The 2013 NASCAR Whelen All American Series stock car racing season came to an end at Grandview Speedway on Saturday night with Craig VonDohren winning twice. First VonDohren, who calls Oley home, charged from 16th starting spot to take the lead with just four laps to go in the 30-lap Green Lane Wm Penn/Four Star Lettering Night Modified feature race and lead the rest of the way to grab his sixth win of the season.
The second part of his two win night was that he earned the 2013 NASCAR 358 Modified title, his seventh track title, for which he will be honored at the annual track awards banquet on November 16th.
In the 25-lap main event for the Sportsman stock cars, Brett Kressley (Orefield) charged from 12th starting position to take the lead from Ron Krex on the 13th lap and lead the balance of the race to grab his fifth win of the season.
Jared Umbenhauer earned the NASCAR Sportsman title for the second year in a row and tallied five feature victories on his way to the title.
Veteran racer Wayne Pfeil (Mohnton) took the lead in the 25-lap Late Model feature on the drop of the green and led all the laps to claim his first win of the season. Jason Miller went into the night seven points behind Chuck Schutz looking to dethrone the six-time Late Model champion and did just that as his third place finish gave him his first NASCAR Late Model title at Grandview. Danny Snyder came in second and Schutz had to settle for third in the final standings.
The 30-lap NASCAR 358 Modified feature
The feature got off to a rough start with Jon Kellner Jr. trying the high groove in the fourth turn in an effort to gain first spot from pole sitter Bobby Gunther Walsh. Kellner ended up in the wall and out for the night. On the second try for a start Justin Grim grabbed the lead and set the pace for two laps before hard charging Addison Meitzler went to the front.
The Kutztown racer set the pace and held off challenges from Jon Kellner Sr. for the top spot for 16 laps before Kellner was able to charge into the lead. Kellner, in search of his second win of the season, held the top spot for seven laps before Craig VonDohren, who had started 16th, went to the front with his V&M Towing No. 1c and led the field to the finish and his sixth win of the season.
Second spot went to Kellner Sr. (Lansdale) followed by Ryan Grim (Whitehall), Addison Meitzler (Kutztown) and Tim Buckwalter (Douglassville).
VonDohren told the victory lane announcer that it (the win) got them ready for the $25,000 to win BPG Racing Freedom 76 set for Grandview Speedway on Saturday, September 14th at 7 p.m.
Late Model Feature The 25-lap main event for Late Models got most of the attention from fans as there were no less than five racers with a chance to grab the title when the race started. Wayne Pfeil went to the front with the drop of the green and led all the laps on his way to his first win. Second place was earned by Sam Schlosberg (Green Lane) who challenged the leader throughout the race. Jason Miller (New Tripoli) grabbed third with a consistent performance and that gave him enough points to earn his first Late Model title at the Berks County clay oval.
Danny Snyder (Green Lane) put forward a strong effort to finish fourth in hopes of gaining the title. Sean Merkel (Boyertown) came from 12th to finish 5th.
Sportsman Feature Dean Bachman got to lead the first lap of the 25-lap Sportsman feature race while Erik Renninger set the pace in the second lap. Ron Krex put his mount in front on the third lap and led the next 10 laps.
On the 13th circuit of the one-third-mile, banked clay track Brett Kressley went to the front and led the final 12 laps to get his fifth win of the season with his Kressley Auto & Truck Sales entry. Brad Brightbill (Sinking Springs) made a strong effort to grab second.
Jared Umbenhauer (Richland) finished third and celebrated his second straight division championship. Kenny Gilmore (Fleetwood) charged from 24th to a fourth place finish and Guy Germano (Richlandtown) finished fifth. Qualifying heats, 12 laps, for the 358 Modifieds were won by Justin Grim, Chris Esposito, Craig VonDohren and Ron Seltman. Modified consolation races, 10 laps each, went to Mike Kellner and Todd Smith. Sportsman qualifiers, each eight laps, were won by Dean Bachman, Guy Germano and Scott Davis Jr. Late Model qualifier victories, eight laps, were earned by Sam Schlosberg and Steve Nederostek.
The Hard Charger award for the Modifieds sponsored by Bobby Gunther Walsh and sponsors went to Craig VonDohren going from 16th to 1st. The Searock Lawn Care Hard Charger award for Sportsman was earned by Kenny Gilmore who started 24th and finished fourth and the Jeff Teets’ Salvage Transport Hard Charger award for Late Models went to Sean Merkel as he gained seven spots.
Cargo Trailer Sales of Lansdale had $50 gift certificates for 10th place finishers in each feature while Dan’s Deli has hoagies for the leader of each feature at the halfway point.
VP Racing Fuels has a $150 product bonus for the first NASCAR 358 Modified feature finisher using their fuel, $100 product bonus for the first Late Model feature finisher using their fuel and $75 product bonus for the first Sportsman feature finisher using their fuel and carrying VP decals on the race car and VP patch on uniform.
The biggest event of the season is set for Saturday, September 14th at 7 p.m. with the running of the 43rd annual BPG Racing Freedom 76 Modified Classic paying $25,000 to win.
GREEN LANE WM. PENN/ 4 STAR LETTERING NASCAR 358 MODIFIED FEATURE – 30 LAPS: 1. Craig VonDohren ( 6 wins) 2. Jon Kellner Sr. 3. Ryan Grim 4. Addison Meitzler 5. Tim Buckwalter 6. Glenn Strunk 7. Duane Howard 8. Jeff Strunk 9. Terry Meitzler 10. Meme DeSantis 11. Chris Esposito 12. Don Norris Jr. 13. Frank Cozze 14. Nate Christman 15. Kyle Borror 16. Ron Seltman 17. Tommy Scheetz III 18. Todd Smith 19. Jarrad Miller 20. Kevin Hirthler 21. Bobby Gunther Walsh 22. Justin Grim 23. Mike Gular 24. Ray Swinehart 25. John Willman 26. Mike Kellner 27. Jordan Umbenhauer 28. Jon Kellner Jr.
GREEN LANE WM. PENN/4 STAR LETTERING NASCAR LATE MODEL FEATURE – 25 LAPS:1.Wayne Pfeil 2. Sam Schlosberg 3. Jason Miller 4. Danny Snyder 5. Sean Merkel 6. Dan Green 7. Chuck Schutz 8. Steve Nederostek 9. Steve Todorow 10. Dirk Rimrot 11. Steve Butler 12. Bill Henning 13. Rick Todorow 14. Buddy Mertz 15. George Irwin DNS Drew Weisser
GREEN LANE WM. PENN/4 STAR LETTERING NASCAR SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 25 LAPS: 1. Brett Kressley 2. Brad Brightbill 3. Jared Umbenhauer 4. Kenny Gilmore 5. Guy Germano 6. Ron Krex 7. Joe Funk 8. Craig Whitmoyer 9. Scott Davis Jr. 10. Brian Hirthler 11. Joe Fanelli 12. Kevin Beach 13. Jordan Henn 14. Ryan Lilick 15. Ryan Beltz 16. Michael DeMedio 17. Dave Bartram 18. Kaitie McCardle 19. Dean Bachman 20. Jason Neidlinger 21. Erik Renninger 22. Lex Shive 23. Mike DeBellis 24. Mark Behm 25. Chuck Miller
