Duane Howard bounces back at Grandview
BECHTELSVILLE, PA >> The previous Saturday night, Duane Howard’s car sat in the Grandview Speedway pits destroyed due to an on track accident. The Norm Hansell owned No. 357H team worked diligently during the week and had another car prepared for the five-time track Modified point champion and the effort paid off. This past Saturday night, August 27, Howard started 14th in the 28-car starting grid and with three laps to go in the 30-Lap T.P. Trailers NASCAR 358 Modified All-American Racing Series feature sponsored by A.D. Moyer Hardware & Lumber, he managed to wrestle the lead away from DIRT Hall of Famer Frank Cozze on a restart. He never gave up the lead and this time he parked the car in victory lane for his third win of the season. He was thankful that Hansell put him in his second car to teammate Brett Kressley to give him the opportunity to compete at the 1/3-mile oval after losing his regular ride a few weeks prior. In addition to the top prize he also pock- eted $250 from T.P. Trailers.
Ron Kline posted his third 25-Lap BRC NASCAR Late Model feature since getting behind the wheel of the Jr. Grebe/Wanda Brown No. 3X. This time he had to hold off the late race challenges of Randy Stoudt, who was in search of his 67th career win. He also earned an additional $100 from T.P. Trailers and the ½-way Dan’s Deli hoagie award.
In the caution filled 25-lap NASCAR Sportsman feature Ryan Li lick was victorious for the second time of the year. T.P. Trailers also awarded Lilick $100.
The two 15-Lap Blast From The Past Vintage car features were won by Dave Smith and Ron Myers.
The battle for the championships in all three divisions of NASCAR sanctioned stock car racing comes to an end next Saturday. The WNPV-1440AM Radio sponsored night of racing will feature the T.P.Trailers 358 Modifieds, BRC Late Models and Sportsman stock cars starting at 7:30 p.m.
This will be the final point races of the season at the Bechtelsville track. The top spot in the season long chase for the title in each division will earn the top finisher a healthy payoff from both NASCAR and the track.
Many of the Modified racers will also be using the night to get some additional track time as they prepare for the Granddaddy of area classics, the 46th Annual Freedom 76 paying $25,000 to win and taking place on Saturday, September 10th. Many of the top names in Modified racing will be taking part.
Bobby Gunther-Walsh took the early lead at the onset of the Modified feature and held that position until Justin Grim, who was having a solid fourth place run, stopped in turn four bringing out the caution with nine laps completed. On the restart, rookie Brett Kressley charged to the front trying to capture his second win leaving Gunther-Walsh, Brian Krummel, Cozze and Howard to dice for the remaining positions.
With 18 laps in the books Kressley had an enormous lead built up and encountered numerous lap cars.
At one point Kressley went between Carroll Hine III and Chris Gambler. Both Hine III and Gambler spun in turn two creating a lap 22
caution. Hine III and Gambler continued, but before action resumed Kressley pulled into the infield with ignition problems. The turn of events put Gunther-Walsh back in front for the restart with Cozze alongside. When action went green, Cozze and Gunther-Walsh traded paint and Cozze emerged as the new leader. Howard, Craig VonDohren and Krummel followed through as Gunther-Walsh got shuffled back to fourth with Doug Manmiller fifth.
Hine III regrouped the pack when he stopped in the third turn on the 27th lap. This restart saw Howard become the new pacesetter.
Krummel, running a strong fifth, lost a left rear wheel for the final yellow with two to go. Howard wasted no time since he knew Cozze, VonDohren, Mike Gular, who started 22nd after winning the consolation and Manmiller were right on his bumper waiting to make their move.
Howard kept the momentum going and was able to keep his fellow competitors behind him to pull into the winner’s circle for his 71st career win. Finishing second was Cozze followed by VonDohren, Gular and Manmiller, who finally had a change of luck for a decent finish.
Mike Kellner, Ryan Grim and Gunther-Walsh won the heats. The consolation race went to Gular.
In Late Model action Joe “Geezer” Fanelli led for two laps before Kline overtook him.
While Kline showed the way, Fanelli, Bryon Sipe, Steve Todorow and Dan Green jockeyed for second through fifth.
Sean Merkel stopped in the second turn with smoke coming out of the car for the lap 11 caution. Kline held his spot on the restart, but by now Stoudt, a two-time point champion, was in the runner-up spot in pursuit of the former point champion, who was already outdistancing himself.
By the 17th lap Stoudt, running the high groove, reeled in Kline, who took the inside lane. Stoudt made several challenges, but to no avail.
Kline didn’t give anyone an opportunity to overtake him and scored another win trailed by Stoudt, Wayne Pfeil, Chuck Schutz and Sipe.
After three tries to complete one lap in the Sportsman feature, rookie Andrew Kreis was at the head of the pack with Pat Conrad, Brandon Whitmoyer, Dylan Swinehart and Ryan Lilick pressuring him.
Brandon Whitmoyer became the new leader on the 10th lap.
Lady Luck certainly wasn’t with the Whitmoyer’s for this event as Craig, Brandon’s brother, started the night first in points but was eliminated earlier which dropped him to third in the point standings and now Brandon’s car had a huge bellow of smoke which caused him to stop in turns three and four on lap 17. Whitmoyer’s misfortune put Kreis back in first again on the restart with Ryan Lilick on his tailpipe.
Lilick passed Kreis for the lead one lap later and was able to hold offthe challenges of Joe Funk III for the win.