FOLLOWING HIS FATHER’S TIRE TRACKS – LOGAN WATT SCORES THE VICTORY IN GRANDVIEW SPEEDWAY’S 55th ANNUAL FORREST ROGERS MEMORIAL ONE YEAR AFTER HIS FATHER’S WIN – TAKING THE BIGGEST WIN OF HIS YOUNG CAREER
KENNY GILMORE FROM 15th TO THE WIN IN SPORTSMAN ACTION SATURDAY NIGHT
BECHTELSVILLE, PA. – It was a night to remember on Saturday night at Grandview Speedway, with wildly exciting and competitive racing action providing some unexpected finishes!
When all the action was complete, young Logan Watt of Boyertown, Pa. was able to secure the biggest win of his career, capturing the $10,000 win in the 55th annual Forrest Rogers Memorial 50-lap T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modified Championship feature.
Kenny Gilmore of Fleetwood, Pa. stormed through the field during the 25-lap T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman feature race from his 15th place starting spot, survived a mid-race tangle, and raced home to his first win of the season, becoming the division’s ninth different feature winner in 2025.
The 50-lap Forrest Rogers Memorial T.P. Trailer Modified feature was run as a tribute to the gentleman who was the founder and builder of Grandview Speedway, by the Rogers family who still own and operate the Speedway, while also celebrating the track’s 63rd birthday, holding this prestigious race on the same weekend of the Speedway’s opening in 1963!
Logan Watt was part of a great battle at the front of the field for the win in the prestigious event, battling with Shoemakersville, Pa.’s Doug Manmiller for the third spot, while Eddie Strada of Lake Ariel, Pa. and Jeff Strunk of Boyertown, Pa. were in a great battle for the win just ahead of them.
Suddenly on lap 43 entering turn one, Strunk and Strada tangled during a hard nosed race for the $10,000 win, causing both to spin for a caution, just after Watt had taken third from Manmiller two laps earlier.
This major turn of events put Watt in the lead, where he ran a perfect final seven laps, holding off Manmiller to score the Forrest Rogers Memorial feature win, one year after his father Ryan Watt of Boyertown, Pa. was able to win the same historical race.
Kenny Gilmore was able to win the T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman feature, with a strong and steady drive through the field, using the top groove at times, sometimes in the middle lane and sometimes on the bottom groove with his flawlessly handling race car.
Gilmore reached the top five by lap eleven, and was able to outgun leader Zach Steffey of Sinking Spring, Pa. on a lap 18 restart to take the lead, then charge home to his first win of the season and eighth of his career in the division.
The winners both received bonus money (Modified $300, Sportsman $200) from T.P. Trailers and Truck Equipment of Limerick, Pa., sponsors of the two divisions at Grandview Speedway in a race program run under the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series banner.
Chris Gambler of Trexlertown, Pa. took the early lead in the Forrest Rogers Memorial until Bobby Trapper Jr. of Scranton, Pa. was able to get by for the top spot exiting turn two on lap three, leaving Gambler to battle for the top five spots with Eric Biehn of Barto, Pa., and Brian Hirthler of Green Lane, Pa.
Right behind them in a great fight for position was Ryan Beltz of Barto, Pa., Doug Manmiller, Eddie Strada, and Louden Reimert of Oley, Pa., while another multi-car battle was happening right behind them between Logan Watt, Jeff Strunk, Duane Howard of Oley, Pa., and Mike Gular of Harleysville, Pa.
By lap fourteen Trapper Jr. had built a sizable lead, but was now reaching lapped traffic, while an insane battle for position was happening between Manmiller, Biehn, Strada, Hirthler, Logan Watt and Reimert, with positions changing constantly in the entertaining race.
By lap seventeen, Trapper Jr. was seeing his lead shrink, with Manmiller, Strada, Hirthler and Logan Watt closing in while fighting the lapped cars, while behind them Reimert, Biehn, Strunk, and Howard were joined by Ryan Watt, and Brett Kressley of Orefield, Pa. in a great race for the top ten spots.
By lap twenty-three Manmiller would finally erase the lead Trapper Jr. had built up and began a side-by-side dual for the lead with Strada also joining in the race for the lead four laps later, setting up an incredible three-car race for the lead, running so close they were practically under a blanket.
Manmiller would secure the lead with a move off turn four to score lap thirty, with Strada following by for second entering turn one just before the race’s first caution for Billy Pauch Jr. of Frenchtown, N.J. who would stop on the front straightaway with a flat tire.
Brett Kressley would pit during this caution for a tire change and return, while on the restart Manmiller would pull out to a lead while Strada, Strunk and Watt would quickly gain positions, with Strada getting to second on lap 32, and set off after Manmiller.
