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ANNUAL CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT HONORS TRACK FOUNDER AND CELEBRATES TRACK’S 64th ANNIVERSARY SEASON
WINNER OF 50 LAP NASCAR MODIFIED CHAMPIONSHIP TO POCKET $10,000 FOR THE VICTORY
BECHTELSVILLE, PA. – The Forrest Rogers Memorial, Grandview Speedway’s midsummer NASCAR Modified classic paying $10,000 to the race winner, is all set for this Saturday night at the one-third-of-a-mile high banked speedway.
Since 1971, Grandview Speedway management has been paying tribute to Forrest Rogers, the man who had the dream of building his own racetrack, then with the help of his son Bruce and the rest of the family, made the dream come true in building and operating Grandview Speedway!
The race program this Saturday, August 8 celebrates Forrest Rogers and the birthday of Grandview Speedway. Forrest Rogers and his son Bruce worked together in building the speedway, which opened on August 11, 1963 and saw Lauden Potts take the first ever checkered flag.
For the first several seasons, Forrest Rogers himself ran an extra distance special event to celebrate the anniversary of his speedway’s opening on the second weekend of August, with the first ever extra distance race in track history on August 9, 1964, a 40-lap event won by Marty Acker, celebrating the track’s first birthday.
After the passing of his father, Bruce continued running the track and the special race as his father did, to celebrate the track’s anniversary. Bruce then decided in 1971 that a race in his father’s memory was needed and created the Forrest Rogers Memorial, first won by Ed Mumford.
The Rogers Family has continued the tradition each year since, with the drivers all wanting to win this event for the great purse money on the line, but also for the honor of winning this historical event.
The race event each year means so much to a lot of people for many different reasons, but first of all to the Rogers Family, who own and operate Grandview Speedway, and this year they will be celebrating the track’s 64th season of operation. They are very proud of the fact that the track has remained in the family, with the third and fourth generations fully involved in the operation of the racetrack.
This Saturday, August 8 will feature the much anticipated 56th annual Forrest Rogers Memorial for the T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment NASCAR Modifieds who will be racing a 50-lap feature paying $10,000 to win! This race program will also include the T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman in another NASCAR Local Racing Series Powered by O’Reilly Auto Parts double-header starting at 7:30 pm.
Adult grandstand admission is $30, 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.
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. Saturday August 15 is the rain date if needed for the Forrest Rogers Memorial.
Saturday’s program will be the final in a series of race events recorded and produced by ATVN-TV. The Astound TV Network (ATVN) will be recording the race events this Saturday, with the race event broadcast to be shown on a tape-delayed basis. The heat races will be a complete program shown on the following Tuesday night at 7:30 pm. The features will air the following Friday evening at 7 pm. with further replays to follow.
This Saturday night prior to the racing program will be the weekly Low-Down Entertainment meet and greet hosted by Brittany Huber and Jennifer Umbenhauer. The drivers scheduled to participate this week are Chris Esposito, Brian Hirthler, Mark Gaugler, and Addison Meitzler.
The pre-race Meet and Greet is held in the main gate area from 5-6 pm and is a great time for fans to meet the drivers up close, collect some autographs, take photos, and talk racing with their favorite drivers before the night’s program gets underway.
LDE will once again be awarding one lucky youngster (randomly drawn) with a mini-check exactly like the big check the race winner receives, with the opportunity for the youngster to also join in with the Victory Lane celebration. LDE will also be raffling off the Meet & Greet banner that is signed by all the drivers. All proceeds will go towards the cash dash for the Freedom 76er.
Low-Down Entertainment is also organizing a Backpack Giveaway. This will take place on Saturday, August 15 during the Meet & Greet. This week’s Meet & Greet will be the final chance for anyone wishing to donate supplies or make a monetary donation by contacting one of the members of the LDE crew – Jennifer, Brittany, Bear, Joe or Jean.
The list of drivers who have had the honor of winning the Forrest Rogers Memorial is very long and varied, with twenty-nine different drivers having reached Victory Lane in the historical and prestigious event.
During the 1970’s, Ed Mumford won the first two events, with Mike Geiser and Charley Gilmore also winning twice, while Dave Kelly, Mike Erb, and Smokey Warren were one time winners.
