Strunk, Stoudt and Lisowski Are New 2015 NASCAR Feature Winners at Grandview

By admin May 24, 2015 Grandview, NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series

BECHTELSVILLE, PA. May 24, 2015 . . . The names are familiar, but none of them had been in victory lane at Grandview Speedway in 2015 until Saturday night.

Through the aid of lapped traffic, defending NASCAR Modified point champion Jeff Strunk erased Tim Buckwalter’s comfortable lead and closed in on him. The ten time champion used traffic to his advantage and put the Zubi’s Racing No. 88 in front on the 20th lap. Strunk later went on to claim his first win of the season in the T.P. Trailers NASCAR Whelen 358 Modified 30-lap feature and become the sixth different odified feature winner of the season. Strunk was feeling under the weather, but his crew helped pull him through and hopefully the first win of the season aided the healing process.

Randy Stoudt, the Late Model point champion went out a winner last season when he announced his retirement. He decided retirement was not for him and returned to action driving his son’s No. 5 car a few weeks ago. On Saturday night he dusted off the No. 10 from last year, started on the pole in the event and led from start to finish to win his first 25-lap NASCAR BRC Late Model feature of the season. “Buddy Mertz almost gave me a heart attack commented Stoudt when he spun in front of me.” Thankfully there was no contact, but it was an exciting moment. Stoudt became the fifth different feature winner in the BRC Late Model division.

The NASCAR Sportsman had a new winner when Mike Lisowski finally had a change of luck and was able to win his first 25-lap Sportsman feature of the season chased across the line by runner-up Brad Arnold.

All feature winners in the Lupus Awareness Night received monetary awards from T.P. Trailers, Limerick.

Coming up on Saturday, May 30th, 7:30 p.m. is T.P. Trailers of Limerick Night featuring the NASCAR T.P. Trailers 358 Modifieds, BRC Late Models and Sportsman along with the extra added attraction of the Blast from the Past Vintage racers. This will also be Neurofibromatosis Awareness Night, an event that was rained out on May 16th.

Modified action saw Brian Houseknecht lead the first lap before Buckwalter stormed into the lead on the second circuit.

The red had to be thrown on lap three when Mike Kellner’s car erupted in flames. The fire was quickly extinguished, but he was finished for the night. The restart was void caused by a second turn multi-car accident. When action went green again Buckwalter was still at the head of the pack outdistancing himself as the laps dwindled down being chased by Ryan Grim, J. Strunk, Houseknecht and Ron Seltmann Jr.

Strunk, who started 11th, overtook second on the seventh lap to try to reel the rapid running Buckwalter in the Jerry Rogue-owned No. 22.

By the Dan’s Deli ½-way marker, Buckwalter had to use heads up driving, along with the others, since they had to deal with the back of the pack traffic. Strunk used this opportunity to his advantage and closed in fast.

The lead changed for the third and final time on the 20th lap when Strunk dove underneath Buckwalter, stuck behind traffic, and into the lead. Third through fifth by this time consisted of Craig VonDohren, Grim and Nate Christman.

VonDohren moved into second with four laps to go, but was unable to get close enough to challenge Strunk, even though he was coming on strong.

As the checkered unfurled Strunk scored his 61st career victory trailed by Von Dohren, Buckwalter, Grim and Christman. Rounding out the top ten were Mike Gular, Houseknecht, Weiss, Ryan Watt and Doug Manmiller, recipient of the Cargo Trailers certificate.

Ray Swinehart, Don Norris Jr. and Seltmann Jr. won the heats. The consi was won by Meme DeSantis.

Before the first lap could be scored in the Late Model feature, Kory Fleming and Rick Todorow were eliminated from competition.

Stoudt pulled away quickly on the restart pursued by Steve Wilson, Bill Henning, Lou Egrie Jr. and Dan Green.

By the tenth lap trying to erase the deficit were Wilson, Sean Merkel, Chuck Schutz and Green.

Dave Ogin spun along the backstretch on the 14th lap to regroup the pack. Stoudt wasted no time pulling away on the restart, but by now Merkel, and Schutz were second and third.

With five laps to go, Schutz, who just took over second, used lap cars to try to reel in Stoudt.

Everyone was given the chance to unseat Stoudt when Wilson, Joe Fanelli and Green tangled in the first turn with three laps to go. Stoudt motored away quickly when action went green again.

Stoudt never faltered and went on to claim his 64th win over Schutz, Merkel, Wayne Pfeil and Henning. Sixth through tenth were Egrie Jr., Wilson, Fanelli, Steve Gross and Green, Cargo Trailers certificate recipient.

