K.HIRTHLER, STOUDT AND ARNOLD NASCAR FEATURE WINNERS AT GRANDVIEW SATURDAY
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BECHTELSVILLE, PA JULY 12, 2015 . . . For the third time this season veteran racer Kevin Hirthler was able to wheel the Pioneer Pole Buildings/ Green Lane Wm.Penn/4 Star Lettering No.117 to victory in the 30-lap Ingersoll Rand Night feature for T.P. Trailers NASCAR 358 Modifieds at Grandview Speedway on Saturday night. Defending BRC Late Model champion Randy Stoudt drove to his third win of the season in the 25-lap main event for the BRC Late Models wheeling the J&H Automotive No. 10. Young Brad Arnold drove the family owned WEEU sponsored entry to his first career win in the 25-lap Sportsman feature. All of the racing action was videotaped for later showing on RCN4 cable television.
All feature winners received monetary awards from T.P. Trailers and an Ingersoll-Rand Tool Kit valued at $600 plus if they were running VP Gas and met the necessary requirements were awarded product awards.
On Saturday, July 18th Hatfield Quality Meats, a long time sponsor of racing at Grandview, will have their mascot on hand to shoot t-shirts and Hatfield hot dogs into the stands. Early arrivers will be able to sample the new Hatfield “Dry Rub” tenderloin and fillet. Mascot “Smiley” will be on hand to say hello to fans and pose with feature winners during the evening.
The Hatfield Meats sponsored night will include T.P.Trailers NASCAR 358 Modifieds, BRC Late Models and Sportsman stock cars along with the popular Blast from the Past Vintage racers with racing starting at 7:30 p.m.
Hirthler is still running his car from last year since he’s not quite satisfied with the new car after hitting the wall earlier in the season. Upset with his second-place finish last week to Craig VonDohren in the 30-lap T.P. Trailers NASCAR Whelen Modified feature he was determined to do better this week.
By the fourth lap of the feature Hirthler advanced into second from his seventh-place starting grid and put on a torrid side-by-side battle with polesitter Ryan Kunkle for first.
The lead was swapped on the seventh lap as Hirthler was in front of the pack. The real action for positions behind him was hot and heavy between Kunkle, Danny Erb, Bobby Gunther Walsh and Ryan Grim
It didn’t take long for Hirthler to outdistance himself leaving Kunkle, Erb and now Duane Howard in a three-way battle for second. Back further it was bumper to bumper for positions between Tim Buckwalter, VonDohren, Gunther Walsh and Grim with everyone determined to advance.
Hirthler, bidding for his third win of the year, approached lap traffic by the 21st lap and with his fellow competitors’ nose to tail that gave him more leeway. He approaching the back runners heeding the move over flag and as he realized they were racing for positions as well.
Once Hirthler was in command there was no looking back because no cautions were needed to regroup the field to give him a run for the money. At the drop of the checkered Hirthler once again credited fellow driver Rick Laubach for his help. Chasing him across the line for his best finish since returning to action full time was Erb trailed by Howard, VonDohren and Kunkle, who posted his best finish ever. Tim Buckwalter, Jeff Strunk, Gunther Walsh, Grim and Kyle Weiss completed the top ten.
Hirthler, J. Strunk and John Willman won the heats. The consi was won by Ray Swinehart.
In the BRC NASCAR 25-lap Late Model feature Stoudt, shut out last week, won his third feature of the year. Even though he started on the pole and led from start to finish there were some tense moments in the later stages when he experienced brake issues, but still managed to hold off runner-up Chuck Schutz.
Stoudt motored the J&H Automotive No. 10 out quickly leaving Lou Egrie Jr., Cory Merkel, Kory Fleming and Kyle Merkel behind.
- Merkel, while running fourth, stopped along the backstretch out of contention for the seventh lap caution. Stoudt maintained first, but he had to fend off Egrie Jr.’s challenges as the pair raced side-by-side for several laps.
Egrie Jr.’s fine run ended on the 12th lap when he spun in turn two. Stoudt continued his pace, but now pressure came from Fleming, Schutz and S. Merkel as they were embraced by their own race for second which gave Stoudt some space.
No one was able to catch Stoudt, the defending point champion that came out of retirement, and he went on to chalk up his 66th career win. Finishing second was current point leader Schutz followed by S. Merkel, Fleming and Dave Ogin. Sixth through tenth were Joe Fanelli, Dan Green, Wayne Pfeil, Bill Henning and Steve Wilson.
Heats were won by C. Merkel and Stoudt.
The NASCAR 25-lap Sportsman feature saw Brad Arnold, who switched to the division after running Modifieds last year, motor the WEEU 830 Radio entry to the outside of leader Mike Lisowski, who he dueled with fiercely for numerous laps and regained the lead on the white flag lap. Arnold was close on numerous occasion to scoring his first career win, but this time he was successful and hung on for the triumph.
Mark Kemmerer led for three laps until Lisowski overtook the lead.
