaving Trapper Sr., Watt, Smith, and Buckwalter to battle for position, and they would soon be joined by fifteenth starting Eddie Strada of Lake Ariel, Pa. and nineteenth starting Jared Umbenhauer of Richland, Pa. in a tremendous show of action for the fans.
Following a three lap challenge, Watt secured third on lap twenty, leaving Trapper Sr., Buckwalter, Smith, Strada, and Umbenhauer to fight it out for the top five spots, while Strunk was tracking down leader Manmiller.
Just past lap twenty Manmiller hit lapped traffic and began switching lanes to work through the lapped cars, with Strunk quickly moving in for the challenge by lap twenty-four.
Watt would quickly catch the top two producing a three car race for the lead, with Strunk powering around the outside of Manmiler to grab the lead exiting turn four to score lap twenty-five.
Strunk would now have to cut a path through the lapped cars in the closing laps with Watt moving into second on lap twenty-six, and soon closed the gap on the leader to set up the final frantic laps of the feature event.
With two laps to go Watt was right on Strunk’s back bumper looking for a way by, with Strunk trying to work past the lapped cars and hold Watt off at the same time.
The final lap down the back stretch would see Watt throw everything he had at Strunk, sweeping to the top and pulling up alongside Strunk entering turn three, but Strunk used the lapped cars as a block and raced off turn four with Watt tight on his bumper to the finish line to score a one car length, dramatic, photo finish feature win.
Following Strunk and Watt to the finish were Manmiller and Buckwalter for their best outings of the season, Umbenhauer and Strada who both charged forward from deep in the pack again, Anthony Perrego of Montgomery, N.Y. who was the race’s Hard Charger advancing from twenty-third starting spot, Trapper Sr. and Kyle Smith who also had their best finish of the season, and last week’s winner Ryan Watt of Boyertown, Pa.
Qualifying heats for the 46 cars on hand were won by Bobby Trapper Sr., Jax Yohn, Logan Watt and Chris Esposito while Brett Kressley of Orefield, Pa. and Rick Laubach of Quakertown, Pa. won the consolations.
Stephen Laubach of Bangor, Pa. was the early leader in the 25-lap T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Sportsman feature, which saw three early caution periods before the drivers settled into some serious racing following a lap seven yellow flag.
Sixth starting Brightbill would make a great move following a lap two restart, power sliding past both leader Laubach and Tyler James of Birdsboro, Pa. in one big move entering turn one to become the new leader, while eighth starting Teague Miller would quickly move into second by lap seven.
Following the lap seven restart, the race for the lead was on with Miller grabbing the lead off turn four to score lap eight using the low groove, but Brightbill never gave up the chase and continued to run the top groove trying to regain the top spot.
While the top two put on and entertaining race for the lead, there was more action behind them for position between Stephen Laubach, tenth starting Mike Toth, Chase Gular of Pennsburg, Pa., James, Lawson Szerencits of Catasauqua, Pa., and a quickly advancing Addison Meitzler of Kempton, Pa. and Joe Toth of Upper Makefield, Pa. who were moving forward from seventeenth and eighteenth starting spots.
Miller and Brightbill, who had been running pretty much side-by-side since the lap seven restart for the lead, would see Brightbill finally inch ahead of Miller to take back the lead to score lap fourteen, and then run two more laps together before Brightbill was able to put some distance on Miller.
Just when it looked as if Brightbill would be home free, a final caution would wave with two laps to go, setting up a final restart.
Brightbill would pull out to a small but safe advantage in the final two laps over Miller, leaving Mike Toth, Stephen Laubach and Meitzler to fight it out for the top five spots, while Matthew Laubach of Quakertown, Pa. who was involved in a lap seven caution was working his way through the field in the closing stages of the race.
At the wave of Starter Ray Kemp’s checkered flag, it was Brightbill scoring the win, followed by Teague Miller, Addison Meitzler who was still gaining spots till the final lap, Mike Toth, Stephen Laubach, Joe Toth, Chase Gular, Matthew Laubach, Tyler James, and Colin Cox of Perkasie, Pa. who advanced from twenty-second starting spot for a top ten finish.
Qualifying heats for the 34 cars on hand were won by Brad Brightbill, Tyler James and Shannon Slaughter of Lititz, Pa. with Brayden Shelton of Hatfield, Pa. scoring the win in the consolation.
The first Thunder on the Hill Racing Series event is set to take place this Tuesday, May 19 (rain date May 20) at Grandview Speedway featuring the Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing Roto-Rooter Midweek 410 Sprint Car Series presented by Levan Machine & Truck Equipment and RICH MAR Florist.
