BECHTELSVILLE, PA. ? Kevin Hirthler, Kory Fleming and Kenny Gilmore were all repeat winners in their respective features on Saturday night at Grandview Speedway in the activities sponsored by T.P. Trailers, Limerick.
Kevin Hirthler and Todd Smith put on quite a battle on numerous occasions in the T.P. Trailers NASCAR Whelen Modified 30-lap feature. During the closing stages of the event Doug Manmiller forced Hirthler to step his program up. ?I heard someone close behind me and I didn?t know who it was, but found out when he put his nose upfront.? Hirthler credited fellow racer Rick Laubach in helping him with the shock program and his advice in getting the car to work better.
The 25-lap NASCAR BRC Late Model feature saw Fleming and Chuck Schutz in a heated battle for first before Fleming motored ahead for good with two laps to go to chalk up the victory.
Gilmore was able to keep current point leader Brett Kressley, who started dead last in the 25-lap NASCAR Sportsman feature, behind him the last three laps to capture a well-deserved triumph.
The onset of the Modified feature saw Smith, who started on the pole, take the early lead and set the pace for five laps until Hirthler put his self-owned No. 117 sponsored by Pioneer Pole Building/Green Lane/William Penn/4-Star Lettering in the top spot.
The yellow was thrown on the eighth lap when Mike Gular spun in the third turn. The restart was brought back to the line when third-place runner Ray Swinehart broke going out of the first turn with Ryan Grim collected in the mishap. Grim rejoined the action, but Swinehart was through for the night. Hirthler barely held onto first when action resumed since Smith didn?t leave him go on without a fight. Behind them Don Norris Jr., Glenn Strunk and Manmiller jockeyed for positions.
Hirthler did manage to build up a commanding lead by the 16th lap with the order behind him that was bumper-to-bumper the same.
Craig Von Dohren, the current point leader, found himself facing the wrong direction in the fourth turn for the 17th lap caution that also involved Mike Laise, who had nowhere to go. Duane Howard was placed to the rear for initiating the incident. Hirthler, on the outside and Smith, down low put on quite a battle for first on the restart and this allowed Manmiller to get in the mix despite Hirthler once again pulling away.
Manmiller closed in on Hirthler by the 22nd lap and this caused Hirthler to change his game plan when he was pressured. Tim Buckwalter, Norris Jr. and G. Strunk anticipated a slip-up by anyone in hopes of advancement.
Hirthler was successful in keeping a hard-charging Manmiller at bay to go on to claim his 10th career victory chased across the line by Manmiller, Buckwalter, Norris Jr. and G. Strunk. Sixth through tenth were Kyle Weiss, Frank Cozze, John Willman, Nate Christman, the Cargo Trailers certificate recipient and Howard.
Heat winners were Weiss, Danny Erb and Hirthler. Jarrad Miller won the consi.
Missing from action was defending champion Jeff Strunk who suffered a rotator cuff injury last week in a non-racing mishap. He hopes after taking off a week and resting that he can return quickly.
Lou Egrie Jr. took the early lead in the Late Model feature trailed by Steve Gross, Bill Henning, Fleming and Joe Fanelli.
The real battle behind Egrie was for second between Henning and Fleming with Schutz joining in by lap eight.
Egrie Jr. had some breathing room while Fleming and Schutz swapped the runner-up spot back and forth.
Lap 13 was a lucky one for Fleming as he now managed to be in control. Two laps later Schutz was second setting his sights on Fleming.
On the 19th lap late week?s feature winner Randy Stoudt, who started 12th and worked his way to third, hit the first turn infield tire with such force it knocked the entire nose piece off to bring out the yellow. Egrie Jr. was also out of contention when he sidelined with a flat tire.