Ryan Grim Earns First Career NASCAR 358 Modified Victory, Schuts, and Kresslet are Repeat Winners on Ingersoll Rand Night at Grandview Speedway

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BECHTELSVILLE, PA. May 3, 2015 . . . One week after almost winning the 30-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Modified Feature at Grandview, Ryan Grim came back Saturday night with a determined vengeance. The Laury’s Station-based driver went from second to first on the initial start of the Ingersoll-Rand Night sponsored event and at the wave of the checkered Grim chalked up a well-deserved first career victory over runner-up veteran Ray Swinehart, who posted his season best finish. Grim became the fourth different Modified feature winner of the season.

In the 25-lap NASCAR BRC Late Model feature Chuck Schutz, the only driver running VP Fuels gas in the class, overtook Joe “Geezer” Fanelli on the 15th lap and went on to be the first repeat winner in the division.

Brett Kressley started deep, 18^th, in the pack of the 25-lap NASCAR Sportsman feature but that didn’t deter him from passing leader Kenny Gilmore with one lap to go and score back-to-back victories in the feature.

All three winning drivers received an Ingersoll-Rand Tool Pack worth $600 along with monetary prizes from T.P. Trailers and VP Fuels product prizes if they were eligible.

Mother’s Day will be celebrated on Whelen Engineering Night on Saturday, May 9, 7:30 p.m. This will be a four division night of racing featuring the NASCAR 358 Modifieds, BRC Late Models, Sportsman stock cars and the Blast from the Past Vintage racers. Adult admission will stay at $15 for adults and youngsters 11 and under are admitted free. The first 200 moms through the main spectator gate will receive a “pop cake” courtesy of Grandview Speedway management. Tammy Auman Photography will present 100 moms with a bottle of Natural Hand Lotion from Green Lemon Spa as they head through the main gate. And 50 moms going through the pit gate will receive a Green Lemon Spa Gift Bag from Tammy Auman Photography. One lucky fan will receive an Ingersoll Rand Power Tools gift pack and two tickets to a regular Grandview Speedway event. To have a chance to win text “IRToolsGRV” to 313131.

In the Modified feature action Grim wasted no time grabbing the early lead at the onset.

The only caution of the race was brought out on the second lap when Kevin Hirthler, while running third, stopped along the backstretch out of contention. When action resumed Grim kept the Hoffman Speed Supplies/Willow St. Pub No. 17 in front outdistancing himself from Brian Houseknecht, Swinehart, Jarrad Miller and Don Norris Jr.

Positions were constantly changing behind Grim and at the Dan’s Deli ½-way hoagie mark second through fifth were Swinehart, Miller, Houseknecht and Norris Jr. Trying to break into the top five were Nate Christman and Craig Von Dohren, last week’s feature winner. Von Dohren managed to overtake fourth on the 19th lap and set sail after Swinehart.

Even lapped traffic didn’t faze Grim as he got by them without incident. Some of the other front runners had some problems getting past them and that only gave Grim more of an advantage.

There was no denying Grim the victory this time because no one could come close enough to even challenge him as he went on to post a well-earned triumph. Chasing him across were Swinehart and Von Dohren. Miller and Houseknecht, fourth and fifth-place finishers, recorded their season best finishes. Norris Jr., Jeff Strunk, Duane Howard, Christman and Mike Gular, Cargo Trailer certificate winner completed the top ten.

Qualifying heats were won by Norris Jr., Houseknecht and Grim. Kyle Weiss won the consi.

Bill Henning led the Late Model feature one lap with Fanelli overtaking the lead on the second lap caution that eliminated defending point champion Randy Stoudt.

With Fanelli the new leader, Henning, Wayne Pfeil, Lou Egrie Jr. and Sean Merkel diced for positions. While running third, Pfeil pulled off with what appeared to be engine issues.

Merkel, while third, stopped in the third turn for the seventh lap caution. Fanelli continued the pace on the restart while Henning, Egrie Jr., Schutz and Devin Frey jockeyed for the remaining positions.

Schutz advanced to second on the 12th lap and quickly closed the slight edge Fanelli built up.

After two fierce laps of battling for first Schutz motored into first on the 15th circuit – a place he remained in the remaining ten laps until he put the Ty Zeigler-owned No. ONE in victory lane. Finishing second for his best run was Fanelli, who also received the Dan’s Deli ½-way hoagie certificate with Kory Fleming third. Henning and Egrie Jr., who finished fourth and fifth place posted their best outings. Sixth through were Steve Wilson, John Giesler, Dan Grim, Cory Merkel and Dave Ogin, driving Shawn Horning’s car, who also received the Cargo Trailers certificate.