Heats were won by Stoudt and Gross.

Paul Houseknecht, a rookie this year, led the first lap before Lisowski motored into first.

With Lisowski now the new pacesetter Houseknecht, Sean Weiss, Brad Arnold and Erik Renninger diced for positions.

The yellow waved on the seventh lap when Ryan Beltz found himself facing the wrong direction coming out of the fourth turn with Houseknecht, left with nowhere to go also involved. Jim Housworth was placed to the rear for starting the incident.

It was still Lisowski in first on the restart with Arnold trying to change the status, but was unsuccessful.

Lisowski held off all challenges from the competition, dealt with lap cars and still managed to pull the M & J Construction No. 15 into the winner’s circle ahead of Arnold, Renninger, Brett Gilmore and Ryan Lilick, another rookie. Rounding out the top ten were Kenny Gilmore, Hirthler, Brett Kressley, Jordan Henn and Ken Eckert Jr.

Dean Bachman, Lisowski and Hirthler won the heats.

RESULTS

30-lap NASCAR T.P.Trailers 358 Modified Feature: 1. Jeff Strunk, 2. Craig Von Dohren, 3. Tim Buckwalter, 4. Ryan Grim, 5. Nate Christman, 6. Mike Gular, 7. Brian Houseknecht, 8. Kyle Weiss, 9. Ran Watt, 10. Doug Manmiller, 11. Don Norris Jr., 12. Kevin Hirthler, 13. Jared Umbenhauer, 14. Duane Howard, 15. John Willman, 16. Frank Cozze, 17. Kyle Borror, 18. Danny Erb, 19. Ron Seltmann Jr., 20. Glenn Strunk, 21. Eric Biehn, 22. Ryan Kunkle, 23. Jarrad Miller, 24. Jamie Speers, 25. Bobby Gunther-Walsh (alternate), 26. Meme DeSantis, 27. Tommy Scheetz III, 28. Mike Kellner. DNS: Ray Swinehart. DNQ: Mark Kratz, Ron Haring Jr. and Mike Bailey.

25-lap NASCAR BRC Late Model Feature: 1. Randy Stoudt, 2. Chuck Schutz, 3. Sean Merkel, 4. Wayne Pfeil, 5. Bill Henning, 6. Lou Egrie Jr., 7. Steve Wilson, 8. Joe Fanelli, 9. Steve Gross, 10. Dan Green, 11. John Giesler, 12. Ton Giglio, 13. Dave Ogin, 14. Buddy Mertz, 15. Cory Merkel, 16. Shawn Horning, 17. Rick Todorow, 18. Kory Fleming.

25-lap NASCAR Sportsman Feature: 1. Mike Lisowski, 2. Brad Arnold, 3. Erik Renninger, 4. Brett Gilmore, 5. Ryan Lilick, 6. Kenny Gilmore, 7. Brian Hirthler, 8. Brett Kressley, 9. Jordan Henn, 10. Ken Eckert Jr., 11. Dean Bachman, 12. Jim Housworth, 13. Jim Britt, 14. Ryan Beltz, 15. Kyle Lilick, 16. Ryan Shupp, 17. Jason Neidlinger, 18. Mike Wahl, 109. Paul Houseknecht, 20. Craig Whitmoyer, 21. Nathan Mohr, 22. Mike Koffel, 23. Joe Funk III, 24. Sean Weiss. DQ: Tom Miller.

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 T.P. TRAILERS MODIFIEDS AS OF MAY 23, 2015
* denotes feature win (Feature wins listed are only those that are NASCAR point events.)

Craig VonDohren, Oley, PA #1C 1937*
Jeff Strunk, Pottstown, PA #88 1744*
Duane Howard, Oley, PA #66 1737**
Doug Manmiller, Shoemakersville, PA #00 1667
Jared Umbenhauer, Richland, PA #5 1493
Frank Cozze, Wind Gap, PA #357/19 1406
Mike Gular, Green Lane, PA #53/2 1398
Meme DeSantis, Temple, PA #357 1362
Nate Christman, Fleetwood, PA #37 1311
Danny Erb, Boyertown, PA #44 1302
Kyle Weiss, Hamburg, PA #21K 1254*
Tim Buckwalter, Douglassville, PA #22 1185
John Willman, Birdsboro, PA #74W 1173
Don Norris, Douglassville, PA #976 1133
Glenn Strunk, Bechtelsville, PA #41 1097
Ryan Grim, Laury’s Station, PA #17 1036*
Jarred Miller, Barto, PA #917 1016
Kevin Hirthler, Boyertown, PA #117 975*
Brian Houseknecht, Bechtelsville, PA #323 930
Kyle Borror, Peach Bottom, PA #B4 885
Mike Kellner, Lansdale, PA #A1/57 875
Ryan Wyatt, Boyertown, PA #14W 841
Ray Swinehart, Perkiomenville, PA #33 833
Eric Biehn, Bechtelsville, PA #87 790
Todd Smith, Hatfield, PA #39 649
Kevin Hartnett, Barto, PA #81 522
Ron Seltman, Lower Pottsgrove, #R19 519
Bobby Gunther Walsh, Allentown, PA #1 510
Mike Laise, Pottstown, PA #15 440
Jamie Speers, New Holland, PA #762 414

