BECHTELSVILLE >> Current T.P. Trailers NASCAR 358 Modified point leader Craig VonDohren, the defending Pioneer Pole Building/Forrest Rogers Memorial race winner, gave himself a hefty birthday present when he scored the win in the 50-Lap NASCAR Whelen 358 Modified All-American Racing Series feature event Saturday night at Grandview Speedway. It was the seventh time he claimed victory in the event. VonDohren may have had a comfortable margin over runner-up Mike Gular, but his fourth feature win of the season didn’t come easy for the defending point champion, since he had to deal with heavy lapped traffic on numerous occasions. In addition to the $10,000 top prize he also pocketed $250 in bonus bucks from T.P. Trailers plus $150 in product contingency awards from VP Fuels for running gas along with the Dan’s Deli 1/2-way hoagie award. The racing activities were sponsored by Pioneer Pole Building and the 46th running of the event was in honor of race founder Forrest Rogers, the late father of current promoter and track owner Bruce Rogers.
Dylan Swinehart, a rookie this season in the Sportsman division and also a third generation of racing Swinehart’s – his grandfather Ray, uncle Steve and now himself, became the tenth different winner when he scored his first 25-lap NASCAR Sportsman feature career win by defeating Ryan Higgs. Swinehart also has another famous racing grandfather – Dennis Bailey. Both Ray and Dennis were previous point champions. Throughout the season the youngster has endured so many obstacles and he finally was glad to get the monkey off his back. Last week he had failed to qualify for the race. He also picked up an additional $100 from T.P. Trailers and the 1/2-way Dan’s Deli hoagie award.
In BRC Late Model action Ron Kline overtook leader Brian Shuey on the 19th lap and went on to claim back to back feature wins in the 25-Lap race. T.P. Trailers also awarded him $100.
There have now been 24 different feature winners in the Saturday night NASCAR sanctioned events presented this season.
Tony Stewart’s All Star Circuit of Champions 410 Sprint racers will be in action on Thursday, August 18th at 7:30 p.m. and will feature some of the best Sprint car talents in the nation. The TSRS 305 Sprints will also be part of the Thunder on the Hill event.
Henning’s Trains of Lansdale will have some Lionel trains to give away to lucky youngsters on Saturday, August 20th. Racing will feature the NASCAR T.P.Trailers 358 Modifieds, BRC Late Models and Sportsman. Only three nights of point racing remain in the chase for the lucrative track and NASCAR championships.
Bobby Gunther-Walsh led the first lap of the Modified feature before the red was thrown on the second lap when Tyler Dippel found himself in the backstretch wall with heavy impact. He was shaken up a bit, but walked to the ambulance under his own power. It was still Gunther-Walsh in command on the restart with pressure coming from Brett Kressley, Nate Christman, Ray Swinehart and Justin Grim.
Kressley put the Norm Hansell-owned No. 357 into the lead on the 11th lap restart needed for a multi-car fourth turn tangle. By this time VonDohren, who started 14th, had piloted the PPB/Keith Harring Transportation No. 1C mount to second to challenge the Modified rookie.
By the 18th lap the front five consisting of Kressley, VonDohren, Christman, Mike Gular and Kyle Weiss encountered the back markers that were also racing for positions and did heed the move over flag.
VonDohren used the lap cars to his advantage and took over first on the 19th lap, but one lap later Kressley was back in front as the pair swapped the lead back and forth.
Lap 21 VonDohren moved ahead once again and immediately opened up daylight leaving Kressley, Christman, Gular and Weiss giving chase.
With ten laps to go debris in the first turn brought out the final yellow. VonDohren was still in command when action resumed, but Gular quickly motored past Christman and Kressley and was now second in pursuit of the leader.
It looked like VonDohren was on a rail as the laps wound down and he raced to his 99th career win. Chasing him across the finish line were Gular, Kressley, Ray Swinehart and Jeff Strunk. Rounding out the top ten were Christman, Jared Umbenhauer, Kenny Gilmore, Duane Howard and Weiss.
2014 race winner Dr. Danny Johnson, a New York standout racing talent, made a rare appearance, but could only muster a 14th-place finish.
Justin Grim, Gunther-Walsh and R. Swinehart won the heats with Mike Kellner winning the consi.
Sportsman action saw rookie Ken Bock show the way for two laps before Steve Young forged ahead.
The lead changed for the third time on lap six when young Swinehart took the lead.
