7.11.15 Grandview Speedway Results
BECHTELSVILLE, PA. ? Kevin Hirthler, Randy Stoudt and Brad Arnold were the big feature winners in their respective divisions on Saturday night at Grandview Speedway. Racing activities were sponsored by Ingersoll Rand and broadcast by RCN TV-4, Allentown.
All feature winners received monetary awards from T.P. Trailers and an Ingersoll-Rand Tool Kit plus if they were running VP Gas and met the necessary requirements were awarded product awards.
Hirthler is still running his car from last year since he?s not quite satisfied with the new car after hitting the wall earlier in the season. Upset with his second-place finish last week to Craig Von Dohren in the 30-lap T.P. Trailers NASCAR Whelen Modified feature he was determined to do better this week.
By the fourth lap of the feature Hirthler advanced into second from his seventh-place starting grid and put on a torrid side-by-side battle with polesitter Ryan Kunkel for first.
The lead was swapped on the seventh lap as Hirthler was in front of the pack. The real action for positions behind him was hot and heavy between Kunkle, Danny Erb, Bobby Gunther-Walsh and Ryan Grim
It didn?t take long for Hirthler to outdistance himself leaving Kunkle, Erb and now Duane Howard in a three-way battle for second. Back further it was bumper to bumper for positions between Tim Buckwalter, Von Dohren, Gunther-Walsh and Grim with everyone determined to advance.
Hirthler, bidding for his third win of the year, approached lap traffic by the 21st lap and with his fellow competitors? nose to tail that gave him more leeway. He approaching the back runners heeding the move over flag and as he realized they were racing for positions as well.
Once Hirthler was in command there was no looking back because no cautions were needed to regroup the field to give him a run for the money. At the drop of the checkered he piloted the family-owned mount sponsored by Pioneer Pole Building No. 117. Hirthler once again credited fellow driver Rick Laubach for his help. Chasing him across the line for his best run of the season since returning to action full time was Erb trailed by Howard, Von Dohren and Kunkel, who posted his best finish ever. Tim Buckwalter, Jeff Strunk, Gunther-Walsh, Grim and Kyle Weiss completed the top ten.
Hirthler, J. Strunk and John Willman won the heats. The consi was won by Ray Swinehart.
In the BRC NASCAR 25-lap Late Model feature Stoudt, shut out last week, won his third feature of the year. Even though he started on the pole and led from start to finish there were some tense moments in the later stages when he experienced brake issues, but still managed to hold off runner-up Chuck Schutz.
Stoudt motored the J&H Automotive No. 10 out quickly leaving Lou Egrie Jr., Cory Merkel, Kory Fleming and Kyle Merkel behind.
C. Merkel, while running fourth, stopped along the backstretch out of contention for the seventh lap caution. Stoudt maintained first, but he had to fend off Egrie Jr.?s challenges as the pair raced side-by-side for several laps.
Egrie Jr.?s fine run ended on the 12th lap when he spun in turn two. Stoudt continued his pace, but now pressure came from Fleming, Schutz and S. Merkel as they were embraced by their own race for second which gave Stoudt some space.
No one was able to catch Stoudt, the defending point champion that came out of retirement, and he went on to chalk up his 66th career win. Finishing second was current point leader Schutz followed by S. Merkel, Fleming and Dave Ogin. Sixth through tenth were Joe Fanelli, Dan Green, Wayne Pfeil, Bill Henning and Steve Wilson.
Heats were won by C. Merkel and Stoudt.
The NASCAR 25-lap Sportsman feature saw Brad Arnold, who switched to the division after running Modifieds last year, motor the WEEU 830 to the outside of leader Mike Lisowski, who he dueled with fiercely for numerous laps and regained the lead on the white flag lap.