Strada quickly reeled in Manmiller and began a great race for the lead, with Manmiller down low and Strada up in the high groove lap after lap, until Strada powered by Manmiller for the lead off turn two on lap 36 to take command.
Strunk would get by Watt for third on lap 33, then pass Manmiller for second on lap 39, setting sail after leader Strada, quickly catching up to the leader to begin a challenge for the top spot.
Strada was still circling the track in the outside line, while Strunk was running the middle and lower lanes, setting up yet another fantastic battle for the $10,000 victory, which lasted a handful of entertaining laps until disaster struck on lap 43.
Entering turn one with the two racing super hard and side-by-side, contact was made between the two drivers, with them locking together briefly, causing them both to spin out and draw only the second caution of the race, stunning the huge crowd on hand, and also putting a disappointing end to an exciting race for both drivers who worked so hard to put themselves in contention for a huge victory.
Logan Watt had just won out on a multi-lap battle with Manmiller for third place, just two laps before the leaders crashed, giving him the lead for the restart.
Watt would pull away to a small but safe lead in the final laps, while Manmiller would battle it out with a late charging Gular for the second position down to the finish.
At the wave of Starter Ray Kemp’s checkered flag, it was Logan Watt scoring his second career T.P. Trailer NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Modified feature win, followed by Manmiller, Gular, Reimert, Howard who both had solid nights, Ryan Watt, Jared Umbenhauer of Richland, Pa. who picked up $100 from Yocom Drywall as the race’s Hard Charger after starting in 25th spot, Craig Von Dohren of Oley, Pa., Kressley who charged back to the top ten after his pit stop, and Rick Laubach of Quakertown, Pa. who made the top ten after starting in 21st spot.
Super competitive and exciting qualifying heats for the 39 cars on hand were won by Logan Watt, Craig Von Dohren, Louden Reimert and John Willman of Birdsboro, Pa. with Tim Buckwalter of Douglassville, Pa. and Rick Laubach winning the consolations.
The 25-lap T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman feature was almost a carbon copy of the T.P. Trailer Modified feature, with the race competitive from start to finish and only two quick cautions to slow the action.
Taylor Kramer of Coopersburg, Pa. would be the race’s early leader followed closely by Mark Gaugler of Boyertown, Pa., Zach Steffey, Shannon Slaughter of Lititz, Pa., and Stephen Laubach of Bangor, Pa. who were challenging for the top spots.
Gaugler would take the lead with a pass down the back straightaway on lap five to become the new race leader, before a multi-car tangle on the back stretch saw several cars making contact with one another, leaving Addison Meitzler of Kempton, Pa. bouncing off the wall and Kenny Gilmore narrowly escaping being involved to continue on in the race, drawing a caution on lap ten.
The lap ten restart would see Steffey use the top lane to power around Gaugler to become the new race leader on lap eleven, while Gilmore continued to march forward, reaching second on lap fourteen, and quickly chasing after Steffey. Gilmore would catch Steffey and challenge for the lead for a couple of laps side-by-side before a lap 17 caution would reset the field.
While this action was going on for the top spot, action was on going behind them between Gaugler, Slaughter, Adrianna Delliponti of Norristown, Pa. up from 13th starting spot, Laubach, Brett Gilmore of Kutztown, Pa. who was moving forward after starting 15th, point leader Colin Cox of Perkasie, Pa, who had started 21st, Lawson Szerencits of Catasauqua, Pa. and Joey Vaccaro of Reading, Pa.
Kenny Gilmore was able to use the outside lane to power around Steffey on the restart to take over the lead and become the race’s final leader, leaving great action behind him for positions between Brett Gilmore, Delliponti and Cox, along with another struggle between Slaughter, Brad Brightbill of Sinking Spring, Pa., Szerencits and a late charging Mike Schneck Jr. of Lebanon, Pa.
At the finish it was Kenny Gilmore scoring his first NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series feature win this season, followed by Steffey for his best run of the year, Gaugler who likewise scored his best run of the season, Cox, Brett Gilmore, Delliponti, Slaughter, Brightbill, Szerencits, and Schneck Jr.
Qualifying heats for the 41 cars on hand were won by Mark Gaugler, Taylor Kramer, Mike Stofflet of Mertztown, Pa. and Adrianna Delliponti while Colin Cox and Ryan Graver of Lehighton, Pa. won the consolations.
Grandview Speedway will be presenting another NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series program next week featuring the T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, the T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman, along with the Outlaw Racing Series Vintage cars.
The show on Saturday, August 16 will include qualifying events that will lead into a 30-lap T.P. Trailer Modified feature, a 25-lap feature for the T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman, along with a 15-lap feature for the Vintage racers.