The heats were won by Henning and Fanelli.

Gilmore fell one lap short of winning the Sportsman feature as he couldn’t hold off eventual winner Brett Kressley’s challenges as once again Kressley was the victor.

Paul Houseknecht led for five laps until the caution came out when Jim Housworth was spun on the backstretch. The restart was voice when Mark Kemmerer and Mike Lisowski hooked bumpers and stopped in the fourth turn. When action went green again Brad Arnold charged ahead.

Behind Arnold battling were Ken Eckert Jr., K. Gilmore, Houseknecht and Jason Neidlinger.

By the Dan’s Deli ½-way mark Arnold was among lapped traffic and Gilmore, who advanced to second laps earlier, began closing.

The pack regrouped when John McGovern spun along the backstretch on the 14th lap. The leader was now Gilmore as he shot pass Arnold on the restart. Coming on strong from 18th was Kressley, as he was now third and Arnold started dropping back.

Paul Houseknecht broke along the backstretch with five laps to go putting Kressley right on Gilmore’s bumper.

Gilmore kept Kressley at bay until the 24th lap when Kressley got past him and went on to win again. Chasing Kressley across were Gilmore, Eckert, Neidlinger and Renninger. Sixth through tenth were Jordan Henn, Ryan Beltz, Jeff Sechrist, Craig Whitmoyer and Arnold, who received the Cargo Trailers certificate.

Brian Hirthler, Dean Bachman and John McGovern were the heat winners. The consi was won by Kressley.

RESULTS

Ingersoll-Rand NASCAR Modified Feature (30 Laps): 1. Ryan Grim, 2. Ray Swinehart, 3. Craig Von Dohren, 4. Jarrad Miller, 5. Brian Houseknecht, 6. Don Norris Jr., 7. Jeff Strunk, 8. Duane Howard, 9. Nate Christman, 10. Mike Gular, 11. Doug Manmiller, 12. Jared Umbenhauer, 13. Meme DeSantis, 14. Frank Cozze, 15. Mike Laise, 15. Danny Erb, 17. Todd Smith, 18. John Willman, 19. Eric Biehn, 20. Bobby Gunther-Walsh, 21. Glenn Strunk, 22. Kyle Borror, 23. Mike Kellner, 24. Mark Kratz (alternate), 25. Ron Seltmann Jr., 26. Mike Bailey, 27. Kevin Hirthler, 28. Kyle Weiss. DNS: Ryan Kunkle. DNQ: Ron Haring Jr. and Tim Buckwalter.

Ingersoll-Rand BRC NASCAR Late Model Feature (25 Laps): 1. Chuck Schutz, 2. Joe Fanelli, 3. Kory Fleming, 4. Bill Henning, 5. Lou Egrie Jr., 6. Steve Wilson, 7. John Giesler, 8. Dan Green, 9. Cory Merkel, 10. Dave Ogin, 11. Steve Gross, 12. Rick Todorow, 13. Buddy Mertz, 14. Devin Frey, 15. Drew Weisser, 16. Sean Merkel, 17. Wayne Pfeil, 18. Randy Stoudt, 19. Lou Egrie Sr.

Ingersoll-Rand NASCAR Sportsman Feature (25 Laps): 1. Brett Kressley, 2. Kenny Gilmore, 3. Ken Eckert, 4. Jason Neidlinger, 5. Erik Renninger, 6. Jordan Henn, 7. Ryan Beltz, 8. Jeff Sechrist, 9. Craig Whitmoyer, 10. Brad Arnold, 11. Brandon Whitmoyer, 12. Jim Housworth, 13. Brian Hirthler, 14. Tom Miller, 15. Ryan Lilick, 16. Andy Ressler, 17. Dean Bachman, 18. Sean Weiss, 19. John McGovern, 20. Mark Kemmerer, 21. Paul Houseknecht, 22. Steve Warner, 23. Mike Lisowski, 24. Paul Effrig. DNQ: Mike Koffel, Joe Funk III, Alyssa Fogel, Brett Gilmore and Kyle Lilick.

Grandview Speedway, a one-third-mile, banked clay track, is located on Passmore Road just off Route 100 in Bechtelsville, PA, 10 miles north of Pottstown. For information telephone 610.754.7688 or check in at www.grandviewspeedway.com, Twitter@GrandviewSpeedway and www.facebook.com/grandviewspeedway along with Rainedout.com(for rainout information).

UNOFFICIAL POINT STANDINGS FOR NASCAR

MODIFIEDS AS OF MAY 2, 2015

* denotes feature win (Feature wins listed are only those that are

NASCAR point events.)