Von Dohren Ends Win Drought, Outduels Strunk and Watt for Grandview Victory
Mike Schneck Jr. Becomes Ninth Different Winner in Sportsman Division Action
BECHTELSVILLE, PA. – Craig Von Dohren of Oley, Pa. ended a 2023 season win drought when he scored his first win of the season in the 30-lap T.P. Trailer Modified feature Saturday night at Grandview Speedway.
Starting thirteenth on the feature grid, Von Dohren worked his way to third by lap thirteen, which then set up a battle with Ryan Watt of Boyertown, Pa. for second and then Jeff Strunk of Boyertown, Pa. for the lead which he was finally able to take on lap 18, then spent the remaining laps of the feature holding back their challenges to score his first speedway win since his Freedom 76 win last September.
Mike Schneck Jr. of Lebanon, Pa. scored his first-ever Grandview Speedway win in the 25-lap T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman main event, becoming the ninth different winner in as many events this season.
Schneck Jr. started twelfth on the grid, then steadily worked his way forward to eventually take the lead from Nick Faust of Phillipsburg, N.J. with a fourth corner pass on lap 19, then ran unchallenged the remaining six laps to score the first career victory.
Both winners received bonus money (Modified $300, Sportsman $200) from T.P. Trailers and Truck Equipment of Limerick, Pa., sponsors of the two divisions at Grandview Speedway, in Saturday’s program run under the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series banner.
Darrin Schuler of Stroudsburg, Pa. took the early lead in the T.P. Trailer Modified feature which saw a multi-car battle quickly develop behind him between Eric Kormann of Carneys Point, N.J., Chris Esposito of Telford, Pa, Joe Funk of Coopersburg, Pa., a fast-moving Jeff Strunk who started 12th and reached the top five by lap five, followed by Brett Kressley who had started in 14th position.
Strunk took over the lead with a pass of Schuler in turn three on lap eight, followed by Kressley who completed a pass of Glenn Owens of Bally, Pa. for second spot at the same time, setting up a classic battle between the two for the lead.
With Strunk on the bottom and Kressley on the top, they entertained the fans for three short laps before Kressley suffered a left rear flat tire, drawing a caution and a trip to the pits, ending that great battle.
On the lap 12 restart, Watt advanced from third to second and Von Dohren from fifth to third setting up the battle for second between them that lasted until Von Dohren grabbed second on lap 15 and then took off after Strunk.
The two titans battled for three laps before Von Dohren pulled off an outside groove turn four pass to score lap 18, grabbing a lead he would never surrender the remainder of the event.
Two late-race cautions on laps 21 and 22 kept things close, as Strunk would pressure the leader, but Von Dohren held off all challenges to score his 124th career Saturday night NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series win at Grandview Speedway.
The closing laps featured a great three-car tussle between Watt, Mike Gular of Boyertown, Pa. who made a late race charge through the pack after starting 15th, and Mike Lisowski of Minersville, Pa. who had been as high as third at one point in the feature. Doug Mamnmiller of Shoemakersville, Pa. who advanced from 20th starting spot, joined in the action for the top five spots as well in the closing laps.
At the wave of Starter Ray Kemp’s checkered flag, it was Von Dohren in for the win followed by Strunk, Watt, Gular, Manmiller, Lisowski, Ryan Grim of Laurys Station, Pa., Tim Buckwalter of Douglassville, Pa., Craig Whitmoyer of Hamburg, Pa., and Bobby Trapper Jr. of Scranton, Pa.
Qualifying heat races for the 34 cars on hand were won by Owens, John Willman of Birdsboro, Pa., Esposito, and Kressley with Buckwalter and Eric Biehn of Barto, Pa. winning the consolations.
Nick Faust took the early lead in the 25-lap T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman main event, with Tom Miller of Gilbertsville, Pa., Kenny Bock of Birdsboro, Pa., Kyle Hartzell of Allentown, Pa., and Molly Struss of Emmaus, Pa. all challenging each other for the top five spots.
Schneck Jr. who had started in twelfth position, was on the move early and into the top five by lap four.
With only one caution flag on lap one, the race ran green for 24 laps setting up some fantastic action throughout the field.
Schneck Jr. joined Bock and Miller in a real close race for the second position that lasted from lap five until lap 12, when Schneck Jr. was able to pass Bock for third, then eventually Miller on lap 15 to grab second position.
When Schneck Jr. reached second, Faust had built a sizable lead, but Schneck Jr. was able to track him down, challenge for the lead, then take over the top spot with a pass off turn four to score lap nineteen.
Point leader Logan Watt of Boyertown, Pa. who started 15th, joined in the action up front reaching fifth by lap 15, fourth on lap 17, third on lap 18, and second by lap 22. Watt made a run at Schneck Jr., but time ran out in the closing laps, leaving him to settle for second spot.
At the finish, It was Schneck Jr. scoring the feature win, becoming the fifth driver this season to score his first-ever win at the track in T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman action.
