Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Von Dohren gets third win of year; Smith earns rain-shortened victory
BECHTELSVILLE Defending Grandview Speedway NASCAR Modified point champion Craig Von Dohren was able to keep current point leader Brett Kressley behind him for a change on Saturday night and went on to score his third win of the season in the 358 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series 30-lap Modified feature which was part of the T.P.Trailers and Truck Equipment Night at Grandview Speedway.
The T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman 25-lap feature was checkered at the half-way point due to rain. Kyle Smith was at the right spot this time and was declared the winner for his first career victory at the 1/3-mile oval.
In the two 12-lap Outlaw Vintage Car features Myron Haydt won the Sportsman division race while Jeff Paulson claimed the win in the Modified class.
Polesitter Glenn Owens led seven laps of the Modified feature trailed by Jordan Henn, Mark Kratz, Jesse Leiby and Darrin Schuler before Eric Biehn stopped in the second turn to bring out the caution. Before the race restarted, Henn, running a strong second made a pit stop and rejoined the pack in last spot.
When action went green again Kratz outgunned Owens to become the new pacesetter.
By the Dan’s Deli Hoagie ½ way point, the order behind Kratz consisted of Von Dohren, Doug Manmiller, Kressley and Jared Umbenhauer, who started second, 14th, 11th, 15th and 13th respectively.
After a several laps of trying, Von Dohren was finally able to pass Kratz for the lead on the 18th circuit the five-way battle for first ensued coming out of turn 4. Kratz hooked the back bumper of Manmiller’s car and both came to an abrupt halt long the homestretch putting both to the back of the pack after they got separated. On the restart Von Dohren moved the Bruecher-owned/PPB No. 30 Nick Gatto powered mount away quickly because he knew Kressley was hot on his heels with Umbenhauer, Schuler and Justin Grim right behind waiting for a slipup for advancement.
A five car tangle in the fourth turn eliminated Ryan Grim, Mike Lisowski, Brad Brightbill and Jordan Henn. Jeff Strunk could con
tinue, but was now at the tail end of the competitors after working his way up to seventh coming from 22nd since he qualified through the consi.
The top three continued to be Von Dohren, Kressley and Umbenhauer, but now Craig Whitmoyer and Duane Howard joined the mix.
From the 22nd lap until the drop of the checkered the first five stayed intact, but it was Von Dohren crossing the line first for his 112th Saturday night career win. Sixth through tenth were Kevin Hirthler, Manmiller, who came back to grab seventh after going to the back in the 18th lap mishap; Justin Grim, Ryan Lilick and Brett Gilmore.
Owens, Kressley and Manmiller won the heats. The consi winner was Jack Butler.
In Sportsman feature, action the first lap was void for a third turn accident. On the restart Steve Young took the early lead with pressure coming from Paul Effrig, B.J. Joly, who returned to action after being sidelined for a month due to an unavoidable accident he was involved in; Nathan Mohr and Mike Stofflet.
Decker Swinehart, Kyle Lilick and Tyler James got eliminated in a multi-car fourth turn incident for the third lap yellow period which was no fault of either one.
Young, Effrig and Joly stayed first to third on the restart, but now Joey Vaccaro, Smith and current point leader Kenny Gilmore joined the hunt.
At the conclusion of six laps Smith was challenging Young.
After trying to figure out a way to pass Young, Smith finally pulled the feat off coming out of turn four to complete the 12th lap.
With 13 laps in the books, the yellow flew again for debris in turn two.
Before the race could resume, it started to rain.
They continued to have the cars circle the track in hopes it would subside, but radar indicated a heavier band of storms would hit the area and the race was declared official with Smith heading to victory lane. Second went to Young trailed by Gilmore, Effrig and Dylan Hoch. Joly, Parker Guldin, Vaccaro, defending point champion Brian Hirthler and Stofflet rounded out the top ten.
Heats were won by Young, Effrig and Vaccaro. Cole Stangle was the consi winner.
In the Vintage Sportsman feature Bill Gerhart showed the way for three laps before Haydt took over the lead and stayed there the rest of the way. His car resembled Charley Gilmore’s No. 7 and he dedicated the win to him and the entire family. Jay Garris was second followed by Gerhart, Brock Jacobus and Travis Jacobus. Mike Garris Sr., Joe Medaglia, Denise Hall, Wayne Roth and
Matt Smith completed sixth through tenth.
Modified Vintage feature competition saw Jeff Paulson, take the early lead over Jon Lines, Bobby Hall, Scott Schaeffer and Wes Cassel.
Schaeffer overtook second on the ninth lap and took chase after Paulson.
Coming in for the checkered it was a side-by-side battle with Paulson emerging as the winner. Paulson dedicated it as a tribute to his father Ron Paulson who also ran the No. PB with Schaeffer a close second followed by Lines, Wes Cassel and Hall. Rounding out the top ten were Kevin Kuser, Dominique Deglas, Freddy Brightbill, Vince Gagliardo Jr. and Mike Stofflet.
Closing out the month on Saturday, July 31, will be the return of the 602 Sportsman racers as they join the Modifieds and Sportsman for a tripleheader night of action. Headlining the Meet & Greet at 5 p.m. will be Modified ace Jared Umbenhauer
along with Sportsman talents Kenny Bock and Lex Shive. An added attraction will be the appearance of NASCAR Xfinity driver David Starr who carries the same ATS sponsorship as Bock. There will also be a Chapel on the Hill Worship at 4:30 p.m. in the turn one pavilion.
The month of August kicks off with a Thunder on the Hill Racing Series doubleheader that will feature the USAC National Midgets Ken Brenn Masters and Modifieds. That will be Tuesday, August 3 with a 7:30 p.m. starting time.
Friday August 6th will feature the Outlaw Racing Series Enduro and Vintage Racing Series. Action gets the green at 7 p.m.
And on Saturday August 7th the T.P.Trailer Modifieds and T.P.Truck Equipment Sportsman will be featured in another action packed show.
On Saturday August 14th the Forrest Rogers Memorial, named in honor of the man who planned and built Grandview Speedway with the help of son Bruce, will take place. The 50-lap Modified Classic will reward the winner with $10,000. And the Sportsman will be part of the doubleheader show.