Moving into the 1980’s, the Forrest Rogers Memorial winners were Fred Rahmer four times, being the first driver to win three in a row (82, 83, 84), Dr. Dan Cox, Jack Follweiller twice, Craig Von Dohren his first, Ray Swinehart his first and Billy Schinkel.
The decade of the 1990’s saw Jeff Strunk win his first, Billy Pauch twice, Tom Mayberry twice, Kerry Kratz, Chip Slocum, Ray Swinehart his second, while Terry Meitzler and Rick Shaffer were also one time winners.
Moving into the first decade of the 2000’s, Jeff Strunk won his second, Craig Von Dohren took three, Meme DeSantis twice, Jon Kellner Sr., Ray Swinehart his third, Jason Hamilton, Ryan Godown and Duane Howard took his first win.
The most recent decade saw a huge domination by the track’s all-time wins leader Craig Von Dohren in this long standing event. Von Dohren took six more Forrest Rogers Memorial wins including matching Rahmer’s three in a row in 2015, 2016, 2017, and also scoring wins in 2021 and 2023 to run his total to an amazing TEN wins in the Forrest Rogers Memorial, more than any other driver in the history of this race.
Kevin Hirthler took the 2012 race, Duane Howard ran his total to three with wins in 2013 and 2019, invader Danny Johnson won in 2014, a rare occasion in this race, Ray Swinehart won his fourth race in 2018, while Brett Kressley won in 2020 and followed up with another win in the 2022 event.
The last two seasons have seen the Watt family taking the big wins in the Forrest Rogers Memorial, with Ryan Watt winning his first in the 2024 event, while his win was followed by son Logan Watt taking home his first Memorial win in last year’s race.
Many times over the years, the driver who can win the Forrest Rogers Memorial either goes on to win the track championship, or takes a win in the season ending Freedom 76.
With over five decades of history, you can see why each season the Forrest Rogers Memorial means so much to so many people in so many different ways. This year’s 56th annual running should be no different, stay tuned, and don’t miss it!
Entering this Saturday night’s Forrest Rogers Memorial, ten different drivers have been to victory lane in the T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Modified division, with two drivers each scoring three wins Louden Reimert and Jeff Strunk (including a Thunder on the Hill series win), while Jared Umbenhauer, Duane Howard, Ryan Watt, Anthony Perrego, Tim Buckwalter, Billy Pauch Jr. (Thunder Series win), Craig Von Dohren, and last week’s winner Brett Kressley all having a single victory.
Top point drivers also in action this Saturday night include point leader Eddie Strada, Logan Watt, Rick Laubach, Mike Gular, Ryan Grim, and Jax Yohn along with over three dozen drivers looking to score a feature win.
Following last Saturday’s program the T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Sportsman division has seen eleven different winners so far this season with Brad Brightbill leading with two wins, while Bryce Bashore, Mike Toth, Mark Mohr, Jesse Landis, Decker Swinehart, Johnny Fugelo, Brett Gilmore, Addison Meitzler, Brett Grim, and last week’s winner Alex Bartorillo all scoring one feature victory.
Other top point drivers who will be looking for the race win on Saturday include point leader Joe Toth, Colin Cox, Teague Miller, Jimmy Leiby, Adrianna Delliponti, Chase Gular, and Jordan Henn along with over three dozen drivers looking for a Grandview feature win.
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.
UPCOMING EVENTS –
Saturday, August 8 – 56th annual FORREST ROGERS MEMORIAL – T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Modifieds 50-laps $10,000 to WIN, T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Sportsman – 7:30 pm (Rain date 8/15)
Saturday, August 15 – T.P. TRAILERS & TRUCK EQUIPMENT NIGHT – T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Modifieds & Sportsman, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage, KIDS MONEY SCRAMBLE, BACK TO THE 90’s NIGHT $10 GRANDSTAND ADMISSION – 7:30 pm
Friday, August 21 – Outlaw Racing Series Enduro & Vintage, Xcel 600 Modifieds – 7 pm
Saturday, August 22 – T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Modifieds & Sportsman, TRIVIA NIGHT – 7:30 pm (Possible rain date if needed)
Saturday, August 29 – A.D. MOYER LUMBER COMPANY NIGHT – T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment Modifieds & Sportsman, Keystone Sport Compact Series – 7:30 pm