Pit gates will open at 4 pm, with grandstand gates opening at 5:30 pm, warm-ups starting at 6:15 pm, and the first race of the evening getting the green flag at 7:30 pm.
Adult grandstand admission is $20, students 10-15 with ID are $10, while children ages 9 and under are admitted free of charge. Pit admission is $35 for NASCAR members and $45 for non-members.
Since the 1960’s, Grandview Speedway has been presenting exciting wheel to wheel NASCAR stock car racing every Saturday Night starting in April and running through October, plus special events. Grandview Speedway is located at 43 Passmore Road, Bechtelsville, Pa. 19505, just off Route 100, ten miles north of Pottstown, Pa.
Information is always available at www.grandviewspeedway.com or on Facebook, or by telephone at 610.754.7688.
55th ANNUAL FORREST ROGERS MEMORIAL RESULTS SUMMARY – AUGUST 9, 2025
T.P. TRAILER NASCAR MODIFIED FORREST ROGERS MEMORIAL FEATURE FINISH (50 laps): LOGAN WATT, Doug Manmiller, Mike Gular, Louden Reimert, Duane Howard, Ryan Watt, Jared Umbenhauer, Craig Von Dohren, Brett Kressley, Rick Laubach, Brian Hirthler, Cody Manmiller, Bobby Trapper Jr., Kyle Smith, Eddie Strada, Craig Whitmoyer, Matt Yoder, Eric Biehn, Carroll Hine III, Jeff Strunk, Tim Buckwalter, Billy Pauch Jr., Ryan Grim, Chris Gambler, Clay Butler, Ryan Beltz, Bobby Trapper Sr., Jon Kellner, DNS – John Willman
DID NOT QUALIFY: Ron Haring Jr., Darin Schuler, Kenny Bock, Glenn Owens, Ray Swinehart, Justin Grim, Mike Laise, Eric Kormann, Bobby Gunther-Walsh, Chris Esposito
T.P. TRAILERS WINNER’S BONUS ($300): Logan Watt
VP RACING FUELS HARD CHARGER: Jared Umbenhauer +18
YOCOM DRYWALL HARD CHARGER ($100): Jared Umbenhauer +18
PENSKE RACING SHOCKS CERTIFICATES: Logan Watt ($75), Doug Manmiller ($50), Mike Gular ($25)
DAN’S DELI HALFWAY LEADER GIFT CERTIFICATE: Bobby Trapper Jr.
T.P. TRUCK EQUIPMENT NASCAR SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH (25 laps): KENNY GILMORE, Zach Steffey, Mark Gaugler, Colin Cox, Brett Gilmore, Adrianna Delliponti, Shannon Slaughter, Brad Brightbill, Lawson Szerencits, Mike Schneck Jr., Teague Miller, Mike Stofflet, TJ Mayberry, Joey Vaccaro, Ryan Graver, Stephen Laubach, Dylan Swinehart, Chase Gular, Colton Perry, Dakota Kohler, Jimmy Leiby, Brayden Shelton, Kaitlyn Bailey, Dennis Graber, Taylor Kramer, Gavyn Krupp, Brett Grim, Addison Meitzler
DID NOT QUALIFY: Jesse Landis, Parker Guldin, John McGeoy, Nicholas Hamm, Troy Conrad, Mark Behm, Kyle Hartzell, Stephen Smith, Mike Loney, Alex Bartorillo, Mark Mohr, Steve Young, Tom Miller Sr.
T.P. TRUCK EQUIPMENT WINNER’S BONUS ($200): Kenny Gilmore
GRANDVIEW $100 HARD CHARGER: Mike Schneck Jr. +17
PENSKE RACING SHOCKS CERTIFICATES: Kenny Gilmore ($75), Zach Steffey ($50), Mark Gaugler ($25)
DAN’S DELI HALFWAY LEADER GIFT CERTIFICATE: Mark Gaugler
DRIVEN RACE OIL/JOHN WILLMAN MOTORSPORTS OIL & FILTER KIT 7th PLACE: Shannon Slaughter
UPCOMING EVENTS –
Saturday, August 16 – T.P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage, TRIVIA NIGHT – 7:30 pm
Saturday, August 23 – PWD LUBRICANTS NIGHT – T. P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman – 7:30 pm
Friday, August 29 – Outlaw Racing Series Enduro, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage, Slingshots – 7 pm
Saturday, August 30 – T.P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman, Pro 4 Racing Series – 7:30 pm
Saturday, September 6 – ADVANCE AUTO PARTS NIGHT – T. P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman, USAC East Coast Sprints – 7:30 pm