BECHTELSVILLE >> Wayne Pfeil, behind the wheel of his own/J&H Automotive & Custom Exhaust No. 72, scored the biggest win of his career when he took home the $2,000 first prize money in the Chapman Auto Group Firecracker 40 NASCAR BRC Late Model feature on Saturday night at Grandview Speedway. He dedicated his first win of the season to his dad, a former racer, who was at home with some health issues.
“The car has been good all season, but we just had bad luck,” Pfeil said. He gave a lot of credit to his crew because they stick by him and continue to try to make improvements to the car. He collected the Dan’s Deli 1/2-way hoagie bonus in addition to $100 from T. P. Trailers, Limerick.
The 30-Lap T.P. Trailers NASCAR 358 Modified All-American Racing Series 30-Lap was up for grabs right until the wave of the checkered and it was Kyle Weiss, the “Jalapa Jet” standing in victory lane for the first time of the season. He was happy how good the car was working since he and the crew spent several hours preparing the Blue Knob Auto No. 21K. In addition to the top prize, he also received $250 from T.P. Trailers.
Brian Papiez, a rookie this season in the NASCAR Sportsman division, held off the challenges of another rookie Andrew Kreis, who destroyed his car a few weeks ago, but had rebuilt the car and returned to the racing wars, to win his second 25-Lap feature. Papiez also received the $100 T.P. Trailers monetary award and the Dan’s Deli 1/2-way hoagie bonus.
Twenty one different drivers have visited victory lane this season in the three divisions of NASCAR stock car racing.
Coming up on Saturday, July 23rd is the always popular Hatfield Quality Meats Night featuring a visit by Smiley, their famous mascot; plus t-shirts and hot dogs being shot into the grandstands. And they will have product samples in the first turn grandstand area early in the evening. Featured will be the TP Trailers NASCAR 358 Modifieds, BRC Late Models and Sportsman. The weekly Meet and Greet featuring drivers and cars near the main gate entrance starts at 5 p.m. Spectator gates open at 5:30 p.m. with actual racing competition starts at 7:30 p.m. Adults are admitted for $15 while youngsters under 12 enter free.
Then on Sunday, July 24th, 1 p.m. the Outlaw Enduro racers will be in action along with Blast from the Past Vintage Car racing events. Adult admission is just $10.
Devin Frey took the early lead in the Late Model main event with Steve Todorow, who returned to action four weeks ago; Ron Kline, the 2009 and 2011 winner; Drew Weisser, a 2016 feature winner and Pfeil in tow.
It didn’t take Frey long to build up a commanding lead and encounter lap traffic by the eighth lap.
Dan Green regrouped the pack when he stopped in the fourth turn with tire issues. It was still Frey in command when action resumed, but by this time Pfeil advanced to second putting his bids in for the lead.
The lead changed hands on the 14th lap when Pfeil motored to the front of the pack.
Frey’s second place run ended abruptly when a puff of smoked poured from his car causing him to stop in turn two and the yellow out. Pfeil continued his dominance of the event on the restart.
Behind Pfeil, a four-way battle for second ensued between Todorow, Dave Ogin, Randy Stoudt and Sean Merkel. With Chuck Schutz trying to join in the mix.
Ogin moved into second on the 29th lap and within no time he erased the gap Pfeil built up to challenge for the lead.
Pfeil held the high line while Ogin was working the low groove trying to overtake him. Waiting in the wins for a miscue were last years’ winner S. Merkel, Schutz, who won the race two times and six-time race winner Randy Stoudt.
Pfeil really worked to stay in front and the determination paid off when he pulled into the winner’s circle 0.406 second ahead of Ogin who was followed by S. Merkel, Schutz and R. Stoudt. Sixth through tenth were Todorow, Cory Merkel, Weisser, Lou Egrie and Dean Stoudt.
Heats were won by Pfeil and Kline.
Polesitter Justin Grim motored into the early lead on the onset of the Modified feature followed by Chris Esposito, John Willman, Steve Swinehart and Brian Houseknecht.
By the Dan’s Deli 1/2-way hoagie mark, Justin Grim was still first, but a five-way heated battle for second continued between S. Swinehart, Willman, Kenny Gilmore, Weiss and Jordan Umbenhauer and neither was ready to give an inch.
Weiss made it a three-wide battle for the lead between Grim and Swinehart by the 23rd lap, one lap later he was second and with five laps to go Weiss dove underneath Grim coming off the fourth turn and was the new leader.
Weiss never relinquished first and went on to score his third career win at the 1/3-mile, banked clay oval. Second through fourth place finishers S. Swinehart, J. Grim and Umbenhauer scored their best runs of the season with Gilmore claiming fifth.
Mike Gular, S. Swinehart and Jeff Strunk won the heats. The consi went to Ryan Grim.