With Lisowski now ahead Kemmerer, Ryan Beltz, Arnold and Dean Bachman vied for the remaining positions.
Arnold put himself in a challenging spot on the 12th lap and put his bids in for first.
Ken Eckert Jr. stopped in the fourth turn to bring out the yellow on lap 14. On this restart Arnold moved ahead with Lisowski giving him no room to slip-up since he wanted the lead back.
The yellow was thrown for Paul Effrig’s fourth turn spin on the 19th lap. After three attempts to get the next lap completed, Lisowski was back in the lead. That didn’t deter Arnold as he stuck with the high groove trying to regain first. Behind the duo, Kenny Gilmore, Craig Whitmoyer and Brett Kressley awaited a false move.
With one to go Arnold tried to pass Lisowski again and this time it worked and he was on top.
Arnold never surrendered the lead and went on for a well-deserved win. Lisowski hung on for second followed by K. Gilmore, Whitmoyer and Brett Kressley. Rounding out the top ten were Ryan Lilick, Brian Hirthler, Brett Gilmore, Beltz and Brian Kressley.
Beltz, Kyle Lilick and K. Gilmore won the heats. Jason Neidlinger won the consi.
RESULTS
Ingersoll-Rand T.P. Modified Feature Finish (30 Laps): 1. Kevin Hirthler, 2. Danny Erb, 3. Duane Howard, 4. Craig VonDohren, 5. Ryan Kunkle, 6. Tim Buckwalter, 7. Jeff Strunk, 8. Bobby Gunther Walsh, 9. Ryan Grim, 10. Kyle Weiss, 11. Frank Cozze, 12. Doug Manmiller, 13. Ray Swinehart, 14. John Willman, 15. Don Norris Jr., 16. Glenn Strunk, 17. Eric Biehn, 18. Mike Bailey, DNF: 19. Todd Smith, 20. Brian Houseknecht, 21. Mike Laise, 22. Jarrad Miller, 23. Glenn Owens, 24. Ron Seltmann Jr., 25. Kyle Borror, 26. Mike Gular, 27. Mike Kellner, 28. Jared Umbenhauer. DNQ: Mark Kratz, Meme DeSantis, Ron Haring Jr. and Chris Gambler.
Ingersoll-Rand BRC Late Model Feature Finish (25 Laps): 1. Randy Stoudt, 2. Chuck Schutz, 3. Sean Merkel, 4. Kory Fleming, 5. Dave Ogin, 6. Joe Fanelli, 7. Dan Green, 8. Wayne Pfeil, 9. Bill Henning, 10. Steve Wilson, 11. Dirk Rimrott, 12. Lou Egrie Jr., DNF: 13. Kyle Merkel, 14. George Irwin, 15. Cory Merkel, 16. Shawn Horning, 17. Steve Batdorf, 18. Rick Todorow.
Ingersoll-Rand NASCAR Sportsman Feature Finish (25 Laps): 1. Brad Arnold, 2. Mike Lisowski, 3. Kenny Gilmore, 4. Craig Whitmoyer, 5. Brett Kressley, 6. Ryan Lilick, 7. Brian Hirthler, 8. Brett Gilmore, 9. Ryan Beltz, 10. Brian Kressley, 11. Paul Kline, 12. Jim Housworth, 13. Jordan Henn, 14. Corey Sechrist, 15. Erik Renninger, 16. Kyle Lilick, 17. Ken Eckert Jr., 18. Ryan Shupp, 19. Mark Kemmerer, 20. Jason Neidlinger, 21. Mike Koffel, 22. Nathan Mohr, DNF: 23. Dean Bachman, 24. Paul Effrig. DNQ: Lex Shive, Pat Conrad.
Fans are reminded to continue to participate in the Ingersoll Rand Testing Contest. From 11 a.m. each Saturdayto 11 p.m. on Sunday fans are invited to text IRToolsGRV to 313131 to chance to win an IR prize pack.
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. A full assortment of great concessions and novelty items are available. Free parking on the grounds. Fans are invited to the competition area after the events are completed to meet the racers. 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).
COMING EVENTS: Saturday, July 18, 7:30 p.m. Hatfield Quality Meats Night featuring T.P.Trailers NASCAR 358 Modifieds, BRC Late Models and Sportsman stock cars along with the Blast from the Past Vintage Racers.
Sunday, July 19, 1:00 p.m. Outlaw Enduro Racing and Blast From the Past Vintage Racing.
Saturday, July 25, 7:30 p.m. Atlas Paving Night featuring the T.P.Trailers NASCAR 358 Modifieds, BRC Late Models and Sportsman stock cars.
Tuesday, July 28, 7:30 p.m. NAPA Thunder on the Hill Series featuring 410 Sprints and NASCAR T.P.Trailers 358 Modifieds (NASCAR points are awarded). Rain date July 30th 7:30 p.m.
Each Saturday night has spectator gates opening at 5:30 p.m. with a Low Down and Dirty Meet & Greet that allows fans to meet drivers and get up close look at race cars.
