5.23.15 Grandview Speedway Results
By: VICKI GEHRIS: BECHTELSVILLE, PA. ? The names are familiar, but neither of them have been in victory lane at Grandview Speedway in 2015 until Saturday night.
Through the aid of lap traffic, defending NASCAR Modified point champion Jeff Strunk erased Tim Buckwalter?s comfortable lead and closed in on him. The ten time champion used them to his advantage and put the Zubi?s Racing No. 88 in front on the 20th lap. Strunk later went on to claim his first win of the season in the T.P. Trailers NASCAR Whelen 358 Modified 30-lap feature. Strunk was feeling under the weather, but his crew helped pull him through and hopefully this aided the healing process.
Randy Stoudt, the Late Model point champion went out a winner last season when he announced his retirement. Due to a low car count, he returned to action driving his son?s No. 5 car a few weeks ago. He dusted off the No. 10 from last year, started on the pole in the event and led from start to finish to win his first 25-lap NASCAR BRC Late Model feature of the season. ?Buddy Mertz almost gave me a heart attack commented Stoudt when he spun in front of me.? Thankfully there was no contact, but it was an exciting moment.
The NASCAR Sportsman had a new winner when Mike Lisowski finally had a change of luck and was able to win his first 25-lap Sportsman feature of the season chased across the line by runner-up Brad Arnold.
All feature winners in the Lupus Awareness Night received monetary awards from T.P. Trailers, Limerick.
Modified action saw Brian Houseknecht lead the first lap before Buckwalter stormed into the lead on the second circuit.
The red had to be thrown on lap three when Mike Kellner?s car erupted in flames. The fire was quickly extinguished, but he was finished for the night. The restart was void caused by a second turn multi-car accident. When action went green again Buckwalter was still at the head of the pack outdistancing himself as the laps dwindled down being chased by Ryan Grim, J. Strunk, Houseknecht and Ron Seltmann Jr.
Strunk, who started 11th, overtook second on the seventh lap to try to reel the rapid running Buckwalter in the Jerry Rogue-owned No. 22.
By the Dan?s Deli ?-way marker, Buckwalter had to use heads up driving, along with the others, since they had to deal with the back of the pack traffic. Strunk used this opportunity to his advantage and closed in fast.
The lead changed for the third and final time on the 20th lap when Strunk dove underneath Buckwalter, stuck behind traffic, and into the lead. Third through fifth by this time consisted of Craig Von Dohren, Grim and Nate Christman.
Von Dohren moved into second with four laps to go, but was unable to get close enough to challenge Strunk, even though he was coming on strong.
As the checkered unfurled Strunk scored his 61st career victory trailed by Von Dohren, Buckwalter, Grim and Christman. Rounding out the top ten were Mike Gular, Houseknecht, Weiss, Ryan Watt and Doug Manmiller, recipient of the Cargo Trailers certificate.
Ray Swinehart, Don Norris Jr. and Seltmann Jr. won the heats. The consi was won by Meme DeSantis.
Before the first lap could be scored in the Late Model feature, Kory Fleming and Rick Todorow were eliminated from competition.
Stoudt pulled away quickly on the restart pursued by Steve Wilson, Bill Henning, Lou Egrie Jr. and Dan Green.
By the tenth lap trying to erase the deficit were Wilson, Sean Merkel, Chuck Schutz and Green.
Dave Ogin spun along the backstretch on the 14th lap to regroup the pack. Stoudt wasted no time pulling away on the restart, but by now Merkel, and Schutz were second and third.
With five laps to go, Schutz, who just took over second, used lap cars to try to reel in Stoudt.
Everyone was given the chance to unseat Stoudt when Wilson, Joe Fanelli and Green tangled in the first turn with three laps to go. Stoudt motored away quickly when action went green again.