Von Dohren scores 100th career modifiedwin at Grandview
It all began in 1981when Craig VonDohren won his first modified feature at Grandview Speedway. As time went on the defending point champion continued to rack up the wins driving for either the family or other car owners. Saturday night, 35 years later, the Oley leadfoot and current point leader, scored his 100th win in the division the post back-to-back victorious and his fifth of the season in the 35-Lap T.P. Trailers NASCAR 358 Modified All-American Racing Series feature event. In addition to the top prize he also pocketed $250 fromT.P. Trailers plus $150 in product contingency awards from VP Fuels for running gas.
Brian Shuey also scored his fifth win of the season by a 0.607margin over runner-up Dan Green in the 25-Lap BRC NASCAR Late Model feature to be the seventh different winner. He also earned an additional $100 from T.P. Trailers and the ½-way Dan’s Deli hoagie award.
The caution riddled 25lap NASCAR Sportsman feature winner for the third time was Paul Kline as time ran short for runner-up Craig Whitmoyer to catch him. Whitmoyer’s second place finish put him on top of the point standings ahead of Jordan Henn and Mike Lisowski. T.P. Trailers also awarded Kline $100.
Polesitter Blaine Bracelin Jr. set the pace for ten laps of the Modified feature before Steve Swinehart spun in the fourth turn for the first yellow. On the restart Don Norris Jr. charged to the head of the pack with Mike Kellner, Bracelin Jr., John Willman and Bobby Gunther Walsh in tow.
Bracelin’s fine third place run went up in smoke bringing out the 14th lap caution. This time when the raced went green again Kellner stormed into first leaving Norris Jr., Brett Kressley, Ryan Grim and Jeff Strunk dice for the remaining top five positions.
By the 21st lap, Kellner, Norris Jr. and Kressley were in a three-way battle for the lead while VonDohren and Strunk waited in the wings for the right opportunity to advance.
After the white flag unfurled coming down the homechute, Norris Jr. and Duane Howard, driving Norm Hansell’s second No. 357H, made contact. Howard hit the wall with heavy impact, bounced off the wall and into traffic in turn one. The cars were coming full speed and Tim Buckwalter had nowhere to go and hit the motionless car of Howard. Danny Erb hit the pair full force as he too had no room to maneuver and took a violent flip. Nate Christman was also in- volved. Buckwalter and Erb were shaken up and taken for observation. Norris Jr. was penalized to the back of the field for initializing the incident, but he decided to go pit side instead. VonDohren stayed in front to become the seventh different winner on the final lap.