Following Schneck Jr. to the finish were Watt, Faust with his best career finish, a late-charging Brett Gilmore of Kutztown, Pa. who advanced from 21st starting spot, Bock, Nathan Mohr of Reading, Pa., Ryan Graver of Lehighton, Pa., Addison Meitzler of Kempton, Pa. who advanced from 20th starting spot, Tom Miller, and Jesse Hirthler of Boyertown, Pa.
Qualifying heat races for the 35 cars on hand were won by Faust, Keith Haring of Alburtis, Pa., Tom Miller Jr. of Boyertown, Pa., and Molly Struss with Meitzler and Gilmore winning the consolations.
Grandview Speedway will be presenting another NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series program next Saturday featuring the T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds and T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman starting at 7:30 pm.
The T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman will be participating in the 53rd annual Firecracker 40 championship race, the biggest race program of the summer for the division.
The show on Saturday, July 8 will include qualifying events for both classes leading into the 40-lap championship feature for the T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman and the 30-lap T.P. Trailer Modified feature.
Adult grandstand admission is $25, students 10-15 with ID are $12, while children ages 9 and under are admitted free of charge. Pit admission is $35 for NASCAR members and $45 for non-members.
Pit gates will open at 4 pm. with grandstand gates opening at 5:30 pm. warm-ups starting at 6:15 pm. and the first race of the evening getting the green flag at 7:30 pm.
The weekend action begins on Friday, July 7 as another Outlaw Racing Series Enduro/Vintage double program will be presented along with the addition of the Slingshots. On Friday, grandstand admission for adults is $10, children ages 12 and under are free, while pit admission is $30. Pit gates open at 2 pm. while grandstand gates open at 5:30 pm. and racing starts at 7 pm.
Since the 1960s, Grandview Speedway has been presenting exciting wheel-to-wheel NASCAR stock car racing every Saturday Night starting in April and running through October, plus special events. Grandview Speedway is located at 43 Passmore Road, Bechtelsville, Pa. 19505, just off Route 100, ten miles north of Pottstown, Pa.
Information is always available at www.grandviewspeedway.com or on Facebook, or by telephone at 610.754.7688.
T.P. TRAILER NASCAR MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH (30 laps): CRAIG VON DOHREN, Jeff Strunk, Ryan Watt, Mike Gular, Doug Manmiller, Mike Lisowski, Ryan Grim, Tim Buckwalter, Craig Whitmoyer, Bobby Trapper Jr., Brett Kressley, Eric Kormann, Eddie Strada, Jesse Leiby, Joe Funk, Kevin Graver Jr., Chris Esposito, Ryan Beltz, Darrin Schuler, Bobby Trapper Sr., Jimmy Leiby, Carrol Hine III, Justin Grim, Glenn Owens, John Willman, Eric Biehn, Ray Swinehart, Jared Umbenhauer
DID NOT QUALIFY: Bobby Gunther-Walsh, Ron Haring Jr., Mark Kratz, Chris Gambler, Nate Brinker, Kevin Hirthler
T.P. TRUCK EQUIPMENT NASCAR SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH (25 laps): MIKE SCHNECK JR., Logan Watt, Nick Faust, Brett Gilmore, Kenny Bock, Nathan Mohr, Ryan Graver, Addison Meitzler, Tom Miller Sr., Jesse Hirthler, Kyle Smith, Adrianna Delliponti, Jesse Landis, Cody Manmiller, Brian Hirthler, Molly Struss, Colton Perry, Hunter Iatalese, Zach Steffey, Decker Swinehart, Mark Mohr, Kaitlyn Bailey, Dakota Kohler, Andy Ressler, Kyle Hartzell, Parker Guldin, Keith Haring, Tom Miller Jr.
DID NOT QUALIFY: Michael Burrows, Dylan Swinehart, BJ Joly, Joey Vaccaro, Logan Bauman, Brandon Banos, Mark Gaugler
UPCOMING EVENTS –
Friday, July 7 – Outlaw Racing Series Enduro, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage, Slingshots – 7 pm
Saturday, July 8 – T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, 53rd annual FIRECRACKER 40 – T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman 40 laps – 7:30 pm
Saturday, July 15 – T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, MASS Sprints – 7:30 pm – KIDS MONEY SCRAMBLE – NOTE: MAKE-UP DATE FOR SPORTSMAN
Saturday, July 22 – BACK TO THE 90’S NIGHT – $10 GRANDSTAND ADMISSION – T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage – 7:30 pm. – T.P. TRAILERS & TRUCK EQUIPMENT NIGHT
Tuesday, July 25 – THUNDER ON THE HILL RACING SERIES – High Limit Sprint Car Series – $23,023 to win 410 Sprints – 7:30 pm – RICH MAR FLORIST PRESENTS THE HIGH LIMIT SPRINT CAR SERIES POWERED BY LEVAN MACHINE AND TRUCK EQUIPMENT
Sources: Jeff Ahlum/Grandview Speedway PR