UNOFFICIAL POINT STANDINGS FOR NASCAR BRC LATE MODELS AS OF MAY 23, 2015

Chuck Schutz, Pottstown, PA #1 1715**
Sean Merkel, Boyertown, PA #118 1457
Wayne Pfeil, Mohnton, PA #72 1424**
Dan Green, Coatesville, PA #46 1370
Joe Fanelli, Exton, PA #22 1340
Dave Ogin, Bechtelsville, PA #31/8M 1281
Kory Fleming, Milford, NJ #704 1257*
Cory Merkel, Gilbertsville, PA #16 1209
Rick Todorow, Quakertown, PA #93 1206
John Giesler, Aston, PA #ZT1 1116
Lou Egrie Jr., Willow Grove, PA #4E 1098
Steve Gross, West Chester, PA #62 987
Bill Henning, Lansdale, PA #80 941
Lou Egrie Sr., Willow Grove, PA #X4 767*
Buddy Mertz, Boyertown, PA #00 747
Steve Wilson, Green Lane, PA #15 722
Randy Stoudt, Pottstown, PA #5/10 595*
Shawn Horning, Blandon, PA #8M 440
George Irwin, Chester Springs, PA #2D 256
Dirk Rimrott, Phoenixville, PA #92 212

UNOFFICIAL POINT STANDINGS FOR NASCAR SPORTSMAN AS OF MAY 23, 2015

Brett Kressley, Orefield, PA #19K 1698****
Kenny Gilmore, Fleetwood, PA #7 1415*
Jim Housworth, Reigelsville, PA #72 1305
Jordan Henn, Kutztown, PA #77H 1276
Craig Whitmoyer, Hamburg, PA #99 1193
Brad Arnold, Kenhorst, PA #830 1193
Brett Gilmore, Fleetwood, PA #00 1181
Erik Renninger, Bridgewater, NJ #51 1126
Ryan Beltz, Barto, PA #221 1094
Ken Eckert, Orwigsburg, PA #29 1069
Brian Hirthler, Green Lane, PA #4* 1042
Mike Lisowski, Minersville, PA #15 1026*
Ryan Lilick, Collegeville, PA #142 1004
Jeff Sechrist, Robesonia, PA #29G 925*
Joe Funk, Coopersburg, PA #14J 923
Jason Neidlinger, Schuylkill Haven, PA #88X 806
Tom Miller, Gilbertsville, PA #77 775
Dean Bachman, Emmaus, PA #65 726
Kyle Lilick, Collegeville, PA #104 524
Paul Houseknecht ,Bechtelsville, PA #25 485

COMING EVENTS: Saturday, May 30, 7:30 p.m. T.P. Trailers Night featuring the T.P. Trailers NASCAR Whelen NASCAR Modifieds, BRC Late Models and Sportsman plus Blast from the Past Vintage Racers. This will also be Neurofibromatosis Awareness Night.

Tuesday, June 2, 7:30 p.m. Thunder on the Hill Racing Series featuring the Jesse Hockett Memorial Classic with United States Auto Club Wingless Sprints and American Racing Drivers Club Wingless Midgets.

Saturday, June 6, 7:30 p.m. Bashore Trucking/BFP Specialty Night featuring a 40-lap Championship event for Sportsman, T.P.Trailers NASCAR 358 Modifieds and BRC Late Models. Checkered Flag Fan Club Membership Drive… Adult admission is $20, youngsters 11 and under to 5 pay $5, under 5 is free.

Saturday, June 13, 7:30 p.m. T.P.Trailers NASCAR 358 Modifieds, Sportsman and 305 Sprints. Adults $18 and kids 11 and under are admitted free.

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.

Sources: Vicki Gehris & Ernie Saxton/Ernie Saxton Communications