Cozze Take First Of The Year At Grandview

COZZE, SCHUTZ AND KYLE LILICK BECAME 16TH, 17TH AND 18TH DIFFERENT WINNERS OUT OF 21 NASCAR RACES PRESENTED THIS SEASON AT GRANDVIEW SPEEDWAY

Story By: ERNIE SAXTON / GRANDVIEW SPEEDWAY MEDIA

Photos By: GEORGE STEIGERWALT / RACERSGUIDE.COM

BECHTELSVILLE, PA. June 11, 2017 . . . Three different feature winners entered the record books on Saturday night at Grandview Speedway in their respective divisions in the Whelen Engineering sponsored racing events. The total different feature winners this season, out of 21 feature races presented, now stands at 18.

Veteran campaigner Frank Cozze piloted the Tom Umbenhauer-owned/Harry’s U-Pull-It No. 4 to his first win of the season in the TP Trailers 358 Modified NASCAR 30-lap feature. Cozze, a DIRT Hall of Famer, who had a disappointing finish last week, held off the last lap challenges of two others veterans of the sport Ray Swinehart and Craig Von Dohren to become the seventh different winner in the Modified division.

The BRC NASCAR Late Model division had a fifth different winner. Defending point champion and current point leader Chuck Schutz, who drove Andy Cassel’s car the previous week when the Ty Zeigler-owned No. ONE experienced problems, finished by a comfortable margin over runner-up and last week’s feature winner Ron Kline for his first 25-lap feature win of the season to be the fifth different winner in his normal ride.

Kyle Lilick was sidelined early in the NASCAR Sportsman 25-lap feature last week, but he more than made up for it on his next outing. The younger of the racing Lilick’s in the duo made up of older brother Ryan a two-time winner this year, overtook Jack Butler on the 18th lap and went on to capture his first career victory and become sixth different Sportsman winner of the season.

All feature winners received monetary awards from T.P. Trailers providing they met the requirements and product awards from V.P. Fuels if they run gas and have the proper decals and other specifications.

John Willman put the Dennis Bailey-owned No. 81 into the early lead at the start of the Modified feature with pressure from Colt Harris, Steve Swinehart, Cozze and Ray Swinehart.

By the conclusion of ten laps Harris erased the deficit Willman opened up to challenge him for the top spot.

The pack regrouped when Mike Kellner, who had a strong second place finish the previous week, stopped in the first turn for the 15th lap caution. On the restart Willman and now Cozze lined up side-by-side. When action resumed Cozze got somewhat out of shape. Willman ran over Cozzes’ front end and hit the homestretch infield tire for the yellow putting him out of contention and Cozze was the new leader. Cozze maintained the first spot on the next attempt.

Behind Cozze wheeling and dealing never giving up in their battle for positions were R. Swinehart, Mike Gular, Kevin Hirthler and Harris. In the thick of things for sixth through tenth were Doug Manmiller, Von Dohren, Ryan Watt, Jeff Strunk and Duane Howard.

By the 20th lap the order behind Cozze consisted of R. Swinehart, Von Dohren, Gular, Manmiller and Hirthler with the spots constantly being swapped back and forth.

Harris’ fine run ended when he found himself in the third turn wall bringing out the yellow on the 21st lap. Cozze didn’t falter on the restart leaving R. Swinehart, Hirthler, Von Dohren and Gular in pursuit.

While running third with five laps to go, Hirthler hopped the first turn cushion and lost valuable positions. By the time he got recollected, Von Dohren, Gular and Strunk already passed him.

Jared Umbenhauer, who got into the feature by virtue of winning the consi, and was on the move; set up a one lap shoot-out when he hit the homestretch wall with heavy impact for the final yellow. He was uninjured, but the car sustained considerable damage. Cozze kept the competition at bay on the restart and went on to chalk up his fifth career win at the oval. Chasing him across the line were Swinehart, Von Dohren, Gular and Strunk.

Kenny Gilmore, who was supposed the start fourth in the feature only to be towed off before the event started, Harris and Brett Kressley were the heat winners. Picking up the consi win was Umbenhauer.

Kyle Merkel set the pace for two laps of the Late Model feature before Wayne Pfeil stopped along the backstretch for the yellow. On the restart Merkel went too high off of turn four. Schutz took advantage of the situation and charged into the lead.

With Schutz now showing the way, Kline, Merkel, Steve Todorow and Andy Cassel diced for positions.

The comfortable lead Schutz built up was erased on the 16th lap caution needed when Steve Wilson and Lou Egrie Sr. tangled in turn three. When action went green Kline made a strong bid for first, but in no time Schutz pulled away again.

No one could catch Schutz to challenge him as he pulled into victory lane for his 45th career win trailed by Kline, Todorow, Merkel and Egrie Sr.

Jack Butler took the early lead at the drop of the green in the Sportsman feature with Kyle Lilick putting in his bids for the top spot.

Butler stuck to the high line while K. Lilick ran in the inside groove.

While Butler and Lilick jockeyed for first, behind them Ryan Higgs and Brad Arnold put on quite a dual for third. Waiting in the wings anticipating a false move in hopes of advancement was Ryan Beltz.

