8.30.14 Grandview Speedway Results
By: VICKI GEHRIS: BECHTELSVILLE, PA. ? Doug Manmiller was on a winning streak in the beginning of the 2014 Grandview Speedway season and suddenly the Josh Biever owned No. 46 team hit a dry spell as the others got better. Saturday night, ?The Handler? started in the lucky 13 starting grid, was running second by the 17th lap and in first on the 22nd lap when he passed race leader Tim Buckwalter. Shut out of the win column since June 21, Manmiller continued his pace until he won his fifth 30-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Modified feature for a $2,900 payoff which included $250 from T.P. Trailers, Limerick and $150 in race products from VP Fuels for running gas.
Tommy Scheetz overtook Bobby Gunther-Walsh for the lead at the second lap marker and held that spot until the 12th lap restart needed when Todd Smith jolted the fourth turn wall and stopped along the homestretch for the yellow. He was uninjured, however, the car was badly damaged. When action resumed Buckwalter shot into first in quest of his second win of the year with John Willman, Manmiller, Scheetz III and Ryan Grim in tow.
Manmiller battled Willman a few laps before he cleared him for the runner-up spot on the 17th lap and took chase after Buckwalter.
Buckwalter held the high groove while Manmiller was on the move on the bottom lane since his car worked ?best? there as the track was good down low and he reeled him in by the 20th lap.
The race saw the fourth different leader when Manmiller motored to the front on the 22nd lap.
The battle for positions was a highly contested one in the later stages of the race between Buckwalter, R. Grim, Duane Howard and Jeff Strunk as they all wanted the same spot.
Manmiller never looked back and went on to the winner?s circle trailed by Grim, Howard, Buckwalter, who also received the Dan?s Deli ?-way hoagie award and Strunk. Willman, Terry Meitzler, Craig Von Dohren, Mike Gular and Scheetz III, Cargo Trailer certificate recipient, completed the top ten.
Heats were won by Scheetz III, Gunther-Walsh, Howard and Buckwalter. Jordan Umbenhauer and Craig Whitmoyer won the consi winners.
The Bernheisel Race Car Superior Products 30-lap Late Model feature which had a rash of yellow fever, was won by current point leader Randy Stoudt for his sixth win of the season in which he also garnered $100 from T.P. Trailers. Each of the 24 participants in the event sponsored by BRC received an average of an addition $320 in race products from race sponsor BRC providing they had the decal displayed on both sides of their car.
Wayne Pfeil was eliminated from competition before the first lap when he made contact with the second turn infield tire. On the complete restart, John Giesler led for one lap before he spun in the second turn and now Cory Merkel, already a feature winner this year in his rookie season, was the new leader.
Stoudt diced with teammate Joe Fanelli for several laps before he got by him on the ninth lap to do battle with C. Merkel.
The lead changed hands on the 10th lap when Stoudt did a slide job on C. Merkel going into the second turn and it held since he was now in command.
C. Merkel wasn?t about to give up without a fight and tried to regain the lead. In doing so, however, he spun in the fourth turn for the yellow. It was a tough break for C. Merkel since he had a strong run going, but now had to go to the back of the pack. Stoudt remained the leader on the restart being chased down by Fanelli, Dan Green, Chuck Schutz, who was on the move on the outside from his 23rd starting berth and Sean Merkel.
With ten laps to go the order behind Stoudt consisted of Green, Schutz, Fanelli and S. Merkel with neither one giving an inch.
Once Stoudt was in front of the pack he never faltered and went on to victory and also received the Dan?s Deli ?-way hoagie award, chased across by Schutz, who ran out of time; Green, Fanelli and S. Merkel. Rounding out the top ten were Rick Todorow, Steve Wilson