Advanced tickets for the Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing Roto-Rooter Midweek 410 Sprint Car Series race event on May 19 can be ordered now at HIGHLIMITRACING.COM.
On Tuesday, May 19, advance ticket holders will enter the grandstand area in turn one at 4:30 pm, with general admission tickets going on sale at 5 pm at the main entrance. Following opening ceremonies, heat race qualifying will take the green flag at 7:35 pm.
Grandview Speedway will be presenting another NASCAR Local Racing Series Powered by O’Reilly Auto Parts program next weekend featuring the T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment NASCAR Modifieds, the T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman, and a visit by the Outlaw Racing Series Vintage cars.
The show on Saturday, May 23 will include qualifying events leading into a 30-lap T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Modified feature, a 25-lap feature for the T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Sportsman, while the Outlaw Series Vintage cars will run a 15-lap main event.
The starting time will move to 7:30 pm for the summer season, with pit gates opening at 4 pm, grandstand gates opening at 5:30 pm, and warm-ups starting at 6:30 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.
Saturday’s program will also feature the first Trivia night for the season, where fans can win prizes after correctly answering questions about Grandview Speedway racing. This has become a fun and very popular extra on the race programs when Trivia nights are held!
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. TRAILERS & TRUCK EQUIPMENT NASCAR MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH (30 laps): JEFF STRUNK, Logan Watt, Cody Manmiller, Tim Buckwalter, Jared Umbenhauer, Eddie Strada, Anthony Perrego, Bobby Trapper Sr., Kyle Smith, Ryan Watt, Rick Laubach, Craig Von Dohren, Jax Yohn, Brett Kressley, Mike Gular, Eric Kormann, Chris Esposito, Craig Whitmoyer, Jon Kellner, Ryan Grim, Duane Howard, Bobby Butler, Eric Biehn, Darrin Schuler, Louden Reimert, Carroll Hine III, Matt Yoder, Glenn Owens, DNS: Billy Pauch Jr.
DID NOT QUALIFY: Dylan Swinehart, Ryan Graver, Bobby Gunther Walsh, Mike Laise, Kenny Bock, Nathan Mohr, John Willman, Jim Housworth, Mike Lisowski, Ryan Beltz, Jack Butler, Bobby Trapper Jr., Ron Haring Jr., Justin Grim, Brian Hirthler, Mark Gaugler, Chris Gambler
T.P. TRAILERS & TRUCK EQUIPMENT WINNER’S BONUS ($300): Jeff Strunk
VP RACING FUELS HARD CHARGER: Anthony Perrego +16
PENSKE RACING SHOCKS CERTIFICATES: Jeff Strunk ($75), Logan Watt ($50), Cody Manmiller ($25)
DAN’S DELI HALFWAY LEADER GIFT CERTIFICATE: Cody Manmiller
T.P. TRAILERS & TRUCK EQUIPMENT NASCAR SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH (25 laps): BRAD BRIGHTBILL, Teague Miller, Addison Meitzler, Mike Toth, Stephen Laubach, Joe Toth, Chase Gular, Matthew Laubach, Tyler James, Colin Cox, Jesse Landis, Jimmy Leiby, Joey Vaccaro, Lawson Szerencits, Mike Butler, Brett Gilmore, Steve Hughes, Dakota Kohler, Stephen Smith III, TJ Mayberry, Shannon Slaughter, Brad Force, Johnny Fugelo, Brayden Shelton, Brett Grim, Nick Van Wickle
DID NOT QUALIFY: Kaitlyn Bailey, Steve Young, Adrianna Delliponti, Gavyn Krupp, Mark Mohr, Josh Mittman, Decker Swinehart, Colton Perry
T.P. TRAILERS & TRUCK EQUIPMENT WINNER’S BONUS ($200): Brad Brightbill
GRANDVIEW $100 HARD CHARGER: Matthew Laubach +15
PENSKE RACING SHOCKS CERTIFICATES: Brad Brightbill ($75), Teague Miller ($50), Addison Meitzler ($25)
DAN’S DELI HALFWAY LEADER GIFT CERTIFICATE: Brad Brightbill
DRIVEN RACE OIL/JOHN WILLMAN MOTORSPORTS OIL & FILTER KIT 7th PLACE: Chase Gular
UPCOMING EVENTS –
Tuesday, May 19 – THUNDER ON THE HILL RACING SERIES – High Limit 410 Sprint Car Series – $20,000 to win 410 Sprints – 7:30 pm – (Rain date Wednesday 5/20)
Saturday, May 23 – T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Modifieds, T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Sportsman, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage, TRIVIA NIGHT – 7:30 pm
Saturday, May 30 – T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Modifieds TWIN 25-LAP FEATURES, T. P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Sportsman – 7:30 pm