In the Sportsman feature polesitter Kreis led for two laps before Papiez got around him on the outside for the top spot. Kreis didn’t give in easily and stuck right with him trying to regain control. Behind these two rookies, Dylan Swinehart, another rookie, held down third with Brandon Whitmoyer and Jesse Landis, also a rookie completing the top five.
Papiez did manage to open daylight between himself and the others, but that was erased when Mark Kemmerer and Chad Kohler tangled between the first and second turn bringing out the caution on the 19th lap. The restart was void for a fourth turn multi-car tangle. Papiez and Kreis stayed one and two on the restart, but Swinehart got shuffled back to sixth as Ryan Lilick, Ken Eckert Jr. and Brad Arnold moved by.
Papiez was having handling problems coming off the fourth turn as the car was tight and numerous times it looked like Kreis would overtake him, but to no avail.
The lead never changed and Papiez scored his second win of the year. Second through fifth were Kreis, R. Lilick, Arnold and Eckert Jr.
Kreis, Papiez and Brian Hirthler won the heats. The consi was won by Steve Young.
RACE RESULTS
Chapman Auto Group BRC Late Model Feature (40 Laps): 1. Wayne Pfeil, 2. Dave Ogin, 3. Sean Merkel, 4. Chuck Schutz, 5. Randy Stoudt, 6. Steve Todorow, 7. Cory Merkel, 8. Drew Weisser, 9. Lou Egrie, 10. Dean Stoudt, 11. Dan Green, 12. Jason Miller, 13. Bryon Sipe, 14. Joe Fanelli, 15. Jordan Knepp, 16. Chris Wojnar, 17. Dirk Rimrott, 18. Devin Frey, 19. Shawn Horning, 20. Ron Kline, 21. George Irwin.
T.P. Trailers Modified Feature (30 Laps): 1. Kyle Weiss, 2. Steve Swinehart, 3. Justin Grim, 4. Jared Umbenhauer, 5. Kenny Gilmore, 6. Craig Von Dohren, 7. Mike Gular, 8. Jeff Strunk, 9. John Willman, 10. Brian Houseknecht, 11. Frank Cozze, 12. Danny Erb, 13. Chris Esposito, 14. Tim Buckwalter, 15. Kevin Hirthler, 16. Kyle Borror, 17. Doug Manmiller, 18. Ryan Grim, 19. Glenn Owens, 20. Bobby Gunther-Walsh, 21. Ron Haring Jr., 22. Ron Seltmann Jr., 23. Colt Harris, 24. Nate Christman, 25. Ray Swinehart, 26. Kory Fleming, 27. Brett Kressley, 28. Eric Biehn. DNQ: Don Norris Jr. and Blaine Bracelin Jr.
Sportsman Feature (25 Laps): 1. Brian Papiez, 2. Andrew Kreis, 3. Ryan Lilick, 4. Brad Arnold, 5. Ken Eckert Jr., 6. Dylan Swinehart, 7. Brandon Whitmoyer, 8. Jordan Henn, 9. Brett Gilmore, 10. Brian Hirthler, 11. Craig Whitmoyer, 12. Mike Lisowski, 13. Paul Kline, 14. Dean Bachman, 15. Jack Butler, 16. Joe Funk III, 17. Nathan Mohr, 18. Mark Kemmerer, 19. Chad Kohler, 20. Mike Koffel, 21. Jesse Landis, 22. Steve Young, 23. Kyle Lilick, 24. Rich Jones, 25. Brad Grim, 26. Ryan Beltz. DNQ: Kenny Bock, Brad Brightbill, B.J. Joly, Derrick Smith and Ryan Higgs.
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. A full assortment of great concessions and novelty items are available. Free parking on the grounds. Fans are invited to the competition area after the events are completed to meet the racers. 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).
COMING EVENTS
Saturday, July 23, 7:30 p.m. Hatfield Quality Meats Night featuring the TP Trailers NASCAR 358 Modifieds, BRC Late Models and Sportsman.
Sunday, July 24, 1 p.m., Outlaw Enduro Racing plus Blast from the Past Vintage Racing. Twin 75s for Big Cars and Twins 75s for Small Cars, Ladies race, Junkyard race and Vintage races.
Tuesday, July 26, 7:30 p.m. Thunder on the Hill Racing Series featuring 410 Sprints and 358 Modifieds including continuation of events postponed from June 28th.
Saturday, July 30, 7:30 p.m. WNPV-1440 AM Radio Night featuring TP Trailers Modifieds, BRC Late Models, Sportsman and Blast from the Past Vintage car racing.
Saturday, August 6, 7:30 p.m. Bernheisel Night featuring TP Trailers 358 Modifieds, BRC Late Models and Sportsman.
