Von Dohren Scores Second Pennsylvania Title
Brings Home Eighth Grandview Championship
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Craig Von Dohren, a veteran at Pennsylvania’s Grandview Speedway, added another championship title to his extensive racing resume.
The 53-year-old Oley, Pennsylvania, native, celebrated his eighth Grandview championship and his second Pennsylvania crown, while finishing 10th in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series final standings.
“It was a good year,” said Von Dohren, who had with five wins, 18 top fives and 20 top 10s in 23 starts. “Things just clicked for us this year. I had a great team behind me and we got so many good breaks. We always set out to do well and we accomplished that this year.”
Von Dohren powered his No. 1C KL Harring Transportation/Pioneer Pole Buildings, Inc. Ford to 5,294 points at Grandview, 312 points over runner-up Duane Howard in the Modified standings. It was a tight finish at a one-third-mile track like Grandview, where you can earn 300 points in one night under their points system.
“You never know what’s going to happen on race night,” said Von Dohren. “We knew it was pretty close headed into the finale, but anything can happen. We didn’t know we earned the championship until the race was over.”
Von Dohren has been around Grandview for a long time. He won his first career victory at the dirt track when he was a senior in high school to become the youngest driver to win a main Modified event in the track’s history.
“I started racing there my second year racing,” Von Dohren said. “We raced there on and off throughout my career. I’ve been racing there for the last 10 years, it’s close to home.”
During is off years, he traveled to Pennsylvania’s Penn National Speedway and South Carolina’s Greenville Pickens Speedway. He returned to Grandview and collected five more championships.
“It makes me feel old,” Von Dohren said of his many championships. “I’ve been around for a while and have achieved so much. But to win at home at Grandview is very rewarding. It’s a difficult track with tough competitors. I’m glad I can win here and have success for my sponsors, who are all local.”
He’s come a long way in his career. Von Dohren began racing was nine-years-old when he started racing go-karts.
“It was a family thing,” Von Dohren said. “My dad and brother raced go-karts. From there everything just took off and I kept moving up the ranks until I reached Modifieds.”
Since 1988, Jeff Strunk (10), Von Dohren (eight) and Howard (five) have accounted for 23 of the 27 titles. This year, Von Dohren won the state title 603-569 over Howard. Howard won the state title last season, while Strunk was the track champion.
NASCAR U.S. state and Canadian province championships are determined by the best 18 finishes at tracks within the respective state or province. The state championship traces its lineage back to 1952 and was resumed by NASCAR in 2008.
2015 STATE/PROVINCE CHAMPIONS | 2015 TRACK CHAMPIONS
For the 2016 season, Von Dohren hopes to make Grandview history.
“I need to get to 100 feature wins,” Von Dohren said. “I have 95 Modified features wins, I need to get 5 more. The closest person behind me is Duane with 68, so to get to 100 would be special.”
As for his 2015 success, Von Dohren owes it all to his sponsors.
“I have to thank my sponsors for all my success,” the 2015 champion said. “Without KL Harring Transportation and Pioneer Pole Buildings, Inc. this season wouldn’t have been possible.”
Established in 1982, the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series is NASCAR’s national championship program for weekly short track auto racing. In all, 57 paved and dirt tracks throughout the United States and Canada participated in 2015.
Connecticut-based Whelen Engineering is the series’ title sponsor. Whelen is a leading manufacturer of automotive, aviation, industrial and emergency vehicle lighting. NASCAR tracks and pace cars are among the many showcases for the Whelen products.
Von Dohren finished tenth in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series with 603 points. Chris Budihas Photography
Sources: Brooke Franceschini, NASCAR PR