Grandview Speedway Announces That the T.p. Truck Equipment Sportsman Division Will Be 602 Engines Only Starting With 2024 Season
BECHTELSVILLE, PA. – After several seasons of monitoring and careful consideration, Grandview Speedway management has made the decision to go exclusively to the 602 engines only for Sportsman division competition starting with the 2024 race season.
Track officials made the announcement to their drivers at a meeting prior to the recent Firecracker 40 Sportsman Championship race, confirming what had been expected for the last several years.
Since the Sportsman division was introduced at Grandview in 2012, the division has utilized the open motors, but in recent years, the increased costs have sent competitors toward the more popular and less expensive 602 crate engines.
The last several seasons have seen a huge increase in the use of the 602 crate engines in competition, and track officials allowed both motor combinations to be used. Management knew that these engines were the future of the class and started making provisions to incorporate them into the Sportsman division. To keep them as competitive as possible, officials used RPM chips, different weights, and steel or aluminum wheels to even out the competition.
Track officials have been monitoring the situation for several seasons now, and around the 2020 race season, the ratio was about 75% using the open motors, by the 2021 season it was about a 50/50 split, with the ratio switching to about 75% using the 602 engines by the 2022 race season.
The 2023 season began with about a dozen teams using the open motors, but by attrition, the number has been down to about six teams using the open motors the last several weeks.
Management told their weekly competitors on Opening Day that they would have a decision by the Firecracker 40 as to whether or not the open motors would stay on another year or not so that they can make plans for next season. With the announcement at the driver’s meeting, word has now been released to everyone for Grandview Speedway’s Sportsman division engine rules starting with the 2024 campaign.
Track Officials are reminding all race teams that the 602 engines in the Sportsman division will continue under the same rules as this season, including allowing a rebuild of the engines if a breakdown occurs.
The rebuilds will be under the supervision of the RUSH racing series and performed locally at KB Performance 6807 Mosserville Road, New Tripoli, Pa. 18066, phone number is 610.751.9650. KB was selected by RUSH as our local rebuild and repair center and has gone through and completed the RUSH certification and training process. KB Performance is just one of nineteen facilities that can perform the necessary rebuilds to the 602 engines.
Any further questions can be directed to the tech staff by calling Cliff Quinn at 484-357-2587 or Ed Scott at 610-298-2408. Further information on car rules are available on the speedway website at www.grandviewspeedway.com.
Saturday, July 22 will be a three-division program featuring the T.P. Trailer Modifieds and the T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman joined by the Outlaw Racing Series Vintage Cars starting at 7:30 pm.
The highlight of the night will be the rollback of the grandstand admission to 1990s pricing, as fans will pay just $10 for a complete night of NASCAR Modified and Sportsman competition.
T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman competitors are being challenged on 90’s night with a $500 bonus put up by Gilmore Motorsports and Hoffman Speed Supplies. Teams are being challenged to use a 1990s-era right-side pan hard bar suspension set-up on their race car, and the first car across the finish in the July 22 Sportsman feature will receive the bonus. Drivers must sign up prior to the evening’s race program to be eligible for the bonus.
Grandstand admission is $10, 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.
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.
UPCOMING EVENTS –
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, TRIVIA NIGHT – 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