By the 18th lap the front runners came upon lap traffic. This aided K. Lilick since coming off turn four he got underneath Butler when Butler had to go up a bit to get around them and Lilick was the new leader.

The leader continued to be K. Lilick until he pulled into the winner’s circle for a well-deserved victory chased across by Butler, Arnold, Brad Grim and Higgs.

K. Lilick, Kurt Bettler and Butler won the heats. Mike Lisowski picked up the consi win.

Racing returns to Grandview Speedway with a Bob Miller/Rogers Family Thunder on the Hill promotion featuring the traveling United States Auto Club Wingless Sprint Cars and Small Block Modified doubleheader on Tuesday, June 13 at 7:30 p.m.

And on Saturday, June 17th, the NASCAR TP Trailers 358 Modifieds, Sportsman and BRC Late Models will be in action. Spectator gates open at 5:30 p.m. and racing starts at 7:30 p.m. Adult admission is $15 and youngsters 6 through 11 are admitted FREE.

There has been a change made in the June 24th Bechtelsville Car Wash Night with the Blast from the Past Vintage cars removed from the night’s racing and moved to July 8th. The June 24th show will include TP Trailers 358 Modifieds, Sportsman and Mid-Atlantic Sprint Series sprinters. Admission is $18 for adults.

Grandview Speedway continues to be one of the most successful NASCAR WEEKLY short track operations in the nation having been presenting stock car racing events under the Rogers family promotion for the past 55 years. The season at Grandview continues from late March to November. The one-third-mile, banked clay track is located on Passmore Road, just off Route 100, in Bechtelsville, PA, 10 miles north of Pottstown. A full line of concession and novelty items is offered. Fans are invited to the pit area after the racing events have been completed and racing equipment loaded into the trailers. Race information is available at www.grandviewspeedway.com, Facebook, Twitter and at 610.754.7688. And it is a good idea to link up with Rainedout.com to get latest info on rainouts.

 RACE RESULTS

NASCAR TP Trailers Modified Feature (30-Laps): 1. Frank Cozze, 2. Ray Swinehart, 3. Craig Von Dohren, 4. Mike Gular, 5. Jeff Strunk, 6. Ryan Watt, 7. Kevin Hirthler, 8. Duane Howard, 9. Doug Manmiller, 10. Brian Krummel, 11. Kyle Borror, 12. Clay Butler, 13. Addison Meitzler, 14. John Willman, 15. Ryan Grim, 16. Justin Grim, 17. Chris Gambler, 18. Mark Kratz. DNF: 19. Jared Umbenhauer, 20. Colt Harris, 21. Steve Swinehart, 22. Brian Houseknecht, 23. Brett Kressley, 24. Mike Kellner, 25. Brett Gilmore, 26. Kory Fleming, 27. Blaine Bracelin, DNS: 28. Kenny Gilmore. DNQ: Bobby Gunther-Walsh, Danny Erb, Ron Seltmann Jr. and Joe Fanelli.

BRC Late Model Feature (25-Laps): 1. Chuck Schutz, 2. Ron Kline, 3. Steve Todorow, 4. Kyle Merkel, 5. Lou Egrie Sr., 6. Blaine Emery, 7. Bryon Sipe, 8. Andy Cassel. DNF: 9. Steve Wilson, 10. Jordan Knepp. 11. Todd Ravel, 12. Shawn Horning, 13. Brian Shuey, 14. Damon Neff, 15. Wayne Pfeil.

NASCAR Sportsman Feature (25-Laps): 1. Kyle Lilick, 2. Jack Butler, 3. Brad Arnold, 4. Brad Grim, 5. Ryan Higgs, 6. Ryan Beltz, 7. Ryan Lilick, 8. Kurt Bettler, 9. Dean Bachman, 10. Mike Mammana, 11. Dylan Swinehart, 12. Louden Reimert, 13. Mark Kemmerer, 14. Brian Hirthler, 15. Jim Housworth, 16. Joe Funk, 17. Jeromy Guistwite. DNF: 18. Nathan Mohr, 19. Mike Lisowski, 20. Craig Whitmoyer, 21. B.J. Joly, 22. Andy Clemmer, 23. Derrick Smith, 24. Andrew Kreis. DNQ: Kenny Bock, Steve Young and Ryan Shupp.

COMING EVENTS: Tuesday, June 13, 7:30 p.m. Thunder on the Hill Racing Series featuring Jesse Hockett Classic featuring United States Auto Club (USAC) National Non-Win Sprint Cars and 358 Modified stock cars (NASCAR points awarded).

Saturday, June 17, 7:30 p.m. TP Trailers NASCAR 358 Modifieds, BRC Late Models and Sportsman stock cars.

Saturday, June 24, 7:30 p.m. TP Trailers 358 Modifieds, Sportsman, and Mid-Atlantic Sprint Series. Bechtelsville Car Wash Night

Saturday, July 1, 7:30 p.m. BRC Late Models Firecracker 40, TP Trailers 358 Modifieds and Sportsman. Adults $20, youngsters 6 thru 11 $5 and under 6 admitted free.

Saturday, July 8, 7:30 p.m. TP Trailers 358 Modifieds, BRC Late Models, Sportsman and Blast from the Past Vintage cars.