8.29.15 Grandview Speedway Results
BECHTELSVILLE, PA. ? Duane Howard had a dismal 27th place finish last Saturday night at Grandview Speedway after a hard hit on the 21st lap of the Modified feature caused major damage to the rear end of the Petruska team-owned No. 66. The five-time point champion rebounded 26 positions this week to pull into victory lane for the fourth time this season in the T.P. Trailers NASCAR Whelen 30-lap Modified feature. Kevin Hirthler, whom he battled with for several laps before he made the pass when Hirthler got hung up behind lap traffic came home second.
Dave Ogin, having the best season of his career, put the Taylor White and Wanda Brown owned No. 31 into the winner?s circle for his second career win in the 30-lap NASCAR BRC Late Model feature. It was the Superior Racing Products night for the division sponsored by Bernheisel Race Cars.
Ryan Lilick scored his third win by taking home the checkered in the 25-lap NASCAR Sportsman feature.
All feature winners received monetary awards from T.P. Trailers, Limerick.
At the onset of the Modified feature, polesitter Ron Haring Jr. set the pace for seven laps before Hirthler, seventh-place starter, took control of the reigns.
With Hirthler now in control, trying to unseat him were Mike Gular, Haring Jr., Ryan Grim and Kyle Borror.
Meme DeSantis brought out the yellow on lap 11 when he stopped along the backstretch out of competition. The restart was void after Borror hit the backstretch wall with heavy contact. He was uninjured. Haring Jr. was sent to the rear for the incident. Hirthler was still in front on the restart, but by now Mike Gular, Grim, Howard and Doug Manmiller, ninth, fifth, 14th and 13th-place starters respectively were the challengers.
Howard overtook second just as the caution flew on the 17th lap when Todd Smith stopped on the backstretch. It was still Hirthler running the high lane ahead with Howard trying to make a move on the inside.
While Hirthler and Howard diced for first, the action behind them was hot and heavy between Grim, Gular and Jeff Strunk, who came from 18th. Craig Von Dohren, who started 15th, was trying feverishly to break into the top five.
With three to go, Howard made the pass for the lead along the backstretch when Hirthler wasn?t able to get around the lap car quick enough.
Grim, who was right in the thick of things having a solid fourth-place run at the time, was plagued with mechanical problems once again and came to a stop in turn two with two laps remaining. Howard pulled away fast since he knew Hirthler wasn?t about to give up without a fight.
Howard kept the competition at bay and chalked up career win No. 68 followed by Hirthler, a three-time feature winner this season; Gular, for his best finish; J. Strunk and Von Dohren. Sixth through tenth were Danny Erb, Nate Christman, Manmiller, Jared Umbenhauer and Frank Cozze.
Heats were won by Smith, Borror and Hirthler while Umbenhauer took the consi.
After two tries, the Late Model feature finally got a lap in with Steve Wilson in the lead followed by Shawn Horning, Kyle Merkel, Steve Gross and Kory Fleming.
K. Merkel moved into second on the third lap and put in his bids for the lead running the high line. K. Merkel made several runs to overtake Wilson with each try uneventful.
With a few laps Wilson soon had some breathing room since K. Merkel and Ogin jockeyed for second with Ogin overtake the spot on the 16th lap.
Now not only did Wilson have to contend with the slower moving cars, Ogin was right on his bumper with five to go.
Ogin made his move off the second turn and was able to make the pass stick for first with two laps left.
The lead never changed and Ogin went on to pick up the win. Chasing him across were Wilson, Fleming, Dan Green and K. Merkel. Chuck Schutz, Lou Egrie Jr., last week?s feature winner; Wayne Pfeil, Jason Miller and Sean Merkel completed the top ten.
Egrie Jr. and Bill Henning won the heats.