Behind Swinehart, Young and Derrick Smith, Ryan Higgs and Andrew Kreis, all rookies, diced for second through fifth.
Smith overtook second on the ninth circuit and set his signs on Swinehart.
The front runners soon encountered lapped traffic which they had to use hands-up driving tactics.
Brad Arnold brought out the only yellow with three laps to go when he stopped in the third turn. Before the restart, Smith, who was running second since lap nine, pitted after he made contact with the wall earlier and suffered damage. This put Higgs, Craig Whitmoyer, Young and Kreis, nose-to-tail, but Swinehart wasted no time staying ahead.
Swinehart kept all challengers at bay and went on to claim a well-deserved triumph followed by Higgs, Whitmoyer, Jim Housworth and Young.
Heats were won by Kreis, Bock and Young. The consi went to Brandon Whitmoyer.
Devin Frey took the early lead in the Late Model feature before Shawn Horning slowed along the homestretch. Rain was soon approaching, but not falling on the track and as the cars restarted and headed into turns one and two, a heavy downpour broke loose with Frey and a few others to hit the wall. Eliminated were Frey, Drew Weisser, Lou Egrie and Sean Merkel. As quick as the rain started, it stopped. Since so many cars were damaged, management decided to run the modified and sportsman consolation races, then their features and conclude with the remainder of the Late Model feature allowing them time to repair their cars.
When the race resumed, four-time feature winner and two-time point champion Brian Shuey was the race leader followed by Wayne Pfeil, Kline, Corey Merkel and Chuck Schutz.
Pfeil and Kline battled several laps before Kline advanced to second, but Pfeil didn’t give up easily and challenged him. This gave Shuey some breathing room.
Once Kline broke free of Pfeil he reeled Shuey in and passed him on the 19th lap.
Once in front Kline never relinquished first and went on to chalk up his 35th career win followed by Shuey, Pfeil, C. Merkel and current point leader and defending champion Schutz.
Frey and Egrie won the heats.RACE RESULTS
PPB/Forrest Rogers Memorial T.P. Trailers Modified Feature (50 Laps): 1. Craig Von Dohren, 2. Mike Gular, 3. Brett Kressley, 4. Ray Swinehart, 5. Jeff Strunk, 6. Nate Christman, ;7. Jared Umbenhauer, 8. Kenny Gilmore, 9. Duane Howard, 10. Kyle Weiss, 11. Kevin Hirthler, 12. Don Norris Jr., 13. Doug Manmiller (provisional), 14. Danny Johnson, 15. Steve Swinehart, 16. Brian Krummel, 17. Mike Kellner, 18. Kory Fleming, 19. Brian Houseknecht, 20. Bobby Gunther-Walsh, 21. Danny Erb, 22. Tim Buckwalter, 23. John Willman, 24. Kyle Borror, 25. Ryan Grim, 26. Justin Grim, 27. Blaine Bracelin Jr., 28. Chris Esposito, 29. Tyler Dippel. DNQ: Ron Seltmann Jr., Colt Harris, Frank Cozze, Chris Gambler and Eric Biehn.
Sportsman Feature (25 Laps): 1. Dylan Swinehart, 2. Ryan Higgs, 3. Craig Whitmoyer, 4. Jim Housworth, 5. Steve Young, 6. Andrew Kreis, 7. Ken Eckert, 8. Mark Kemmerer, 9. Mike Lisowski, 10. Brian Hirthler, 11. Ryan Lilick, 12. Ryan Beltz, 13. Jordan Henn, 14. Brandon Grasso, 15. Joe Funk III, 16. Jack Butler, 17. Dean Bachman, 18. Brandon Whitmoyer, 19. Jordan Tittle, 20. Kyle Lilick, 21. Mike Koffel, 22. Nathan Mohr, 23. Derrick Smith, 24. Brad Arnold, 25. Brett Gilmore, 26. Kenny Bock. DNQ: Mike Koffel, Pat Conrad and Zachary Wydra..
BRC Late Model Feature (25 Laps): 1. Ron Kline, 2. Brian Shuey, 3. Wayne Pfeil, 4. Cory Merkel, 5. Chuck chutz, 6. Bill Henning, 7. Steve Todorow, 8. Dan Green, 9. Joe Fanelli9, 10. Dave Ogin, 11. Shawn Horning, 12. Eric Hoch, 13. Devin Frey, 14. Drew Weisser, 15. Lou Egrie. 16. Sean Merkel.
